Glossary and Terms - Creative City Network of Canada · 2012-07-17 · Jacques Whitford John...
Transcript of Glossary and Terms - Creative City Network of Canada · 2012-07-17 · Jacques Whitford John...
Glossary and Terms
ACOA – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
BBI – Black Business Initiative
BRE- Business Retention and Expansion Initiative
CIC – Citizenship and Immigration Canada
CMA – Census Metropolitan Area
CME – Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters
CNR – Canadian National Railway
COPS – Canadian Occupational Projection System
DND – Department of National Defence
GDP – Gross Domestic Product
GHP – Greater Halifax Partnership
HCC – Halifax Chamber of Commerce
HIAA – Halifax International Airport Authority
HPA – Halifax Port Authority
HRDA – Halifax Regional Development Agency
HRM – Halifax Regional Municipality
HRSB – Halifax Regional School Board
HRSDC – Human Resources and Skills Development anada
IC – Industry Canada
MISA – Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association
MOU – Memorandum of Understanding
MGA – Municipal Government Act
NSBI – Nova Scotia Business Inc.
NSCC – Nova Scotia Community College
NSDOE – Nova Scotia Department of Education
OED – Office of Economic Development
RDA – Regional Development Agency
UNSM – Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities
WDC – Waterfront Development Corporation Limited
WTCC – World Trade and Convention Centre
Acknowledgements
HRM would like to extend many thanks to members of the Advisory Committee, Work Team and everyone who participated in the consultations to develop this strategy. A special thanks to the Halifax Chamber of Commerce for hosting the Economic Summit which provided the initial impetus for strategy development. We look forward to working with these and all other interested partners in the implementation of the strategy.
In particular we would like to acknowledge and thank the following staff members:
Fred Morley, Project Manager, Halifax Regional Municipality
Betty MacDonald, Director of Governance and Strategic Initiatives, Halifax Regional Municipality
Jennifer Church, Coordinator Intergovernmental Affairs Halifax Regional Municipality
Ruth Cunningham, VP Operations, Greater Halifax Partnership
From HRM Marketing, Design & Print Services:
Project Manager: Chrystiane Mallaley Marketing Services
Design & layout: Corinne Hartley-Robinson Design Services
Photography: Gord Lehmann Grant Longard
Table of Contents
Executive Summary .........................................................................6 - 7
Background .................................................................................... 8 - 10
Overarching Themes .................................................................... 11 - 12
Gaining Perspective: Challenges and Opportunities in HRM ....... ........13
Vision and Goals ........................................................................... 14 - 15
Strategies and Actions
Supercharge our Labour Force .............................................. 16- 19
Leverage our Creative Community ........................................ 20 - 22
Create a Gung-Ho Business Climate ...................................... 23 - 26
Capitalize on our Reputation ................................................ 27 - 28
Convert Rivalries into Partnerships ....................................... 29 - 31
Measuring Success: Outcomes, Targets and Trends ..................... 32 - 34
Implementing the Strategy ........................................................... 35 - 37
What Lies Ahead ..................................................................................38
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 3
Mayor’s Message
Halifax Regional Municipality is undeniably the economic hub of Atlantic Canada. The region accounts for 40 percent of Nova Scotia’s GDP and one fi fth of all the economic activity in Atlantic Canada.
Not only is HRM growing faster than any other large Atlantic Canadian community, but the communities surrounding HRM are also seeing the economic benefi ts of our strong critical mass of people, energy, transportation, and business services.
With our excellent location, business climate and quality of life, our economy has never been in a better position to compete with other regions across Canada and around the world. However, we cannot be complacent and expect this favourable position for growth to continue indefi nitely. We need to carefully nurture these conditions for growth and steadily improve our region’s position as the best place to live, work, and do business.
We owe HRM’s current success today to the investments we made yesterday. We now need to make the strategic business decisions that will foster our economic success in the years to come. Our biggest risk is to do nothing.
So, the questions remain: How can we best use our available resources to ensure our economy continues growing at a sustainable rate? What will give us that strong competitive edge over other regions worldwide?
HRM’s Economic Strategy answers these critical questions. Providing an overall vision and direction for economic development, this strategy is a blueprint that will allow us to build a vibrant community and lead our region and the province toward long-term sustainable economic growth. It identifi es growth opportunities, sets priorities, and suggests ways the region can leverage all of our economic development resources.
HRM has become a leading performer in Canada and a powerful player in the global arena. I am confi dent that HRM residents are comfortable with this leadership position. This economic strategy builds on our solid success to date and identifi es ways our region can stand out among other successful centres in the global economy.
This strategy sets us on the right path to a prosperous and confi dent future.
Respectfully, I remain
Peter J. Kelly
“Not only is HRM growing
faster than any other large
Atlantic Canadian community,
but the communities
surrounding HRM are also
seeing the economic benefits of
our strong critical mass
of people, energy,
transportation, and
business services.”
— Peter J. Kelly, Mayor
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for4
Message from the Economic Strategy Advisory Committee
It has been our privilege to serve as members of the Advisory Committee for the development of the Halifax Regional Municipality’s first economic strategy. This document is the culmination of months of consultation with community leaders, businesses, government, and citizens to determine how our region can best position itself for success in the global economy – now and in the future.
This is only the beginning. This economic strategy is a blueprint for our future economic prosperity. Extensive partnerships and a clear commitment to implementation are critical. We are confident of both.
We are pleased to share this economic strategy with you and hope you will join with us in making this vision a reality.
Committee Members
Dan English, Acting CAOHalifax Regional Municipality
Sheila FougereCouncillor District 14
Dale GodsoePrime Minister’s Task ForceCities & Communities
Paul Greenalgh, PresidentNSCAD University
Hector Jacques, ChairmanJacques Whitford
John Knubley, Vice PresidentACOA
John Lindsay, Jr., PresidentEast Port Properties
Scott McCrea, PresidentArmour Group
George McLellan, CAO Halifax Regional Municipality
David Nantes, Vice-PresidentAnnapolis Group
Karen Oldfield, President & CEOHalifax Port Authority
Rick Shaver, CA & ComptrollerMacTara Limited
Marc St-Jean, Cpt.CFB Halifax
Tom Traves, PresidentDalhousie University
Paul Taylor, CEONS Office of Economic Development
Kim West, PrincipalMT&L Public Affairs
Catherine WoodmanEconomic Summit
“This economic strategy
is a blueprint for our future
economic prosperity.”
— Economic Strategy Advisory Committee
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 5
Executive Summary
This economic strategy has been prepared by the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) as an essential component in defining our future and ensuring that future is within our grasp. Quite simply, we want to be the envy of the world.
There is little doubt we can be. But that requires understanding the challenges that lie before us and addressing those challenges head on. The Halifax Regional Municipality is proud to lead the process.
In this document, we explore the attainment of five key goals for our community over the next five years:
● HRM’s bustling job market will stop our young and ambitious from leaving and make our community a magnet for highly trained immigrants and expatriates.
● HRM’s investments in social and cultural infrastructure will enhance the city’s persona as one of the most vibrant and unique communities on the continent.
● HRM will possess the best business climate in Canada, one able to kick-start and grow ambitious new enterprises and attract exciting companies from anywhere on the globe.
● HRM’s renown as one of the continent’s great cities — a beautiful, immensely livable place that teems with history and creativity —will draw top-drawer companies and people to our community.
● Each partner in HRM’s future will work in sync to propel our economy forward in a way that improves the quality of life for every citizen.
Those goals are the pillars of a far-reaching vision. That vision states:
Our people are our community. We will improve and empower the lives of every citizen by building a prosperous, dynamic, globally competitive economy where creativity and risk-taking can flourish alongside a quality of life that is the envy of the world.
This is not pie in the sky. This vision, and the goals that bolster it, are attainable. But the path to success is not an easy one. First comes knowledge and understanding, then comes concerted action. This strategy is focused on attaining the five goals noted above, understanding that today's reality underlies those goals, and identifying the actions that need to be taken to move HRM forward to a bright new future.
In a global economy, economic development activities must meet “smart growth” criteria. These include economic growth, environmental sustainability, cultural priorities, and social objectives. Only a prosperous, growing economy, one that generates tax revenue, can attain these outcomes. This strategy encompasses those criteria.
The economic strategy also encompasses all of HRM. Our unique blend of urban and rural geography is a defining characteristic. It is our strength. This strategy approaches this rural/urban reality as one of interdependence rather than irreconcilable differences.
“What is the city but the people?”
Will iam Shakespeare — Coriolanus
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for6
Indeed, interdependency and partnership is a central theme. This strategy, quite simply, cannot be implemented by HRM alone. We need to identify common values and present a common vision that will allow a range of partners, three levels of government, development organizations, and the private sector to join forces to build a prosperous future. This strategy links to and builds on a provincial economic strategy and the federal government’s economic priorities including the New Deal for Cities and Communities.
Getting to a prosperous future is not easy. Leadership is critical. The kind of future we envision requires boldness, conviction, and the ability to make tough decisions. Our greatest challenge will be to embrace change. The greatest risk to our future is to do nothing.
This strategy identifies what needs to be done now. It is only in the doing that ideas will come to life. The North American landscape is littered with stagnating communities that did nothing when action was required.
Action is required now for HRM. The future awaits.
The following actions were identified as key first priorities for implementation:
● Work with businesses and existing ethnic, cultural communities and recent immigrations to attract and retain new immigrants.
● Develop and promote a compelling community business case for retention, expansion and attraction of DND facilities and other federal government offices.
● Support rural economic development by encouraging and providing support services to those individual and organizations establishing or maintaining businesses in rural areas.
● Build support and work to fast track social investment projects that are already well advanced.
● Establish a Quality of Place Council to review existing brand equity in HRM and develop a multi-partner approach to marketing HRM.
● Benchmark tax, regulation, development permit approval/timing against competing cities.
● Bring infrastructure spending up to appropriate comparable standards.
● Work with Nova Scotia trade partners to inform and educate HRM business about exporting. Identify and assist trade-ready companies to enter new markets.
● Establish new and enhanced maintenance initiatives and standards with a focus on year-round, 24/7 accessibility in the downtown. Engage through a public/private approach that emphasizes individual and business responsibility and stewardship.
● Work with our partners to identify common values and vision around growing our community. Create an “alignment of strategic intent” and “rules of engagement” to implement this vision.
● Work to develop the Halifax Gateway as the East Cost logistics hub.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 7
Background
HRM Today
The economy of Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) has undergone tremendous change in recent years. While it has proven itself capable of overcoming big economic challenges — like an 8,000 cut in government employment in the mid-1990s, times have changed. Economic success is no longer contingent on the accident of resource endowment or proximity to market. A large population or a deep harbour does not guarantee success. Growth today depends on access to knowledge and our ability to innovate and adapt. More specifically, successful growth is about smart communities attracting and retaining smart people. In a world economy centered on talented people, what’s important is being a place where the best and the brightest want to live.
HRM’s economy has been performing well. We are undeniably the economic hub of Atlantic Canada. The region accounts for almost half of provincial GDP and about one- fifth of Atlantic Canada’s GDP. Between 1996 and 2001, HRM’s population grew by 4.7 percent, a pace faster than any other large Atlantic Canadian community and 10th among all major Canadian centres.
1998 2004 TrendPopulation 359,235 381,711 Í
Employment (‘00) 171.7 195.1 Í
Inflation Rate 0.7% 2.1% Í
Building Permits ($ millions) 239.5 608.6 Í
Housing Starts 1,700 2,627 Í
New Housing Price Index 108.0 121.9 Í
Retail Sales 3,687 4,694 Í
University enrollment 24,500 30,887 Í
HRM is as important to the economy of Nova Scotia as Toronto is to Ontario. The numbers speak for themselves: Both capital cities contain 40 percent of their respective province’s population. Both cities account for roughly half of their province’s economic activity.
But HRM is not Toronto. It is a city with its own unique economic drivers.
Halifax International Airport and the Port of Halifax are the gateway for much of our province’s exports and most tourists to Nova Scotia start or end their visits here. Our gateway is more important to HRM than any other gateway in the nation is to its city. It accounts for more than 28,000 jobs directly or indirectly and generates about 16 percent of all economic activity in HRM.
HRM has the critical mass of population enabling our community to be the tertiary health care centre for Atlantic Canada and a hub for medical research and a growing life sciences industry. Nova Scotia is the regional centre for the Canadian banking and insurance industry. This is the province’s highest wage sector and two-thirds of these jobs are in HRM. Our community is also a hub for professional services,
“Competitive strategy
is about being different.
The essence of strategy
is choosing to perform
activities differently
than rivals do.”
— Michael Porter, Bishop Wil l iam Lawrence University Professor,
Harvard Business School
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for8
including world-class legal and environmental expertise, which benefits users of these services across the province. Capabilities in HRM mean businesses and consumers in Atlantic Canada have access to superior service and selection closer to home.
Halifax’s six universities and the three metro campuses of the Nova Scotia Community College have a collective enrollment of more than 40,000 students. This represents 61 percent of the total student population in the province. Our educational institutions play a critical role in creating a highly skilled workforce, and undertaking and commercializing research. Most of the research and development done in Nova Scotia is done right here in HRM. We are also the seat of provincial government and home to Canada’s largest military base. All of these factors play a major role in assisting economic growth beyond our borders to the rest of Nova Scotia and outward to the region as a whole.
Every dollar of economic activity in HRM levers or enables another dollar in activity somewhere else in the province. Clearly, just as HRM is the physical heart of Nova Scotia, it is also the economic heart.
