SmartCity Blog

The Halifax Index - What is it & Why does it matter

by David Fleming 

We’re one week away from the release of The Halifax Index (Halifax’s new economic progress tool). As the lead researcher and writer, I thought I’d explain where this project came from, why I think it’s important and what you can expect from the first Index. 

When AGREATERHalifax, Economic Strategy for 2011-16 was being developed, the vision and values that were behind it were different than your typical economic strategy. Ideas and actions around sustainable environment, social capital, and building a diverse and vibrant community emerged from the collaborative development process. As such, it is evident that simple economic indicators like jobs and the amount of production were not going to tell the story of our community's progress. We had to build something different.

Take population growth as an example. When someone is choosing where to live, a number of key questions drive their decision: 

• Will I find a good job?
• Will I find affordable housing?
• Is the local community welcoming?
• Will I be safe and healthy?
• Is there a vibrant arts, culture and recreation community?
• Are there better opportunities in other communities?

The Index’s four sections, “People,” “Economy,” “Quality of Place,” and “Sustainability,” represent a more comprehensive approach to measuring economic progress. Working with local organizations, governments and consulting a variety of publications from other communities, we’ve built a set of indicators that represent the best data available to tell that story. The Index will get better each year as we harness more of the collective wisdom of the community and build strong research relationships between government, non-profit, academia and the business community. 

The first Index is about setting a benchmark for progress. We’ve identified key opportunities and challenges around immigration, our regulatory climate, urban area growth and a cultural change we need to make that will help our community progress towards its goal. We’ll unveil these findings, and others, at the first annual Halifax State of the Economy Conference on May 23rd-24th, 2012. 

Remember that the Economic Strategy is just a blueprint. It requires action from everyone to realize our vision for Halifax. If we do the right things and continue to work together, the Halifax Index will tell a story of a community that’s vibrant, diverse, healthy and full of opportunity for many. 

 

Author: David Fleming 

David is the Junior Economist and Project Development Coordinator at the Greater Halifax Partnership. He studied Economics and Philosophy at the University of Prince Edward Island, and has experience working with private, public and non-profit organizations. 

What is your vision for a culturally diverse and “integrated”community?

For the past decade the buzz word “integration” has anchored Canadian immigration discourse. Policy analysts, academics, immigrant settlement workers, newcomers and community members use the word “integration” to describe the ultimate goal of immigration and settlement. Yet, despite the term’s prevalence, there tend to be many different views on what “integration” means, in definition as well as in practice.

Certainly, in the post-Trudeau era of multiculturalism, use of the term “integration” reflects a shift in Canadian values. This shift represents a departure from an “assimilist” past towards an appreciation of cultural diversity and an emphasis on encouraging active citizenship and community membership of newcomers to Canada. However, some argue that “integration” is simply a semantic replacement for “assimilation,” with very little actually changing on the ground in terms of settlement experiences of newcomers to Canada.

What does integration and settlement mean at the community level? When does a person feel like they belong? How can community members, whether newcomers or established residents, create an environment where people from different cultural backgrounds feel accepted for who they are, connected to their community, and valued for their contributions?

The Community Integration Network (CIN), an informal network of Nova Scotia stakeholders and organizations, believe that it is at the community level where creative solutions to these questions can be found and where new questions can emerge.

On May 12, the Community Integration Network will hold a Community Diversity and Integration Symposium at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. Unlike traditional symposiums which highlight guest speakers and experts, the forum will be informal with an emphasis on sharing knowledge and experiences. Participants will choose what they want to discuss and how they want to express it.

Merek Jagielski, a volunteer leader of CIN describes the community development approach of the Symposium:

“The main intent of this Symposium is to consult and hear from community members about their perspectives and insights in what would be the best approaches in making community integration work in Nova Scotia."

The vision of ‘the integrated and holistic community’ championed by the Network may lead us into working on a community paradigm shift that may eventually result in developing the community integration strategy for Nova Scotia.” 

Adopting an open forum and informal approach the Symposium will provide space for people to reclaim the meaning of integration as well as put it into practice. This takes our understanding of integration beyond the abstract level of semantics back into our communities, where a shared sense of inclusivity, value and belonging, matter the most.

For more information about this and other Museum public programs, visit www.pier21.ca.

