SmartCity Blog

Youth, it's time to get involved. My State of the Economy Conference experience.

If I could pick my favourite thing I did as a grade 12 co-op student at the Greater Halifax Partnership, it would have to be participating in the 2014 State of the Economy Conference on May 22^nd. Not only was there a great keynote speaker and activities, but the Partnership presented a warm and welcoming environment for everyone who attended. There was plenty of delicious food, fun and interesting discussions throughout the day.

 Though I just turned 18 and figured I would be out of my element completely, I was proved wrong. By helping out and being included in the afternoon activities I felt part of it all.

In the morning, we had a fantastic keynote speaker, Victor Hwang, who described the business world in a unique way. Victor said we should treat our community like a rainforest and let weeds (ideas) spread instead of keeping everything like a perfectly manicured front lawn. During the afternoon, groups worked together to discuss how we could improve Halifax in the next five years. My group chose me as their presenter. We spoke about engaging youth and elderly people in economic development. We suggested youth friendly activities and having young people visit nursing homes. Kids could learn from seniors while brightening their day. At youth friendly events, there would be business and economy fact booths alongside other activities.

The idea of involving younger generations really stood out to me. After pitching all of our ideas to one another, I stood up and spoke in a room full of business people, investors, and members of the community about our group’s ideas. After the activity, so many people came up to me to say how wonderful my presentation was.

They built my confidence and reminded me that people do listen to youth when they speak their minds. That was a major highlight for me. I would not hesitate to return to the State of the Economy Conference in the future or encourage other youth and the general public to attend as well.

 It’s a really good opportunity for everyone to be involved in our city’s development. 

Author:

Larissa Reese is a grade 12 student at Millwood High School. She completed her co-op placement at the Greater Halifax Partnership this spring.

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Why You Should Take the #myHFXpledge

This weekend, the Greater Halifax Partnership joined the 100in1Day Halifax to bring the #myHFXpledge to the community. 100in1Day Halifax is a citizen driven festival to unite people across the city to make Halifax a better place by creating acts of urban change known as “interventions”. These interventions aim to raise awareness of urban and social issues, inspire ideas, and motivate us to consider new approaches to issues in Halifax.

From collecting food for the food bank, to writing post cards with ideas on how to improve the city, to community clean-ups and guerilla gardening, 100in1Day shows that when the community comes together, great ideas and action happens.

This is exactly what the #myHFXpledge is all about. With nearly 275 community members of all ages and backgrounds having already taken the Pledge, the movement is growing.

There are so many champions for the city already working to share good news and optimism across the city. The #myHFXpledge helps to celebrate and connect these champions to create real, positive change in Halifax.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What is the #MyHfxPledge?

#myHFXpledge is a commitment to share your love for Halifax and champion our city near and far. Those who take the pledge join a growing movement of people, businesses and organizations across Halifax who believe in dreaming big, taking risks, and experimenting together to create a more innovative and successful Halifax.

By taking the #myHFXpledge you are joining a movement of people championing Halifax and taking action to improve our city. As part of this movement you will have the opportunity to take part in collaborative cafes and Halifax Innovation Ecosystem groups and projects. Plus, you’ll receive exciting news about Halifax to share with your friends, family, and networks.

Four reasons why should you take the pledge

1. You love Halifax and want to share your positive, win-win attitude.
2. You’re ready for change! You’re ready to create real, lasting change in our community.
3. You want to work with others in Halifax on common social and economic goals to help Halifax grow and thrive.
4. You celebrate success and are ready to be a champion for this city.

How do I make #myHFXpledge?

Take the #myHFXpledge by simply clicking on the button below.

Already Made Your Pledge?

Here are some next steps you can take to live the pledge:

1. Nominate others to take the pledge. Be sure to let your friends, family and other connections know about the pledge and challenge them to make their commitment too. You can share it on social media with a message like:

 I took the #myHFXpledge to help #Halifax succeed. Now I nominate you

(tag people here) http://ht.ly/wSRan

 

         2. Start living the pledge! At home, work and in your community take action on your own and with others to create a more confident, welcoming, and innovative Halifax.

         3. Stay tuned for updates on the Halifax Innovation Ecosystem, a community-driven network of people in Halifax working together on projects to improve our city.

