HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-07-004 - Canada's Technology Triangle (CTT) - 2007 Funding Requestq';~,.
~icf.'lrln'~inr;rr:~tc~r';
Report To: Finance and Corporate Services
Date of Meeting: February 5, 2007
Submitted By: Rod Regier, Executive Director Economic Development
Prepared By: Kathy Weiss, Director Business Development
Ward(s) Involved: All Wards
Date of Report: January 22, 2007
Report No.: CAO-07-004
Subject: CTT 2007 Funding Request
RECOMMENDATION:
That the City of Kitchener supports the 2006 funding request of Canada's Technology Triangle
in the amount of $140,000 with the following increments of $3,000 for 2008 Operating Budget,
$3,000 for 2009 Operating Budget and $3,000 for 2010 Operating Budget
BACKGROUND:
Canada's Technology Triangle (CTT) is a partnership of the municipalities of Cambridge,
Kitchener, Waterloo and the Region of Waterloo, committed to encouraging economic
development within the Region of Waterloo with an emphasis on external marketing, business
investment attraction, information research, facilitation and establishment of partnership
business units and special projects.
CTT's mandate is to attract companies, individuals and capital to the Region of Waterloo by
a) Marketing to an "external audience" including Canada and selected international locations;
b) Identifying and addressing impediments to economic development within the region.
In August 2002, the City of Kitchener and the funding municipalities committed to three year
rolling funding beginning 2003. The formula is as follows:
City of Cambridge $134,000
City of Kitchener $134,000
City of Waterloo $134,000
Region of Waterloo $802,000
The 2006 funding request was maintained at the 2003-2005 levels - as noted above
REPORT:
Staff has been working with CTT to ensure its efforts to attract investment in the region are
aligned, in part, with those of the City of Kitchener. The City's priorities in emerging clusters are
focused on the development of an Education and Knowledge Creation Cluster, the role of the
UW School of Pharmacy as a catalyst for the development of a Biotechnology and
Pharmaceutical Cluster, and the development of an Arts and Culture Cluster both as an
economic cluster in its own right as well as a factor in attracting and retaining talent in the
region. The City and CTT have discussed the need to ensure that the City's downtown and
Brownfield/Adaptive Re-use strategies are incorporated into CTT's Business Plan. The City's
economy also has a strong and competitive manufacturing cluster. Investment in
manufacturing, and particularly transportation equipment, is a strategic thrust of the CTT
business plan. City staff is also working closely with CTT to ensure that promotional activities
and marketing materials are closely aligned with the investment and communications strategies
of the City of Kitchener.
For 2007, CTT Inc proposes that the present levels of funding from the Cities of Cambridge,
Kitchener and Waterloo be increased from $134,000 to $140,000, and the funding from the Region of
Waterloo rise to $418,000 from $400,000.
For the subsequent years of 2008, 2009 and 2010, CTT Inc proposes increments of $3,000 each
year for the Cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo and $9,000 per year for the Region of
Waterloo. The contributions from the Cities would therefore be $143,000 in 2008, $146,000 in 2009
and $149,000 in 2010. For the Region, the amounts would be $427,000 in 2008, $436,000 in 2009
and $445,000 in 2010.
The increase for 2007 is approximately 4.5%. Given heightened levels of opportunity and
activity, a proposition might well be made for a larger increase in 2007. This is especially the
case as CTT Inc funding levels have remained constant for four consecutive years (2003, 2004,
2005 and 2006). Rather than seek aone-time "catch-up" increase however, the CTT Inc Board
understands that municipal partners would prefer regular, measured increases more in line
annual municipal budgeting targets that often track inflation. Beyond 2007 therefore, CTT Inc
proposes annual increments (roughly 2% per year) that are likely to align with the general level
of budgetary increases.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
2007 $6,000
2008 $3,000
2009 $3,000
2010 $3,000
Rod Regier, Executive Director Kathy Weiss, Director
Economic Development Business Development