For 100 years, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) has championed an economic vision for this province and advocated for a more competitive Ontario. Developed in partnership with The Mowat Centre and Leger Marketing, Emerging Stronger: A Transformative Agenda for Ontario outlines a strategic plan for how to best leverage Ontario’s competitive advantages into greater prosperity.

This economic vision serves as a foundation for dialogue with government and civic leaders about opportunities for progress and what Ontario needs to do, but most importantly, what Ontario can become.

Priorities

Emerging Stronger: A Transformative Agenda for Ontario is the result of consultation with Ontario’s business, government and civic leaders (including non-profit, Aboriginal and labour). The priorities identified by these leaders include:

1. Fostering a culture of innovation and smart risk-taking in order to become a productivity leader
2. Building a 21st century workforce through workplace training, utilizing newcomers’ skills and apprenticeship reform
3. Restoring fiscal balance by improving the way government works
4. Taking advantage of new opportunities in the global economy
5. Identifying, championing and investing in our competitive advantages

Thanks to business, government and civic leaders, the Chamber Network and participants of the Ontario Economic Summit who lent their voice to the shaping of this economic vision for Ontario.

We have what it takes in Ontario to maintain and gain leadership in the world: the innovation, the education, the leadership and the talent. We are respected, embraced internationally and effective – sometimes more so in international markets than here at home.

But we need to move faster.

Business, labour, the public sector and non-profit organizations need long-term, thoughtful and enabling policy, and the stability of policy direction to complete what they have started.

After two days of dialogue, strategy sessions and networking, 200 delegates left The Fairmont Royal York Hotel with new knowledge and a commitment to move Towards Ontario’s Next Great Era.

The Summit ended with a willingness and energy among delegates to move forward together in new and innovative ways. “We have work to do, but not many places offer the advantages that exist here in Ontario, said Mary Jo Haddad, President & CEO of SickKids, and Ontario Economic Summit Co-Chair.

Mr. Dressel discussed the challenges of delivering smarter energy sources into Canadian homes. He identified infrastructure as the major impediment to the widespread use of alternative energy. He cited the introduction of the Smart Grid, a system that enables communication with technological devices, as an example of an innovative device that has the potential to overcome energy distribution challenges.

Ms. Stodulski emphasized consumer education as the pathway to energy conservation. According to Ms. Stodulski, the key to lowering energy consumption is education. She discussed the challenge of getting the Canadian market to buy into this idea. In contrast, India and Europe saw the advantages of monitoring individual energy use as a means of reducing energy waste. “We need to be better, smarter and more economical,” said Ms. Stodulski.

She acknowledged the province of Ontario as trendsetters in development, but noted our consumers are hesitant to buy into innovative technologies.

However, to fully integrate support for the green movement, cooperation is needed between business, government and public. Business brings about innovation and the government supports it through legislation and stable policies, thereby encouraging greater public usage of green energy.

Premier McGuinty began the conversation by addressing the current economic crisis in Europe and the United States. When asked about cut backs by Cruickshank, he answered that instead of cutbacks, his government will be implementing reforms.

McGuinty maintained his stance on the importance of health care and education. He discussed the need to adopt new innovations in health care. This included using smart phones, telephone calls to Doctors, house calls and the introduction of a healthy home innovation tax credit that will benefit seniors and provide accessibility in their own homes.

The Premier expressed that Ontario is a province of manufacturing and innovation, pointing specifically to cars and the BlackBerry.

His cabinet aims to increase the evolution of green cars, create an infrastructure for them and commit to their innovation. The prices of renewable energy sources are currently decreasing and proving a cost effective, innovative and productive alternative.

The innovation of Ontario and of its young people was highlighted during the ‘In Conversation’.

The Premier believes that a commitment to renewable technologies needs to be made. Sharing optimism for the future of Ontario, Premier McGuinty said, “We know where the world is going to go and we can either follow or lead, and Ontario is choosing to lead.”

PC Leader Tim Hudak and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath also spoke at the 8th Annual Ontario Economic Summit.

Mr. Synder stated that the availability of reliable, low cost electricity is one of the biggest drivers for economic health and wealth.

Ontario’s main electricity challenges focus around keeping up with an increased demand for service, while trying to account for the environmental impact of CO2 emissions. Mr. Snyder advocates a four-step action plan to address these concerns. “No single fuel source can provide the silver bullet solution to the province’s electricity needs,” he said.

He calls for a portfolio approach, whereby diversification to a wide range of energy sources (including wind, solar, coal, geothermal and natural gas) creates a balance that allows the electricity industry to not be dependent on one source, while guaranteeing improved service levels. The phasing out of coal as an energy source, he adds, is the largest single change in the province’s energy history.

Technological innovation, according to Mr. Snyder, paves the way to the future with CO2 capture and reduction leading the way. He expresses his desire for Canada to be a leader into the research and development of new energy solutions, with a global focus.

Mr. Synder also stresses the importance of a stable government policy and the need for all stakeholders (community, government and industry) to work together for efficient change, stating “we need to move from confrontation to cooperation.”

