These are not articles2010 ICCI Applications Due October 15Applications for the federal government's Invest Canada - Communities Initiative (ICCI, formerly CISP, formerly PEMD-I) are due October 15 for projects taking place between January 1, 2010 and December 31st, 2010. Projects are to be submitted by communities and have a focus on investment attraction or "foreign direct investment". The Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (DFAIT), which administers the program, has altered the rules this year. Communities must now be registered here with the Virtual Trade Commissioner service in order to apply for ICCI funding, a process which can take 48 to 72 hours. This will allow access to an online application and information management system for the ICCI program. Providing millions in funding for economic development initiatives, ICCI and its predecessor programs have been among the most widely used federal initiatives on the local economic development level. Good Luck! Major Rural Development Conference Comes to Quebec The Organization for Economic Cooperaton and Development (OECD) is an association Canada Ranks Well in R&D Tax Credits In a new report that's sure to help economic development agencies trying to attract
high-end research and development (R&D) operations to their Who Ranks the Rankers? All the Ammunition You Need to Say You're the Best FutureBrand, a global marketing consulting company, has developed a series of national "brand" rankings. Ever wonder what country has the best market reputation as a centre of advanced technology? Japan. Which has the highest standard of living? Sweden. The Easiest place to do business in? Canada. FutureBrand has ranked countries in 30 categories, and combined the rankings into an overall brand score. Australia comes out on top overall in the 2008 ranking, just released by Futurebrand here, while Canada comes a close 2nd and the USA ranks 3rd. In addition to the "easiest place to do business" category, Canada also came first in the "family friendly" category. There are some controversial scores here, though, like the USA not making the top 10 in "political freedom" or the top 10 in "Safety" (measuring stability and security). Whether you're boosting your foreign marketing materials or kicking off a conversation around the water cooler, FutureBrand's 30 sets of rankings are worth a closer look! Ontario Offers Creative Communities Prosperity Fund For those riding the wave of the “Creative Class” phenomenon, the Ontario government is offering some financial support. Municipalities, First Nations and Not-for-Profit Organizations can apply for funding under the Community Prosperity Fund to strengthen the role of culture in local development efforts, and to engage in a range of cultural planning activities. Projects that link cultural planning and development to the local economy are particularly favoured under the fund’s guidelines. Delivered through the Ontario Ministry of Culture, the program will receive applications until October 15, 2009. Depending upon the project, as much as 80% of costs may be covered by the fund, with funding of up to $150,000 per project available. New “Green Collar Jobs” Report Now AvailableTwo divisions of the Pew Charitable Trusts – one of America’s most respected think tanks – focused on the environment and the economy have combined forces to produce a new report on “The Clean Energy Economy: Repowering Jobs, Business and Investment Across America”. Heavy on charts and statistics – which makes it perfect for bolstering presentations pitching the sector as a future investment attraction target – the report suggests that the clean energy sector will outgrow and outperform most other sector of the economy over the next twenty years. This isn’t exactly news, but the report packs the data (and the reputable source!) to help communities make the case for action on this front. Employment Development Index August 2009 Our Employment Development Index uses regional employment figures from Statistics Canada to map changes in job creation, and loss, across the country over time, illustrating the regional variations in our current economy. For a closer look, click here. |
MDB NewsMillier Dickinson Blais is growing again with the addition of a new consultant. For more information on the position, click here. Client Corner Ontario East Economic Development CommissionOntario East is on a roll. To carry out all the exciting initiatives that are happening and waiting in the wings, Ontario East is now hiring a full-time Executive Director. Go here for the posting and www.onteast.com for more information on the organization. Better hurry – the closing date is September 15, 2009. Resource ReviewVan Jones Still on Target A month ago, Van Jones was the White House's key advisor on Green Jobs, and scheduled to be a keynote speaker at this year's EDAC conference in Vancouver. Just days ago, however, he stepped down and cancelled all appearances as a result of political infighting, having been accused of ties in the early 1990s to a Marxist organization known as STORM and of uttering "disparaging comments" about (apparently thin-skinned) Congressional Republicans. Of course, this fall from grace comes after Time magazine named him one of the 100 Most Influential People of 2009 and Fast Company magazine called him one of the 12 Most Creative Minds of 2008, and his 2009 book The Green Collar Economy became an international bestseller. So who's the real Van Jones and does he have anything important to say? Politics aside, this book may be one of the most important economic development publications this year. He may not be at the White House any longer, but Van Jones uses this book to lay out the thinking and structure of President Obama's green job creation initiatives, which are projected to create 5 million jobs over the next four years. Other jurisdictions may be slower in formulating their own agendas, but sooner or later we'll all be chasing job growth in this sector, and Jones' book is a primer on what we'll have to do to prepare and compete. Though parts of the book are a little thin, overall it's a helpful source and includes a great 18-page list of additional resources for communities. We don't know where Van Jones is going to land once the political imbroglio blows over, but it's likely he'll continue to have important things to say wherever he is. Out and aboutMembers of the Millier Dickinson Blais team will be participating in these upcoming events: September
October
The Ec Dev 2.0 Digital ToolsIf you found this email update useful join us on Facebook and Twitter for peer group discussions and further updates about news and resources.  
Contact UsMillier Dickinson Blais416.367.3535 If you were forwarded this email and would like to subscribe to This Is Not A Newsletter, email us. |
Lauren Millier, Paul Blais, Brock Dickinson and Libby Smith will be attending the