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Durham Region establishes partnership for businesses ready
to expand into Germany
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Source: durhamregion.com
Next steps will include a Nuremberg trade mission in June 2018, as well as an investment attraction component for Economic Development staff ... READ MORE
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2017 Business Count results are now available... READ MORE
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New jobs and investment coming to Durham
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"Economic development staff is diligently working to attract new investment and jobs to the region. As a result,
Gordon Food Service (GFS) announced their expansion
in Durham Region with the construction of a 330,000- square-foot food-service distribution centre; a massive capital investment creating hundreds of jobs."
As well, German company
Loehrke Process Hygiene selected Durham as the location of their new North American Headquarters. Plans for phase 1 include the creation of five jobs, with the intent to grow and prosper over time; thereby increasing their footprint and employment in the Region.
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Going global includes updated Durham Immigration Portal
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Image source: durhamregion.com
The Durham Immigration Portal, presented by the Local Diversity and Immigration Partnership Council (LDIPC), has recently been updated to accommodate an easier, more accessible experience for users to navigate.
This unique and easy-to-use tool allows newcomers to accelerate the settlement process with a variety of information and resources available at their fingertips. This includes: how to get an OHIP card (for medical coverage), find housing, register a child for school, and access a list of community organizations/groups.
The updated portal uses plain language and can be accessed using a mobile device. It also has a new section for the growing francophone community.
Immigration is critical to the social and economic prosperity of communities, including Durham Region. In 2009, the LDIPC was working alongside 60 organizations to help these individuals adjust to life in Canada, and now works with almost 90.
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Celebrate Economic Development Week with us!
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May 7 to 12. We love what we do for the businesses and residents of Durham Region!
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Growing Innovation and Life Sciences in Durham Region
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Image source: durhamradionews.com
Durham College and Lakeridge Health have signed a five-year collaboration agreement with the goal of growing experiential learning; and a focus on applied research and innovative education to help solve health-care issues.
The objectives of the agreement include identifying and developing initiatives aimed at creating practical, scalable and sustainable solutions for health-care issues, as well as working with companies to develop, disseminate and commercialize technologies. The agreement will also develop and co-ordinate joint learning experiences; applied research and innovative educational activities; and contribute to seminars, workshops and academic initiatives. It will also share access to facilities, equipment, systems, information and data within certain boundaries.
This new partnership is the first of its kind in Canada, and will greatly benefit students in the college's first degree program, the Honours Bachelor of Health Care Technology Management.
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Centre for Craft Brewing Innovation opens at Durham College
Whitby campus
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Source: Town of Whitby Economic Development
Durham College and its Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship held an official opening of the Centre for Craft Brewing Innovation (CCBI) at the Whitby campus in March.
Consisting of a pilot brew line and brew lab, which were purchased using a $150,000 grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, the CCBI offers craft brewers access to expertise and state-of-the-art technology, as well as micro-analytical and research services.
"We are very excited about what the centre offers craft brewers," said Chris Gillis, manager, Applied Research Business Development, Office of Research Services, Innovation and Entrepreneurship (ORSIE). "There is so much potential to further innovate by refining brewing methods and recipes, as well as increasing technical knowledge and skills within the industry."
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Supporting youth employment
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Image source: durhamregion.ca
The not-for-profit agency, John Howard Society of Durham Region, has received $1.3 million from the Government of Canada to fund its Ready To Go Job Skills Development for Young Adults program. Through job skills training and hands-on work experience, the new program will help young adults facing barriers to employment succeed in Ontario's job market.
Funding for this initiative is being provided through the federal government's Skills Link program. This supports projects that help young people, who face barriers to employment, develop basic employability skills, and gain valuable job experience.
The goal of the initiative is to provide individuals with the necessary skills needed to succeed, and assist them in making a successful transition into the workforce or return to school. This could include youth who have not completed high school, single parents, Indigenous youth, young persons with disabilities, youth living in rural or remote areas, and/or newcomers.
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Second annual hackathon occurred in downtown Whitby
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Source: Town of Whitby Economic Development
Whitby company geekspeak was inspired by the energy and enthusiasm displayed by the growing technology community in Whitby and hosted the second annual hackathon in March. Hack for Good:
<CODE/GREEN>
had 10 teams develop functioning applications (apps) in just 36 hours.