It is essential to keep that heart pumping smoothly and efficiently.
Our region has also become a growth engine for surrounding communities and the province as a whole. The benefits from our strong cluster of business and transportation services are not limited to a small segment of our community. Economic activity continues to expand. Unemployment in HRM is falling and is low by historical and national standards. Employment is rising even faster than our population. Business confidence is among the strongest in the nation.
But we cannot rest on our laurels. Like any community, HRM faces many challenges. Growth will not continue unless we carefully nurture the climate for growth. Demographic pressures are draining our once-deep labour pool. Business confidence is high, but fragile, and the world does not know us well enough. Our citizens believe we have been slow to develop partnership approaches to dealing with our problems and businesses feel over regulated and unappreciated.
The decisions and investments we make today, and the priorities we set now, will affect us over the next decade and well into the future. If we want a prosperous future for our community, we have to build a vibrant, competitive and creative economy open to the world and open to new ideas.
HRM TomorrowThe elements of a successful tomorrow are clear. We will have a business environment that inspires entrepreneurship, that encourages existing business to take on the world in export markets and that attracts inward investment. We will be a place that attracts and retains smart people. We will have a healthy environment where a wide range of educational and employment opportunities drive social inclusion and promote healthier lifestyles. This creative environment will propel a fast-paced knowledge economy that creates enviable, high-wage jobs in growth sectors. We will retain the aspects of our history, culture, civility, and quality of place that make us distinct, that make us who we are.
We will reinvent our region. We will look different in 10 years, 20 years and 30 years. Our business climate and our business approaches will become world-class. Our people and our businesses will have a global focus. HRM will be a municipality of distinct communities, but we will have a single brand identity known across Canada and around the globe. Our leaders will embrace new approaches for economic growth, ones that link communities, unite urban with rural, draw regions together, and connect business and government. We will welcome diversity. We will work with partners to succeed.
We will be the envy of the world.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 9
“We are caught in an
inescapable network
of mutuality, tied in a
single garment of destiny.
Whatever affects one directly,
affects all indirectly."
— Martin Luther King, Jr., Human
Rights Activist and Visionary
Background: HRM Tomorrow... continued
How We Get ThereTraditional definitions of economic development focus on job creation and wealth generation. Economic development activities must now meet “smart growth” criteria that include economic growth, environmental sustainability, cultural priorities, and social objectives. The best economic development strategies use economic growth to achieve social outcomes like improving well-being, increasing tolerance and diversity, and providing proper housing, public transportation, and education. Only a prosperous, growing economy, one that generates tax revenue, can attain these outcomes.
For this reason, HRM’s economic strategy cannot stand alone. HRM is positioning itself as a national economic leader that achieves community goals through careful planning, innovation, and aggressive partnership. Our Regional Plan is designed to maintain and enhance our environment and quality of place while ensuring a fiscally sustainable future. It is an essential complement to this economic strategy, which in turn, draws upon the region’s Cultural Plan to further enhance our quality of life. Our economic strategy will be guided by efforts to build on the unique economic and cultural concentration in HRM.
This economic strategy encompasses all of HRM. Our unique blend of urban and rural geography is a defining characteristic. It is our strength, not our weakness. This strategy will approach this rural/urban reality as one of interdependence rather than irreconcilable differences. It will highlight economic realities and opportunities instead of focusing on problems related to differences. Different economic strategies will be needed to allow for balanced growth.
This strategy cannot be implemented by HRM alone. We need to identify common values and present a common vision that will allow a range of partners, three levels of government, development organizations, and the private sector to join forces to build a prosperous future. This strategy will link to and build on a provincial economic strategy and the federal government’s economic priorities including the New Deal for Cities and Communities.
Getting to a prosperous future is not easy. Leadership is critical. This strategy, the regional plan, and other community-driven road maps present choices that will define our future. This future requires boldness, conviction, and the ability to make tough decisions. Our greatest challenge will be to embrace change and recognize that if the pace of change is slower inside our community than in the outside world, we are in crisis. The greatest risk to our future is to do absolutely nothing.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for10
Overarching Themes
The best economic development strategies use economic growth to achieve social outcomes. Similarly, efforts and investments in these social outcomes lay the groundwork for a prosperous economy.
Significant crosscutting ideas can help us reach our economic and social goals. Here’s how:
● Pay attention to people – the most important resource in HRM.
● Recognize the global influences on everything we do.
● Understand that we compete with the rest of the world.
● Acknowledge that economic growth in the 21st century takes place primarily in urban centres.
● Know that our goals will be achieved only by working together as partners.
People PowerCommunities are about people. They are the fuel that drives our economy. People also drive the creativity and vibrancy of HRM. They are the best ambassadors to communicate who and what we are to a national and international audience. We will have to draw heavily on the people and the businesses of HRM to carry our branded message forward. People are at the core of the relationships needed to build new partnerships for economic growth, and it is business people who require a strong business climate to fuel growth. People who become inspired entrepreneurships and aggressive exporters, in turn, will help build and drive our economy.
Global AttitudesSolving our labour market challenges means thinking globally. We have to develop effective ways to attract and retain immigrants and foreign students. Increasingly, creative cities are global cities. A global attitude attracts the best and the brightest. The world is our marketplace and more and more, the target of our marketing efforts. International and regional partnerships are becoming essential tools for surviving and prospering as a business and a community in this new global reality. Our business climate has to stand up to scrutiny and competition, from cities across our nation and around the world.
Competitive CitiesThere was an outdated notion that businesses compete, cities don’t. In most of the industrialized world, however, businesses have recognized that they can’t even compete locally let alone internationally if their city does not stand up and stand out in key competitive areas: tax rates, regulatory processes, capital investment, and social cohesion.
Cities compete for labour and creative people, the people with the energy and ideas needed to propel us forward. Cities market aggressively to build a world-class reputation and the advantages that it brings. Cities vie for new investment – the kind that brings high-quality jobs, secure tax streams, and a better quality of life. Cities jostle for their piece of the global economy. For a bigger share of the pie that is world exports.
A global attitude
attracts the best and
the brightest...
the world is our
marketplace.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 11
In this uncompromising competitive environment, allies are important. Building partnerships and relationships with like-minded business and communities is vital to survival and critical to prosperity. HRM needs all the good partners it can get to compete successfully with the rest of the world.
Cities Count Cities matter greatly in the growth and development of regions and countries. Making key investments in our cities is critical to continued national prosperity. Jobs and related opportunities are no longer enough to attract and retain the best and the brightest. Quality of place and the level of vitality in a community have become key factors in decisions about where to live.
Reputation and attitude play a large part in determining which urban sectors are successful and which are not. In Canada, there are three levels of government and one citizen. Finding ways to invest in and grow communities requires that we work through jurisdictional issues and forge new partnerships to serve that citizen. A strong urban economy also requires investment in physical capital, skills development, research and development and innovation. It requires a business climate that is second to none.
Connected CommunitiesHRM’s rural areas are important – and they are an economic advantage. Few areas of Canada have the easy access to rural lifestyle that we enjoy. Nova Scotia is one of Canada’s most densely populated provinces; over 95 percent of the population lives within an hour of a major centre. We need to build on this strength and enhance our existing urban/rural links.
We also have to build networks and relationships across our nation and around the world.
We have to draw post-secondary institutions into discussions on labour force, to help establish a creative community, and to help market HRM. We have to utilize the organizations that link business and government more fully, and we have to improve government. We have to work jointly to set infrastructure priorities and get important initiative moving more quickly.
Smart Growth While growth is important, growth at any cost is not. The people of HRM indicated long ago that they want “smart growth”. Smart growth shows us that an economic strategy has to dream big; because that’s the way the economy functions and that is the path to sustained prosperity.
Such growth emphasizes quality of place and quality of life, as determined by a range of investments in things like culture and recreation, health care, superior education, affordable housing, enhanced safety, effective public transit, a healthy environment, social cohesion and cultural diversity.
These values have served us well in HRM. They preserve and enhance what we value in our community.
They underpin this strategy.
“Cities are the chief motors of
economies. You can’t talk about
economies without talking, at
least obliquely, about cities.”
— Jane Jacobs, Author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for12
Overarching Themes... continued
Gaining Perspective: Challenges and Opportunities in HRM
Gaining perspective is an essential first step on the road to developing an economic strategy. Specifically, we need to identify challenges and opportunities, and we need to understand what the community perceives as challenges and opportunities. So we asked. The strategy is built on information and feedback from four main sources: ideas drawn from the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Summit, consultation with organizations concerned with economic development, a web-based leadership survey and interviews with over 800 businesses. Here’s what we learned.
Quality of Life● HRM is growing by just over 3,000 people a year. Most respondents to
the leadership survey approve of this pace. Some business sectors still face challenges finding workers, despite the healthy pace of growth.
● Residents feel the physical environment, air quality, local health care, and quality of local housing are real strengths.
● While the quality of housing, particularly executive housing is good, the poor and the elderly face problems with accessibility.
● Race relations are a persistent challenge.
● Respondents feel crime is no more a problem in HRM than in other communities, but more people are becoming concerned for their personal safety and business is becoming concerned with property crime.
Education● People are concerned with the quality of elementary & secondary education.
● Respondents see the universities and community college as a significant strength in HRM although their engagement in the community could be improved.
Government● Respondents see most local services like fire protection, waste
disposal, etc., as on par with or stronger than other communities.
● Functions related to regulation enforcement, approvals for new construction, and approval times are identified as distinct weaknesses in the leadership survey and business interviews.
● High business taxes are uniformly seen as a weak point along with the lack of cooperation between levels of government and between economic development organizations.
Leadership● Leadership at the community level and lack of funding for economic
development are seen as weaknesses.
● Four times as many people see the current low level of cooperation between business and local government as a weakness rather than strength.
Employment Issues● Surveys and consultations confirm that lack of after-graduation
training is a challenge for HRM.
● Most participants see availability of labour as on par with other communities. Many companies see our young, educated labour pool as giving them a distinct business advantage.
Transportation● All respondents are concerned with the
adequacy of local highways and feel that current traffic flow is a weakness. Respondents to the leadership survey feel more strongly about the poor condition of streets than any other issue.
Utilities● Phone utilities are seen as on par or
better than other communities. However, a significant number of rural residents view broadband access as a weakness.
● Respondents see cost, reliability, and quality of electrical service as presenting some challenges for the community.
● The availability of fresh, clean drinking water is seen as a significant strength.
Capital ● Availability of business capital is an
across-the-board weakness. There are particularly strong opinions on the lack of access to venture capital.
Market ● While opinions on access to national
markets are mixed, most respondents see HRM’s international market access as a big asset.
● The physical appearance and state of repair of the downtown is seen by most as a weakness.
● Availability of hotel space is considered on par with other communities although the lack of convention space is an emerging weakness.
These observations allowed us to identify existing gaps in our economic development effort in HRM. There are other areas of activity where we are on the right course but must make a better effort. A number of issues were identified, however the economic strategy is not intended to deal with each one of them. This analysis allowed us to identify 5 areas of action, the goals that will allow us to reach for a more prosperous vision of our future.
“We will neglect our cities to
our peril, for in neglecting them
we neglect the nation.”
— John F. Kennedy, Former US President
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 13
Our Vision
A clear vision is the fundamental starting point for a successful strategy. This is our vision for HRM:
Our people are our community. We will improve and empower the lives of every citizen by building a prosperous, dynamic, globally competitive economy where creativity and risk-taking can fl ourish alongside a quality of life that’s the envy of the world.
Getting to this vision requires that we set clear and achievable goals. Here are ours.
Challenges & Opportunities... continued
Our Goals
Supercharge Our Labour ForceAn unemployment rate that is one of the lowest in the country, along with an aging population – means a labour shortage eventually looms for HRM. The best way to head off a crisis is generating upscale, high-salary jobs in growth industries so we can hold onto those whip-smart grads from our plethora of universities, tempt well-educated immigrants, and entice mid-career fast-trackers back home.
By 2010, HRM’s bustling job market will compel our young and ambitious to stay and make our community a magnet for highly trained immigrants and expatriates.
The best way to head off a crisis
is generating upscale, high-salary
jobs in growth industries...
to make our community
a magnet for highly trained
immigrants and expatriates.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for14
Leverage Our Creative CommunityCreativity is what drives every dynamic, modern economy. The communities that attract and keep smart, creative, diverse people are the ones that invest their public dollars astutely. The right strategy can give the economy added zip. But strategic investments in things like public art galleries, libraries and green spaces for Sunday picnics and kid’s soccer games also help make a city the kind of luminous, livable place that everyone wants to call home.
By 2010 HRM’s investments in social and cultural infrastructure will enhance the city’s persona as one of the most vibrant and unique communities on the continent.
Create A Gung-Ho Business Climate A prosperous economy attracts and supports smart, risk-taking companies and creates the kind of dynamic investment environment that helps everyone in the community achieve their dreams. Competitive taxes, reduced red tape and improved infrastructure make for a first-rate business climate. So does promoting technology and encouraging innovation.
By 2010, HRM will possess the best business climate in Canada, one able to kick-start and grow ambitious new enterprises and attract exciting companies from anywhere on the globe.
Capitalize On Our ReputationThe cutthroat competition for business and tourism dollars and the best and brightest in the labour pool isn’t won by accident. A fiercely business-friendly image celebrates our distinctiveness and sets us apart from our rivals. By promoting our advantages – a large creative class, a well-educated work force, and a superb life-style – we demonstrate pride in our city and solidify our identity as a business and commercial centre.