 

Philippa Gunn is the Adult Public Programs Coordinator at the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21.

Iranian Business Trade Show Connects Community

By Nikki Jafari

By all accounts, the 2nd annual Iranian Business Trade Show last month was a great success. This year’s event managed to double both the number of vendors and attendees from our previous year, and also saw the addition of new, fun activities such as a kid’s corner with crafts and face painting, live music, as well as a cafeteria area featuring delicious authentic food.

While this event is a fun community gathering, it also serves an important business need. For a lot of immigrants, the work culture in Canada is very different than in their home countries; even if they are naturally savvy business people, it still inevitably takes them a while to learn the ropes.

That’s why this event is a great opportunity for newcomers – it gives them a chance to enter into the Canadian trade show scene for the first time, and in an environment that is filled with supportive business people just like them. For smaller family-run immigrant businesses, it’s often too expensive to attend larger events. This is actually one of the main reasons why the Iranian Business Trade Show was created. With a price point that is reasonable for small businesses, our event opens the door to those who cannot afford the expense of traditional shows, giving them a chance to establish networks and expand their contact base here in Halifax.

Building a Welcoming Community

The trade show also encourages more multiculturalism and an attitude of inclusion here in Halifax. Our event is open to all members of the community - not just those of Iranian heritage – meaning that it represents a great chance to celebrate and learn about our culture. This helps to foster an attitude of appreciation and acceptance, something that goes a long way in making immigrants feel welcome and at home in our city.

Looking forward to next year, we’re already imagining ways to build on our success. Our goal is to expand both our reach and our focus, something that will be accomplished by opening up the trade show to all international small-businesses. We also plan on developing an event website to help with promotions and improving this year’s immensely successful Iranian Business Directory.

As always the event will be free to the public, and also a fantastic way to have fun and celebrate Halifax’s diverse cultural make-up. We hope to see you there!

Author: Nikki Jafari

Nikki Jafari is a Mobile Mortgage Specialist for TD Canada Trust and one of the producers behind the Iranian Business Trade Show

Federal Budget: How Job Reallocations Tend to Work

By Fred Morley

With the federal budget set to be tabled this afternoon, how expenditure review will roll out regionally should be on the minds of business and government in Halifax.  Good fiscal numbers recently have reduced the likelihood of massive cuts.  However, there will be some cuts as government reallocates funding to priority areas.

Rumblings of major federal employment and reallocation of efforts to national priorities harkens back to the mid-1990s when deep and disproportionate federal spending cuts significantly undercut Nova Scotia`s economy.

 

A tale of two cities

In the early 1990s close to 6000 federal jobs and about a quarter of a billion dollars in annual income and consumer spending disappeared permanently from the province.  These cuts continue to have a big impact on Nova Scotia`s economy even 15 years later.  Now that we seem headed into another period of belt tightening, it’s worthwhile to understand what happened last time when  a surprisingly high percentage of cuts and resulting pain came to Nova Scotia. 

In 1990, over 21,000 federal public servants were employed in Nova Scotia, compared to 104,000 in Ottawa in the national capital region.   As expenditure review took hold, federal employment fell to a low of 91,000 in Ottawa in 1997.  The low point for Nova Scotia was 15, 730 a couple of years later.  By this time Ottawa had begun to rebuild and federal jobs had surged by 4,000…even as cuts were still happening elsewhere in the country.

 

Over the 1990s (1990 to 2000) Ottawa lost a total of 5,372 jobs, while Halifax lost 5,247.   From the low-point of expenditure control in 1997 to 2011, Ottawa added 45,240 jobs, while Halifax added a total of 480. 

Even in recent times, Ottawa has continued to add federal employment. In the six years from 2005 to 2011, the National Capitol Region added 24,544 jobs compared to 140 in Halifax over the same period.

It took Halifax 10 years to recover from the federal job cuts. And our recovery came primarily from sustained job creation in the private sector.

If history is any measure, the bottom line for a new fiscal imperative to cut federal jobs doesn’t look very good for Nova Scotia. As deficit reduction efforts roll out, it is my hope that government has a mind to past pain and retaining key regional innovation capacity.  Fingers crossed.  

 

Author: Fred Morley

Fred Morley is the Executive Vice President and Chief Economist at the Greater Halifax Partnership.

