SmartCity Blog

Bold Halifax: The Halifax Central Library

There are places that transcend expectations, bring community together and withstand the test of time; Halifax’s new Central Library is one of them.

Located downtown on Spring Garden Road, the new library is being coined as the “city’s living room". The $57.6 million, 129,000-square-foot glass building is an amazing piece of modern architectural design. Well before its grand opening, the library garnered national and international attention from Canadian architecture and design magazine, Azure, and CNN. This new civic landmark is the effort of an international and local partnership with Danish Schmidt Hammer Lassen and local firm Fowler Bauld & Mitchell. 

The new library has put Halifax on the international stage for good reason. It is architecturally stunning, environmentally sustainable, and a major development for Halifax. It is a cultural hub that reflects the revitalization of the city's downtown. 

More than 10,000 people visited the Halifax Central Library on opening day. Of those, 400 visitors had the honour of cutting the ribbon. The grand opening saw Mayor Mike Savage, Minister Peter McKay and local Councillors and MLAs come together to join the celebration, recognizing support from all three levels of government to bring the library to fruition.

“It’s awesome to see so many people gathered here excited about the new library. It looks beautiful on the outside, and I’m sure it’s just as amazing on the inside. I can’t wait to spend time here next semester,” says Sarita Reyes, a fourth-year international student at Mount Saint Vincent University, “I’m from Guatemala and it’s great to be a part of a community that embraces change and welcomes diversity.”

Inside, the library boasts five storeys of shelves and open space, linked by white stairs and bridges in the atrium. The atrium introduces a wide range of facilities that the library has to offer: a 300-seat theatre, two music studios, study rooms, boardrooms, gaming stations, a 3-D printer and the aroma of local fresh coffee from Pavia Gallery Cafe. The library also dedicates a large space for every book lover from adult literacy classes, to a First Nations reading circle. The entire second floor boasts shelves designed for each age group, ranging from toddlers to young adults.

    

The new library is opened seven days a week and has something for everyone. “The library is my happy place and I can’t wait to spend many nights in this beautiful and amazing space,” says Megan Elliott, book and travel blogger. 

The library is more than the shelves of Dewey-decimal catalogued books that line a large portion of the building. It's about what it represents for the city - a community hub, a successful collaboration and a new place to learn, live and play. The new library is an example of living the Bold Promise – a commitment to new ideas and positive change for a better and bolder Halifax. 

Author:

Celina Lam is Marketing and Communication Assistant at the Greater Halifax Partnership. She currently is in her final year of the Public Relations Program at Mount Saint Vincent University 

You can reach Celina at celina@greaterhalifax.com 

Organizing for Success: The Halifax Ecosystem

I have always believed that Halifax is a city of passionate people. This passion was evident last month at the first Halifax Ecosystem Café. 

I witnessed people from a variety of sectors come together to support the common goal of creating a prosperous Halifax.

This event built upon the interest and ideas that emerged at the State of the Economy Conference (SOEC) held in May where over 300 people from across the city came together for the launch of the Halifax Ecosystem - a community-driven network of people working together on common social and economic goals. 

The Ecosystem is all about collaboration and getting to action and solutions quicker on key issues. It organizes and harnesses the energy, talents and resources of a growing movement of people, businesses, and organizations in Halifax who are ready to champion and make positive changes in our city.

Since SOEC, the Halifax Ecosystem has grown and evolved. Numerous conversations and brainstorming sessions have taken place, working groups and project teams have formed, and hundreds of Halifax champions have pledged to think and act differently and work together in the Ecosystem. 

It's clear that combining our outputs, capabilities, connections and vocalizing our support for common goals will mean even bigger ideas, successes and rewards for the community as a whole.

This is not a short term fix. Achieving our big ideas and big goals for Halifax will require commitment and city-wide partnerships. We are all citizens of Halifax. We all have a stake in the city’s prosperity and as such we all have a role to play.

Working towards our big ideas will take commitment and perseverance to bridge the gap between our present and our vision for Halifax's future. But we are well on our way. We’ve already tapped into the most powerful tools to get us there - connections, passion and collaboration.

I watched last month as unique connections were being made between people and ideas were being built on in areas such as attracting and retaining our talent, growing our regional centre, and changing attitudes. Together, we are taking action to build and grow an even more vibrant, prosperous Halifax.

