SmartCity Blog

Making Dreams a Reality

We all have dreams when we’re young. Some people want to become a movie star; some wish to be an Olympic champion; while others dream about becoming the Prime Minister.  When I was 14, my dream was to be happy and financially successful: to have a big job, own a big house, drive a fancy car, and the list can go on and on.

But for those who fail to plan for the future, dreams remain just that...dreams.

On March 29th, four staff from the Partnership including President and CEO Paul Kent took part in Junior Achievement's Economics for Success Program, helping grade 9 students at Duncan MacMillan High School in Sheet Harbour plan for their future.

We shared our experience and business expertise to help them understand important concepts and explore their personal finance, education and career options.  Careful not to “burst their bubble”, we provided practical planning tips and an idea of the skills needed to have a career and be financially independent and successful. 

It was wonderful to spend a morning with dynamic and promising students. They were engaged and eager to learn how making the right choices could help them achieve their goals. Personally, I had a lot of fun. It made me think back to when I was 14 and how great it would have been to have someone share advice and information about planning for my future.
 
I’m really looking forward to participating again next year in this valuable program.

For more information about Junior Achievement’s programs and services in Nova Scotia, please visit http://nova-scotia.jacan.org/.

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.

FUSION Chair Connects, Engages & Inspires

Jennifer Berry, Chair of FUSION Halifax, sent the following e-mail to members and partners last week. Jennifer’s passion for and commitment to Halifax is evident in her words, and also her day-to-day work. Here’s what she had to say:

Hello all

I am writing to you today in my capacity as the 2010/2011 Chair of FUSION Halifax, to thank you for your support and to give you a quick FUSION update. For those I have not met, I welcome the opportunity to  meet and talk about all the wonderful things happening at FUSION Halifax. Please drop me a note to connect.

Now, just a little bit about me: I joined FUSION Halifax Board in 2009 and became Chair in November 2010. I was born here, left for a time and came back, because Halifax is my city, my home and the only place I really want to live. I believe we are extremely privileged to live here. I actually feel it is my responsibility to do whatever I can to make this a place where many more people will chose to live, work and stay. Being a leader in FUSION Halifax is a perfect way for me to do that work – enough about me.

I am extremely grateful to Peter Moorhouse, Alyson Queen, Cheryl Stewart and their teams for building FUSION Halifax into the inspirational organization that we are today. I am quite excited about adding our little piece to their legacy. My first four months as Chair have been both challenging and rewarding. I feel honoured and privileged to work alongside an incredible group of difference makers, within FUSION and in the broader community. Thank you for embracing the idea of FUSION Halifax, for believing that Halifax can be the most vibrant city in Canada, and for working together to make it happen! FUSION Halifax is growing rapidly and we are engaging more and more young people every day. We are counting on you to continue to connect, engage and inspire with us!

I have inserted an excerpt from our recent newsletter below. This is an overview of our top priorities for the year. We will, of course, work on other projects and events throughout the year, but these are the overall organizational priorities.

A few ways to keep in touch: subscribe to our newsletter, join us on Facebook and follow us on twitter at @FUSIONHalifax and please do get in touch to tell me your thoughts, ideas and suggestions. I look forward to connecting with all of you in some way in the coming months.

Warm Regards,

Jennifer

FUSION Halifax Priorities

Each year, FUSION’s Board of Directors sets priorities based on what we hear from our members and what we see happening in our community. We start by reviewing the feedback we receive through the Dream Wall where members share their vision for the city. This year, we also conducted a membership survey that provided members with the opportunity to rank the areas of focus.

FUSION’S 2010-2011 priorities are:

Making a Living in HRM – Supporting & Operating Local Business
Independent business, entrepreneurs and local talent are core to sustaining a strong community, healthy economy and vibrant downtown core.

Making a Living in HRM – Establishing a Career 
Regardless of your field, developing a rewarding and successful career and having access to the resources that can help you do it is a key ingredient to contributing to a strong, vibrant Halifax. 

