Studies on Canada’s Crucial Infrastructure Investment Needs

Canada needs to invest in its infrastructure NOW to prevent its economy from under-performing in the coming years.

Clear links are now being established between a country’s investment in infrastructure and its productivity and growth. According to a recent report commissioned by the Residential and Civil Construction Alliance of Ontario (RCCAO) earlier this month, Canada’s large infrastructure deficit is undermining our economy and overall quality of life.  Another report by the Conference Board of Canada, issued in March 2010, concluded that “for every dollar spent on public infrastructure in Ontario, $1.11 in real GDP was generated”.  As a result, both reports highlight the need for immediate action to improve our roads, bridges, sewers, transit systems, water lines, etc in order for our society to operate and grow.

Quick fixes will not suffice. It is now time for us to turn to long-term stable funding solutions and programs. Our upcoming Ontario Economic Summit (OES) will address this major issue through our panel entitled “Gateways to Growth: Ontario’s Transportation Infrastructure. We invite you to come share your ideas and recommendations to help us build and sustain a more prosperous and attractive province.

For more information on the Summit (including agenda and speakers) and to register, please visit: www.occ-oes.com.

Download the full RCCA report on “Public Infrastructure Underinvestment: The Risk to Canada’s Economic Growth”.

Download the full Conference Board of Canada report on “The Economic Impact of Public Infrastructure in Ontario”.

At the 6th Annual OES, an initial dialogue was started around the subject of how to enhance business-academia collaborations. Participants identified the need to create a more effective framework to help sustain a creative and innovative spirit in Ontario, essential if we are to remain globally competitive. The result: the launch of “Connect to Innovate”.

The OES partnered with the Council of Ontario Universities, VPs of Research and local chambers to develop a series of workshops aiming to bridge the gap between universities and the business community. London, Sudbury and the York Region were targeted for the pilot workshops this spring.

Key issues addressed included:

• Primary point of contact at universities: To whom should business reach out?
• Timelines: What can business expect in terms of getting an answer of yes or no about a research collaboration with the university?
• Intellectual Property Rights (IPR): How universities negotiate IPR – who owns what?
• Fees: What fees should a company expect to pay for university research and how are fees calculated?
• Long-term benefits of collaboration: What has been the upside in terms of growing the business?
• Key recommendations: How can the landscape be improved so that universities and businesses partner more effectively and improve collaborative activities?

Please read the Connect to Innovate final report* to learn more.

* The report includes similarities and differences between regions/cities, key findings and recommendations.

Many immigrants turn to Ontario for a new lease on life and a fresh start. Ontario is seen as a place of great opportunity and yet the province does not always live up to its reputation. A recent study published by the Toronto Board of Trade outlines the increasing wage divide between immigrants and Canadian-born workers. Many of these Foreign Trained Professionals possess the skills needed in the province however many are unable to find work within their fields at a reasonable wage. The wage gap is having a hindering effect on the current and future success of Ontario’s economy. Take a look at this article from the Globe and Mail to learn more: Failure to tap into immigrants’ skills costs billions.

Industry Canada’s Ontario Regional Office released the May 2010 update of the Ontario Economic Overview.

Things seem to be looking up for Ontario:

• Ontario’s GDP outpaced both Canada and the US in Q4 2009 by 1.6%
• Ontario’s economy is forecasted to grow by 3.6% this year just ahead of Canada’s 3.4% projected growth
• A slight decline in unemployment is expected: down to 8.1% from 8.9%
• Quebec based Héroux-Devtek announced it will be investing $26.5 M in its Kitchener facility
• Hind High Vacuum Company, a Canadian solar firm, announced they will build a solar panel manufacturing facility at the Windsor International Airport which is forecasted to create 200 new jobs

Visit: http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/ich-epi.nsf/eng/02043.html to receive a full copy of the report.

Ontario’s economy has experienced some dramatic changes over the past year and a half. A strong Canadian dollar, high oil and energy prices, a weakening US trading partner, and intensifying global competition have all had a significant impact on business. These changes have only reinforced the need to diversify export markets. Expanding into the international marketplace has proven to be beneficial to businesses individually and the broader business climate as a whole.

Taking the plunge into new markets can be risky for small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) and it can be difficult to find the resources necessary to make the expansion. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has developed a program, Export Market Access (EMA), with funding from the Government of Ontario and the Government of Canada to help SME’s export to new markets and expand within current markets. Since its inception in 2008, the program has helped over 220 companies and given out over 2.3 million dollars.

EMA helps with some of the costs associated with reaching new export markets in four categories: direct contact, marketing tools, market research and foreign bidding projects. The contributions made by the EMA program make it possible for many SME’s to launch themselves into markets that would otherwise be unattainable.

Making these export markets available allows for a stronger more stable customer base for these SME’s. If we continue to invest in business within the province, the Ontario economy will emerge stronger and more diverse. For more information on the EMA program, please visit the website at www.exportaccess.ca.