 Durham Economic Prosperity Conference 2012
November 9, 2012 - Mark Your Calendar!
Plans are underway for the fourth Durham Economic Prosperity Conference (DEPC) to be held Friday, November 9, 2012 at the Ajax Convention Centre. The Conference theme will be “Durham Region and the GTA in the Global Marketplace”.
Participation in the Durham Economic Prosperity Conference is offered exclusively to senior-level leaders by invitation only.
If you would like to be on the invitation list, or for more information on sponsorship, contact JoAnne at the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce at (905) 728-1683 or email info@durhamprosperity.org. Please include your name, company name and contact information.
For more details on the Conference, click here >>>
 Oshawa Municipal Airport Expansion
An Economic Catalyst
The Oshawa Municipal Airport is owned and maintained by the City of Oshawa. As a corporate and general aviation regional airport, it serves the City of Oshawa, the Region of Durham and eastern portions of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). The airport operates as a key component of the regional transportation infrastructure and plays an important role in supporting regional economic growth and attracting new businesses to the community.
In light of the perceived operational constraints associated with the limited runway length and the potential impacts associated with the pending closure of Buttonville Airport, the Oshawa Municipal Airport decided to undertake a study to update the runway expansion technical review and identify the potential operational, economic and community impacts that the extension of Runway 12-30 and the closure of Buttonville Airport would have on Oshawa Municipal Airport. [Click here to view the final report.]
In mid April, as part of its consideration the Oshawa Municipal Airport and the City of Oshawa hosted six public Open Houses at the Oshawa and District Shrine Club. Staff and consultants were available to answer questions with respect to the runway extension, business opportunities, economic impact for the City and Region and community impact. There were residents in opposition to any expansion, as well as supporters for the expansion.
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Local Union Gives $10,000 For Equipment At Lakeridge Health
 United Association (UA) Local 463 donated $10,000 to Lakeridge Health for the purchase of a new vital signs monitor and a new blanket warming machine for families who are cared for at the Oshawa hospital.
The new vital signs monitor is part of an early warning system being introduced across the hospital to alert if a patient's condition changes. It will be used on the Acute Medicine Short Stay Unit. The new blanket warming machine will be used to provide comfort to those being cared for on the Family and General Medicine Unit.
UA Local 463 represents more than 500 local plumbers, steamfitters, and welders. The association has made several contributions to Lakeridge Health Oshawa and The Oshawa Hospital Foundation over the years, including a $20,000 pledge to the Cancer Centre in 2010 and support in 1991 for the Setting the Pace fundraising campaign for the building of N wing.
Funding Opportunities For Equipment Acquisition
Whether your firm is seeking to improve its productivity through the purchase of new machinery or to take your innovation to the next level by acquiring specialized technology, there are a variety of public funding solutions to support your objectives.
Many business owners hesitate to purchase new equipment due to high price tags, but owning or leasing the right technology can help your company gain the edge it needs to weather a challenging economic climate. Public funding can help offset some of the costs of equipment purchases and encourage you to go forward with plans to improve your innovation output.
For funding opportunities, visit TheFundingPortal.com to Find It, Apply for It, Score It and Advance It.
ONe-Source Web Portal Makes It Easier To Do Business In Ontario
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce applauds the Government of Ontario for taking steps to make it faster and easier for new and small businesses to get the services and information they need to start, operate and grow.
ONe-Source for Business, the new, online government services to business portal will help businesses customize services and information and retain valuable data from multiple interactions with the government.
To date, more than 10,000 businesses have registered for the Province's ONe-Source for Business service. The online portal provides quick and easy access to over 5,000 services and information from all levels of government, allowing small business owners to focus on creating jobs and competing in the global economy.
Try ONe-Source for business to help make your day-to-day business interactions easier. For more information, visit www.canadabusiness.ca
 Ontario Government Proposing
To Merge Energy Agencies
The Ontario government is proposing to merge the Ontario Power Authority (OPA) and the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) into a single organization. The mandate of the new merged agency would be to establish market rules and align contracts, thereby integrating the functions of the two organizations.
The 2012 Budget noted that the Government will be conducting a comprehensive review of the electricity sector and its agencies. In addition to the study which will begin immediately, the Government has announced it will launch an Ontario Distribution Sector Panel led by Murray Elston, and will include David McFadden and Floyd Laughren. The panel will consult with municipalities, LDCs, the Electricity Distributors Association and other energy experts on a variety of issues, including...
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 Durham College And Parkwood Announce
New Partnership
New horticulture students will gain valuable hands-on experience in Parkwood’s historic gardens and greenhouses.Durham College and Parkwood National Historic Site (Parkwood) announced an innovative partnership that will see them work together to develop and deliver educational curricula for the college’s new two-year Horticulture Technician diploma program, which is offered through the School of Science & Engineering Technology and launching in September 2012.
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Japan Matters To Canada: Our Government’s Re-Engagement In Asia Is Good News For Canadian Business
 Canadian Chamber Report
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce welcomes the announcement by the Government of a Canada-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA). “Canada and Japan have largely complementary economies. Greater effective market access through an Economic Partnership Agreement could yield economic gains for both countries,” said Perrin Beatty, President and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
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 Developing Ontario’s First-Ever Immigration Strategy
Ontario Chamber Report
The Ontario government announced on March 2, 2012 that the province will develop its first-ever immigration strategy to help build a stronger economy. A new expert roundtable, led by Julia Deans and including Allan O’Dette, President & CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), will help develop the strategy and examine ways that immigration can best support Ontario’s economic development and help new Ontarians find jobs.