Sustainable Transportation
Whether it’s walking trails, cycling paths, car sharing or transit systems, a range of transportation options will contribute to the sustainability of HRM.

Civic Engagement – Democratic Involvement
Being knowledgeable about government policy and direction at all levels is the first step in actively engaging in the issues that impact our city and region.

Civic Engagement – Volunteerism
Volunteerism and engagement is an important part of a healthy community and FUSION members have the talent and experience to contribute to a wide-range of community programs and initiatives.

Jennifer Berry is the Chair of FUSION Halifax. Learn more about her and her organization here. 

 

More International Students Coming to Canada

By: Jackie Guo

One of the Partnership’s Connectors, Alex Farrell from RBC recently forwarded an article about the increasing number of international students coming to Canada.  This caught my attention immediately as I am the coordinator of the International Student Connector Program at the Greater Halifax Partnership.

The article says that Canada welcomed 96,147 international students (http://www.cic.gc.ca) in 2010. According to a study commissioned by the Government of Canada entitled Economic Impact of International Education in Canada, international students are estimated to contribute more than $6.5 billion to Canada’s economy every year.

Based on our research, we know that Canada will need immigrants/permanent residents in many years to come because of the low birth rate and baby boomers retiring from the labour force.  280, 636 permanent residents came to Canada in 2010, the highest number in more than 50 years (http://www.cic.gc.ca).  If all 96,147 international students could become permanent residents to Canada after graduation, then Canada would only need about 180,000 permanent residents to meet its immigration target.

Of course, it won’t be that easy as immigration and labour shortage issues are much more complex. However, international students can naturally be part of solution to the labour shortage in Nova Scotia and the rest of the country. 

The International Student Connector Program is helping international MBA and Master of Finance students and graduates expand their professional networks, increasing their chances of finding employment in their field.  This helps deepen their attachment to the community and facilitates their transition from university the labour market.

With this initiative, we give our connectors a chance to explore international talent and see experienced international talent firsthand. Alex is one of our over 300 connectors who help newcomers and international students develop professional networks and successfully settle into our community.

Let’s get more international students connected. The more, the better!

For more information on the International Student Connector Program, please contact Jackie Guo at jguo@greaterhalifax.com. 

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.

SMU Celebrates International Students

By: Jackie Guo

The Greater Halifax Partnership’s immigration team was thrilled to attend Saint Mary’s 14th International Night, an annual sold-out event celebrating international culture and diversity on campus. We were proud to be a silver sponsor for this signature event showing our support to international students and promote multi-culture in the community.

 
The night started with international cuisines from all over the world, just to mention a few dishes that will get you mouth watering, we tried South African Quinoa, Chola curry, and Chinese beef noodles. The night continued with performances from 14 different countries and we were amazed by the colourful costumes, wonderful music and beautiful performances. A dazzling night of performances showed how much value international students bring to Saint Mary’s University.

 

Greater Halifax Partnership recognizes diversity that international students bring to the classroom and our community.  Halifax needs people to grow. Naturally, international students can be part of solution. Their international perspective, diversified background, bilingual or multi-lingual skills will benefit the economic growth of Halifax provided that they are successfully settle into our community. The Partnership’s International Student Connector Program does just that-expands international students’ network and increase their chances of employment in HRM. Currently the program connects international MBA students and Master of Finance students with businesses in HRM.

We look forward to attending again next year and we may even show them some of our moves.

For more information about the International Student Connector Program, please contact Jackie Guo (jguo@greaterhalifax.com). For more information about SMU's International Night, click here.

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.

Mayor's Welcoming Event - International MBA Students

Last Friday was all about connecting. Despite the almost painful freezing rain and roaring winds, those who attended the Mayor’s Welcoming Event last Friday saw the real results of the Connector Program. My role at the event wasn’t much more than snapping a few pictures, but I left with a new appreciation for the program and its participants. 