 

Partnership Investors Earn Praise for Hiring Practices

By Tom McDonnell

Earlier in March, the ALLIES project (Assisting Local Leaders with Immigrant Employment Strategies) announced their list of the 2012 Best Employers for New Canadians.

Published each year, this list is a collection of businesses across Canada who are innovative leaders in their hiring practices, applying new ways of thinking to challenges that surround attracting and retaining the best talent.

I’m proud to say that six of this year’s winning companies are investors in Greater Halifax Partnership. Learn more about how these innovative industry leaders are standing out:

• BMO Financial Group
• Business Development Bank of Canada
• Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce / CIBC
• Deloitte & Touche LLP
• Ernst & Young LLP
• KPMG LLP

Greater Halifax Partnership shares these organizations strong support of newcomer integration through initiatives like the Halifax Connector Program. A simple but effective referral process, Connector puts newcomers and international students in touch with local employers to build a network of contacts in Halifax. Since its inception, over one hundred immigrants have found full time work through their expanded contact base.

Support of initiatives like the Halifax Connector Program is another way these investors are standing out. We’re proud to be associated with such leading-edge organizations and look forward to continuing our strong partnership in the future.

See who is investing in the Partnership

Author: Tom McDonnell

Tom McDonell is Director of Investor Relations at Greater Halifax Partnership

                                  

Connecting in Communities Across Canada

By Fred Morley

Today, the Colchester Regional Development Association launched a new initiative modeled after Greater Halifax Partnership’s successful Halifax Connector Program. A version of this innovative approach to connecting immigrants to both communities and jobs is now found in nine communities across Canada.

Started just over two years ago, Connector is a formalized networking initiative that began as a way to help new immigrants establish their network of professional contacts. In a short period of time it has attracted significant praise and attention, and Truro’s recent decision to replicate it is another testament to its success.

When Connector launched in Halifax, it was is based on the simple understanding that integrating immigrants into the community, completing a successful job search, or finding a good career path seemed to be more about the strength of your network than the strength of your CV.  It was clear that people looking for opportunities needed to get connected. 

Fortunately, Halifax has great organizations like ISIS who work hard to get immigrants ready for success. We’re also fortunate to have an abundance of natural connectors - people with extensive contact lists who like nothing more than meeting people and connecting them to others in their own network. 

When each volunteer connector meets with an immigrant and has a discussion about local business conditions and potential career paths, no jobs are promised or offered… just advice.  However, each connector provides the newcomer with up to three new connections, and then each of these three is asked to provide three more, and so on.  In this way, a newcomer rapidly builds her network.

And it really works.  The program has grown from 50 to over 350 connectors representing over 250 businesses and organizations.  Over 100 newcomers have made connections leading to employment as part of this process.  The program also expanded to include international students and will soon expand to include both young and emerging talent and new graduates.

Connector has been recognized by the Conference Board of Canada as a best practice in attraction and retention of immigrants.  It has also received recognition from the Washington based International Economic Development Council.

Of course, the best outcomes for the program have been the hundreds of people who have found jobs, expanded their networks and put down deeper roots in Halifax. And with the help of the 350 + business people who volunteer their time as connectors, the Connector program will continue to make Halifax a more welcoming and inviting place to live and work.

Learn More about the Halifax Connector Program

Author: Fred Morley

Fred Morley is the Executive Vice President and Chief Economist at the Greater Halifax Partnership.

Powerful Storytelling Builds Brands

By Kim Mosher

At this past Thursday’s Building Our Future event, 250 business people gathered to hear the enigmatic Adman and CBC radio host Terry O’Reilly speak about the power of storytelling. A perfect topic as Terry lives and breathes powerful storytelling, and he’s got the successful advertising career to prove it.

In preparation for the event, it was no secret around the Partnership office that I was (more than) excited to see a favourite author of mine speak, and hearing him in person was fantastic.

Stories Add Value and Meaning to a Brand

Terry spoke about the importance of creating a captivating story to talk about a brand, as “stories add value and meaning. If you're not telling stories, you're missing out on creating enormous value in your marketing".

And, when stories are told well, they are re-told and shared by others, reinforcing the message and reaching a wider audience. In fact, great stories “let you boast about your company without ever boasting about your company,"  said Terry.