By 2010, HRM’s renown as one of the continent’s great cities – a beautiful, immensely livable place that teems with history and creativity – will draw top-drawer companies and people to our community.
Convert Rivalries Into PartnershipsRetooling a city’s economy requires teamwork, not rigid bureaucracies and petty turf wars. Working together toward common goals allows all partners in our community, government agencies, non-profits, postsecondary institutions, and business to fully leverage their efforts. The end result: everyone works faster and more nimbly to get the biggest bang for their economic development dollars.
By 2010, each partner in the HRM’s future will work in sync to propel our economy forward in a way that improves the quality of life for every citizen.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 15
“If you want 1 year of
prosperity, grow grain
If you want 10 years of
prosperity, grow trees.
If you want 100 years of
prosperity, grow people.”
— Chinese Proverb
But we live in an aging province. Within 20 years, 40 percent of Nova Scotia’s population will be 55 or older. To date, in-migration of young people and immigrants has insulated the region from the adverse effects of this aging population. However, low unemployment, once the brass ring, is fast becoming a reflection of a shallow labour pool and a constraint on growth.
Without explicit action to deepen the labour pool and deal with emerging skill gaps, HRM will face a demographic time bomb that could slow the growth of our economy and scar our tax base. HRM would not be alone, our economic decline would ripple out to the rest of Nova Scotia, and indeed to all of Atlantic Canada.
The best data on occupational shortages in Canada is found in employer surveys conducted as part of the SmartBusiness initiative led by the Greater Halifax Partnership. Right now, Halifax employers are not experiencing dramatic skills shortages, except in occupations that require either a very high skill set or offer low wages.
Workforce Recruitment Problems Count Percent
Yes 418 55.36%
No 337 44.64%
Workforce Retention Problems Count Percent
Yes 164 21.98%
No 582 78.02%
Workforce: Recruitment & Retention Problems
Source: Based on SmartBusiness visits June 1,2004 to July 15, 2005
Until now HRM has been buffered from the full effects of labour shortages. Two factors contribute to this, particularly in high-skill sectors:
● 63 percent of HRM’s employed labour force has completed university, college, or trade school. We have lots of well-educated people looking for opportunities.
● HRM has six universities and three campuses of the Nova Scotia Community College that attract people from across the country, and around the world. More and more are remaining after graduation.
But the effects of these buffers can be expected to diminish as more powerful demographic trends begin to take hold.
The magnitude of Nova Scotia’s skills challenge is daunting. A recent report from the Canadian Occupational Projection System indicates that by 2009 there will be over 50,000 job openings in Nova Scotia – 29,700 through attrition and 20,840 through job growth. Given that there are now only 40,000 people in Nova Scotia who are unemployed, there is clearly a human resource crunch on the horizon.
Retaining and Attracting PeopleBetween 1997 and 2004, net immigration (the numbers of newcomers form other countries, less the flow of Nova Scotians to other nations)
Strategies and Actions
Supercharge Our Labour Force
Growth in the new millennium is all about people. Prosperity requires a bustling job market. Communities with a deep labour pool can meet the demands of growing business and attract the smart people looking for a world of opportunity. Our task: To build a stronger labour force; to offer upscale opportunities; to attract and retain youth, immigrants and expatriates; and to meet the challenges of an aging society and global competition.
Maintaining and growing our people advantage means:
● Understanding and dealing with an aging workforce and skills issues,
● Retaining and attracting people,
● Leveraging the full potential of our universities, and
● Maintaining and expanding our defence and federal government presence.
Our RealityHRM is home to almost 40 percent of Nova Scotia’s residents and more than 15 percent of all Atlantic Canadians. Half of our population is under 37, the youngest profile in the Atlantic region. Our employment growth has out-paced population growth, bringing down our unemployment rate to one of the lowest levels in Canada. Indeed, virtually every area in and around HRM is growing.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for16
Sup
erch
arge
Our
Lab
our
Forc
e S
trat
egie
sC
ha
llen
ge
Stra
teg
y &
Po
ten
tial P
art
ne
rsA
ctio
ns
(pri
ori
ty a
ctio
ns
are
hig
hlig
hte
d)
Labour Market
Bu
sin
ess
is n
ot
ab
le t
o c
olle
ctiv
ely
art
icu
late
its
tra
inin
g a
nd
ski
lls n
ee
ds
in a
wa
y th
at
allo
ws
ed
uc
atio
na
l in
stitu
tion
s to
resp
on
d e
ffe
ctiv
ely
.
Imp
rove
info
rma
tion
co
llec
tion
an
d
diss
em
ina
tion
on
bu
sine
ss la
bo
ur
ma
rke
t n
ee
ds.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: A
COA,
BBI
, NSD
OE,
GHP
, HC
C, H
RDA,
HRM
, HRS
DC, N
SBI,
NSC
C,
OED
, abo
rigin
al/b
usin
ess/
com
mun
ity/
imm
igra
nt o
rgan
izat
ions
, NS
Com
mun
ity
Serv
ices
, Ski
lls N
ova
Scot
ia, u
nive
rsiti
es
1. C
om
pile
, an
aly
ze a
nd
co
mm
un
ica
te m
ea
nin
gfu
l in
form
atio
n t
ha
t c
an
dire
ct
skill
s tr
ain
ing
an
d a
ttra
ctio
n e
ffo
rts.
2. D
eve
lop
a c
om
mu
nity
led
Ski
lls C
ou
nc
il. W
ork
with
th
e p
ub
lic, p
riva
te e
mp
loye
rs
an
d t
rain
ing
pro
vid
ers
to
en
sure
tra
inin
g n
ee
ds
are
me
t.
3. E
ng
ag
e b
usin
ess
dire
ctly
in p
ove
rty
red
uc
tion
initi
ativ
es.
Su
pp
ort
pro
gra
mm
ing
fo
r disa
dva
nta
ge
d g
rou
ps
with
ch
alle
ng
es
find
ing
job
s.
Labour Shortages
De
mo
gra
ph
ic a
nd
co
mp
etit
ive
fo
rce
s w
ill c
rea
te la
bo
ur s
ho
rta
ge
s a
cro
ss
mo
st s
ec
tors
of
HR
M’s
ec
on
om
y.
De
velo
p a
lab
ou
r fo
rce
att
rac
tion
an
d
rete
ntio
n in
itia
tive
.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: A
COA,
GHP
, HRD
A,
HRSD
C, b
usin
ess
asso
ciat
ions
, HCC
, N
SDO
E, in
dust
ry a
ssoc
iatio
ns, S
kills
Nov
a Sc
otia
, uni
vers
ities
1. M
atc
h p
eo
ple
an
d o
pp
ort
un
itie
s m
ore
eff
ec
tive
ly t
hro
ug
h e
ffo
rts
suc
h a
s st
ud
en
t a
nd
imm
igra
nt
job
fa
irs.
2. W
ork
with
co
mp
an
ies
on
att
rac
ting
ski
lled
wo
rke
rs, w
ith a
fo
cu
s o
n t
ho
se w
ith
ec
on
om
ic, e
du
ca
tion
al o
r fa
mily
tie
s to
No
va S
co
tia.
3. D
eve
lop
a b
usin
ess
-driv
en
initi
ativ
e f
oc
use
d o
n w
ork
pla
ce
ass
ess
me
nt
an
d
cu
sto
miz
ed
pre
-em
plo
yme
nt
tra
inin
g. E
x: H
alif
ax
Sma
rt S
tart
Pilo
t P
roje
ct
Immigration
Imm
igra
tion
rep
rese
nts
tw
o-t
hird
s o
f o
ur
po
pu
latio
n g
row
th b
ut
imm
igra
tion
leve
ls
ha
ve d
ec
line
d ra
pid
ly in
th
e la
st 1
0 ye
ars
a
nd
ou
r re
ten
tion
rate
is a
mo
ng
th
e lo
we
st
in C
an
ad
a. T
he
re is
a la
ck
of
co
ord
ina
ted
e
ffo
rt in
HR
M o
n im
mig
ratio
n is
sue
s.
Inc
rea
se im
mig
ratio
n t
o H
RM
an
d
inc
rea
se re
ten
tion
of
imm
igra
nts
.
Pote
ntia
l par
tner
s: C
IC, C
ME,
GHP
, HCC
HR
DA, H
RM, M
ISA,
NSC
C, e
duN
OVA
, NS
Imm
igra
tion,
uni
vers
ities
1. C
rea
te a
pu
blic
/priv
ate
/co
mm
un
ity le
ad
ers
hip
gro
up
with
a m
an
da
te t
o d
irec
t a
nd
imp
lem
en
t H
RM
’s im
mig
ratio
n s
tra
teg
y.
2. E
ng
ag
e p
riva
te a
nd
pu
blic
se
cto
r org
an
iza
tion
s in
we
lco
min
g a
nd
inte
gra
ting
n
ew
co
me
rs in
to o
ur b
usin
ess
an
d p
rofe
ssio
na
l co
mm
un
itie
s.
3. W
ork
with
bu
sine
sse
s, e
xist
ing
eth
nic
, cu
ltura
l co
mm
un
itie
s a
nd
rec
en
t im
mig
ran
ts
to a
ttra
ct
an
d re
tain
ne
w im
mig
ran
ts.
4. W
ork
with
un
ive
rsiti
es
an
d N
ova
Sc
otia
Co
mm
un
ity C
olle
ge
to
reta
in in
tern
atio
na
l st
ud
en
ts.
Post Secondary Institutions and Business
Un
ive
rsiti
es
ha
ve n
ot
rea
ch
ed
th
eir
po
ten
tial
as
a s
ou
rce
of
inn
ova
tion
, co
mm
erc
ializ
atio
n
an
d a
s a
so
urc
e o
f kn
ow
led
ge
fo
r bu
sin
ess
a
nd
go
vern
me
nt
in H
RM
. Th
e s
hrin
kin
g
you
th p
op
ula
tion
in N
ova
Sc
otia
an
d
inc
rea
sin
g c
om
pe
titio
n f
or s
tud
en
ts m
ea
n
tha
t H
RM
’s p
ost
se
co
nd
ary
inst
itutio
ns
will
b
e c
ha
llen
ge
d t
o m
ain
tain
th
eir
cu
rre
nt
size
an
d ro
le in
HR
M’s
ec
on
om
y.
Dra
w o
n a
ll th
e re
sou
rce
s o
f H
RM
’s
po
st s
ec
on
da
ry in
stitu
tion
s to
en
ha
nc
e
ou
r ec
on
om
y a
nd
ou
r qu
alit
y o
f lif
e.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: G
HP, H
RM, N
SCC,
De
stin
atio
n Ha
lifax
, Fed
eral
& P
rovi
ncia
l G
over
nmen
t, un
iver
sitie
s,
1. U
se t
he
me
mo
ran
du
m o
f u
nd
ers
tan
din
g b
etw
ee
n H
RM
an
d m
etr
o u
niv
ers
itie
s to
en
ga
ge
on
issu
es
of
pla
nn
ing
, ec
on
om
ic g
row
th, c
ultu
re, c
rea
tive
an
d
inte
llec
tua
l tra
nsf
er a
nd
infr
ast
ruc
ture
ren
ew
al.
2. E
sta
blis
h a
co
mm
un
ity li
aiso
n f
un
ctio
n a
t a
ll th
e u
niv
ers
itie
s to
he
ad
off
po
ten
tial
ne
igh
bo
urh
oo
d a
nd
co
mm
un
ity c
on
flic
ts.
3. E
nsu
re b
usin
ess
ha
s a
cc
ess
to
th
e b
est
te
ch
no
log
y a
nd
exp
ert
ise o
ur u
niv
ers
itie
s a
nd
co
mm
un
ity c
olle
ge
s h
ave
to
off
er.
Imp
rove
co
mm
erc
ializ
atio
n o
f re
sea
rch
.
4. D
eve
lop
a m
em
ora
nd
um
of
un
de
rsta
nd
ing
with
th
e N
ova
Sc
otia
Co
mm
un
ity
Co
lleg
e s
imila
r to
wh
at
ha
s b
ee
n s
ign
ed
with
me
tro
un
ive
rsiti
es.
5. W
ork
with
un
ive
rsiti
es
an
d N
SCC
to
en
sure
th
e in
cre
asin
g d
em
an
d fo
r aff
ord
ab
le
ho
usin
g is
me
t.
6. W
ork
with
un
ive
rsiti
es
to m
ake
HR
M a
co
mp
elli
ng
de
stin
atio
n f
or s
tud
en
ts f
rom
a
cro
ss C
an
ad
a a
nd
aro
un
d t
he
wo
rld.
Defence & Federal Presence in HRM
Fed
era
l go
vern
me
nt
em
plo
yme
nt
in H
RM
ha
s fa
llen
by
mo
re t
ha
n 6
,00
0 jo
bs
sin
ce
th
e e
arly
19
90’
s. In
cu
rre
nt
do
llars
, th
is m
ea
ns
clo
se
to $
30
0 m
illio
n in
ye
arly
sp
en
din
g o
n g
oo
ds
an
d s
erv
ice
s in
HR
M d
isa
pp
ea
red
, or a
bo
ut
five
pe
rce
nt
of
ou
r ec
on
om
y. In
th
is d
ec
ad
e,
oth
er c
om
mu
niti
es
are
co
mp
etin
g h
ard
fo
r e
xpa
nd
ing
fe
de
ral g
ove
rnm
en
t a
nd
DN
D
pre
sen
ce
. Un
like
mo
st C
an
ad
ian
citi
es,
HR
M
ha
s n
ot
be
ne
fite
d f
rom
a re
bu
ildin
g o
f th
e
fed
era
l go
vern
me
nt
ca
pa
cit
y in
rec
en
t ye
ars
.