 

Author:

 

Sarah Beatty joined the Partnership in 2014 and is a whole-hearted champion of the city. As communication co-ordinator she works to help share and celebrate the stories of Halifax’s success. 

You can reach Sarah at sbeatty@greaterhalifax.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The key to reviving downtown Halifax: Part two

The key to reviving downtown Halifax: Part two

By donalee Moulton

Originally published in the June 2014 issue of the Nova Scotia Business Journal

Reprinted with permission from TC Media

To encourage more people to live in the downtown, creating new accommodations is a priority. The city is currently saying farewell to the Roy Building and welcoming a new 150-condo development in its stead. One of the most recent developments to get a thumbs up from the city includes a 500,000 square-foot twin tower with 88 condo units in the centre of downtown.

Attracting people to downtown living, however, will mean providing them with the services they require.

“We need people living in the downtown to bring our city back to life, but it’s not enough to have a home, you also need easy access to a grocery store, a dry cleaner, a convenience store, and more,” says Rand Gaynor, owner of Drala, a décor and gift shop on Grafton Street.

To a certain extent, the issue reflects the age-old question of which comes first — the chicken or the egg, the people or the services? The answer, says Kent, is neither.

“This is a symbiotic relationship.”

While services will attract more owners and renters, their presence, in turn, will attract more services. But caution is required: diversity is needed. A vibrant downtown community requires more than upscale accommodations.

“It’s critical that the downtown be home to an incredible mix of individuals of all ages, all backgrounds, and all incomes. A truly thriving downtown has room for everyone,” says Chris Hornberger, a partner with Halifax Global Inc., a management consulting firm.

Savage points out that revitalizing the downtown is not and should not be a competition between the suburbs and the urban centre.

“People have to have a choice,” he says.

Ensuring both diversity and density requires sound planning and a value judgment. Halifax has both, says Kent.

“Elected officials often favour proposals that allow low-cost options to co-exist with more affluent options.”

Still, he notes, incentives may be needed to encourage developers.

Such incentives need to be strategic, stresses Gaynor.

“Cities that develop naturally are stronger,” says the retail store owner. “Let lower-cost housing and more expensive housing evolve. If we force the issue, we will fail.”

There is perhaps one final ingredient essential to building a downtown that draws people, services and business. It is optimism, and it is currently lacking, says Kent.

“Confidence is so fragile,” he says. “When there is a lack of confidence, people are less likely to take a risk. An attitude transformation is necessary.”

The Greater Halifax Partnership and the City of Halifax are hoping to sow the seeds of that transformation by launching a movement.

Fred Morley, executive vice-president and chief economist of the Greater Halifax Partnership, says his organization recently challenged stakeholders to take an individual and personal pledge to embrace a positive attitude and take the first step towards a better innovative culture.

“Innovative economic ecosystems are built by people who commit to being bold, challenging activist pessimism, extending trust, innovating together, being a champion and paying it forward, and most of all celebrating success,” says Morley.

 

Author: donalee Moulton

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Downtown I'm In...Are You?

Halifax's Brand is Your Business

The key to reviving downtown Halifax: Part one

By donalee Moulton

Originally published in the June 2014 issue of the Nova Scotia Business Journal

Reprinted with permission from TC Media

There is, not surprisingly, widespread agreement that Halifax’s downtown core has lan guished. Surprisingly, there is equally widespread agreement that new life, new energy, and new ideas are beginning to revitalize the neighbourhood.

For Halifax mayor Mike Savage, there is one critical ingredient to building a vibrant, prosperous city centre.

“What we want downtown is community, and community is people who live, work, study, and visit the downtown,” he says.

That has not been the case, Savage acknowledges.

“We have a great downtown, but there’s no question over the last number of decades we’ve seen a reduction in the size of the population on the peninsula. That’s not unusual. What we hadn’t done was come up with a plan to invest in our downtown.”

That plan, HRM By Design, is now in the works. Released in 2010 after three years of public consultation, the plan creates a new 25 year-vision for the city along with a new land-use bylaw, a municipal capital improvement strategy, and a design-based development approval process. Many believe the impact of this plan is now evident in the numerous construction projects underway throughout the downtown.