After two hours of presentations, the following teams demonstrated the best apps:
- Team Terra (winner of $2,000) with their app "Terra: Trained Environment Recognition Recycling Assistant," which incorporates artificial intelligence and image recognition to determine whether or not a piece of trash can be recycled, including geographically specific tips around recycling categories.
- Watt Team with their app "What the Watt" that helps users determine off-peak times to use energy and save on hydro bills.
- Team Mountain Goat with their app "Urban Grocery" that addresses the issue of food waste.
Stay tuned for more information about the 2019 event.
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Film production up almost 70 per cent
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Source: oshawaexpress.ca
Durham is quickly becoming a hot spot and viable alternative to the province's capital for the film industry.
In a recent presentation to Regional Council, Eileen Kennedy, Economic Development Coordinator for the Region, said film production activity in Durham jumped 66 per cent between 2012 to 2016 ...
READ MORE
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Ontario added more than 175,000 jobs in 2017... READ MORE
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The Business Advisory Centre Durham (BACD) shares success
of clients Live Love Life Music and Priceless Beauty Studio
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Source: Business Advisory Centre Durham
The BACD is excited to announce the following nominations for two of its clients.
Roxanne Christian
of Live Love Life Music has been nominated and selected for the provincial "Leading Women, Leading Girls, Building Communities" award. Roxanne was a cohort in BACD's Second Start pilot program in 2015 and continues to grow her business in Durham Region.
Priceless Beauty Studio
has been nominated for "Beauty Salon of the Year in Durham Region" at The Toronto Hair & Beauty Awards 2018. This is an amazing accomplishment with Priceless Beauty Studio having only officially opened their studio in October 2017, following completion of the BACD Starter Company Plus program.
The Starter Company Plus Program is an entrepreneurial program that provides training, mentorship and a chance for business funding grant money of up to $5,000. This program is a great opportunity for businesses wanting to start or expand a business in Durham Region.
This year they have already completed two cohorts, with our next intake in May 2018. To apply for the program, please complete the Eligibility Application form.
BACD is a small business enterprise centre serving Durham Region, Ontario. They are a not-for-profit organization and their vision is that every entrepreneur they serve achieves business success. Their services include business advisory services, training workshops, mentoring, networking opportunities and events. They meet one-on-one with over 1,200 clients each year and have over 140 events.
For more information, please visit bacd.ca.
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upNext Durham - Call for young adults
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Startup Durham Region is calling on Durham Region young adults (18-29) to apply to upNext Durham, a youth entrepreneur and employment experience program. Young adults can apply until May 18, 2018 at
www.upnextdurham.ca
- there are 50 spaces available.
Designed to provide young adults with essential entrepreneurship skills and coaching by seasoned industry professionals, upNext Durham will be linking business leadership with the next generation of talent in a free three-week bootcamp from June 4 to 27, 2018.
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Applications now open for federal government environmental
funding programs
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Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada
Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Catherine McKenna, launched the annual call for proposals for seven existing environmental funding programs that will provide over $15 million to help Canada address climate change, conserve nature, and protect our fresh water.
Potential projects could include developing land-management strategies for caribou habitat, monitoring marine-mammal populations along the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, supporting Indigenous engagement in the Lake Winnipeg basin, or preventing toxic and nuisance algae in Lake Erie.
For more information on program criteria and on how to apply to the funding programs, please follow the links below.
For more information, please see the news release on
newswire.ca.
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In 2017, the first phase of Highway 407 extension opened. It included a new Highway 412, which is now seeing approximately 40,000 vehicles per day; and improving travel times across the growing Region of Durham.
The final phase, scheduled to open by 2020, will expand Highway 407 to Highway 35/115 and
provide a north/south connection from Highway 407 to Highway 401 called Highway 418. The new addition of 9.6 kilometres to Highway 35/115, including two new interchanges, will allow even more people to travel across our region faster.
Revenue collected from tolls on Highways 407, 412 and 418 will be used to help fund a variety of programs and services, including new infrastructure and transit projects.
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Economic Development & Tourism wins EDCO Award of
Excellence
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The Region's Economic Development & Tourism Division received a 2017 Economic Development Council of Ontario (EDCO) Award of Excellence in the Advertising category.
The Region was chosen as a winner for the Film Durham promotional video that showcases Durham Region's filmmaking industry and local settings. It will be used to promote the region as a choice location for film production. Check out the video!
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