Wo
rk w
ith t
he
De
pa
rtm
en
t o
f N
atio
na
l D
efe
nc
e a
nd
oth
er d
ep
art
me
nts
an
d
ag
en
cie
s o
f th
e F
ed
era
l Go
vern
me
nt
to e
xpa
nd
th
eir
pre
sen
ce
in H
RM
.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: A
COA,
DN
D, O
ED, G
HP,
NSB
I, HC
C, H
RM, e
cono
mic
dev
elop
men
t or
gani
zatio
ns, P
rovi
nce
of N
ova
Scot
ia
1. D
eve
lop
an
d p
rom
ote
a c
om
pe
llin
g c
om
mu
nity
bu
sine
ss c
ase
fo
r re
ten
tion
, e
xpa
nsio
n a
nd
att
rac
tion
of
DN
D f
ac
ilitie
s a
nd
oth
er f
ed
era
l go
vern
me
nt
offi
ce
s.
2. D
eve
lop
a m
em
ora
nd
um
of
un
de
rsta
nd
ing
be
twe
en
HR
M a
nd
DN
D t
o f
ac
ilita
te
co
mm
un
ica
tion
an
d d
eve
lop
me
nt
of
issu
es.
3. W
ork
with
pa
rtn
ers
to
ma
xim
ize
th
e fl
ow
of
ind
ust
rial b
en
efit
s fr
om
ma
jor
pro
cu
rem
en
t p
roje
cts
.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 17
accounted for almost all of our population growth. Over this period, net population inflows were about 10,000 people; two-thirds of these were immigrants, and the remaining third were people who moved here from other parts of the province. On the flip side, we lose almost as many people to other provinces as we attract.
out-migrants in-migrants
Inter-provincial
Intra-provincial
International
Source: Nova Scotia Statistical Review 2004
Migration estimates by type of migration, Halifax, 1997 - 2004
Immigration levels have declined. Since their peak in 1995, the number of immigrants to HRM has fallen by more than half. This is cause for concern. Quite simply, immigrants drive our population growth.
Taking Advantage of our UniversitiesHRM boasts six degree-granting institutions and three campuses of the Nova Scotia Community College. Together, these institutions enroll close to 40,000 full and part-time students. Graduates and part-time workers from these institutions have traditionally been the mainstay of our deep and youthful labour pool.
In addition, these post-secondary institutions contribute to economic activity. Indeed, universities are a billion-dollar industry in HRM. They employ 5000 faculty and staff and have a combined operating budget of $565 million. They are major purchasers of goods and services. They generate more than $100 million in research. Their students, and those who visit them, inject about $300 million into the local economy each year.
That is now. The future could look different. Over the next four years the number of children registered for primary classes in Nova Scotia will plummet from 12,500 to 8000. The number of high school graduates is projected to decline by more than 20 percent within the next 10 years. Today 39 percent of those high school graduates go to university in Nova Scotia, the highest rate in Canada.
It will not be enough. Growing, even maintaining, the stability of this important asset requires HRM to become a magnet for post-secondary education. We will have to draw in more of our own, more Canadian and more international students. And we will have to do this while having the highest tuitions in Canada.
Strategies & Actions... continued
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for18
Expanding Defence and Federal GovernmentFor 250 years, Halifax Harbour has been a centre of naval activity. Close to 10,000 military and civilian personnel call HRM home. Paying those personnel costs $650 million a year, most of which is spent right here. HRM also benefi ts from billions of dollars in major military procurement, such as the Maritime Helicopter Project, and could benefi t from new defence procurement as the military refurbishes aging equipment.
Department of National Defence employment in HRM 2005
Military Personnel 5,832
Civilian Personnel 2,036
Reserves 5,832
Total Personnel 2,036
Source: Statistics Canada
But HRM has been historically slow to respond to these challenges and opportunities, and we have paid dearly. Cutbacks to defence and federal public sector employment have affected HRM more than any other Canadian city, big or small.
Since 1993, federal employment has fallen by about 6,000 in HRM. Since 1998, most major Canadian cities have added signifi cant new federal employment. HRM was the exception. Most of the cuts and relocations experienced were defence related. HRM could also benefi t from major new initiatives such as DND’s Standing Contingency Task Force. Other opportunities exist as federal government priorities change and new spending opportunities look for a home.
��
��
��
��
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���� ���� ���� ���� ���� ���� ���� ���� ���� ����
Government Employment in HRM
100 = level of Federal government employment in 1993
Source: Statistics Canada
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 19
Leverage Our Creative Community
“The regions that succeed will be those that are magnets for the highly educated, highly mobile, innovative people that high-wage, high-growth companies need to hire. These are cool and distinctive places that welcome newcomers, offer a wide range of quality lifestyle amenities, celebrate their diversity and allow people to validate their identities as creative people. These places offer not just one hot industry or a couple of hot companies, but an array of potential employers for talented people who defi ne themselves in terms of their professions, not their companies. Almost always, they have a thriving urban core that serves as a source of energy and social interaction. Most also have great universities that attract a steady fl ow of young people and new ideas.” — Richard Florida - Author, The Rise of the Creative Class
HRM cannot compete with the rest of the world on cheap labour, geographic advantage or natural resources. We have to, and we can, compete on the basis of our knowledge and skills. We can, and we will, compete on the human factor: people with high levels of skills and education who can choose where they want to live. To attract and hold creative people we will need to boost our social investment in areas like culture and recreation, and we will have to renew HRM’s social capital that creates a caring community.
Our Reality Vibrant growing communities must be healthy and in particular, must have a healthy heart. HRM is an old city by North America standards. Its pattern of growth emanates from the harbour and for most of the last century, follows the development of our highway system. There are signifi cant historical and cultural roots throughout the municipality, with a huge concentration in the downtown cores and along the waterfronts. In HRM, 69 percent of all jobs are located within fi ve kilometres of City Hall compared to only 38 percent in other metropolitan areas in Canada.
Arguably it is this concentration that gives HRM much of its vibrancy and economic muscle. That has us out-classing many larger centres in economic activity, cultural infl uence and visitor attraction. However, between 1996 and 2001, HRM experienced the largest decentralization of population and employment of all Canadian cities. Over this period, 15,000 jobs were created more than 5 kilometres from City Hall while employment declined by 200 jobs within fi ve kilometres of downtown Halifax.
Rural Growth. HRM is by area Canada’s largest community. It includes one of eastern Canada’s most densely populated communities and some of its most rural. HRM is a place of distinct communities, all of which need to actively participate in our future growth. Different strategies are needed to allow balanced growth to happen across the community. Balance is essential to fostering growth while not imposing change that disrupts community identity and builds resentment.
Creative Community. There is an emerging global competition for the human resources and talent needed to create business opportunities and profi t. Well-educated, skilled and, often, young people have emerged as an enterprising and creative class with huge infl uence in the new knowledge economy. In the fi rst industrial revolution, companies located close to natural resources or on trade routes. Workers migrated to where the jobs were. In the knowledge economy, footloose companies are moving to where the creative class wants to live.
“The regions that succeed
will be those that are magnets
for the highly educated,
highly mobile,
innovative people that
high-wage, high-growth
companies need to hire.”
— Richard FloridaAuthor: The Rise of the Creative Class
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for20
Leve
rage
Our
Cre
ativ
e C
omm
unit
yC
ha
llen
ge
Stra
teg
y &
Po
ten
tial P
art
ne
rsA
ctio
ns
(pri
ori
ty a
ctio
ns
are
hig
hlig
hte
d)
HRM’s Urban HeartH
RM
’s c
ap
ital d
istr
ict
is n
ot
gro
win
g a
nd
e
mp
loym
en
t g
row
th is
sta
gn
an
t. R
ese
arc
h
sho
ws
tha
t th
e w
orld
’s b
est
citi
es
mu
st h
ave
a
he
alth
y h
ea
rt. R
ese
arc
h a
lso
sh
ow
s th
at
cre
ativ
ity
in a
rts
an
d c
ultu
re a
nd
in b
usi
ne
ss
is a
fu
nc
tion
of
de
nsi
ty a
nd
pro
xim
ity.
O
ur d
en
sity
ad
van
tag
e is
ero
din
g.
Ensu
re a
vib
ran
t, h
ea
lthy
an
d
att
rac
tive
do
wn
tow
n t
o m
ake
HR
M a
w
orld
-cla
ss u
rba
n c
en
tre
.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: G
HP,
HR
M,
dow
ntow
n bu
sine
ss c
omm
issi
ons,
un
iver
siti
es
1. E
sta
blis
h n
ew
an
d e
nh
an
ce
d m
ain
ten
an
ce
initi
ativ
es
an
d s
tan
da
rds
with
a
fo
cu
s o
n y
ea
r-ro
un
d, 2
4/7
ac
ce
ssib
ility
. En
ga
ge
th
rou
gh
a p
ub
lic/p
riva
te
ap
pro
ac
h t
ha
t e
mp
ha
size
s in
div
idu
al a
nd
bu
sine
ss re
spo
nsib
ility
an
d
ste
wa
rdsh
ip.
2. In
cre
ase
ca
pita
l an
d o
pe
ratin
g in
vest
me
nt
an
d m
axi
miz
e le
vera
ge
with
oth
er
leve
ls o
f g
ove
rnm
en
t a
nd
bu
sine
ss t
o c
rea
te a
n a
ttra
ctiv
e a
nd
ac
tive
urb
an
sp
ac
e in
th
e C
ap
ital D
istric
t.
3. A
do
pt
urb
an
gu
ide
line
s fo
r ne
w d
eve
lop
me
nt
tha
t w
ou
ld f
ea
ture
sig
na
ture
p
roje
cts
, pu
blic
art
an
d p
rese
rva
tion
of
hist
oric
al c
ha
rac
ter.
4. E
nsu
re t
ha
t m
un
icip
al t
ax,
po
licie
s a
nd
reg
ula
tion
s a
re s
en
sitiv
e a
nd
su
pp
ort
ive
of
ec
on
om
ic d
rive
rs s
uc
h a
s th
e u
niv
ers
itie
s, h
osp
itals,
DN
D,
go
vern
me
nt
offi
ce
s, fi
na
nc
e, i
nsu
ran
ce
an
d p
rofe
ssio
na
l se
rvic
es.
5. S
upp
ort
the
de
velo
pm
ent
of n
ew
tra
nsit
co
rrid
ors
as
pro
po
sed
in th
e R
eg
iona
l Pla
n.
HRM’s Rural Heart
Ru
ral a
rea
s a
nd
th
e r
ura
l co
mm
ute
r-sh
ed
a
cc
ou
nt
for a
bo
ut
10 p
erc
en
t o
f e
mp
loym
en
t a
nd
ha
ve a
mo
re f
rag
ile e
co
no
my
tha
n
oth
er p
art
s o
f H
RM
. Ru
ral e
co
no
mie
s a
nd
ru
ral c
ha
rac
ter n
ee
d t
o b
e s
tre
ng
the
ne
d
an
d c
on
ne
ctio
ns
to u
rba
n a
rea
s im
pro
ved
.
Reco
gni
ze a
nd e
nha
nce
the
cont
ribut
ions
o
f rur
al a
rea
s to
HRM
’s e
cono
my.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: A
CO
A,
HR
DA
, H
RM
, H
RSD
C,
GH
P, O
ED,
com
mun
ity
orga
niza
tion
s, U
nite
d W
ay,
univ
ersi
ties
1. F
ost
er c
om
mu
nity
ec
on
om
ic d
eve
lop
me
nt
in ru
ral a
rea
s a
nd
rura
l c
om
mu
ter-
she
ds
to e
nh
an
ce
th
e d
ive
rsity
of
the
reg
ion
al e
co
no
my
an
d o
ffe
r e
mp
loym
en
t a
nd
loc
al s
erv
ice
s to
resid
en
ts.
2. P
rote
ct
the
ch
ara
cte
r an
d id
en
tity
of
rura
l co
mm
un
itie
s. H
elp
th
em
su
sta
in
the
ir c
ultu
ral a
nd
ec
o-t
ou
rism
ass
ets
.
HRM’s Creative Community
HR
M is
fa
cin
g a
lab
ou
r sh
ort
ag
e. W
e
are
co
mp
etin
g w
ith t
he
rest
of
the
w
orld
fo
r th
e “
cre
ativ
e p
eo
ple
” w
ho
will
d
rive
th
e e
co
no
my
of
the
fu
ture
.
Cre
ate
an
d m
ain
tain
a p
lac
e o
f o
pp
ort
un
ity a
nd
inte
rest
fo
r cre
ativ
e
pe
op
le.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: A
CO
A,O
ED,
GH
P,
univ
ersi
ties
, U
nite
d W
ay,
com
mun
ity
&
imm
igra
nt o
rgan
izat
ions
1. D
eve
lop
a C
rea
tive
Co
mm
un
ity S
tra
teg
y w
hic
h in
teg
rate
s c
ultu
ral,
imm
igra
tion
, ca
pita
l dist
rict,
un
ive
rsity
an
d g
lob
al s
tra
teg
ies.