I look forward to seeing all of the amazing projects and actions that emerge in the Halifax Ecosystem. I anticipate we will have lots to celebrate at our Celebrate Business event in November, and in the months and years to come.

For more pictures of the event, visit our Facebook Page

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. 

 

 

 

reDiscovering Discovery – the New Discovery Centre

A new, state-of-the-art Discover Centre will open on the Halifax waterfront in 2014

“We can’t achieve great innovations without great discoveries; and we can’t make great discoveries without great discoverers.” - Stephen L. Carter

The Discovery Centre has been a pillar of scientific discovery in Nova Scotia, pollinating 1.4 million minds over 27 years by reinforcing curiosity, knowledge and discovery. As an award-winning leader in experiential education, the Discovery Centre has evolved from a travelling science show to the largest science centre in Atlantic Canada and one of the region’s most loved family institutions.

But the Discovery Centre has outgrown its current space. What’s more, we have a bigger and more important role to play in Nova Scotia and Atlantic Canada. We believe we need to reinvent ourselves to become more relevant in today’s fast-paced, tech-savvy and knowledge-driven society. We know our province is hungry for knowledge and progress. We know we have minds brimming with curiosity and ideas. We know there is world-class research and innovation being done here. And, we know well-educated children and young people can transform not just their own future, but our province’s as well.

That’s why we’re now on the precipice of something monumental – the New Discovery Centre. Thanks to an incredible gift from Nova Scotia Power, a new, state-of-the-art science centre will open in their building on the Halifax waterfront in late 2014. The New Discovery Centre will feature five marquee galleries – Water, Health, Energy, Flight and Creative Kids – as well as a huge new Travelling Exhibits Gallery, an Atrium, Innovation Lab and Immersive Dome Theatre – the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada. In addition, we will increase our educational outreach capacity to ensure we’re reaching even more students across Nova Scotia with our unique brand of hands-on, minds-on learning.

 

 

The New Discovery Centre is part of the vision to make Halifax a world-class city. With anticipated annual visitation of more than 150,000 it will become one of the most visited attractions in Nova Scotia, making it an important economic contributor. But what’s more, the New Discovery Centre is a profound commitment to educating and nurturing our bright young minds – the next generation that will lead us forward and deliver the progress we demand as a city, province and region.  

The reDiscovery Campaign for the New Discovery Centre is a $20 million project. This is no small undertaking, but we know the long-term positive impacts on our economy are immeasurable. With anticipated funding from all three levels of government, the Campaign seeks to raise $8 million from the public sector. Led by Ian Wilson, the President of Wilsons, and a dedicated, engaged team of volunteers, we are well on our way. But, now we need the support of the business community in Halifax and Nova Scotia. An investment in the New Discovery Centre is not just an investment in our children, but in the future of the entire province. Wouldn’t you agree we’re worth it?    

For a look at the New Discovery Centre and to see the buzz building at our new Campaign website rediscoverscience.ca

 

Author: Renée Fournier 

 Renée is the Director, Capital Campaign at the Discovery Centre. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Oceans Week 2013

Entrepreneur finds success in Halifax

Recently at the Halifax’s Vital Signs event David Fleming, Jr. Economist and Project Development Coordinator at the Greater Halifax Partnership was quoted in a news article saying, “[youth are] our long-term supply of population, our long-term supply of employment opportunities, [and] our long-term supply of entrepreneurship.”

Ron Lovett, President and founder of Source Security featured in last week’s episode of SmartCity, is proof that is true. In an interview with The Chronicle Herald’s John DeMont last winter, the young entrepreneur said he was always the type to be “business-oriented.” He explained how he was “the kind of kid who had three paper routes and cut all the kids in the neighbourhood’s hair."

Ron started Source Security in 2002 after identifying an opportunity. No one was offering night club security in Halifax at the time so his company started with two employees working at a local bar on Spring Garden Road. “People assume that if something has not been done, that it can’t be done,” he said. But Ron and Source Security disprove that line of thinking.

His business soon expanded to cover 22 bars in downtown Halifax, and today his reach is even further. Source Security now offers several security services for events and individuals as well as private investigating. Source Security has worked at some of the biggest festivals in the world, and for some of the biggest names in the world.