Mayor Peter Kelly gave welcoming remarks to the international MBA students who are now a part of the Connector Program. He stressed the fact that they are vital to Halifax’s successful future, and thanked them for choosing Halifax as their city of choice. Mr. Dick Miller, Chair of the Mayors Economic Advisory Committee with the Greater Halifax Partnership, also gave an inspiring address to the students and encouraged them to take advantage of networking opportunities.

  
The significance of the Connector Program resonated in me when a young lady from China told her story. Huijing He explained how the Connector Program helped her to secure a job at AEG Financial Services. She thanked Cindy and Jackie for setting her up with a business network and praised the program and the city for “making her dreams come true”.  She mentioned her plans to become a connector herself to help others have success stories like hers.

 
After talking to connectors and program participants, it was clear that these people want to stay in Halifax after graduation. These students and I connected on our shared passion for Halifax. I can’t imagine starting a life on the other side of world without having a business network and in many cases, my family or friends. Their commitment to a life in Halifax was inspiring.

My hat’s off to these students for taking a chance on our city, and this program for facilitating promising futures.

For more information about the Connector Program, click here.

For more pictures of Friday's event, click here.

 

Maeghan Murphy, Marketing & Communications Assistant

Maeghan is with the Partnership on a four month work-term. She is in her third year of Public Relations at Mount Saint Vincent University and had her first taste of the working world on her work-term with Nova Scotia Power this summer. She'll always be a Cape Bretoner at heart, but Maeghan is happy to now call Halifax her home.

 

Fred's Third Day of Christmas: Attracting the World's Smartest Young Talent

By Fred Morley

On the Third day of Christmas
My network gave to me... the EduNova Christmas Party. 

EduNova is a Nova Scotia cooperative founded to promote international education in Nova Scotia.  Given the numbers of university students flowing into Nova Scotia these days, I’d say Ava and her team are being very successful.  Almost 10% of enrolments in Atlantic universities are international students.

Ok, I didn’t get to this reception either.  Again something called me to City Hall.   It would have been fun to get to the EduNova reception to see their new offices on Barrington St.  It’s great to see a few organizations taking up space in historic buildings in downtown Halifax.  We need more organizations like EduNova with the vision to see themselves in this kind of office space in the core.

This leads me to the next idea, universities as economic drivers in communities.  Now this idea isn’t exactly new but I don’t think we’ve realized the full potential of this in Nova Scotia.  In this province, universities directly and indirectly account for $1.2 billion in GDP each year, employ about  19,000 people and generate about $864 million in annual income and generate about $220 million in taxes.  Talk about the Christmas gift that keeps on giving. 

Universities are not only big economic generators in communities they are also centres of research and development and when they get it right, they also facilitate innovation and commercialization that helps drive business growth.  They are also talent magnets.  What other kind of organization attracts the world’s smartest young talent, integrates them into our community, and gives them marketable skills.  

All we have to do as a community is keep them. 

The Greater Halifax Partnership sees this as a real opportunity and has been driving some success through our International MBA Student Connector Program.  We would love to expand our connector efforts to all students in Halifax if we could find the right partner......Hello?  Idea alert... You don’t need to have Rudolph’s bright red nose to see that hanging on to new grads is probably a good idea.

 

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

Fred's Fourth Day of Christmas: The Research-led Economy

By Fred Morley

On the Fourth day of Christmas
My network gave to me... the DND Christmas Party

The Christmas reception hosted by the Commander Joint Task Force Atlantic and the Commanders of Land Force Atlantic Area and Air Component Coordination Element Atlantic was held at the Bridge, at Juno Tower at CFB Halifax.  The reception area of the Bridge provides one of the most commanding and panoramic views of Halifax of any building in the city.  This was a good group.  I would mention a few attendees but that would be name dropping and besides I don’t have clearance.