HRM’s Regional Plan
HR
M’s
Re
gio
na
l Pla
n p
rovi
de
s a
th
ou
gh
tfu
l a
nd
ve
tte
d a
pp
roa
ch
th
at
ca
n s
up
po
rt
ou
r ec
on
om
ic v
isio
n a
nd
go
als
. Its
re
co
mm
en
da
tion
s a
re d
esi
gn
ed
to
p
rese
rve
an
d p
rote
ct
wh
at
we
va
lue
in
ou
r co
mm
un
ity
– o
ur c
ultu
re, o
ur
en
viro
nm
en
t a
nd
ou
r sp
ec
ial p
lac
es.
Sup
po
rt t
he
prin
cip
les,
go
als
an
d
imp
lem
en
tatio
n o
f th
e R
eg
ion
al
Pla
n a
s a
crit
ica
l pie
ce
in m
aki
ng
H
RM
a h
ea
lthy,
via
ble
, su
sta
ina
ble
c
om
mu
nity
.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: G
HP, H
CC, H
RM, H
RDA,
do
wnt
own
busi
ness
com
mis
sion
s,
neig
hbou
rhoo
ds, v
olun
teer
gro
ups
1. E
nc
ou
rag
e a
va
riety
of
qu
alit
y n
eig
hb
ou
rho
od
s, c
en
tre
d o
n a
vib
ran
t d
ow
nto
wn
an
d c
om
me
rcia
l ce
ntr
es.
2. W
ork
to
en
sure
th
at
the
urb
an
co
re h
as
a h
igh
er d
en
sity
of
pe
op
le a
nd
e
mp
loym
en
t a
nd
co
ntin
ue
s to
be
th
e f
oc
us
for c
ultu
re a
nd
to
uris
m, b
usin
ess
, g
ove
rnm
en
t a
nd
un
ive
rsity
em
plo
yme
nt.
3. C
on
tinu
e im
pro
vem
en
ts t
o e
xist
ing
pu
blic
tra
nsit
an
d e
xplo
re n
ew
op
tion
s
ex:
fa
st f
err
y, ra
il c
ut
to im
pro
ve a
cc
ess
an
d re
du
ce
co
ng
est
ion
.)
HRM Investment
Inve
stm
en
t in
so
cia
l an
d c
ultu
ral i
nfr
ast
ruc
ture
h
as
no
t ke
pt
pa
ce
with
oth
er C
an
ad
ian
c
om
mu
niti
es.
Exi
stin
g in
fra
stru
ctu
re n
ee
ds
ren
ew
al.
HR
M c
om
pe
tes
with
th
e w
orld
fo
r bu
sin
ess
. An
exc
elle
nt
qu
alit
y o
f lif
e is
a
n im
po
rta
nt
fac
tor i
n a
ttra
ctin
g t
he
kin
d
of
hig
h g
row
th, h
igh
wa
ge
bu
sin
ess
we
n
ee
d t
o g
row
HR
M. C
om
pa
rativ
e m
ea
sure
s fo
r pu
blic
sa
fety
an
d p
rop
ert
y c
rime
s a
s w
ell
as
qu
alit
y o
f p
rima
ry a
nd
se
co
nd
ary
e
du
ca
tion
do
no
t p
rese
ntly
fa
vou
r HR
M.
De
term
ine
th
e s
oc
ial i
nve
stm
en
t p
riorit
ies
for o
ur c
om
mu
nity
th
at
refle
ct
the
pre
fere
nc
es
of
tho
se w
ho
liv
e h
ere
.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: H
RM, H
PA, H
RSB,
Fe
dera
l Gov
ernm
ent,
Prov
ince
of N
ova
Scot
ia, W
DC
1. E
sta
blis
h a
n in
terg
ove
rnm
en
tal,
pu
blic
/priv
ate
bo
dy
to lo
ok
at
cu
ltura
l po
licy,
p
lan
nin
g p
riorit
ies
an
d in
vest
me
nt.
2. B
uild
su
pp
ort
an
d w
ork
to
fa
st t
rac
k so
cia
l in
vest
me
nt
pro
jec
ts t
ha
t a
re
alre
ad
y w
ell
ad
van
ce
d.
3. T
ake
dire
ctio
n f
rom
HR
M’s
Cu
ltura
l Pla
n in
se
ttin
g in
vest
me
nt
prio
ritie
s.
4. E
nsu
re t
ha
t H
RM
is c
on
side
red
on
e o
f C
an
ad
a’s
sa
fest
citi
es.
5. D
eve
lop
an
d s
ust
ain
fu
nd
ing
an
d p
olic
ies
tha
t su
pp
ort
a c
rea
tive
e
nvi
ron
me
nt
in p
rima
ry t
o 1
2 e
du
ca
tion
in H
RM
.
6. C
ha
mp
ion
a re
ne
wa
l of
HR
M’s
so
cia
l ca
pita
l th
rou
gh
an
em
ph
asis
on
citi
zen
s,
bu
sine
ss a
nd
vo
lun
tee
r org
an
iza
tion
-ba
sed
initi
ativ
es
tha
t b
uild
prid
e o
f p
lac
e.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 21
Young savvy workers can increasingly find employment in places they are drawn to. Less traditional and more readily accessible amenities are important to these people. They look to be stimulated in their creative work by an edgier and more creative environment. Their culture tends to be 24/7, vibrant and often irreverent. They look for an open, imaginative environment that accepts their lifestyle and centres where artistic and cultural activities are vital, visible and experiential. More than anything else, creative communities thrive on density and proximity to universities. Not surprisingly, these same two factors are key to the clustering and growth of business in the knowledge economy.
While creative people prefer urban settings for living, they also want to be close to nature. They want to hear the crash of ocean waves, meander along a river stream, hike a mountain, breathe in fresh air and drink clean water. Older creative class workers also want interesting recreational and educational amenities for their families. As well, they are concerned with traditional quality-of-life measures like safety and good schools for their kids.
Regional Plan. HRM’s regional planning process has laid a foundation to better understand the choices that need to be made as we adapt to and promote growth. These choices will determine what we protect and enhance to achieve the quality of life our residents want. The plan will also identify areas to encourage a critical mass of people and businesses, allowing for efficient access to public services.
Investing in Community. The quality community we achieve for our residents will be a magnet for attracting newcomers to our community. HRM is blessed with a good foundation of social investment. However, in recent years, public spending on amenities and facilities has been lower compared to our counterparts across the country. We must draw upon all our resources and leverage all our partners to reinvest in the social side of our community.
The public and the business community in HRM are enthusiastic about the need to support social investment, in particular in the heart of our community. Consultation around the Regional Plan, the Halifax Chamber of Commerce’s Economic Summit, and HRM’s Economic Strategy highlight a growing level of frustration about the lack of attention paid to maintenance and capital investment, particularly in the Capital District.
HRM has responsibility for the provision of basic infrastructure such as water, sewer, streets and roads, sidewalks, streetlights, traffic control, public transit, and recreational facilities. In the areas of “softer” infrastructure, such as cultural facilities and programs, responsibility is less clear. In Nova Scotia, municipal investment in soft infrastructure has been minimal, reflecting a split in provincial/municipal service responsibilities. This has not been the case in other provinces that have found ways to make important cultural and social investments. We have to do the same.
Social Capital. While we need the “bricks and mortar” social investment, improving how we feel about each other and our community is as important. Social capital can be thought of as the informal networks of people that not only provide a sense of social cohesion but also bring measurable benefits of health, happiness, feelings of safety, and civility. The level of social capital or social cohesion in a community predicts a lot about where a community is going. For example, large, spread-out communities and subdivisions lack a sense of community, lack the feeling of safety that comes with the “eyes on the street” aspect of more densely packed communities.
Creating a high-quality, livable community takes more than enlightened investment by governments. It also requires residents, volunteer organizations, and business to do their part. It takes an investment by citizens who look out for neighbours and take exceptional pride in their neighbourhoods. It shows up in the pride of homeowners who plant gardens, seed lawns, shovel snow down to the concrete, and keep an eye on the house next door. It takes investment by businesses that recognize that scraping gum off sidewalks and fixing up their storefront is good for HRM and good for business.
Leverage Our Creative Community... continued
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for22
“We are not creatures of
circumstance; we are creators
of circumstance.”
— Benjamin Disraeli, Former British Prime Minister
Create A Gung-Ho Business Climate
Businesses grow when conditions exist that make it profitable to do so. A good business climate does not evolve, it is created. To get there we have to benchmark against the competition and adopt best practices wherever we can. A good business climate is also a moving target. The fact that we have one today, is no guarantee for tomorrow.
We also have to recognize that creating a business climate conducive to growing sectors that drive our economy, is vital. Understanding which sectors provide that economic boost is a vital part of any strategy.
Many businesses just need to tap into a growing economy to prosper. For example, retail and service businesses, homebuilders and hair cutters fit into this category. As long as an economy is growing, they do just fine. But what creates this growth?
Economies grow thanks to firms that target markets outside our region or have developed products or services with markets worldwide. Just as people look for creative communities to put down roots, companies facing global competition look for places that are business friendly.
Our Reality Our growth depends on outward-facing businesses that bring money into our community.
If outward-looking businesses do not grow, the economy will not grow. Consumer spending declines, retailers start hurting, small businesses start to disappear, housing demand evaporates, tax revenues stop growing and a community’s ability to provide services to its people erodes. Eventually, population growth stops, the downward spiral begins, and a community goes on life support.
Progressive communities pay close attention to their competitive position and how it affects export-oriented industries. They know that a good business climate can mean the life or death of a business and a community. HRM needs to first understand its competitive position and then take steps to improve that position.
Business generally likes the climate in HRM. According to a Smart Business survey, most like what they see, feel the business climate is better than it was in the past, and believe it will improve in the future. However, a third of companies surveyed feel that our business climate is either “fair” or “poor.” A good business climate is a moving target. Cities compete for people and for business. Smart cities understand that they have three growth choices: decline, stagnation, or growth. Most cities choose growth and they know a constantly improving business climate is their way to get there.
Business climate includes issues of tax competitiveness; availability and quality of public services; business regulations; physical infrastructure (highways, utilities, etc.); quality of life (crime, education, etc.); business incentives; and other factors that directly affect the ease and profitability of doing business in a particular region. Business climate really boils down to cost of doing business. It is a relative measure, one where HRM competes against nearby and distant communities.
So the decisions we make on business climate are critical. Decisions that lead to a cleaner, more welcoming downtown will provide that
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 23
Cre
ate
a G
ung
Ho
Bus
ines
s C
lim
ate
Ch
alle
ng
eSt
rate
gy
& P
ote
ntia
l Pa
rtn
ers
Ac
tion
s (p
rio
rity
ac
tion
s a
re h
igh
light
ed
)Tax and Regulation
Taxe
s a
ffe
ct
bu
sin
ess
de
cis
ion
s to
inve
st a
nd
inn
ova
te
as
we
ll a
s p
eo
ple
’s d
ec
isio
ns
on
wh
ere
th
ey
live
a
nd
wo
rk. W
hile
ta
xes
pa
y fo
r pu
blic
se
rvic
es,
ta
xes
tha
t a
re t
oo
hig
h a
nd
levi
ed
ine
ffic
ien
tly a
ffe
ct
ec
on
om
ic g
row
th a
nd
eve
ntu
ally
, th
ose
sa
me
p
ub
lic s
erv
ice
s. C
urr
en
t p
rovi
nc
ial a
nd
loc
al t
ax
reg
ula
tory
po
licie
s a
re w
ork
ing
ag
ain
st e
xpo
rt
orie
nte
d g
row
th d
rive
rs in
HR
M’s
ec
on
om
y.
Ensu
re t
ha
t a
co
mp
etit
ive
ta
x a
nd
re
gu
lato
ry re
gim
e s
up
po
rts
HR
M’s
g
row
th d
rive
rs.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: G
HP, H
RM, b
usin
ess
orga
niza
tions
, Pro
vinc
ial G
over
nmen
t
1. B
en
ch
ma
rk t
ax,
reg
ula
tion
an
d d
eve
lop
me
nt
pe
rmit
ap
pro
vals/
timin
g
ag
ain
st c
om
pe
ting
citi
es.
2. D
ete
rmin
e t
he
imp
ac
t o
f ta
x b
urd
en
on
ec
on
om
ic g
row
th. D
eve
lop
ta
rge
ts t
o e
nh
an
ce
th
e re
gio
n’s
lon
g-t
erm
co
mp
etit
ive
ne
ss.
Re
co
mm
en
d t
he
be
st m
ix o
f ta
x c
ha
ng
es
to m
ee
t th
ose
ta
rge
ts
co
nsid
erin
g t
ho
se b
ase
d o
n re
du
cin
g t
he
ove
rall
co
mm
erc
ial t
ax
bu
rde
n
thro
ug
h c
ha
ng
es
in t
he
ta
x ra
tes
or t
he
co
mm
erc
ial t
ax
mu
ltip
lier;
intr
od
uc
ing
ne
w c
lass
es
of
co
mm
erc
ial a
sse
ssm
en
t o
r diff
ere
nt
typ
es
of
co
mm
erc
ial t
axe
s; a
nd
ad
din
g a
dd
itio
na
l fe
atu
re t
o t
he
ta
x sy
ste
m
co
nsid
erin
g in
ce
ntiv
es,
gra
du
ate
d ra
tes
an
d t
ax
zon
es.
