2011 Ontario Economic Summit
Towards Ontario’s Next Great Era

Following one of the deepest global recessions in history, many would agree that while the situation remains fragile, Ontario’s economy has successfully “turned the corner”.   This seems like a reasonable statement, especially when compared to other jurisdictions, against which Ontario has fared well in its post-recession recovery. Others believe that we are not yet out of the woods. Although it would appear that real GDP and employment figures are approaching pre-recession levels, and that the province has recovered 91% of jobs lost during the global downturn, experts remain cautious not to get lured into a false sense of security. Despite real GDP growth being projected at 2.4% in 2011, Ontario must still deal with a $16.7 billion deficit and the challenges that remain for its manufacturing sector, so negatively impacted by global markets and economic transition.  Government stimulus from federal and provincial levels combined with historically low interest rates were among the most significant measures put in place to kick-start the economy and mitigate the impact on employment. With this period of intervention coming to a close, and with increased interdependencies among countries – many of which have more fragile economies than our own – we have our work cut out for us.  Adding to the mix are a fluctuating demand for exported goods, volatile markets and currencies, increasing oil prices, ageing infrastructure and populations. This is a pivotal time for Ontario.  The Ontario Economic Summit has invited leaders from all sectors and corners of the province to become engaged in our important effort to move Ontario towards its next great era. 

While governments worldwide focus on stabilizing their economies, a tremendous opportunity exists for the private sector to play an even greater role in meeting these challenges and spearheading growth opportunities. Given the extent of the deficit and the risk of a second economic downturn, Ontario’s leaders must collectively address our most pressing issues, no matter how complex they may be. At the 2011 OES, we will address the following issues, critical if we are to propel Ontario towards its next great era of prosperity:

1)      Innovation in Healthcare Delivery
2)      Ontario’s Energy Future
3)      Championing Urban Regions

Overcoming these challenges is going to take extraordinary leadership from all quarters.  That means leadership from not only our elected representatives at all levels, but also from business, labour, the academic community and NGOs.  These elephants in the economic room cannot be ignored if we are to be successful in revitalizing the economy. Those willing to take up the challenge will help position Ontario as a world leader and create a stable and secure foundation for future generations. We believe the OES is well positioned to help facilitate the relationships and action required at this pivotal time in Ontario’s history.

Read the full 2011 preliminary program framework for more information on this year’s program.

Preliminary Schedule (subject to revision)

Monday, November 21, 2011
3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.	Arrival, Registration & Check-In
6:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.	Grand Opening Programme (Location TBC)
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.	Official Program Sessions (Keynotes – Plenary Debates – Strategic Roundtables)
7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.	OES Leaders’ Networking Event
Wednesday, November 22, 2011
7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.	Roundtable Discussions with Cabinet Ministers
9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.	Official Program Sessions (Keynotes – Plenary Debates – Strategic Roundtables)
2:30 p.m.	Close of the 2011 Ontario Economic Summit