Features
Business Mission to Brazil, September 6 - 17, 2011
Join CTT on this extraordinary opportunity to meet with Brazilian firms, organizations, and senior government officials in key regions. We will investigate the cities of Brasilia, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo and Curitiba with a focus on Science and Technology, especially ICT, advanced manufacturing, clean technology and research and development and education. We will attend two conferences: Logistica in Rio and Futurecom in Sao Paulo.
We will be meeting with both Brazilian Multinationals and SMEs interested in expanding internationally and especially with those firms who may have an interest in the Waterloo Region. The Mayor of Kitchener will lead the delegation and we will have our private sector and institutional partners participate, including Logikor, University of Waterloo, and others. We will identify key opportunities and future deliverables in these industry clusters as well as develop links with key individuals and organizations that will help us to secure future investments for the Waterloo Region and our companies.
Why join a business mission?
International Business Investment Missions open doors for doing business and attracting investment in a geographic region and in specific industry clusters in ways that may be difficult for individuals to do on their own. They also create an effective way to pool resources in order to travel internationally, host clients and investment targets at international functions and create collateral materials related to the mission. Business Missions are an excellent way to raise the profile of our region, especially with a senior civic leader, such as a Mayor, heading the delegation.
Interested in joining this mission? Please contact John G. Jung at john@techtriangle.com or 519.747.2541 ext. 101
>>View complete invitation
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Regional Economic Development News
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 Desire2Learn buys Waterloo mobile app startup - Desire2Learn Inc. has acquired Metranome Inc., a Waterloo startup that developed mobile applications for smartphones. Desire2Learn, a Kitchener-based provider of e-learning programs and software, “officially announced” the purchase Wednesday, but it actually acquired Metranome about six months ago, said John McLeod, the company’s senior... | more |
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 Christie Digital named exclusive supplier of digital projectors to Cineplex - Cineplex, Canada’s largest movie cinema operator with 129 theatres and 1,344 screens, has already installed more than 450 Christie projectors. On Wednesday, it said it will install more than 900 additional projectors over the next 18 months. | more |
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 Province gives Wilfrid Laurier University $72.6 million - On Monday the provincial government announced that it is investing $72.6 million in Wilfrid Laurier University’s Global Innovation Exchange facility. It is the largest single capital investment in the university’s 100 year history. | more |
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Sustainable Energy to supply 3MW of SUNERGEY inverter for Canadian Kits- Recently celebrating the opening of their 68,000 ft2 manufacturing facility in Welland, Ontario, OSM has assembled a package of '100% Canadian Solar kits' to be sold into the burgeoning Ontario microFIT market which has over 201 MW of Conditional Contracts offered by the Ontario Power Authority and only 47 MW of projects currently installed (23%).| more |
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Waterloo Region Rail Plan Passes - In six years, expect to see trains on city streets, carrying passengers to work, home and school. In a historic decision, regional council voted 9-2 Wednesday to build an $818-million rail transit system, the largest public works project ever undertaken in the region.| more |
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Canada's Gaming Industry is kicking butt - Gamers around the world who spend their evenings chasing down Wayne Rooney in FIFA Soccer or scaling rooftops in Assassin's Creed may not realize where their video games come from, but each one might as well bear a large 'Made in Canada' stamp. | more |
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 Canadian Solar Announces 15MW Sales Agreement for Isolux for Three UK Solar Firms - One of the world's largest solar companies, today announced a further expansion of its activities in the UK solar market. Under the agreement, Canadian Solar will supply 15 MW of solar modules for three UK solar farms, constructed by Spanish renewable energy project company Isolux. | more |
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View all Regional Economic Development News
Regional EcDev News | Media Releases | CTT Blog
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Events
CTT Annual Member Meeting: International Outreach and Facilitative Leadership
CTT held it's annual member meeting (AMM) on June 22, 2011 in the new event space located in our office building - The Synergy Centre. Ian MacNaughton, Chair of the Board of Directors, provided opening remarks and led the regular business portion of the meeting. The group welcomed three new Directors to the board - John Baker, President and CEO of D2L (Communitech representative); Darryl King, President and CEO of Logikor; and Janet Peddigrew, regional Vice President for Southwestern Ontario, Bank of Montreal.
Ian MacNaughton shared some words pertaining to CTT's role in local facilitative leadership, and the strong role that CTT can play to help ensure that Waterloo Region develops the factors that make it attractive to potential investors. John G. Jung, CEO, provided an update on international outreach and the value of investment attraction missions. The group then heard from City of Cambridge Mayor Doug Craig, who provided insight and reflection on his recent experience joining CTT on a business mission to China. Said Mayor Craig, “China is moving ahead very quickly, and it’s to our peril to ignore it and ignore what’s happening there. It’s to our peril to stand back and not get involved in a global strategy. I think CTT pulls that together to a great extent. As a regional community we have to go on these missions and be more supportive and invest in these relationships abroad to encourage investment here.”
>> View CTT's 2010 Annual Report
Upcoming Events
3rd Annual International Ambassador's Dinner and Reception, December 1, 2011 - CTT is proud to build on the overwhelming success of last year's event. We are reaching out to several Ambassadors as well as their Consul Generals to attend. To date, Ambassadors and/or Consul Generals from Belgium, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Portugal, Spain, UK and the US will be in attendance. Watch for further details in the coming months!