Still at least one of the essential ingredients for a flourishing downtown — residents — is noticeably absent. Developers like Joseph Ramia, whose company Rank Incorporated is building the one million square-foot mixed-use Nova Centre in the heart of the downtown, is hoping to change that by making the downtown generally more appealing and more amenable. Build it and they will come seems to be the current mantra, and it is being widely chanted.

“There are 35 cranes on the peninsula,” says Greater Halifax Partnership president and CEO Paul Kent. “If someone says we’re stagnant, I have to ask them what planet they’re living on. Things are changing.”

The change is both significant and long term. The new public library is expected to be substantially complete this summer, and the Nova Centre, which boasts more than 285,000 square feet of convention space and 18,000 square feet of public space, is slated to open its doors in 2016. Most recently, city council approved the transformation of the Cogswell Interchange into what it calls a “mixed-use, pedestrian/transit/active transportation-friendly redevelopment, connecting downtown to northern Peninsula neighbourhoods, and acting as a gateway to downtown Halifax.” The transformation, says Savage, will take approximately a decade.

Click here to read part two

Author: donalee Moulton

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Boomerang Pays it Forward by Helping Others Make Connections in Halifax

Chris O’Shea knows what it feels like to be a stranger in his own town. Self-proclaimed “boomerang”, O’Shea returned home to Halifax after six years in the United States to find a very different city.

“Since no one knew me here, I had to take a refocusing of my career,” says O’Shea. “When I came across the border, I had a solid set of skills but it was put aside for ‘Who are you? Why did you leave?’”

As many of O’Shea’s contacts had re-located, re-inserting himself into his industry was a challenge. With an IT background and over six years of experience O’Shea struggled for months to find a job in Halifax.

“If you don’t know somebody or have the contacts in the industry, it’s harder to gain that opportunity,” says O’Shea, who currently works as an Internet Services Consultant for the Business Development Bank of Canada.

From this experience, O’Shea seeks to lend his connections, experience and expertise to anyone else facing the same dilemma through the Greater Halifax Partnership’s Connector Program.

 By pairing up new graduates, immigrants and international students with Connectors - business and community leaders in Halifax - the program helps participants build their professional network and find jobs in their field.

 Over the last five years, over 641 Connectors have joined the program and over 447 participants have found jobs. Word has spread about Connector’s success and as a result 14 cities across Canada have started their own programs with the Partnership’s help. The program’s growth and would not have been possible without the help and support of volunteer Connectors like O’Shea.

 “I consider myself a coach,” says O’Shea who has been a Connector for a year. “I like to see where the participants are at, what their career goals are, I want to make sure that whatever their goals are, that as a region we can provide it for them.”

 As Connector, O’Shea has met with several participants to help them build, re-build and integrate into the community. His dedication to the program and willingness to connect multiple participants at a time has made him a “Super Connector” for the Partnership.

“I’m not out there pounding the pavement,” says O’Shea, “I just make a few calls and send some emails, but if what I can do makes an impact, that’s an effort I want to make.”

 O’Shea’s top coaching tips for Connector participants are:

1)      Tap into the potential of LinkedIn

2)      Start talking about your industry and be in those places, be at the events, do the networking, take in the information.

3)      Be open and friendly.

An advocate for promoting opportunities within the city, O’Shea encourages others to start to play the role of Connector.

“You really need to look at the Ivany Report as the fork in the road. Which way do we want to go from here,” says O’Shea. “If there is something here that newcomers and young talent are interested in for their career, why wouldn’t we do what we can to keep them here?”

Author:

Denise is responsible for managing the Partnership's Connector Program which is funded by the Province of Nova Scotia and the Government of Canada.

If you're interested in joining the Connector Program, you can contact Denise at: (902) 490.6460 or ddelong@greaterhalifax.com

 

 

 

 

 

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Ivany Report drives action among Youth in Nova Scotia

There has been much talk about the recently released Ivany report and what needs to be done to grow Nova Scotia’s economy. StudentsNS, the alliance of Nova Scotia post-secondary student associations, is taking action to do something about our talent issue. Within weeks, they (along with partner organizations like Digital NS and the Greater Halifax Partnership) have put together a comprehensive and robust conference with stellar panels and breakout sessions to address some of the issues surrounding youth in our economy.