Lots of ideas at this event, including the regular stream of ideas around how to improve urban transit in Halifax.  I’ve heard great ideas on this from everyone from Navy captains to neurosurgeons.  Most involve steel wheel vs. rubber tire transport and many involve creative use of the CN rail cut running around from the Westend around to the Southend of the peninsula.  Lots of civic engagement on this.

But tonight’s big idea connects to the Navy, the ocean and the big research capability in Halifax.  Why not build the Halifax Research Horseshoe: An International Scale Concentration of Applied Research in University, Defense and Government Labs.

Halifax needs to build on its considerable research base. This is the best way to recession-proof our economy and build the high value companies and the high wage jobs we want.  Other cities and nations have figured this out.  It’s time for us to think this through.

Developing countries around the world recognize the virtue of research concentration.  China is on the verge of overtaking both America and the EU in the quantity of its scientists and both Japan and South Korea are leading the US in R&D spending per person. China is rapidly catching up.  Asia will soon be the dominant continent in R&D, surpassing Europe and North America. 

Economic growth based on R&D passes the test of sustainability and durability.  Just look at the cities that have prospered in the United States during the recession of 2008-09.  Areas like Raleigh-Durham, Salt Lake City, Northern Virginia and a few other high growth areas have one thing in common.  They are research-led economies.  

Why not take that approach in our city.  We have six universities in Halifax. Dalhousie is one of the great research universities in the world and attracting over $100 million in research funding each year.  We have a significant concentration of federal labs including:  Defence R&D Canada – Atlantic, Atlantic Food and Horticulture Research Centre nearby in Kentville, the world famous Bedford Institute of Oceanography, National Research Council Canada institute for Marine Biosciences, Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada – Atlantic, and the Halifax RCMP Laboratory of Forensic Science and Identification Services.  

One of the oldest and largest science parks in North America, The Research Triangle Park, was begun in the 1950s and was built on a concentration of universities and knowledge workers not that different from our own.  It now has 170 companies employing over 42,000 full-time knowledge workers and an estimated 10,000 contract employees. Why not start now and build our very own research concentration here in Halifax.  But let’s not do a research triangle…let's try a horseshoe shape that follows the research presence around Halifax harbour…..for luck.

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

Fred's Fifth Day of Christmas: Competitors working together

By Fred Morley

On the Fifth day of Christmas
My network gave to me... the CORDA Christmas Party.

The Colchester Regional Development Agency Holiday Open House in Truro always brings together all the movers and shakers in central Nova Scotia.  Now I didn’t actually get to this one because I was called to city council for something on the convention centre.  However, it’s always a pleasure talking the great folks at CORDA.  The team at CORDA has a great reputation for idea generation and innovative implementation.  They’ve been a great partner on a number of joint projects in recent years, like the Halifax-Moncton Growth Corridor, the Central Nova Scotia Growth Alliance Asset Mapping, and others.

Had I been able to get there I’m sure we would have been talking about the potential for greater regional partnership involving the counties surrounding Halifax.  Regional Development alliances or partnerships are becoming increasingly common in both North America and Europe as communities scramble to find new ways to attract, keep and grow business. Smart regions recognize that business needs vary and having a range of business options and value propositions within a region is a competitive advantage.  Smaller communities also understand that associating their community with a known brand can put them on the business radar.

Successful regional partnerships involve cities joining forces with surrounding communities to market their region internationally.  It means sharing best practices, effort and success.  Regional partnerships recognize that the assets that communities need for success are not confined to one city or town and that scope of economic regions don’t often coincide with political boundaries.  Partners in a regional alliance believe that by working together they can help every part of a region grow. Maybe it’s time to think of a new big idea, a new dedicated partnership focused on tapping the economic potential of the already growing communities of central Nova Scotia.

Imagine, competitors working together to help grow their communities and their province. 

Must be Christmas.

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

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.

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.