SmartCity Blog

Jumping Feet First into Community Economic Development

By: Shelley Fashan

Mature students, or any student regardless of their age, go through a lot of emotional changes and anxiety. Many questions are rolling through your head, such as; "are they going to like me?" The self-doubt one, "can I do this?" And last but not least, "what if I say the wrong thing?" My first day in this office quickly erased all of my silly anxieties and fears. I was welcomed with a mixture of warmth and curiosity by this tight knit community.

I acquired a placement with the Community Economic Development (CED) division of the Greater Halifax Partnership working with Carolann Wright-Parks, Manager of CED and the Youth Coordinator, Derek Wongus out of the Preston satellite office. Simply stated, community economic development is the development of a community, by the community, for the community; the community and its people determine their social and economic goals with a holistic approach to attaining these goals. 

The Preston satellite office brings together people of all ages and at all stages of life. It is a virtual hive of activity, with meetings, training, development and creation of all manner of activities from arts and culture to nature trails. Within in a very short time, I have connected with so many hardworking community-minded folks who are committed to being a part of the community’s future. 

Here is a snapshot of one of my days last week. Around 10 a.m, the Preston Trails Association held their meeting at the board table situated in the centre of this office. Tara called to find out about meeting dates for the Preston Arts Centre’s board meeting. Then around noon, Cheke dropped by to look at the space to see if it would accommodate her literacy students Tuesday and Thursday mornings. I gave her a quick tour and while we talked she shared some amazing African folk stories. I encouraged her to come back soon and tell me more. The day ended with a young student popping in to ask for some newspapers for her school project. There’s some great things happening at the Preston Satellite office and I have really loved being a part of it. I thank the Greater Halifax Partnership for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this community energy in action.

For more on the Preston Satellite office, the Greater Halifax Partnership and their partners, you can contact Carolann Wright-Parks at (902) 219-2712 or via e-mail at cparks@greaterhalifax.com.

Shelley Fashan  is a soon-to-be graduate from the Public Relations Diploma Program  of Eastern College, 2010, here in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She is currently serving her work term with the Greater Halifax Partnership, Community Economic Development unit. Shelley’s past experience in community development is rich and extensive.  She has served on many Boards and Agencies, including the African Nova Scotian Music Association, the Charles Taylor Theatre Society, the Eastern Front Theatre Society and the Natal Day Committee of HRM. In addition, she offers consultation on Public Relations, Arts and Culture and Event Planning.

Halifax: A Cultural Generator

By Tom McDonell

The Greater Halifax Partnership held an Investor Briefing this morning on the economic and social impact of the arts and culture sector in our community. Our guest speakers, Gregor Ash, President and CEO of Atlantic Film Festival; Erika Beatty, CEO of Symphony Nova Scotia; and Jennie King, Sales and Marketing Executive with Neptune Theatre, provided insightful perspectives on the impact of their industry.

What you might not know:

• Nova Scotians spent more than twice as much on live performing arts ($28 million) as on live sports events ($12 million)
• 34% of Nova Scotian households spent as least some money on live performing arts; 16% spent at least some money on live sports events.
• On a per capita basis, Nova Scotians’ cultural spending is the sixth-highest among Canadian provinces, at $794 per resident.
• Total cultural spending was $340 million in Halifax.
• The cultural sector created and induced 1.1 million jobs in the Canadian economy in 2007, representing 7.1% of Canada’s total employment.
• Culture is a growth market: Consumer spending on cultural goods and services grew by 36% between 1997 and 2003, much higher than inflation (14%) and population growth (6%).

The message was loud and clear from the audience – having a vibrant arts and cultural community is key to the attraction and retention of employees. Carol Coletta, President and CEO of CEO’s for Cities- and guest speaker at The Partnership’s Building our Future Luncheon in May- spoke to this. Young talent looks first to where they want to live, and then at the career opportunities available to them.

We encourage government, the business community and individual citizens to recognize the arts and culture community as an important economic and social driver in our region.



Tom McDonell, Director, Investor Relations

Have direct input into the strategies and priorities that guide our work in growing the economy. Become an investor in the Partnership by contacting Tom.

Dalhousie University research update

Greater Halifax has a growing reputation for being a hub for life sciences research and innovation. It is one of the most cost-competitive research and development locations in the world, and has one of the largest concentrations of health care facilities and specialists in Canada.

Today, thousands of researchers are conducting ground-breaking studies with the power to revolutionize disease prevention and treatment, agriculture, fisheries, and the environment.

Dalhousie University is a world-class leader in the life sciences sector. Last week- while checking out their department blogs- we learned about exciting projects happening in their Community Health and Epidemiology department and thought we would share it as an example of the great work happening in this sector.

"What we do"
Posted by Craig Gorveatt at Dalhousie University

I just thought I would put together a list of some of the research that is done in the department. This isn’t an exhaustive list but just those projects that I can link to.