The Nova Scotia Commission on Building Our New Economy has described Nova Scotia’s economic circumstances as a ‘crisis’. Our 20-64 year-old population is expected to shrink by 21% between 2009 and 2034. Meanwhile, Nova Scotia’s youth unemployment rate sits at 19.5%, compared to a national average of just 14%, which is a major factor in youth out-migration.  In other words, drastic measures need to be taken just to sustain our economy, let alone grow it.

Jonathan Williams, the Executive Director of StudentsNS really took the “Now or Never” tagline to heart, saying “This event is all about bringing together young people and decision-makers to understand our challenges and opportunities, and build a movement where we each take action to turn around youth economic outcomes in Nova Scotia... Given the choice between now or never, we’re opting for now.”

Topics will range from Youth Migration and Retention, to immigration and entrepreneurship - all major focus points of the Ivany Report.  A more complete agenda can be found here. The media attention surrounding this conference has grown, and it has almost developed into a movement by the youth in this province that are passionate about finding great career opportunities and staying here in Nova Scotia. It is  truly inspiring to see a rally like this, with government, private sector and students coming together and I’m excited to see what action will come from this first step to engage and support our youth in staying here. There is still time to register, and I urge you to join us at Dalhousie University on March 20^th, 2014 for this very important discussion. You can register here. It’s Now or Never. 

Author:

Sasha is the Project Coordinator for the Young and Emerging Talent stream of the Partnership's Connector Program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Halifax’s Brand is Your Business

How do you define Halifax?

Is it opening the doors of your local business only to see friendly, familiar faces waiting outside? Is it skating at the Emera Oval in the winter or jogging by the waterfront in the spring? Is it spending Friday night at the Mooseheads game with thousands of other Halifax-loving fans? Is it taking visiting family and friends to see the beautiful sights of Peggy’s Cove? Maybe it’s the overall feel of the city – a vibrant place rich in history, opportunity, and growth.

For me, Halifax is a city where both business and people can thrive. It’s uniquely built not only for residents, but for a thriving economy as well. Whether it’s hiring a recent university graduate, expanding an existing business or starting a new one, Halifax has much to celebrate in our present and for our future.

As leaders in our community, it’s your business to get involved in rebranding Halifax. The Greater Halifax Partnership is partnering with Halifax Regional Municipality to give our residents, businesses, post-secondary institutions and not-for-profit sector the opportunity to share their thoughts on our regional identity, both on and offline. We are asking you, the business community, to define our remarkable region. We would like to hear your thoughts on what makes Halifax a great place to live, work, invest and do business.

The voice of the business community is a key component to bettering the city that we call home. By engaging with the rebrand project, we are working toward better positioning ourselves as the city we have all been working so hard create. Together we can create a compelling and unique international brand – one of our city’s five economic development goals.

You can participate one-on-one at public engagement sessions, on the street, and at community hubs such as farmers markets. The project is also collecting input online via the website DefineHalifaxRegion.com, and several social media channels, including Twitter, @DefineHFX, Facebook, Instagram and Google+. Your feedback will be the basis of a brand recommendation presented to  Halifax Regional Council in spring 2014.

So, what sets us apart from other communities? If you’re new to Halifax, what brought you here and why do you stay? What’s your favourite part about living and doing business here? Take a moment to remember all that Halifax has to offer.

Give it a try – Tweet @DefineHFX about what living in the Halifax region means to you.

Business Owners, Entrepreneurs, SMEs, Corporations – we want to hear from you! On January 30^th or February 6^th, please join myself, Fred Morley and the Greater Halifax Partnership for a networking event to share your thoughts on defining the Halifax region. For more information and to RSVP, visit http://goo.gl/0Vheqm

Author: 

Paul Kent is the President and CEO of the Greater Halifax Partnership. Paul has over 30 years of experience at executive and senior management levels, in both the public and private sectors. 

 

 

Creating smarter cities

(Originally published in Business Voice)

By Paul Kent

Imagine if we could collect and understand information within our city that enabled us to predict where violent crime would take place — before it happened.

Picture a scene where variable wind and speed force, recent rainfall, barometric pressure, tidal and storm surge data about the harbour was collected in advance of a weather system so city officials could accurately predict which emergency resources would be needed, when and where.