Every Business has a Story to Tell

How can storytelling impact your own business? Well, every business has a story, or multiple stories, to tell. Look around and take note: they might be lurking in unlikely places, as “every business has stories hidden in their walls – genuine, real stories,”  said Terry. Often times, businesses are pretty good at telling their story to external audiences, but it’s important to remember your internal audience – employees. They too need to hear the stories and internalize them as their own.

I think that everyone who attended walked away with some salient points that can be applied to their own businesses and enjoyed the enthralling advertising stories that Terry shared. Several brand stories were part of his presentation, including the well-known “I love NY” campaign that was born more than 30 years ago to promote Broadway (something that the wider audience today probably isn’t aware of). It was so powerful that it stuck, and because people could make it their own – think of the iconic image associated with New York – it became legend.

As Terry said, “A powerful story can enthral the mind, nestle into someone's heart and be told over and over again”.

For more information on Terry O’Reilly, please visit his website.

 
Author: Kimberley Mosher

Kimberley Mosher is the Partnership's Internet and Marketing Specialist. Kimberley has a background in marketing strategy and business consulting and specializes in planning, implementing and managing marketing campaigns.

Spidey-Sense about Strikes

By Fred Morley

Halifax may seem like a hot bed for strike action if you look at recent media reports. But last week my spidey-sense was telling me that we probably aren’t that far out of whack with the rest of the country. I thought it was time to investigate.

When people want to gauge the weather they look out the window.  A meteorologist tends to look at recent and historical weather data.  When people want to get a sense of the economy they look at media, they rely on long standing perceptions, or they call a friend.  An economist tends to stick their head into the data…analyzing recent data and historical trends. 

Looking at HRSDC’s Labour Data Base provides good comparative data on hours lost due to strikes in Canada.  Last year, Nova Scotia lost 240 hours….that’s thirty people for a day…30 person days if you will.  This compares to close to 1700 person days in Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick and 44,000 person days in Ontario.  I think 30 vs. 44,000 days lost would tend to indicate that Nova Scotia should not be considered a hot bed of labour unrest…at least not last year.

But what about our track record? Only PEI had fewer hours lost in total and on a per person basis.  So overall, Nova Scotia seems to have one of the most stable labour relations environments anywhere despite recent challenges.

So when you are wondering about the economy…don’t call a friend…call your friendly neighbourhood economist.

Person Hours Lost to Strike
	2011	2007 - 2011 Average	Hours/Person
Newfoundland	13,175	25,223	0.049
Nova Scotia	240	3,734	0.004
PEI	0	18	0
New Brunswick	13,740	14,138	0.019
Quebec	336,502	291,379	0.037
Ontario	352,739	656,650	0.049
Manitoba	28,020	18,622	0.015
Saskachewan	38,630	49,338	0.047
Alberta	11,950	28,274	0.007
British Columbia	104,850	224,002	0.049
Source: HRSDC Labour Database, Statistics Canada Population Estimates

 

Fred Morley is the Executive Vice President and Chief Economist at the Greater Halifax Partnership.

 

 

 

Iranian Business Trade Show: Blending Business and Community

By Mike MacKenzie

Halifax’s Iranian community is gearing up for this weekend’s Iranian Business Trade Show.

Now in its second year, the annual event blends business with community and features interactive presentations that celebrate Halifax’s proud and diverse culture. According to event organizer Nikki Jafari, it also provides a valuable opportunity for small businesses that don’t necessarily have the resources to attend larger-scale events.

“It’s a good chance for business owners to network with each other and promote their products,” says Nikki. “It’s an opportunity that many of the businesses don’t often get.”

The free event, which is open to members of the public, is also being held in conjunction with the Persian New Year that takes place on Tuesday, March 20. As part of the celebration, attendees can enjoy live music, dancing, and traditional Persian food.

But while the trade show is an occasion to celebrate Persian culture, it’s also seen as an important opportunity to further establish the Iranian community in Halifax.

Nikki hopes that the event will give profile to the successful enterprises that make up Halifax’s Iranian business community and demonstrate the value that immigrants from all backgrounds bring to our region. In her mind, it’s not just about celebrating culture, but also creating long-term stability for immigrant families who want to make a home in our city.

“We all have a role to play in helping the immigrant community feel welcome,” she says. “We all win if they stay here in Halifax.”

