The City of Ottawa is conducting consultations that will lead to a new Economic Development Policy which will be presented to Council this spring.  OCRI executives participate regularly in ongoing discussions with the City on their role and leadership.  Last Friday, we attended a stakeholder’s forum  to voice our views and have since met with them specifically on the innovation strategy. 

The approach the City chooses  to economic development is key to all of our success.  The consensus now is that we can no longer simply default to expansion of the Federal Public Service as our engine of prosperity.  Your voice in this discussion is important.  I would like to encourage you to participate as well by logging on to OPINIONOTTAWA.CA where you will be able to review position papers on subjects including the role of knowledge-based industries, talent and more and comment on them in the discussion forum.

Please take the time to make your opinion heard as an actively involved member of our community and business leader.  Ottawa has a great economic future filled with potential across so many industries. 

Let’s do what we can to ensure that the City has significant and sincere input that they can use to define an approach to economic development that reflects the realities of our great city!

As you may know, OCRI is very much involved with the development of the Innovation Strategy for Ottawa. For the past several months, the Innovation Strategy working group which represents Ottawa’s diverse knowledge-based community including education, research, government and industry has been working together to collect input and feedback from all sectors in the community. Now, after completing initial consultations, the group is ready to provide their assessment. 

Tomorrow, Claude Haw, President and CEO of OCRI, will speak about Ottawa’s Innovation Strategy in greater detail at the Mayor’s Breakfast at Ottawa City Hall.  Facts are… Ottawa has changed, we’ve got good news, positive momentum and diversity on our side which positions the city well for success in the new creative economy.

Over the next three months, the plan will be rolled out including objectives, targets and action items. Essentially, the Innovation Strategy will provide a road map to ensure that Ottawa’s creative class continues to build wealth and successful new companies.   

Key action items of the innovation strategy will address talent, cluster and ecosystem development, investment attraction and marketing the entire region to the world.

Check out Claude Haw’s article which appeared in this week’s Ottawa Business Journal.  He clearly outlines why and how well Ottawa is on track to becoming a leader in the creative economy.  Just like the article says – Ottawa has changed – and the new reality here includes new companies, new sectors, new success stories, renewed growth, revitalized energy and enormous potential.
 
So the next time someone asks you, “What’s Ottawa like?”, what will you say?  Tell them the real story – that Ottawa is Canada’s creative economy capital.

UPDATE: Claude Haw’s presentation is now available online http://www.ocri.ca/about/publications.asp