HomeMy WebLinkAboutEconDevAdv 2013-09-25
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE MINUTES
September 25, 2013 City of Kitchener
The Economic Development Advisory Committee met this date, chaired by
Councillor Paul Singh the following members were in attendance: Councillor
Scott Davey, Glenn Kohler, Philip Jones, Kevin Fergin, Adrian Conrad, Jeff
Hoekman, Cory Ernst, Steve Sachs, Hani Naamani, Rebecca Short, Darrin
Snider, Johanna Classon-Romero, Thusenth Dhavaloganathan, Mark Hopkins,
Ashley Reid,
The following people were absent:
Staff in attendance: Rod Regier, Janette MacDonald, Chris Farrell, Valerie
Bradford, Janette Macdonald, Silvia Di Donato, Thom Ryan, Cory Bluhm, Tracey
Murray
1. Approval of Minutes
On motion by Jeremy Auger, the minutes of the August meeting be approved.
Carried.
2. Project Updates
Janette MacDonald advised that a survey has been created and will be
forwarded to the committee this afternoon to help assist in the revamp of the
Project Updates.
3. Sub-Committee Report Back
The Sub-Committees reported back to the main group summarizing the
conclusions of their discussions and making recommendations for next steps.
Start up City
:
The Sub Committee identified 6 strategies for supporting the development of the
city as hub for startups.
1) Marketing – Create a brand and communications strategy for Startup City
2) Landing space – establish a program to encourage startup landing pads
3) Capital – attract venture capital firms and investors to Startup City
4) Mentoring – support a culture of collaborative capitalism
5) Events – host events under the brand Startup City
6) Students and Education – support student entrepreneurship.
The City of Kitchener has the opportunity to create an identity for downtown
Kitchener as one large incubator. It will require partnerships with organizations
like Communitech, Velocity, and the WRSBC. Encouraging the current groups to
meet and work together.
- make inclusive and have the ability to have people form their own meet ups
and look after their own culture as well.
- events there are great ideas but does the city have capacity for to help
facilitate that has that been something that we have looked at - we didn’t get
into the nuts and bolts of it but we looked at what might work to help make
these things happen and identifying those things. we looked at what
resources are there for these things to happen and what is missing.
- we are trying to capture that this is us that this is the city and should we
have a committee to itself similar to EDAC that might just be dedicated to
start ups we haven’t totally but there is opportunities
Copy of Start Up
City V3.xlsx
Talent:
5 practical things to make a difference with talent - current student population
and those ready to work in the local economy - memorable student life and
creating memories early on with the hopes they stay or come back.
Interesting things to do culturally in the community with lots of things to do within
the community that will draw people into the downtown with one of the areas
being advertising and communication.
Direct service idea for HR groups and maybe a welcome wagon type kit and they
would be designed for a resistance point.
Branding for the entire community we would have one brand that we can use.
Actively creating a talent fair showing lots of diverse opportunity here and create
a group that can externally tell the story (in communities that we are seeking
recruits from)
EDAC TALENT
NOTES.docx
Innovation district
While the group noted the critical importance of 2-way GO service, they
appreciate that the scope of this work is beyond the mandate of EDAC. As
such, the group suggests these areas of focus:
1) Develop a compelling story/marketing strategy/brand/visual for the
innovation district
2) Look at physical enhancements that provide on-the-ground visual support
for the district brand (such as signage, furnishings, etc.)
3) Look at opportunities to ensure proper infrastructure (ex: fibre, wifi)
2013-02-27 ID
working group notes.doc
Manufacturing Cluster
-Development Charges can significantly impact business attraction and
retention, as we are competing with communities that are development charge
exempt.
- Development Charges are currently designated residential or non-residential.
To provide more flexibility, the non-residential component should have 3 sub
categories, retail, commercial, and industrial.
- Industrial development charge exemptions would incent companies that are
already here to investment in facilities, jobs and capital equipment, as well as
attract new companies, supporting the manufacturing community.
- Development Charge exemptions would impact revenue which would be
supplemented by increased assessment and job creation
- To receive consideration during The City of Kitchener, and the Region of
Waterloo Development Charge study, which is currently underway.
Summary of Notes
from Cluster Building EDAC Breakout Group.pdf
On motion the meeting adjourned at 1:05