The session, held at the 8th Annual Ontario Economic Summit, showcased what each company is doing to reduce their respective ecological footprints.

Mr. Elm highlighted Canadian Tire’s competitive strategy for business sustainability, which has a significant energy element. He stated that their energy footprint is made up of 76% from their products, 15% from transport, with the remainder from their operation buildings and distribution centres. Elm also showcased their creation of recycled car mats from scrap tires that are produced in Ontario—their part in reducing the waste stream in the region.

Canadian Tire’s business sustainability solutions include right-sizing packages, reducing damages from handling, retrofitting technologies, using energy efficient lighting and integrating distribution with rail.

Mr. Eddy called Vale’s strategies a competitive advantage. “To essentially stay in business it is about competing now, and in the future, because no one is standing still,” said Mr. Eddy. By being innovative with their energy strategies, he estimated that the company could stay in business for another 50 years.

Vale hopes to be at 40% of its current energy consumption by 2040. They hope to accomplish this through the help of partnerships like academia, industry, energy, supply chain partners, and regulatory authorities.

Vale has made commitments to be more energy efficient by using ventilation on demand in their mines.

Mr. Auguste stated that water will be a key asset going forward with the number of  middle class people in the world climbing to three billion over the next 20 years. He ensured delegates this will be an opportunity but many challenges also come from this as it puts pressure on natural resources. He insisted it takes much vision and strategy to be on top of the issue.

Ms. Lankin acknowledged the investment in infrastructure, arts and culture and new technology jobs, but noted that if our cities are to be safe and secure and attract new investment, we have to have cities that are inclusive and a place for all.

Mr. Eisenberg stated that the funding formula is quite ‘messed up’. He went on to say cities are the largest expense in the country and they should start making some noise, and talk about the needs to secure funding. Mr. Eisenberg also emphasized the need to maintain and preserve the agricultural community, and purported the need to urbanize cities in order to protect green spaces and agricultural lands that provide resources for these urban areas.

That said, he was optimistic and said he believes that the province is taking some forward thinking steps, especially in the increase of young people with university degrees.

Currently 50% of the world’s population resides in urban regions, this number is expected to rise to 75% by 2050. This puts even more stress on infrastructure as well as the production of energy and the consumption of it.

The world’s population is already consuming more resources than it produces. Aurich stated that, “In order to move forward, sustainability needs to be on every party’s agenda.” He went on to say that without an apolitical commitment, the economic development of cities cannot flourish and discussed how cities such as London, Munich and Copenhagen have goals to reduce the effects of climate change by reducing carbon emissions and using renewable energy.

Aurich pointed to Siemens and their three-tiered approach to sustainable development: planet, people and profit.

For Aurich, business should focus on sustainability to ensure the same quality of life for future generations. He emphasizes that being focused on sustainability does not mean a trade off of business profits, stating, “It is THE profitable business [approach]“.

In order for this technology to help ensure sustainable infrastructure development, Aurich suggests that both businesses and political entities will need to engage in a dialogue. This collaboration is crucial and it will maintain the region’s competitiveness on the world stage.

The backbone of this infrastructure is a sustainable approach.

The Commission, led by Don Drummond, former chief economist of TD Bank, has already said that consolidation will be the key to reform in the province.

“I don’t trust that they’ll make the right decisions when the Drummond report comes out,” said Hudak of the provincial Liberal government. “I don’t think they’ll even know where to begin.”

Hudak went on to outline the Provincial Conservatives priorities for the next several years, including over-hauling ‘taxpayer funded’ salaries to more closely match the private sector, fixing the public sector salary arbitration system and a top to bottom review of all government services.

Hudak criticized the current government for, he believes, not creating the right environment for investment in the province. Drawing on traditional Conservative principles, he said the public sector needs to stay out of the way to allow the private sector to innovate.

“The [PC] Caucus is working hard to keep the government on its feet,” said Hudak.

NDP Leader, Andrea Horwath and the Honourable Dalton McGuinty also spoke at the 8th Annual Ontario Economic Summit.

Ms. Horwath went on to state that challenges are faced everyday in an ever changing world, and change is a good thing. She insisted the NDP understood that building a better world meant generating wealth and stated her belief that the NDP has shown how to do that in the office.

The first female leader of the NDP discussed her interest in having a broad based conversation on how to improve things in Ontario.

Ms. Horwath outlined how she thought the economic recovery from the 2008 recession has been uneven and unreliable, and that middle income households that were already feeling the squeeze, are now falling behind.

“One out of every four people are worried about losing their job,” she said, going on to state that the province cannot succeed if people are worried about falling behind; people need to look into the future with confidence if the economy is going to grow.

The NDP leader realizes there cannot be growth under a massive debt burden and a balanced approach must be taken. A closer look at the revenues and expenditures and a long term plan is needed to get back on track. Ontario needs to focus resources on areas where it can do the most good and, she believes, the best way to help Ontario is to help Ontario families.

PC Leader Tim Hudak and the Honourable Dalton McGuinty also spoke at the 8th Annual Ontario Economic Summit.