To learn about sponsorship opportunities for this premier event, contact Reemah Khalid at reemah@techtriangle.com or 519-747-2541 ext. 301
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Investment Opportunities
Paving the way for Automotive Opportunities, by Bill Elliot, VP Business Development, CTT
The Automotive sector is truly an international industry with a global supply chain. Waterloo Region's spirit of innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship bode well for finding opportunities in this industry's current challenges. Many would know Waterloo Region's automotive sector for the Toyota and Lexus plants located in Cambridge since 1988 and 2000 respectively (which, incidentally, just received the 2011 Platinum J.D. Power award for global production facilities). However, in 1903, long before these plants were established, Canada's first production automobile (a total of 32 units produced), the LeRoy, was rolling off the line in Berlin (Kitchener).
With this pedigree and long history of innovation in advanced manufacturing, Waterloo Region is well suited to play a major global role in the new automotive economy. It is interesting to note that the 'Technology' coined in our 1987 name is in reference to our innovative history, including innovation in the automotive sector. A sector that was a keystone in our region even before the Information and Communications Technology cluster took off.
Driven by technology and innovation
Discovery of new opportunities in the automotive sector will arise through collaboration with local research organizations such as WatCAR at UWaterloo and Conestoga College. Concepts like 'Green' and ' Intelligent' auto in areas of telematics, propulsion and powertrain, advanced materials, software and systems are challenges that our engineering talent is already tackling. With the value of the Canadian dollar, it seems fitting that a region with strong German roots would look to the German model of high value and high quality in order to remain competitive.
Foreign companies have always found Waterloo Region a great place to invest and Waterloo Region companies have strategically invested abroad. This globalization will continue, however due to recent natural disasters, with a closer look at supply chains - creating strong opportunity for local companies.
As part of the Ontario Automotive Community Alliance, CTT will be promoting Waterloo Region as an ideal location for investment alongside our current automotive industry capabilities at Centre for Automotive Research Annual Management Briefing Sessions , Traverse City, MI August 1-4th and participating with the Automotive Parts Manufacturer's Association, Department of Foreign Affairs & International Trade and Ontario Ministry of Economic Development & Trade at the Beijing Auto Parts Expo September 6 -13th.
For more information contact:
Bill Elliot, VP Business Development
bill@techtriangle.com
519.747.2541 ext. 201
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Partner News
The Waterloo Inn - A Partner Profile
The Waterloo Inn Conference Hotel continues to launch a series of upgrades improvements to maximize efficiency and comfort throughout the hotel. The completion of the new Grand Porte Cochere Entrance exemplifies the importance of guests and clients alike, in providing convenient, all-season,weather shelter access and traffic flow.
Traders Exchange showcases the ambiance of a cosmopolitan hotel bistro, complemented by an outstanding martini selection and an exquisitely varied tapa's menu! A premier choice for after work cocktails!
Sumptuous! Rushes Restaurant, experience an imaginative menu in a superb atmosphere, seasonally refreshed menu's and entree's paired with Rushes extensive wine collection. (Wine Spectator Award and Wine Council of Ontario Excellence Award)
The Waterloo Inn has been a leader in serving the hospitality, meetings and conference industry in Waterloo Region for over 35 years.www.waterlooinn.com
The MFX Friday Fix
Machteld Faas Xander (MFX) is holding 2-hour problem-solving sessions, every Friday morning for the duration of the summer. During this time, we welcome you to challenge our multi-disciplinary team of experts with your toughest business problems—be they marketing, strategy, design, branding, culture, team building, change-readiness or product issues. We’re ready to crack those small yet complex problems—and we’ll help you work though and solve them right on the spot. For your bigger, hairier challenges—we’ll provide guidance and help you break them down into smaller, digestible bits. So you’ll leave confident and armed with a plan-of-action.
And, we forgot to mention the best part … We’re providing Friday Fix sessions absolutely free! To book a Friday Fix … Please call Alison De Muy at 519-576-6422 x116, or email her to set up your one-on-one appointment at alison@machteldfaasxander.com
Wilfrid Laurier - The Board of Governors of Wilfrid Laurier University has appointed Dr. Max Blouw to a second five-year term as president and vice-chancellor of the university. His current term began Sept. 1, 2007 and runs until Aug. 31, 2012; his second term will run from Sept. 1, 2012 to Aug. 31, 2017. | more |
University of Waterloo - The University of Waterloo Stratford Campus has received final approval of its masters program from the Ontario Council of Graduate Studies. Set to begin this fall, the Master of Digital Experience Innovation program will see students work on various digital media projects with both faculty and industry mentors over the course of a year. | more |
Bingemans is now really connected - High-speed Fibre Optic Internet and WiFi now available. - What does this mean for you? Roughly 4X faster than typical business DSL download; Secure network connection with the latest in firewall technology; Web access; Email; Large file transfer; Streaming applications; Webcasting; Webinars, workshops, corporate events, interactive media presentations; Video Conferencing; IP based communication services (i.e. Skype, etc.); Secure data sessions (i.e. VPN); WiFi access on premises and hardwired Ethernet in various meeting rooms; Ideally suited to support wireless internet for PCs, laptops as well as mobile devices such as WLAN enabled smartphones, PDAs and tablets.
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Media and other news
Intelligent Community Forum - Opening of 2012 Awards Cycle - June 30, 2011
Ontario Clean Technology Alliance at Intersolar to attract investment to hlep meet David Suzuki 2025 Solar Forcast - June 8, 2011
Intelligent Community Forum Names Eindhoven Region of the Netherlands as its Intelligent Community of the Year 2011 - June 3, 2011
>> Watch awards ceremony video
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