Su
pp
ort
th
e
on
go
ing
wo
rk in
HR
M re
ga
rdin
g t
ax
refo
rm/r
eve
nu
e s
tra
teg
y.
3. D
ed
ica
te re
sou
rce
s to
str
ea
mlin
e re
vie
w a
nd
ap
pro
val p
roc
ess
es
for
sign
ific
an
t n
ew
resid
en
tial,
ind
ust
rial a
nd
co
mm
erc
ial e
xpa
nsio
ns
wh
ile
me
etin
g c
om
mu
nity
ob
jec
tive
s.
4. Im
ple
me
nt
a re
gu
lato
ry a
nd
po
licy
ch
ec
klist
to
en
sure
bu
sine
ss c
ost
s a
nd
be
ne
fits
are
alw
ays
co
nsid
ere
d w
he
n c
ha
ng
es
to re
gu
latio
ns
an
d
po
licie
s a
re b
ein
g p
lan
ne
d.
5. E
nsu
re t
ha
t p
olic
ies,
po
licy
imp
lem
en
tatio
n a
nd
po
licy
inte
rpre
tatio
n a
re
time
ly, f
air
an
d re
aso
na
ble
.
6. A
dju
st p
olic
ies
an
d t
axe
s to
en
co
ura
ge
bu
sine
ss d
en
sity
an
d c
lust
erin
g o
f e
co
no
mic
ac
tivity
.
Infrastructure Investment
HR
M’s
ca
pita
l exp
en
ditu
re is
we
ll b
elo
w le
vels
in
co
mp
ara
ble
citi
es.
HR
M h
as
a y
ea
rly $
30
mill
ion
C
ap
ac
ity
Ga
p, a
dd
itio
na
l ca
pita
l exp
en
ditu
re is
n
ee
de
d. N
ew
ca
pa
cit
y re
qu
irem
en
ts w
ill c
ost
$1.
7 to
$
2 b
illio
n o
ver 2
5 ye
ars
. Th
ere
ne
ed
s to
be
trip
art
ite
ag
ree
me
nt
on
infr
ast
ruc
ture
prio
ritie
s b
etw
ee
n t
he
th
ree
leve
ls o
f g
ove
rnm
en
t. H
RM
’s in
fra
stru
ctu
re
ne
ed
s sh
ou
ld b
e p
riorit
ize
d a
nd
eva
lua
ted
fro
m
an
ec
on
om
ic-i
mp
ac
t p
ers
pe
ctiv
e. T
his
inc
lud
es
exi
stin
g s
tru
ctu
res
in n
ee
d o
f im
pro
vem
en
t a
nd
ke
y m
issi
ng
pie
ce
s o
f in
fra
stru
ctu
re.
Beg
in t
o im
me
dia
tely
ad
dre
ss H
RM
’s
infr
ast
ruc
ture
de
ficit.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: H
RM, W
TCC,
bus
ines
s co
mm
unity
, Des
tinat
ion
Halif
ax, p
rovi
ncia
l an
d fe
dera
l gov
ernm
ent,
gate
way
par
tner
s
1. D
eve
lop
an
ag
ree
me
nt
on
HR
M in
fra
stru
ctu
re p
riorit
ies
be
twe
en
th
e
thre
e le
vels
of
go
vern
me
nt
an
d c
om
mu
nic
ate
ou
tco
me
s. Id
en
tify
prio
ritie
s u
sing
an
aly
ses
of
co
mm
un
ity a
nd
ec
on
om
ic im
pa
ct.
2. B
ring
infr
ast
ruc
ture
sp
en
din
g u
p t
o a
pp
rop
riate
co
mp
ara
ble
sta
nd
ard
s.
3. S
up
po
rt t
he
Str
ate
gic
Jo
int
Re
gio
na
l Tra
nsp
ort
atio
n P
lan
nin
g C
om
mitt
ee
to
co
ord
ina
te b
ridg
e, r
oa
d a
nd
pu
blic
tra
nsit
prio
ritie
s. C
oo
rdin
ate
in
vest
me
nt
prio
ritie
s w
ith t
he
Ha
lifa
x G
ate
wa
y C
ou
nc
il.
4. D
eve
lop
a p
art
ne
rsh
ip in
clu
din
g b
usin
ess
an
d t
he
th
ree
leve
ls o
f g
ove
rnm
en
t to
de
velo
p t
he
infr
ast
ruc
ture
ne
ed
ed
to
en
ha
nc
e H
RM
’s
sta
tus
as
an
inte
rna
tion
al c
on
ven
tion
de
stin
atio
n s
o t
ha
t H
RM
ca
n a
ct
as
a d
est
ina
tion
ma
gn
et
for N
ova
Sc
otia
to
uris
m.
5. M
axi
miz
e o
pp
ort
un
itie
s o
f th
e f
ed
era
l Ne
w D
ea
l fo
r Citi
es
an
d
Co
mm
un
itie
s to
inve
st in
ec
on
om
ic in
fra
stru
ctu
re t
ha
t le
ver g
row
th.
Access to Capital
Ac
ce
ss t
o c
ap
ital i
s o
ne
of
the
to
p
issu
es
pre
ven
ting
HR
M b
usi
ne
sse
s fr
om
re
ac
hin
g t
he
ir fu
ll g
row
th p
ote
ntia
l.
Ensu
re a
vaila
bili
ty o
f c
ap
ital i
s n
ot
a
ba
rrie
r to
bu
sine
ss s
uc
ce
ss.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: A
COA,
GHP
, HRD
A, N
SBI,
OED
, fin
anci
al in
stitu
tions
, Gro
wth
Wor
ks
1. D
eve
lop
re
ferr
al c
ap
ab
ilitie
s to
en
sure
co
mp
an
ies
loo
kin
g f
or
fina
nc
ing
a
re d
irec
ted
to
ava
ilab
le s
ou
rce
s.
2. Im
pro
ve t
he
ava
ilab
ility
of
ven
ture
ca
pita
l in
HR
M.
Business Development Tool Kit
Mo
st c
om
mu
niti
es
in N
ort
h A
me
rica
off
er a
va
riety
o
f p
rog
ram
s fo
r exp
an
din
g a
nd
relo
ca
ting
bu
sin
ess
. A
cc
ord
ing
to
th
e U
nite
d N
atio
ns
Surv
ey
of
Inve
stm
en
t,
mo
re t
ha
n t
hre
e q
ua
rte
rs o
f c
om
mu
niti
es
up
da
te
or e
nh
an
ce
th
eir
inc
en
tive
s e
ac
h y
ea
r. Th
ey
do
th
is w
ith t
he
inte
nt
of
ge
ne
ratin
g b
roa
d e
co
no
mic
g
row
th a
nd
inc
rem
en
tal t
ax
reve
nu
es.
HR
M a
nd
o
the
r No
va S
co
tia c
om
mu
niti
es
cu
rre
ntly
ha
ve n
o
leg
isla
tive
au
tho
rity
for t
he
se k
ind
s o
f in
vest
me
nts
b
ec
au
se o
f re
stric
tive
pro
vin
cia
l le
gis
latio
n.
Ensu
re t
ha
t H
RM
do
es
no
t la
g b
eh
ind
o
the
r re
gio
ns
in C
an
ad
a in
th
e
de
velo
pm
en
t a
nd
use
of
bu
sine
ss
gro
wth
to
ols.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: G
HP, H
RM, N
SBI,
OED
, ec
onom
ic d
evel
opm
ent o
rgan
izat
ions
, fe
dera
l/pr
ovin
cial
/mun
icip
al g
over
nmen
ts,
Gat
eway
Par
tner
s
1. B
en
ch
ma
rk t
he
gro
win
g u
se o
f b
usin
ess
inc
en
tive
s in
oth
er j
uris
dic
tion
s.
2. C
on
side
r th
e u
se o
f in
ce
ntiv
e s
tra
teg
ies
as
a w
ay
to a
ssist
bu
sine
ss
de
velo
pm
en
t in
ta
rge
ted
are
as
of
HR
M.
3. W
ork
with
ec
on
om
ic d
eve
lop
me
nt
org
an
iza
tion
s a
nd
ga
tew
ay
pa
rtn
ers
to
de
velo
p c
om
pe
titiv
e in
ce
ntiv
e p
ac
kag
es
for b
usin
ess
loc
atio
n a
nd
e
xpa
nsio
n.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for24
Business Retention and Expansion
Up
to 8
0 %
of j
ob
s c
rea
ted
in H
RM
are
cre
ate
d b
y e
xist
ing
bu
sin
ess
. Exi
stin
g b
usi
ne
ss p
rog
ram
s fo
cu
sed
o
n re
tain
ing
an
d e
xpa
nd
ing
ke
y b
usi
ne
ss a
re h
igh
ly
co
st-e
ffe
ctiv
e to
ols
for j
ob
cre
atio
n. B
RE
pro
gra
ms
he
lp
co
mp
an
ies
pu
t do
wn
de
ep
er r
oo
ts, fl
ag
co
mp
an
ies
in
da
ng
er o
f mo
vin
g o
r fa
cin
g s
eve
re c
ha
llen
ge
s a
nd
allo
w
co
mm
un
itie
s to
ide
ntify
an
d d
ea
l with
th
e ra
ng
e o
f iss
ue
s th
at c
on
stra
in b
usi
ne
ss s
uc
ce
ss. H
RM
ha
s d
eve
lop
ed
a
lea
din
g a
pp
roa
ch
to b
usi
ne
ss re
tent
ion
an
d e
xpa
nsi
on
at t
he
loc
al l
eve
l. N
SBI i
mp
lem
ent
ed
on
e o
f th
e fi
rst m
ulti
-c
om
mu
nity
BR
E p
rog
ram
s in
Ca
na
da
.
De
velo
p a
co
mp
reh
en
sive
an
d
pe
rma
ne
nt
bu
sine
ss v
isita
tion
an
d
ou
tre
ac
h in
itia
tive
in H
RM
.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: A
COA,
GHP
, HRD
A, N
SBI,
OED
1. D
eve
lop
a p
erm
an
en
t b
usin
ess
rete
ntio
n a
nd
exp
an
sion
ca
pa
bili
ty in
H
RM
.
2. Im
ple
me
nt
a “
We
lco
me
” p
rog
ram
fo
r bu
sine
ss a
nd
bu
sine
ss p
rofe
ssio
na
ls w
he
n re
loc
atin
g t
o H
RM
.
Investment Attraction
Ne
w f
ore
ign
inve
stm
en
ts in
co
mm
un
itie
s b
ring
ne
w
ide
as,
hig
he
r wa
ge
job
s, o
pp
ort
un
itie
s fo
r exi
stin
g
bu
sin
ess
, in
cre
ase
d in
du
stria
l div
ers
ity
an
d t
ax
reve
nu
e f
or g
ove
rnm
en
t. T
he
se b
en
efit
s g
en
era
te
inte
nse
an
d g
lob
al c
om
pe
titio
n f
or n
ew
pla
nts
an
d
serv
ice
pro
vid
ers
. Ne
w in
vest
me
nt
is v
ital t
o t
he
c
on
tinu
ed
gro
wth
an
d h
ea
lth o
f H
RM
.
De
velo
p a
pa
rtn
ers
hip
ap
pro
ac
h t
o
inve
stm
en
t a
ttra
ctio
n in
HR
M w
he
re
role
s, re
spo
nsib
ilitie
s a
nd
rule
s o
f e
ng
ag
em
en
t a
re c
lea
rly id
en
tifie
d.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: A
COA,
GHP
, HCC
, HRM
, N
SBI,
OED
, bus
ines
s co
mm
unity
, gat
eway
pa
rtne
rs
1. D
eve
lop
rule
s o
f e
ng
ag
em
en
t a
mo
ng
ec
on
om
ic d
eve
lop
me
nt
org
an
iza
tion
s a
ctiv
e in
HR
M t
ha
t a
llow
fo
r id
en
tific
atio
n o
f lo
ng
te
rm a
nd
ye
arly
ta
rge
ts a
nd
prio
ritie
s w
ith t
he
ob
jec
tive
to
ma
xim
ize
leve
rag
e a
nd
e
limin
ate
du
plic
atio
n o
f e
ffo
rt.
2. F
oc
us
inve
stm
en
t a
ttra
ctio
n e
ffo
rts
on
hig
h w
ag
e s
ec
tors
wh
ere
HR
M
ha
s a
cle
ar c
om
pe
titiv
e a
dva
nta
ge
. In
pa
rtic
ula
r, e
ffo
rts
of
inve
stm
en
t a
ttra
ctio
n s
ho
uld
be
fo
cu
sed
on
ne
ar s
ho
ring
(o
uts
ou
rcin
g t
o n
ea
rby
co
un
trie
s w
he
re t
he
tim
e z
on
e is
no
t a
fa
cto
r) o
pp
ort
un
itie
s in
th
e
soft
wa
re a
nd
fin
an
cia
l se
cto
rs, l
og
istic
s a
nd
life
sc
ien
ce
s.
Global Trade Expansion
No
va S
co
tia is
less
exp
ort
orie
nte
d t
ha
n m
ost
oth
er
Ca
na
dia
n p
rovi
nc
es.
HR
M’s
ec
on
om
y is
larg
ely
a lo
ca
l se
rvic
e e
co
no
my.
HR
M’s
exp
ort
ba
se is
th
in a
nd
larg
ely
se
rvic
e o
rient
ed
. If H
RM
is to
co
ntin
ue
to g
row
, we
will
h
ave
to g
row
co
mp
an
ies
tha
t ha
ve a
reg
ion
al,
na
tion
al
an
d g
lob
al f
oc
us.