Atlantic Interdisciplinary Research Unit (or AIRN), Dr. Susan Kirkland:

The Atlantic Interdisciplinary Research Network (AIRN) is a group of university-based researchers, from a variety of disciplines in Atlantic Canada, working in collaboration with other government and community stakeholders in the areas of HIV and Hepatitis C (HCV).

AIRN works to share information and coordinate research efforts in HIV and HCV throughout the Atlantic provinces to improve the quality of life of those affected by HIV and HCV and to shape policy and program  responses.

Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (or CLSA), Dr. Susan Kirkland:

The goal of the CLSA is to assemble a cohort of Canadians aged 45 to 85 years to be followed over time. An integrative approach that examines healthy aging through a number of different disciplinary lenses, arrayed along a continuum from micro to macro levels of organization and analyses is proposed. The determinants of health framework is being used to conceptualize the ways in which social and physical environments, genetic, biological and clinical factors, lifestyle and behavioural factors, social and societal factors, economic prosperity, and the health care system are interrelated to influence disease, health, and well-being.

The RURAL Centre, Dr. Judy Guernsey:

Formed in 2004 and funded by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, the Atlantic RURAL Centre promotes research development, collaboration, and knowledge translation between researchers, government agencies, concerned citizens and rural Atlantic Canadians.

To enhance our understanding of physical and socioeconomic environmental influences on health and the capacity of rural Atlantic Canadians to respond to these challenges.

We also have a research assistant in Nicole Landry who has an active blog and has published a book.

We are a very research intensive department. And this is just a fraction of what is done here everyday.

See original post
 
Dalhousie University has been a Greater Halifax Partnerhsip Investor since 2001.

The Convention Centre is an economic spark for our city, province and region

By Fred Morley:

I believe that the convention centre project and multi-use development is the economic spark that can secure the future of our capital district as the economic and cultural heart of our province and, indeed, Atlantic Canada. 

The project will have a big impact on our city and region. Through job creation, increased tax revenues for every level of government, spin-off impacts and new inward investment and opportunity for business creation and expansion, this project will have short and long-term benefits for the entire Atlantic region.

A valid question to ask is, why, if living in Yarmouth or Amherst or Sydney should I care about this investment? The answer is that this is an investment in our entire province. Every new convention we can attract is an opportunity to expose new audiences to our competitive business climate, local products, diverse research base and dynamic post-secondary landscape. Every new visitor is a potential migrant, investor or at the very least, a return visitor.  To fully understand the investment in a convention centre, we need to consider the full return, including financial and non-financial measures.

A number of economic impact studies have been done on the convention centre.  Each has been more accurate as the cost numbers and delegate projections have firmed up.  The Province of Nova Scotia conservatively estimates construction impacts from the convention centre alone of 1,700 jobs and $9.5 million in provincial tax revenues, early estimates of municipal taxes start at about $4 million a year. Moving ahead with the whole project including the hotel and office buildings will easily double or triple these impacts. 

The Gardner Pinfold July study estimates that the new convention centre will generate over 27,000 jobs (direct plus spin-off) and over $170 million in provincial and federal tax revenues over the first 10 years of operation. The Halifax Regional Municipality will also benefit from incremental commercial tax revenue from the increased value of properties and businesses in the vicinity of the new development. When you project the full return over a 25 year period, it is clear that the benefits generated by the convention centre are well worth the investment.

This kind of development can act as a spark for development in the whole downtown.  With too much of our downtown vacant and many projects stalled, this spark is badly needed.  In every jurisdiction where I have examined this type of government investment, it tends to be magnified three to five times by new private sector activity. We will see return in the form of future growth with new construction, new businesses and new investors. Right now, 20% of our capital’s core – the hub of Atlantic Canada – sits vacant. We now have more vacant lots than we had a hundred years ago, with the chain link fence becoming the fastest growing structure in the core of our community.  The convention centre and multi-use development will start to reverse this trend and reaffirm our leadership position as the economic engine of the Atlantic region.

In this community we want to create and nurture an environment where a smart economy can flourish, a place that provides our young minds with post-graduation opportunities and keeps the next generation of scientists, doctors, financial professionals and yes…even young economists connected to their communities. To do that, we need to attract and connect the broadest spectrum of industry knowledge and leaders to Nova Scotia. Economic and professional development is in fact the primary reasons why the meetings and conventions industry exists. Approached strategically, a new convention centre can contribute to the overall economic growth strategy for Nova Scotia.

A healthy province needs a healthy heart. There is no doubt that Nova Scotia is faced with economic challenges and tough decisions. But the reality of our current situation shouldn’t prevent smart investments that deliver continuous return. In fact, our current situation demands exactly this kind of investment.  Leveraging private capital and funding from the three levels of government, the convention centre is the best chance we’ve had in a generation to re-energize our core, and in turn, our province.