Think about the possibilities of collecting real-time data across our often disconnected assortment of systems — water, energy, transportation, public safety — and enabling them to interact for a healthy and sustainable economy and happy and healthy people.

This is not a fantasy.

City officials all over the globe are tapping into the vast amount of existing data in their communities to make decisions based on facts, trends and real-time information to create and deliver value to their citizens. Accessing this data means a city’s unique challenges can be specifically addressed comprehensively and quickly to benefit its citizens and businesses.

How?

In October, the Greater Halifax Partnership invited John Longbottom to speak at our Building Our Future series.

John is IBMCanada’s National Executive responsible for the strategy and execution of IBM’s Smarter Cities Global Initiative. His focus is helping municipal and other public sector organizations improve and transform services to enable cities to become more intelligent and respond to their citizens’ ever-increasing expectations.

As the world becomes increasingly “instrumented”, John helps cities by leveraging and linking the growing availability of data, and by using advanced analytics, to help cities see what they have and how they can work with it more efficiently and effectively.

Remember the crime scenario mentioned above?

In 2005, the Memphis Police Department partnered with the Department of Criminology and Criminal Justice at the University of Memphis. Together they created a predictive analytics system to chart and analyze crime patterns. One data mapping pattern revealed that a high percentage of sexual assaults committed at night were correlated with the presence of payphones outside of convenience stores. To reduce the opportunity for this crime, they moved the payphones inside. This action, combined with many others using analytics over the past eight years, has resulted in a drop in serious crime by 30 percent and violent crime by 15 percent.

In Galway, Ireland, officials started collecting data about the sea and coastal zone using their buoys. They gather information about the weather, sea conditions and water quality. They share this information to manage the operations and marketing of the fisheries. It has helped them develop innovative, knowledge-based products and to put the right resources in place to protect the marine environment.

The ultimate goal for cities using data system collaboration is to create efficiency, because efficiency eases the strain on a city’s budget and frees up time and resources to facilitate economic development and drive prosperity.

What is the first step for Halifax in the journey towards becoming a “smarter city”?

You may be surprised to find it is not more technology. The first step we must take is in changing our mindset.

John characterized this next opportunity and revolution as “a profound shift in thinking and a break from the past.”

At the Partnership, we want to stir up our collective will to see things from a new perspective. Let’s encourage one another to be open to what it will take to reshape and grow our municipality in a sustainable, intelligent, and collaborative way. Let’s use the vast amount of data available in our systems, our expert partners — and from our citizens — to create a smarter city. 

Author: 

Paul Kent is the President and CEO of the Greater Halifax Partnership. Paul has over 30 years of experience at executive and senior management levels, in both the public and private sectors. 

 

 

Rentals and Affordability

The shifting demand in Halifax 

By Ryan MacLeod

Halifax’s housing market has shown a shift to rentals since the recession, with apartments dominating new starts, and rental rates showing more subdued growth as a result. New supply of apartment units was abundant in 2011 and 2012, with new apartment unit starts well above their 10-year annual average and so far in 2013, new apartment construction has shown no signs of slowing down, as starts from January to September have already exceeded the annual average. Meanwhile, new starts of single-detached units have been much tamer, with starts below the 10-year annual average each year since the 2009 recession.

Why the shift? It appears that the shift in new supply from single-detached housing to rental apartments is demand-driven. CMHC has noted that the recent shift in demand is due to multiple factors. Positive net-migration to the city provides a boost in apartment demand, as new migrants tend to be apartment renters. The aging population also provides a boost to apartment demand, as some recent empty-nesters choose to downsize and are drawn to the low-maintenance, single-floor living offered by apartments. Finally, stunted full-time employment growth in the years since the recession has at least temporarily limited the ability of some would-be home owners to purchase their first home, while comparatively strong growth in part-time employment tends to support rental markets.

Despite growing demand for apartment rentals, strong supply growth has increased vacancy rates in recent years. In 2012, the apartment vacancy rate in Halifax was 3.0%, above the average of 2.6% reported by CMHC for 35 census metropolitan areas across the country. While the average vacancy rate is forecast to remain steady in 2013 and 2014, it is forecast to grow in Halifax. 