Today, Ron is a driven entrepreneur who continues to operate Source Security out of its Head Office in Halifax. Ron tells SmartCity host Craig Layton that he doesn’t feel any pressure to move Source Security’s home base.

“I feel very proud to be an Atlantic Canadian owned and operated company. I don’t ever see us moving our head office from Atlantic Canada.”

And with all Halifax has to offer,  why would Source Security want to call anywhere else home? 

Halifax is already home to the head and regional offices(HROs) of several major Canadian corporations, and the Partnership’s new Head and Regional Office (HRO) Program is aimed at attracting even more HROs to set up shop here. Multi-unit operations amount to less than one percent of business in Canada, but generate more than half of the business income and employ one third of the work force. They also help create high paying jobs for residents while helping grow the economy.

Ron started his business as a driven twenty-something-year-old right here in Halifax. Now with big name clients and 3,500 employees, I think it's safe to say that big things start - and grow - here. 

 You Might Also Like

• SmartCity E1: Leveraging diversity is smart business
• SmartCity E2: Networking and Collaboration Helps Halifax Grow
• SmartCity E3: Augmenting Reality in Halifax

 

Author: Samantha Lodge

Samantha is the Communications and Marketing Assistant at the Greater Halifax Partnership. She moved from Newfoundland to Halifax to attend university, and ended up rekindling her love of the east coast. She feels that being close to the ocean in a city with so much excitement is the ideal situation – Halifax’s talented music scene is an added bonus!

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.

 

Big Ships & Faster Travel via Halifax

By Mike MacKenzie

This past week was a promising one for the Halifax Gateway, with good news that will benefit business and industry looking to capitalize on Halifax’s strategic location as a shipping and transportation hub.

In case you missed it, here are two stories from this past week that show how the Halifax Gateway makes the connection.

Port of Halifax Expansion

The Port of Halifax is gearing up to receive some of the world’s largest container vessels. A $35-million expansion of the Port’s South End Container Terminal is approaching the finish line, with only one-third of the project yet to be completed. The depth of the port’s berth has been extended from 14.5 to 16 metres and its pier extended to 80 metres, which will further open the port to some of the biggest vessels in the world.

The big ships, known as post-Panamax vessels, are much wider than traditional transport boats with many holding a capacity of over 15,000 containers. With 142 visits in 2011, post-Panamax vessels already have a history of calling in Halifax, but Michele Peveril of the Halifax Port Authority says the new extension will allow greater flexibility in scheduling additional calls with the large ships.

NEXUS fast-tracks U.S.-bound screening

Many passengers flying to the U.S. through Halifax’s Stanfield International Airport will soon have shorter wait times for screening. This past week the Canadian Government announced the extension of the NEXUS program to include trans-border travel into America. Under the program, passengers holding a NEXUS card will be fast-tracked at security screening and customs checkpoints.

While the NEXUS program is already in use for domestic and some international flights, this announcement marks the first time NEXUS passengers will be able to fast-track screening for U.S. bound travel.

That’s what happened this past week. So in case you missed it, you’re now in the know.

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.

Arts will thrive in wake of Ships

On behalf of the staff, many volunteers and legions of artists that we celebrate each year throughout Halifax and the province, the Greater Halifax Arts Coalition (GHAC) would like to congratulate Irving Shipbuilding and its partners, including the province of Nova Scotia, on the successful bid to Build Ships Here!

GHAC is made up of the leaders of 18 professional arts organizations that are dedicated to supporting our community through the presentation of world-class events, bringing the artistic culture of our region to audiences around the world and to creating a vibrant environment to live, work and play.

We recognize that a strong economy is essential to ensuring that those who breathe creative life into communities throughout the region are able to thrive and flourish. The spin-off benefits of this historic contract will impact suppliers, fabricators, other business and the lives of so many around the region – including those in the Arts.

Now, as we all start to gear up for growth and innovation, we see a prominent role for the professional arts community and look forward to playing our part. Nova Scotia’s artists create great work and inspire creativity, innovation, and excellence. Our theatre companies travel the world. Our musicians are broadcast across the country. Our audiences, whether they are long-time Nova Scotian residents or newcomers to our communities, experience a sense of pride and social cohesion as they join us in celebrating the diverse and vibrant lifestyle Nova Scotia has to offer.