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 Regaining Competitiveness
Canadian Chamber Report
Canadians need to look closely at our own performance. We’ve become complacent, even as our ability to earn our prosperity slides into greater jeopardy. While we’ve been congratulating ourselves for emerging from the recession less damaged than others, we’ve failed to notice that other countries grew through the recession and are growing at three or four times our rate today.
Why should anyone care? When we look around, we see most people have jobs.
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Digital Technology Can Help Your Business Grow
Durham College is participating in the delivery of the Government of Canada's Digital Technology Adoption Pilot Program (DTAPP), DTAPP is structured to provide assistance to firms in all sectors of the Canadian economy. Its objective is to accelerate the adoption of digital technologies in small- and medium-sized enterprises operating in Canada in order to boost their productivity and create economic growth and opportunity.
If your firm is incorporated, has 500 employees or less and is currently seeking opportunities to adopt digital technology with a goal of increasing its productivity, it could be eligible to receive assistance.
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 OPG Marks An Important Milestone
For Darlington Refurbishment
Ontario Power Generation Inc. (OPG) has taken another step toward the refurbishment of the Darlington Nuclear Generating Station.
OPG has awarded a two-phase contract to plan for and then replace major components of the four reactors at Darlington. The contract for more than $600 million to a joint venture of SNC-Lavalin Nuclear Inc. and Aecon Construction Group Inc. is one of several that will be awarded for the refurbishment of the facility.
This is a key project milestone and a significant advancement of the refurbishment activities and continued operation of the Darlington station.
The refurbishment will create more than 6,000 jobs. Visit the OPG website for information on the project.
Developing Ontario’s First-ever Immigration Strategy
Ontario Chamber Report
The Ontario government announced on March 2, 2012 that the province will develop its first-ever immigration strategy to help build a stronger economy.
A new expert roundtable, led by Julia Deans and including Allan O’Dette, President & CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), will help develop the strategy and examine ways that immigration can best support Ontario’s economic development and help new Ontarians find jobs.
Ontario remains the number one destination for newcomers to Canada yet it is the only province currently without an immigration agreement with the federal government. The new provincial immigration strategy will help to inform and shape discussions with the federal government towards an agreement.
The OCC is pleased to have the opportunity to represent Ontario’s business community at this roundtable.
“The Ontario Chamber of Commerce is perfectly positioned to provide policy advice on the intersection of immigration and the Ontario economy,” said O’Dette. “We look forward to providing input on how to maximize the economic benefits of immigration to Ontario and improve the social and economic integration of newcomers by helping them find jobs.”
 Council For Clean And Reliable Electricity Releases “CCRE Commentary” CCRE Report Proposes Candu 6 Reactors As Ontario's Best Choice To Secure Jobs And Energy For The Future
Council for Clean and Reliable Electricity (CCRE) releases the third article in its CCRE Commentary initiative. The CCRE is a forum for reasoned analysis on subjects related to electricity policy. In the past the Council has sponsored conferences on clean coal technology, nuclear power, governance models in the electricity sector and biomass energy opportunities.
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 President of Metrolinx Addresses
Durham Business Community
The Durham Economic Prosperity Committee of the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, in co-operation with the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance (GTMA), hosted an International Leaders Breakfast with Bruce McCuaig, President and CEO of Metrolinx as the keynote speaker. The breakfast was designed to inform the Durham business community on the role of Metrolinx in Durham Region’s prosperity. Click here to view power point presentation.
 Partner With UOIT And Grow Your Business
The University of Ontario Institute of Technology is accepting applications for funding through FedDev’s Applied Research and Commercialization initiative. This money will be available to support industry partnered research projects after April 1st of 2012. This is a follow-on program to the $739,000 that was awarded to the OTTC for the funding period between April 1st, 2011 and March 31st, 2012. This was used to fund 13 industry-university collaborations and we hope to repeat this success. We encourage you to start thinking about potential industry partners and/or projects that you may want to bring to this program. The overall goal of this initiative is to accelerate innovation, to improve productivity and contribute to the creation of globally competitive companies in Ontario.
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Canada Port Authority To Operate the Port of Oshawa Announced
On February 10, 2011 the Honourable Jim Flaherty, Minister of Finance, and Dr. Colin Carrie, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and Member of Parliament for Oshawa, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, announced the creation of a Canada Port Authority (CPA) to operate the Port of Oshawa.
"Our government recognizes the significant role the Port of Oshawa plays in the local economy," said Minister Flaherty. "The creation of a Port Authority in Oshawa provides the certainty for businesses to plan and invest in our port, which will create jobs and long-term economic growth. This is a great day for the future of Oshawa and Durham Region."
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 Role Of Metrolinx In Durham
In late December the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce participated in a meeting of the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area Chamber of Commerce to hear a presentation by Bruce McCuaig, President and CEO of Metrolinx on its plans for the Big Move. The meeting was hosted by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce in Toronto. The discussion was informative and fruitful and a good start to what is seen as a productive relationship between Metrolinx, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) and the business community in Ontario.
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[Older DEPC news articles can be found here.]
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