Th
ese
co
mp
an
ies
exp
ort
th
eir
pro
du
cts
a
nd
se
rvic
es
an
d b
ring
mo
ne
y in
to t
he
loc
al e
co
no
my
tha
t driv
es
the
gro
wth
of l
oc
ally
foc
use
d b
usi
ne
ss.
Wo
rk w
ith p
art
ne
r org
an
iza
tion
s to
d
eve
lop
a t
rad
e s
tra
teg
y fo
cu
sed
o
n e
xpa
nd
ing
na
tion
al a
nd
glo
ba
l o
pp
ort
un
itie
s fo
r HR
M b
usin
ess
an
d
inst
itutio
ns.
Wo
rk in
pa
rtn
ers
hip
to
id
en
tify
sho
rt a
nd
lon
g-t
erm
prio
ritie
s.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: A
COA,
GHP
, HRM
, HRD
A,
IC, N
SBI,
Prov
inci
al T
rade
Com
mitt
ee
1. W
ork
with
No
va S
co
tia t
rad
e p
art
ne
rs t
o in
form
an
d e
du
ca
te H
RM
b
usin
ess
ab
ou
t e
xpo
rtin
g. I
de
ntif
y a
nd
ass
ist t
rad
e-r
ea
dy
co
mp
an
ies
to
en
ter n
ew
ma
rke
ts.
2. W
ork
with
pa
rtn
ers
to
de
velo
p a
se
rvic
e-s
ec
tor e
xpo
rt s
tra
teg
y fo
cu
sed
o
n b
uild
ing
on
HR
M’s
ma
in s
tre
ng
ths
in e
du
ca
tion
, so
ftw
are
, we
b d
esig
n,
fina
nc
ial s
erv
ice
s, lo
gist
ics,
etc
.3.
Gro
w b
usin
ess
de
velo
pm
en
t o
pp
ort
un
itie
s b
y d
eve
lop
ing
lin
kag
es
with
w
orld
city
org
an
iza
tion
s lik
e t
he
Wo
rld E
ne
rgy
City
Pa
rtn
ers
hip
.
Management Skills and Entrepreneurship
Ma
nag
em
ent
ski
ll g
ap
s c
an
be
roa
db
loc
ks to
gro
win
g
a c
om
pa
ny o
r gro
win
g a
n e
co
nom
y. G
ap
s e
xist
e
very
whe
re: i
nte
rna
tiona
l ma
rke
ting
, suc
ce
ssio
n p
lann
ing
, ent
rep
rene
ursh
ip a
nd c
om
pe
titiv
e in
form
atio
n.
HRM
bus
ine
sse
s ha
ve a
hig
h fa
ilure
rate
, la
ck
of g
lob
al
orie
nta
tion
and
a h
igh
rate
of m
atu
re o
wne
rshi
p. T
ime
ly
ac
ce
ss to
qua
lity
info
rma
tion
is c
ritic
al f
or e
sta
blis
hed
c
om
pa
nie
s p
lann
ing
exp
ans
ion
and
ne
w b
usin
ess
es
co
nsid
erin
g H
RM a
s a
loc
atio
n. A
we
ll-ho
ned
inte
llig
enc
e
ca
pa
bili
ty a
llow
s c
om
mun
itie
s to
sta
y c
om
pe
titiv
e a
nd
be
tte
r und
ers
tand
em
erg
ing
op
po
rtun
itie
s a
nd c
halle
nge
s.
Pro
vid
e b
usin
ess
in H
RM
with
a
wid
e ra
ng
e o
f o
pp
ort
un
itie
s fo
r m
an
ag
em
en
t a
nd
en
tre
pre
ne
urs
hip
tr
ain
ing
. Pro
vid
e t
ime
ly a
nd
qu
alit
y b
usin
ess
info
rma
tion
an
d in
telli
ge
nc
e.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: A
COA,
GHP
, HRD
A, N
SBI,
OED
, bus
ines
s or
gani
zatio
ns, e
cono
mic
de
velo
pmen
t org
aniz
atio
ns, u
nive
rsiti
es
1. M
ain
tain
and
imp
rove
ac
ce
ss to
ma
nag
em
ent
and
ent
rep
rene
ursh
ip tr
ain
ing
.
2. A
ssist
bu
sine
sse
s, p
art
icu
larly
th
ose
in ru
ral a
rea
s, w
ith s
uc
ce
ssio
n
pla
nn
ing
.
3. E
nsu
re t
ha
t m
ec
ha
nism
s a
re in
pla
ce
to
de
al w
ith re
qu
est
s fo
r bu
sine
ss
info
rma
tion
in a
tim
ely
an
d p
rofe
ssio
na
l ma
nn
er.
4. C
on
tinu
e t
o b
en
ch
ma
rk H
RM
’s e
co
no
mic
pe
rfo
rma
nc
e a
nd
bu
sine
ss
clim
ate
ag
ain
st o
the
r sim
ilar j
uris
dic
tion
s.
Office Space
Ac
ce
ss t
o o
ffic
e a
nd
ind
ust
rial s
pa
ce
, alo
ng
with
a
vaila
bili
ty o
f la
bo
ur,
is a
mo
ng
th
e t
op
five
de
cis
ion
c
rite
ria a
ffe
ctin
g b
usi
ne
ss lo
ca
tion
. Bu
sin
ess
sp
ac
e is
in
sh
ort
su
pp
ly in
HR
M. S
pe
cu
lativ
e c
on
stru
ctio
n is
rare
. Li
ttle
ne
w o
ffic
e c
on
stru
ctio
n o
cc
urr
ed
in t
he
Ca
pita
l D
istr
ict
in t
he
last
tw
o d
ec
ad
es.
So
me
bu
sin
ess
pa
rks
with
in H
RM
are
pro
vin
cia
lly o
wn
ed
an
d s
uff
er f
rom
lac
k o
f ma
rke
ting
an
d d
eve
lop
me
nt
eff
ort
s. H
RM
bu
sin
ess
p
ark
s o
nly
de
velo
p a
ye
ar’
s in
ven
tory
of l
an
d b
ec
au
se
bu
dg
et
pra
ctic
es
co
nst
rain
lon
ge
r-te
rm t
hin
kin
g. T
his
le
ave
s lit
tle ro
om
wh
en
exc
ep
tion
al o
pp
ort
un
itie
s e
me
rge
. Un
like
mo
st c
om
mu
niti
es,
HR
M’s
bu
sin
ess
pa
rks
pro
vid
e n
o in
ce
ntiv
es
for d
esi
rab
le b
usi
ne
ss in
cu
ba
tion
. O
wn
ers
hip
an
d le
vera
ge
are
mo
re c
on
stra
ine
d t
ha
n in
m
ost
co
mp
etin
g c
om
mu
niti
es.
De
velo
p p
olic
ies
an
d a
pp
roa
ch
es
tha
t in
cre
ase
th
e a
vaila
bili
ty o
f o
ffic
e a
nd
in
du
stria
l sp
ac
e.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: G
HP, H
RDA,
HRM
, NSB
I, O
ED, e
cono
mic
dev
elop
men
t org
aniz
atio
ns,
prov
inci
al g
over
nmen
t
1. D
eve
lop
a b
usin
ess
pa
rk s
tra
teg
y to
ac
t as
a g
uid
e to
futu
re d
eve
lop
me
nt
and
targ
et e
co
nom
ic d
eve
lop
me
nt o
bje
ctiv
es,
tim
ely
exp
ans
ion
and
co
st
effe
ctiv
ene
ss.
2. M
od
ify ta
x a
nd re
gul
ato
ry b
arri
ers
to o
ffic
e d
eve
lop
me
nt in
the
Ca
pita
l Dist
rict
whi
le re
ma
inin
g c
ons
iste
nt w
ith c
om
mun
ity o
bje
ctiv
es
of p
rese
rva
tion
of
hist
oric
cha
rac
ter a
nd v
iew
pla
nes.
3. Id
ent
ify s
tra
teg
ic re
inve
stm
ent
are
as
to e
nsur
e a
de
qua
te lo
ng-t
erm
sup
ply
a
nd d
ive
rsity
of i
ndus
tria
l and
co
mm
erc
ial l
and
and
bui
ldin
g ty
pe
s th
roug
hout
th
e c
ity in
clu
din
g lo
w-c
ost
fac
ilitie
s fo
r sta
rt-u
p a
nd e
arly
-gro
wth
firm
s.
4. Im
pro
ve th
e m
ark
etin
g o
f ind
ustr
ial s
pa
ce
in H
RM.
5. C
ons
ide
r ne
w o
pe
ratin
g m
od
els
for b
usin
ess
pa
rks
tha
t inc
lud
e a
dire
ct
ec
ono
mic
de
velo
pm
ent
ma
nda
te.
6. E
xplo
re in
nova
tive
ap
pro
ac
hes
for b
usin
ess
sp
ac
e d
eve
lop
me
nt a
nd b
usin
ess
in
cub
atio
n.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 25
all-important good first impression to potential business investors. Decisions that lead to commercial tax rates reflecting services received will help existing business put down deeper roots. Interpreting policies with a sense of fairness will reduce business frustration with growing bureaucratic tendencies for strict interpretation. Decisions that set competitive benchmarks for approval times for new projects will keep us competitive with other centres and will keep interest high among builders even when the construction bubble bursts. Initiatives that allow business to easily source financial capital and decisions that allow HRM to offer incentives that encourage economic and revenue growth will build the strength of our export sector. New partnerships that allow for needed investment in hard infrastructure like roads and road repair, public transport, and fast ferries will help secure our reputation as a place that invests in our own future.
Management Skills and Business Information
Tax and Regulatory Climate
Finance and Incentives
StrategicInfrastructure
Brand andAttitude
Investment Attraction New Exports
Business Retention and Expansion
Community & Business Partnership
Available Industrial and Office Space
Sources of Competitiveness
Skilled and EducatedLabour Force
Business Climate Framework
Create A Gung-Ho Business Climate... continued
How competitive we are
will determine
whether new businesses
come and if
existing businesses
stay and expand.
Business climate has a number of components (see chart ) Most are addressed in this section of our strategy. Others (those in yellow) are addressed in specific goal areas.
Decisions to formalize ongoing contact with our existing business, those that create 80 percent of new jobs, will help us understand if we are getting it right and will mean no business will fall through the cracks. Initiatives to improve management knowledge and skills will help create new businesses and improve the competitiveness of existing companies. Decisions on business parks that allow for competitively priced land, aggressive marketing and setting aside land for future business growth will ensure our companies stay when the time comes for expansion.
How competitive we are will determine whether new businesses come and if existing businesses stay and expand. It will determine if job opportunities are plentiful enough to attract and hold young workers. It will determine if our pattern of taxation and spending is sustainable. Business climate will determine if local amenities are affordable. Ultimately, business climate will determine the quality of our lives.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for26
Capitalize On Our Reputation
Brands both create and deliver value. If managed properly, they also embody value. They build reputation, and they can create wealth. In the case of “community,” a strong brand can instill confidence, attract visitors, and influence investment decisions. HRM is widely considered one of Canada’s five great cities, even though we are only the 13th largest. We are a premium destination for conventions and tourists. The Smart City Brand and consistent, long-term efforts focused on improving business attitudes have assisted HRM in achieving some of the highest rates of business confidence in the nation. But we can do more, and we must. Far too many people still have not heard of this place we call home. Far too many residents are not equipped to give voice to our message.
The objective of a strong community brand is to build national and international recognition and develop a positive and progressive attitude leading to higher levels of business confidence. A strong national and international brand attracts people and business and helps form positive impressions of a community. A confident community invests in itself, creates employment, develops new technologies and forms international partnerships. A confident community sells itself. Our own people are best equipped to tell our story. A good brand lives in our hearts, not on billboards. Our brand already exists. We have to discover it, if we haven’t already.
The benefits of this effort are clear:
● Increased awareness of the region locally, nationally and internationally
● Consistency and clarity of message
● Creation of a sense of identity
● Enhanced pride of place
● A platform on which to unify diverse stakeholder groups
● Cost efficiencies and leverage
● An image of our community as a great place to study, live, work, and play
Our Reality There is immense interest in our community’s brand. At the same time, there is substantial frustration among residents and businesses with the official title Halifax Regional Municipality. Part of our community’s maturing may be to adopt a unified description of ourselves. This will be a tough decision.
HRM has performed well in presenting the community to the world and to our own citizens. Indeed, the city has been recognized nationally and internationally as a centre of creativity, innovation and talent. The headlines speak for themselves:
Competitive Alternatives study ranked Halifax first in overall cost competitiveness among mid-sized cities in North America (KPMG 2004)
2004 Employment Outlook Survey showed Halifax to have the strongest employment prospects in the country (Manpower Inc.)
“In this world, success comes
to those with confidence and
faith in themselves.”
— Muhammad Ali, Former Heavyweight Boxing Champion
“I don't even know what street
Canada is on.”