Winning this contract means we can look forward to increases in population, disposable income and prosperity throughout the region. We look forward to the future, and working together to see our wonderful city and province and the entire Atlantic region grow and prosper.

Members of the Greater Halifax Arts Coalition:

• Christian Barry, 2b Theatre Company
• Gregor Ash, Atlantic Film Festival Association
• Brookes Diamond, Brookes Diamond Productions
• Heather McGean, Dalhousie Centre for Arts
• Laurie Gillis, Debut Atlantic
• Charlie Rhindress, Eastern Front Theatre
• Jonny Stevens, Halifax Pop Explosion
• Heather Gibson, JazzEast
• Paul Caskey, Live Art Dance
• Jim Morrow, Mermaid Theatre
• Sara Coffin, Mocean Dance
• Scott Long, Music Nova Scotia
• Amy Melmock, Neptune Theatre
• Maggie Stewart, Onelight Theatre
• Elizabeth Murphy, Shakespeare By The Sea
• Erika Beatty, Symphony Nova Scotia
• Christopher Shore, Theatre Nova Scotia
• Susan Leblanc Crawford, Zuppa Theatre

 

About GHAC:

Halifax is a hub for performing arts and culture in the province, and our professional arts organizations are leaders in Atlantic Canada. The 18 professional arts groups in GHAC employ more than 900 people, engage another 2500 volunteers, and perform for more than 933,000 audience member every year. Our cumulative annual budgets are over $22 million, and almost all of this is spent in Nova Scotia.

Other links:

• Ships Start Here: Next 30 by Erika Beatty

 

Shipbuilding contract will reinforce Halifax's competitive advantage

Congratulations to all Nova Scotians! We HAVE won the prestigious combat component of the Canadian Shipbuilding contract. This is the Olympics…the Superbowl… the World Cup… and the Stanley Cup, all rolled into one!

The grass has long appeared greener in Ontario or Alberta.  Now, given the opportunity, many talented people will have the opportunity to return home to earn a good living near their friends and families.  As important…many will never have to leave.

With the shipbuilding contract indeed earned by Nova Scotia, we will ensure a generation of work for young and experienced workers alike.  We will bring our talented Nova Scotian workers home, and demonstrate our competitive advantage to attract Canadians and new immigrants to the East Coast.

The project will certainly re-energize the region and reinforce our position as North America’s preeminent shipbuilder.  It is sure to provide a springboard to develop competencies in a number of related fields which will enable us to create new industries and exciting opportunities.

Halifax, Nova Scotia won the contract based on merit, and the federal government is to be commended for the process. We are simply the best suited location for shipbuilding in Canada. It is in our blood, and has been for centuries.

When the announcement was made on October 19, I sat with some associates and anxiously waited for the outcome.  Prior to the news, I was like a child on Christmas Eve; I couldn’t wait another minute.  When the good news finally came, I celebrated, and proudly exclaimed that we just witnessed a monumental day in Maritime Canadian History!

Congratulations to Irving.  Congratulations to Halifax.  Congratulations to Nova Scotia. Congratulations to our next generation!

ShipsNOWstarthere.

 

Born in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, Guido moved to Nova Scotia in 1999 and accepted the position as General Manager of the Westin Nova Scotian. Guido is currently Vice President for Canadian Region of New Castle Hotels properties.

Canadian Economics and Clean Air

One of Halifax’s greatest challenges in the next decade is attracting and retaining highly skilled and educated talent. 

Over the past few years, the Partnership, in collaboration with many of you, has used its Halifax Connector Program to help immigrants and newcomers find their way to gainful and appropriate employment here in Halifax. 

This is the second of seven stories showing what you have made possible.

Two-thirds of Canada’s entire population would fit in Huijing He’s hometown of Shanghai, a city described by Wikipedia as the ‘birthplace of everything modern in China.’  Yet she left it all behind to pursue a commerce degree at Saint Mary’s University in a city with less than half a million people – and only 1 percent is Chinese.

“I was very much interested in North American culture,” says Huijing, who goes by her English nickname, Sisley, chosen for her favourite fashion designer.  “I was bored at university at home and thought it would be a great opportunity to study abroad while I was young.”  Upon graduation with her degree in finance in May 2010, Sisley decided to stay in Halifax.

