Presentation to Economic Development Advisory Committee – April 15, 2015 Progress Report David J. Cash, Cash & Associates Inc Glenn Marshall, Greening Marketing Inc.
Background ◦ Project Work Plan ◦ Comparative Advantage Findings and Potential Opportunities Water Reuse Resource Recovery & Reuse Centre for Watershed Management (CWM) Business Incubator Workshop Outcomes Marketing Plan/Concepts ◦ “Community….as it should be” April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 2
Economic Development Strategy in 2011 10 yr. road map to guide ED activity Key themes: Quality of places & spaces Partnerships & collaboration Effective rural stewardship High levels goals: Build attractive, liveable & sustainable community Lead collaboration to advance ED priorities Support business investment in urban & rural areas April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 3
“Cleantech” is a term often used to describe the Environment Sector and/or its components. Many definitions exist: “Cleantech is any product or services that improves operational performance, productivity, or efficiency while reducing costs, inputs, energy consumption, waste, or environmental pollution.” --- Wikipedia EG Cleantech strategy focussed on “Water Sector” April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 4
The purpose of this Strategy is to: identify economic development opportunities associated with the York Region water/waste water infrastructure investment and the environmental policies concerning the health of Lake Simcoe, and assess the potential to accelerate new business activity within EG, through an incubator or similar initiative. Project Partners: South Lake Community Futures Development Corp. (CFDC) Regional Municipality of York Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA) April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 5
The work plan has 4 phases: ◦ Phase se 1 Backgroun ground d and d Researc earch h – review existing information gathered by the Town, including interviews with the various water organizations; inventory of what other municipalities are doing and identify potential opportunities; ◦ Phase se 2 2 – Industr ustry/G y/Gove overn rnmen ment/Roun t/Roundtable dtable – the focus of the half day event is to validate/discuss opportunities identified among Subject Matter Experts, and identify potential partners for collaboration; April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 6
◦ Phase se 3 – Marketing eting Plan/tool n/tools s and d Busi siness ness Park/ k/Incubator Incubator Concept ncepts - development of a marketing strategy/tools that builds on the opportunities coming out of Phases 1&2. In addition, analysis will be done on the potential for an incubator or business accelerator. ◦ Phase se 4 Summar mary y Report ort and Recomm ommenda endatio tions ns – provide recommendations in relationship to opportunities identified; a marketing plan/tools and with respect to a business incubator or accelerator. April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 7
Successful Economic Development for a community is rooted in exploiting its unique economic “Comparative Advantages” Comparative Advantages can exist as “natural resource” and/or can be created Successful marketing programs focus on promoting the comparative advantage. April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 8
EG’s 10 year Economic Development Strategy is more about creating comparative advantages going forward. ◦ Buil ildin ing g an urban/rur ban/rural al comm mmuni unity ty that at is “ attrac tractiv tive, e, liveabl veable and sustainabl tainable . The 10 year Strategy document does not identify significant existing comparative advantages for attracting business activity in the Cleantech Industry. April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 9
Comparative advantages will need to be created/developed in this sector for EG to be successful in leveraging economic development. The recent extension of Highway 404 opens up many acres of new employment lands, that will need to be serviced to create a comparative advantage to attract new industry and jobs. April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 10
Perhaps one of most important and unique comparative advantages for EG in the future will be the construction of the link between Highways 400 & 404. April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 11
The Ontario Ministry of Economic Development reports that: ◦ Ontario Water industry = 900 firms & 22,000 employees ◦ Innovative water technologies (e.g. membranes, ultraviolet) ◦ 750+ water/wastewater plants ◦ About 100 technology incubators ◦ 100+ water related research institutes, with 8,000+ post-secondary graduates in water- related fields. April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 12
What is Ontario’s ED Strategy for Water? 1. Increasing Investment and Global Access 2. Driving the Adoption of Innovative Technologies “Innovation, demonstration and commercialization hub for water technologies ” 3. Creating Competitive Advantage “ Increase the number of major infrastructure projects in Ontario utilizing innovative technologies and financing methods ” April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 13
In particular, Ontario’s Strategy has identified a number of opportunities (excerpt): ◦ “Energy and nutrient recovery – making wastewater facilities energy-positive profit centres, ◦ Agriculture – irrigation management, groundwater protection, ◦ Industrial – food and beverage, closed loop systems, waste management and water use reduction, and ◦ Innovative storm water practices and systems – innovative source control and increasing the resiliency of storm water systems.” April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 14
Attracting Cleantech business activity has become “ Motherhood and Apple Pie ” Many municipalities focus on water. Have identified a niche and links back to their comparative advantages: ◦ Burlington – water industry/supply chain ◦ Peterborough – recreational/rural water & agriculture ◦ Brockton (Walkerton) – drinking water ◦ Kawartha Lakes – waste water treatment April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 15
Southern thern Ontario ario Wa Water er Consort sortiuy iuym (SOWC) WC) The SOWC is focussed on the research, development, demonstration and testing of water and waste water technologies. A consortium of: 8 (soon to be 9) universities; Cities of London + Kitchener-Waterloo + Guelph and 70 local companies. Focus on “watershed management, wastewater treatment, ecotoxicology, drinking water treatment, and sensor development”. April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 16
What does the Water landscape look like? There is a large number of water related research & development organizations in Ontario, with various ED strategies. “This is a very crowded space” Collaborative strategies characterize all efforts April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 17
The Cleantech Sector/water industry are part of a larger grouping of “knowledge -based industries” ◦ Most important input is the knowledge and skills of its labour force. The water industry is more likely to locate and operate (be sustained) from locations where they have ready access to “Water Brains”, and not necessarily from where their water products & services are used. April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 18
Water purification and waste water treatment are well covered by various Government Centers and Post-Secondary institutions. Locations for pilot testing and demonstration are consistent themes in Ontario’s water sector (business incubators) Locational comparative advantages have been “created” by researchers and communities, through partnerships & collaboration. April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 19
Government funding, procurement and emerging water related policies are playing a critical part in the development of this industry and on the formulation of economic development opportunities. Any new entrants to this space must have a “razor focus” on unique opportunities or gaps and be tied to a local comparative advantage. April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 20
UYSS/Water Reclamation Centre (WRC) Preferred site on the Second Concession, just south of the proposed alignment for the Hwy 400-404 link. Flows estimated to reach 40 MLD by 2031, however, will likely be ½ capacity when first commissioned. April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 21
UYSS/Water S/Water Reclamation mation Centre tre (WR WRC) Conventional wastewater treatment plant to be supplemented with microfiltration, plus Reverse Osmosis (RO) and Ultra-violet. End of process “ultra pure water” will have to be treated before being discharged into river. Research/testing/education on use of the nutrient rich water for irrigation/plant growth purposes (e.g. turf). April 15, 2015 Progress Report (EDAC) 22
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