Event Details

The Second Annual Iranian Business Trade Show
Sunday, March 11, 2012
12 p.m. – 5 p.m.
World Trade and Convention Centre
1800 Argyle Street, Halifax

 

Author: Mike MacKenzie

Mike is the Communications and Marketing Assistant with Greater Halifax Partnership, currently working as a Bachelor of Public Relations co-op student. A lover of all things communications and strategy related, Mike is often known to spend his free time analyzing the latest-and-greatest PR/advertising campaigns. As a relative newbie to the Halifax scene, he can also be seen strolling the streets of downtown looking for the next cool thing that the city has to offer.

Growing in more ways than one

By Mike MacKenzie

Several proposed development projects and Halifax planning initiatives made the headlines last week. In case you missed it, here are some of the stories that show how Halifax is growing – in more ways than one.

Crombie REIT

Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust is positioning itself to take advantage of expected opportunities that stem from Irving’s $25B shipbuilding contract. The company has received inquiries from businesses interested in securing office space in Downtown Halifax, and Crombie says they are actively considering the possibility of adding more floors to their existing Scotia Square property to keep up with potential demand. All-in-all, Crombie says there’s potential to add up to one-million square feet of space to their existing property inventory.

Regional Plan Review

Halifax Regional Municipality has begun the initial phase of a five-year review for the city’s Regional Plan. According to Andy Fillmore, Project Manager - Urban Design, developers in the city currently face policy inconsistencies that can impede projects from taking hold. Fillmore says the review, which may include an update of the outdated policies, will revitalize downtown development and make it easier for Halifax to handle the expected growth resulting from the shipbuilding contract and offshore exploration.

Porter’s Lake Construction Boom

Porter’s Lake may soon see a huge construction boom of its own. Plans have been announced to build more than 600 homes over the next ten years in a massive project that’s expected to cost $160M. Seven Lakes Development, the group spearheading the project, says that while the development is large in scope they hope to build sustainable ‘low-impact’ homes that will leave the majority of the land undisturbed. They also plan to incorporate the existing community into the review process in an attempt to minimize the potential invasiveness of such a large project. Seven Lakes hopes that a development agreement can be reached in the fall, with construction beginning early next year.

So in case you missed it, you're now in the know. You can stay up-to-date on Halifax business news by subscribing to the daily newsfeed.     

 

Author: Mike MacKenzie

Mike is the Communications and Marketing Assistant with Greater Halifax Partnership, currently working as a Bachelor of Public Relations co-op student. A lover of all things communications and strategy related, Mike is often known to spend his free time analyzing the latest-and-greatest PR/advertising campaigns. As a relative newbie to the Halifax scene, he can also be seen strolling the streets of downtown looking for the next cool thing that the city has to offer.

Several proposed development projects and Halifax planning initiatives made the headlines last week. In case you missed it, here are some of the stories that show how Halifax is growing – in more ways than one.

Crombie REIT

Crombie Real Estate Investment Trust is positioning itself to take advantage of expected opportunities that stem from Irving’s $25B shipbuilding contract. The company has received inquiries from businesses interested in securing office space in Downtown Halifax, and Crombie says they are actively considering the possibility of adding more floors to their existing Scotia Square property to keep up with potential demand. All-in-all, Crombie says there’s potential to add up to one-million square feet of space to their existing property inventory.

Regional Plan Review

Halifax Regional Municipality has begun the initial phase of a five-year review for the city’s Regional Plan. According to Andy Fillmore, Project Manager for HRMbyDesign, developers in the city currently face policy inconsistencies that can impede projects from taking hold. Fillmore says the review, which may include an update of the outdated policies, will revitalize downtown development and make it easier for Halifax to handle the expected growth resulting from the shipbuilding contract and offshore exploration.

Porter’s Lake Construction Boom

Porter’s Lake may soon see a huge construction boom of its own. Plans have been announced to build more than 600 homes over the next ten years in a massive project that’s expected to cost $160M. Seven Lakes Development, the group spearheading the project, says that while the development is large in scope they hope to build sustainable ‘low-impact’ homes that will leave the majority of the land undisturbed. They also plan to incorporate the existing community into the review process in an attempt to minimize the potential invasiveness of such a large project. Seven Lakes hopes that a development agreement can be reached in the fall, with construction beginning early next year.