“I like it here.  The population is smaller, there are no line-ups, less traffic and the clean air is good too!  Most of what I learned was about Canadian economics so I thought it would be good to stay here, work for a few years, and put what I learned into practice.  Then I can contribute a little bit back here too.”

Sisley began her work search using the Partnership’s Connector Program.  “An international student who was a friend of mine told me about the program.  He had been ‘connected’ and found a six-month contract.”  He introduced Sisley to the Partnership’s Connector Project Coordinator, Cindy Dean, who connected her to Dina ¬Pellosis Tabuzo at Royal Bank of Canada and Joyce LaBossiere at World Financial Group.  These banking contacts helped Sisley with her resume and “they helped me improve myself.
 
“It was nice talking with them because I got ideas about looking for jobs and I think at the end of September, Joyce got back to me and told me a friend of hers was looking to fill an internship position at AEG Financial Services in Bedford.

“I contacted the person at AEG who turned out to be the owner of the company and we just started talking.  At the end of the interview, I got the job.

“The whole process with the Connector Program went very well for me. I met two Connectors and that is pretty much how I got my job. I think people have to make the most of it when you meet someone new.  Once there is a chance [for a job], you have to really try hard to get it.”

From Shanghai to Halifax.  For Sisley, Halifax is where great things happen – in a small size.

Kelly Hennessey, ABC, is an accredited public relations writer and consultant.

You can find Kelly at http://ca.linkedin.com/in/kellyhennesseyabc or contact her at kelhennessey@ns.sympatico.ca

Immigrants Strengthen the Local Economy

I remember, when I first settled in Halifax as a permanent resident, someone mentioned that it would be great if Halifax had a more diverse flavour.... I  realized that this person meant the cultural flavour! Since I was new to the city I didn’t really have much to say in response. Today, after having lived in Halifax for several years, I would have something to say.. I would tell this person that Halifax is becoming more diverse, and is growing in flavours!

The next time you are in and around the downtown area look out for the increasing number of restaurants and cafes opened by immigrants from different parts of the world.  Let’s start with The Hamachi Group which now has several restaurants in the Halifax area.   Let’s then continue our tour to Pete’s Frootique with its cornucopia of food from the Caribbean, Asian and Middle Eastern countries and then of course from Pete’s home country of England. Are you feeling hungry?

Ok, then let’s walk over to B-Well Sushi Cafe located on Quinpool Ave for some Japanese cuisine at a Japanese-cafe-style.  If Haligonians want to experience something spicier with a Latin flavour then how about Cafe Aroma Latino on the corner of North and Agricola. Here you will find a good selection of traditional food from different Central and South American countries, and enjoy a delicious dish while listening to some salsa music. The flavour continues around the city with Greek, Lebanese, Brazilian, Jamaican, Turkish, Indian, Thai, Italian, Mexican and many other ethnic restaurants.

Aside from restaurants and cafés, immigrant entrepreneurs have also strengthened the city’s economy by offering a variety of services in sectors such as construction. Many of the properties in The Ravines of Bedford South were developed by Cresco which is owned by an immigrant. Other services offered by immigrants include: Cleaning Services, Accounting, Translation, Real State, Finance, Fashion, IT Service, Health, Tailor Service, Import/Export, Communications, Landscape, Photography, Beauty/Wellness, Transportation, Education and Automotive, among others.  Immigrant Settlement and Integration Services (ISIS) offers a business directory (currently being updated) that demonstrates the diverse range of immigrant owned businesses in Halifax and the rest of the province.

There is a common myth that immigrants take jobs from locals. The reality is very different and it’s time to dispel that myth. The more than 200 small and medium-sized businesses established in Halifax by immigrants demonstrate that immigrant entrepreneurs actually create jobs for themselves and locals. They make an enormous contribution to our economy and community every day and there are many stories that demonstrate this success.   

I am the Immigration Employer Support Coordinator at the Greater Halifax Partnership and if you are an immigrant entrepreneur and are considering bringing a family member from your home country to work in your business, you can contact me at mcasallas@greaterhalifax.com  I can provide you with all the information you need to start the process.

Margie Casallas

As a recent immigrant to Canada, Margie understands the unique skills and perspectives that immigrants bring to Nova Scotia. She has eight years of experience in the private sector and is currently doing an Executive MBA at Saint Mary’s University. Margie enjoys traveling and has experienced living in different countries.