What does this mean for affordability? A higher vacancy rate is actually a good thing for rental affordability, as excess supply in the market helps to relieve some of the upward pressure on rent caused by increased demand. While average rents are forecast to continue to grow over the next two years, the rate of growth has slowed since 2011 and is expected to continue to do so.

Increased apartment vacancies in Halifax have come at a good time. With major project activity expected to continue growing in the coming years, related employment growth should continue to support migration to Halifax, and as the average age of the population continues to climb, the tastes of retired empty-nesters will likely continue to shift to apartment-style living. Current growth in apartment supply should leave the city’s rental market well-positioned to absorb increased demand in the future without putting too much upward pressure on rents.

View the Partnership's latest economic snapshot here. 

Author: 

Ryan joined the Partnership in September 2013, as an Economist and Project Development Specialist. In his role, Ryan is responsible for conducting research and delivering measurable results in support of the organization’s business plans and the Economic Strategy. This includes leading the development of the Halifax Index, as well as producing project proposals and reports, monitoring economic trends in Halifax, and responding to investor information requests.

 

 

Halifax Speaks: CityMatters 2013

By Alicia Fraser

For the fourth year in a row, the Partnership, MQO Research and Metro Halifax partnered to conduct the CityMatters survey with Halifax residents. The survey was designed to find out what residents are saying about Halifax’s economy, technology, municipal politics, and a range of other key topics. Not surprisingly, results showed that we have great education opportunities (8.1), are interesting and appealing to visitors (8) and Halifax is a great place to raise a family (7.9). But what else are residents saying?

Here are a few highlights...

Downtown Revitalization: Key

More than 80 per cent of respondents want to see the downtown core revitalized, which aligns closely with the goals and objectives of AGREATERHalifax. Events like Dog Days of Summer and the Big Day Downtown are helping to show that the city is working towards becoming a more vibrant and eventful place. There is work to be done, but new initiatives like these noted above and large developments such as Nova Centre and the Central Library, shows that the tides are turning and progress in the heart of our city is moving in the right direction.

Mayor Mike Savage: Successful First Year

Did you know that Mayor Mike Savage is HRM’s first new mayor in 12 years? Respondents are embracing the change and his dedication to Halifax and motivation for making this an even greater place to live. A significant portion of the population, 40% of respondents, gave the Mayor's performance a score of 8 or higher in his first year. What’s his secret? Being himself and giving credit where it’s due.

Police Services: High in the Rankings

Halifax Regional Police have a lot to celebrate. They were given the highest ranking, a 7.5, of any municipal service. Much of this success is accredited to their increased training and education that has allowed them to deal with more issues than ever before, such as mental health and other social issues. Sgt. Mark Hartlen believes fully that the force is capable of facing these challenging issues but urges senior members of the force to keep in mind to not borrow resources from areas that residents are unwilling to compromise on.

Also of note in the realm of public safety, 90 per cent of respondents indicated that they feel mostly or very safe in the downtown core.

Metro Transit: More Changes Coming

Metro Transit scores rose from 6.0 to 6.3. What is noteworthy is that the number of respondents who gave a score of 8 or higher was 33 per cent – a 9% increase from last year. This shows that there is a positive shift in confidence in Metro Transit's service. Where does Metro Transit go from here?  Well, recently a major public consultation was completed to shape the next five-years for the organization. Expected changes include long overdue technology and service upgrades. If you are a commuter like I am, these changes, will be a welcome improvement to our daily commute.

Proposed Projects: Looking Ahead

Respondents not only rated current services but they were asked to choose one of three proposed projects that they would like to see most. The projects included in the survey were a commuter rail, ferry or aquarium. 53% want to see a commuter rail implemented. The benefit would be that downtown could become more accessible for everyone. A feasibility study using existing rail lines from Bedford to the south end has been approved. For now the project is simply an idea but it will be interesting to see where it goes.

 

If you want to learn more about City Matters 2013 view Metro Halifax articles and other resources here. 

Author:

Alicia Fraser is the current Marketing/Communications co-op student with the Greater Halifax Partnership. She is a fourth year Bachelor of Public Relations student at Mount Saint Vincent University.