The announcements by the provincial government and HRM Council to move forward with this project are a positive step for the region. The Greater Halifax Partnership fully endorses the convention centre development.  We believe in this project not just for what it will mean for the future of our city but because it will go a long way towards preserving our past.  We need this kind of development to generate the vibrancy and the foot traffic to the downtown that drive rents high enough to make preservation of older buildings a reality.  It’s time to do something that’s sometimes rare in Halifax.  It’s time to lead, to follow or to get out of the way.

We choose leadership.  We are taking our role as a Halifax Ambassador seriously and are currently pursuing two conferences through our network of association and business contacts for 2015.  Together with our partners, Destination Halifax, Trade Centre Limited, the business community and others, we will do our part to ensure that the new facility opens with plenty of conventions already on the books.  

We encourage you to join us in leadership. 

Fred Morley
Executive Vice President and Chief Economist
Greater Halifax Partnership

International MBA students: Talent we want to keep here in Halifax

Not long ago I was an international student. Back then I didn’t feel I was connected to Halifax even though I was very active in the Saint Mary’s University community. Even after being a student in Halifax for 3 ½ years, it seemed like I was still an outsider. I wanted to connect with business leaders in my field, to expand my professional network and find employment related to my field to study. I wanted to stay in this vibrant city that I grew to love.

There was no such thing as the Halifax Connector Program or International MBA Student Connector Program back in 2008 (when I graduated); I had to figure out many important things on my own. It took me quite awhile to navigate and locate my first job.

In September, I started work at the Greater Halifax Partnership as Coordinator of the International Student Connector Program, a new program that started on the heels of the success of the Halifax Connector Program. I am pleased to work for an organization that recognizes the need to connect international students with businesses and is actually taking the initiative to do so.

Halifax is a smart city and yet not very big. Many times it is all about connecting to the right people- business leaders and those who want to successfully settle into the city. Halifax needs people to grow as there is a risk of a labour shortage. The International MBA Student Connector Program connects international MBA students who want to broaden their networks through meeting one-on-one with established business and community leaders in Halifax.

International MBA students are an untapped talent pool in Halifax.

• They have Canadian university education background and bi/multilingual skills
• They have keen business acumen that will benefit local businesses whether they want to expand their businesses internationally or grow locally
• They’re career driven, innovative and have a strong desire to secure work
• They want to stay in Halifax

If you are an International MBA student or an employer who wants to connect with international MBA students, let me know. Let’s make connections happen.



Jackie Guo is the Coordinator of International MBA Student Connector Program. In addition to his work at the Partnership, Jackie is an active volunteer for Halifax United Way.

Jackie can be reached at jguo@greaterhalifax.com or 490-4088

Why Halifax is great for teenagers

Yesterday, it was “Take Your Kid to Work” day for participating Grade 9’s across the city. Our Internet & Marketing Specialist’s son spent the day at the Partnership. We asked him why he likes living here and his hopes for Halifax in the future. It’s important to ask our youth these questions because how our city is shaped in the future rests on them.

My name is Kyran and I have been living in Halifax since 2001.

Here are some reasons why I like living in Halifax:

• Great suburban areas. In these areas you can be close to the city while having a small town feel. I enjoy camping in the woods while still being in the city.
• Brand new high school in the city centre next to Citadel Hill. The school has a huge auditorium (and biggest school theatre in Atlantic Canada).
• Six universities in Halifax so you have a wide variety of options to study close to home
• Lots of things to do and places to go like indoor mini-golf, lots of pools (2 with water slides), beaches, many parks, movie theatres, huge go-karting centre.
• Metro Centre with skyboxes (if you get invited into one)
• So many great restaurants (I enjoy all of them)
• Cool historic places to explore. 
• A few paintball arenas.
• Most junior high schools are very close to malls, so when it's lunch time you can go to the food court, buy a video game or two, go browsing for clothes or anything else that you can do in a mall.
• Live shows pretty much on all the time
• Lots of movies and shows shot in Halifax like This Hour Has 22 Minutes.
• Lots of snow days in the winter.
• In the summer there are live performers on the water front called Buskers. There are lots of fun things to do while they are on.
• A museum showcases some real furniture and remains from the Titanic (even an original deck chair that you can sit in) at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.
• Summers aren’t too hot and winters aren’t too cold. Winter gets lots of snow and has huge hills to go sledding on. The temperatures are usually from -10c in the winter and 25c in the summer.

 
What do I hope Halifax will be like in the future?

I would like to be able to board a cruise ship here in Halifax and go to the Caribbean or the east coast; for the trains to continue moving people and things; huge container ships to keep coming in our harbour; renovated old buildings and new ones too.

If you want a city with lots of swagger and one that is not over crowded, come here.