— Al Capone, Noted Restaurateur
The 2001 Census indicates Halifax is the second most successful mid-sized Canadian city in attracting and retaining youth (Statistics Canada, Census of Canada)
Best Cities for Business Survey ranked Halifax third among Canada’s largest cities (Canadian Business, 2005)
Top Ten Cities in Canada Poll placed Halifax in the top 5, fourth behind Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, with high marks in environment, economy and society (CBC Radio News, 2004)
Third in Canada for business confidence (Canadian Federation of Independent Business, December 2004 Quarterly Barometer)
92 percent of businesses in Halifax feel positive about their future (Corporate Research Associates, 2003)
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 27
Ca
pit
aliz
e O
n O
ur R
eput
atio
n
Ch
alle
ng
eSt
rate
gy
Ac
tion
s &
Po
ten
tial P
art
ne
rs (
pri
ori
ty a
ctio
ns
are
hig
hlig
hte
d)
Brand Strategy
The
re is
a n
ee
d t
o a
do
pt
an
eff
ec
tive
an
d
dist
inc
tive
bra
nd
fo
r HR
M. T
he
po
sitio
n m
ust
be
b
elie
vab
le a
nd
rele
van
t, in
spire
inte
rna
lly a
nd
c
ap
ture
att
en
tion
ext
ern
ally
. De
velo
pm
en
t o
f a
n
ew
bra
nd
mu
st b
e w
eig
he
d a
ga
inst
th
e e
qu
ity
of
exi
stin
g b
ran
ds,
inc
lud
ing
th
e S
ma
rt C
ity
bu
sine
ss b
ran
d a
nd
Bra
nd
No
va S
co
tia.
Disc
ove
r th
e b
ran
d s
tra
teg
y th
at
refle
cts
HR
M a
nd
all
of
its p
eo
ple
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: G
HP,
Des
tina
tion
H
alifa
x, Q
ualit
y of
Pla
ce C
ounc
il
1. E
sta
blis
h a
Qu
alit
y o
f P
lac
e C
ou
nc
il to
revi
ew
exi
stin
g b
ran
d e
qu
ity in
HR
M a
nd
d
eve
lop
a m
ulti
-pa
rtn
er a
pp
roa
ch
to
ma
rke
ting
HR
M.
2. E
ng
ag
e t
he
pe
op
le o
f H
RM
in t
he
bra
nd
ing
pro
ce
ss.
3. W
ork
with
pa
rtn
ers
, in
clu
din
g “
Bra
nd
No
va S
co
tia”
to e
nsu
re m
axi
mu
m le
vera
ge
is
ac
hie
ved
.
Brand Communication
Co
mm
un
ica
ting
th
e H
RM
bra
nd
me
ssa
ge
is
a b
ig jo
b, r
eq
uiri
ng
sig
nifi
ca
nt
hu
ma
n
an
d fi
na
nc
ial r
eso
urc
es.
It is
a jo
b
cu
rre
ntly
be
yon
d t
he
sc
op
e a
nd
bu
dg
et
of
an
y o
ne
org
an
iza
tion
in H
RM
.
Co
mm
un
ica
te t
he
bra
nd
str
ate
gy
to
sta
keh
old
ers
; en
ga
ge
th
e p
eo
ple
of
HR
M in
imp
lem
en
tatio
n.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: Q
ualit
y of
Pla
ce C
ounc
il,
mar
ketin
g or
gani
zatio
ns
1. S
pre
ad
th
e w
ord
. De
velo
p a
co
ord
ina
ted
ap
pro
ac
h t
o m
ark
etin
g H
RM
.
Brand and Business Confidence
The
su
cc
ess
in H
RM
in im
pro
vin
g b
usi
ne
ss
co
nfid
en
ce
ha
s b
ee
n o
ne
of
ou
r co
mm
un
ity’
s m
ost
sig
nifi
ca
nt
ac
co
mp
lish
me
nts
in t
he
la
st d
ec
ad
e. T
he
reb
ou
nd
in b
usi
ne
ss
co
nfid
en
ce
fro
m t
he
low
est
in C
an
ad
a
to t
he
hig
he
st in
less
th
an
a d
ec
ad
e h
as
be
en
a b
ig p
art
of
ou
r str
on
g e
co
no
mic
p
erf
orm
an
ce
. Bu
t b
usi
ne
ss c
on
fide
nc
e is
fr
ag
ile a
nd
th
is e
ffo
rt n
ee
ds
to c
on
tinu
e.
Co
ntin
ue
eff
ort
s to
imp
rove
bu
sine
ss
co
nfid
en
ce
.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: G
HP, H
RM, G
atew
ay
Coun
cil,
mar
ketin
g or
gani
zatio
ns
1. E
nsu
re t
ha
t m
ark
etin
g p
art
ne
rs c
on
tinu
e t
o a
rtic
ula
te a
bra
nd
an
d a
me
ssa
ge
th
at
sup
po
rts
an
d s
tre
ng
the
ns
bu
sine
ss c
on
fide
nc
e.
2. U
se t
he
pe
op
le o
f H
RM
to
te
ll o
ur s
tory
.
Brand Support
Eve
ryo
ne
ta
lks
ab
ou
t b
ran
d, b
ut
few
do
a
nyt
hin
g a
bo
ut
it. M
an
y c
om
mu
niti
es
ha
ve in
vest
ed
he
avi
ly in
cre
atin
g a
nd
m
ain
tain
ing
str
on
g b
ran
ds.
Th
at
inve
stm
en
t g
oe
s b
eyo
nd
do
llars
. Ou
r co
mm
un
ity,
in
clu
din
g b
usi
ne
ss, g
ove
rnm
en
t, c
itize
ns
an
d e
lec
ted
offi
cia
ls m
ust
bu
y in
an
d
wo
rk t
o s
up
po
rt a
vis
ion
of
a d
yna
mic
, c
om
pe
titiv
e, c
rea
tive
an
d p
rosp
ero
us.
Build
a s
up
po
rta
ble
an
d s
up
po
rte
d
bra
nd
.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: Q
ualit
y of
Pla
ce C
ounc
il
1. S
up
po
rt t
he
de
velo
pm
en
t a
nd
th
e c
om
mu
nic
atio
n o
f o
ur b
ran
d w
ith
ap
pro
pria
te le
vels
of
fina
nc
ial a
nd
hu
ma
n re
sou
rce
s.
Convert Rivalries Into Partnerships
“Perspective........................ . .
= +50 IQ points.”
Strong Relationship Building Skills
— Michael Porter, Bishop Wil l iam Lawrence University Professor, Harvard School of Business
Community building is a difficult and expensive task. But one of the most effective tools we need doesn’t cost anything. It’s called Partnership.
No one organization has the talent, resources and mandate to implement this strategy on its own. Innovative communities understand that a partnership or networked approach to encouraging growth is the path to faster, more efficient success.
HRM has been a pioneer in this approach. HRM and the Halifax Chamber of Commerce created Canada’s first public/private economic development organization, the Greater Halifax Partnership. Its investor-driven model is being copied across the province and around the world. Destination Halifax markets HRM as a convention destination at arm’s length from regional government. The Halifax Regional Development Agency works at fostering community economic development activities in HRM.
The task before us requires these kinds of bold approaches. This means looking beyond the hierarchical and splintered structures of the 1970s, beyond the co-location and big government strategies of the 1980s and 90s to a new virtual network of growth-focused organizations based on common values and common vision.
HRM needs to look to energize partnerships in three areas:
● Urban–Rural linkages within HRM that take advantage of proximity and work to reduce the challenges created by distance
● Development of partnerships between three levels of government, business, and development organizations to pull our region forward
● Development of community-to-community alliances within Nova Scotia, across Atlantic Canada, and around the world
Our RealityHalifax Regional Municipality is defined by its geography. Halifax's natural, ice-free harbour has offered shelter and prosperity to inhabitants for centuries. Close proximity to population centres to the south has determined trading patterns. The national gateway location has made Halifax the first stop for millions of new Canadians.
Since amalgamation in 1996, another defining geographical characteristic has been size. Toronto has eight times our population, but at 5491 square kilometres, HRM is larger in area. Most residents are clustered around the urban core, with several sparsely populated communities spread over a large area of the municipality. This geographic characteristic has in turn, established a defining
Toronto has eight times our
population, but at
5491 square kilometres,
HRM is larger in area.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 29
demographic characteristic, that of a rural and urban population mix. Areas separated by geography can easily feel separated by identity; and differences can lead to resentments, and the development of “us versus them” thinking.
The economic reality, however, is that HRM’s urban and rural areas are interdependent. The traditional rural/urban population mix has realigned to include adjacent areas not part of the urban core but affected by urban economic activity. Urban employers and rural workers depend on one another. We depend on rural communities within and surrounding the municipality to supply our labour force. Rural communities, in turn, are able to avail themselves of the advantages brought by critical urban infrastructure. Key examples are the Halifax International Airport and the Port of Halifax. Rural communities depend on these institutions to get their goods out to market and their tourists in. These institutions depend on the business brought to them by rural businesses and communities.
HRM’s Economic Strategy needs to usher in new and higher levels of economic linkages between the urban and rural areas of our region. The alternative to this interdependent approach is a continuation and exacerbation of feelings of division and resentment. Without a higher level of integration, HRM will not be able to take full advantage of economic opportunities.
Improved Cooperation Between Government and BusinessMunicipal governments are the closest point of intersection to the community and the citizen. In Nova Scotia, the municipal mandate, roles and responsibilities are set out in the provincial Municipal Government Act (MGA). Municipalities have no legislative or legal authority beyond the MGA. As a result, any discussion on intergovernmental relations usually begins by emphasizing the subordinate constitutional position of municipal governments.
HRM needs to develop an enhanced capacity to advance intergovernmental relations. The old jurisdictional approach is not working. A new age of cooperation and strong partnerships with provincial and federal governments are needed to enable us to reach our economic and community goals.
The growing significance of urban centres in driving the growth of nations is well understood. Governments need to work together to modernize legislation, structures and relationships in light of this reality. Changes need to be reflected in political powers, administrative forms, and revenue bases as well as government functions. This will allow for a more citizen- and business-centred governance. A user-friendly government would also offer faster and more direct response to issues and individuals.
Collaboration between partners is key to the success of any economic strategy. Policy, planning and procedures need to be better coordinated between organizations with shared responsibilities. In the future, more outside-the-box thinking will be needed. Less it’s-not-my-job thinking will be tolerated. Frameworks and rules of engagement for intergovernmental cooperation will allow for shared responsibilities. Initiatives will have to cut across areas of responsibility including economic, social, cultural, and environmental priorities. Leadership roles will be less defined by traditional hierarchies or structures and more by those willing to provide leadership. Leadership will come from a variety of business, government and other organizations equipped to lead.
The economics of growth and development have more to do with where people work than where they sleep. It also has more to do with business connections than political boundaries. Communities within Atlantic Canada are connected economically. Indeed, in the new economy where distance matters less than relationships, we need to build relationships not just within HRM and our region, but also around the nation and around the world.
Convert Rivalries into Partnerships... continued
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for30
Con
vert
Riv
alri
es i
nto
Par
tner
ship
sC
ha
llen
ge
Stra
teg
yA
ctio
ns
(pri
ori
ty a
ctio
ns
are
hig
hlig
hte
d)
Rural StrengthA
rea
s se
pa
rate
d b
y g
eo
gra
ph
y c
an
fe
el
sep
ara
ted
by
ide
ntit
y; d
iffe
ren
ce
s c
an
le
ad
to
rese
ntm
en
t a
nd
us-
vers
us-
the
m
thin
kin
g. L
ac
k o
f c
on
ne
ctin
g in
fra
stru
ctu
re
is a
ba
rrie
r to
gro
wth
an
d e
co
no
mic
in
teg
ratio
n. T
his
infr
ast
ruc
ture
no
t o
nly
ha
s to
mo
ve p
eo
ple
to
job
s th
rou
gh
imp
rove
d
ma
ss t
ran
sit,
bu
t m
ove
go
od
s a
nd
se
rvic
es
fro
m r
ura
l bu
sin
ess
to
ma
rke
t th
rou
gh
be
tte
r te
lec
om
mu
nic
atio
n a
nd
roa
d t
ran
spo
rt.
Build
urb
an
-ru
ral l
inka
ge
s w
ithin
HR
M
tha
t ta
ke a
dva
nta
ge
of
pro
xim
ity, a
nd
w
ork
to
red
uc
e c
ha
llen
ge
s c
rea
ted
by
dist
an
ce
.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: H
RDA,
HRM
, eco
nom
ic
deve
lopm
ent o
rgan
izat
ions
, pro
vinc
ial
gove
rnm
ent,
utilit
ies
1. Id
en
tify
an
d c
om
mu
nic
ate
th
e a
dva
nta
ge
s o
f H
RM
’s u
rba
n-r
ura
l mix
.
2. S
up
po
rt d
eve
lop
me
nt
of
reg
ion
al a
nd
dist
rict
ce
ntr
es
as
pro
po
sed
in H
RM
’s
Re
gio
na
l Pla
n s
o t
ha
t m
un
icip
al g
ove
rnm
en
t a
nd
bu
sine
sse
s c
an
pro
vid
e
serv
ice
s in
all
of
HR
M a
t a
pp
rop
riate
leve
ls.
3. S
up
po
rt ru
ral e
co
no
mic
de
velo
pm
en
t b
y e
nc
ou
rag
ing
an
d p
rovi
din
g s
up
po
rt
serv
ice
s to
th
ose
ind
ivid
ua
ls a
nd
org
an
iza
tion
s e
sta
blis
hin
g o
r ma
inta
inin
g
bu
sine
sse
s in
rura
l are
as.
4. Im
pro
ve t
ran
spo
rta
tion
an
d c
om
mu
nic
atio
n li
nks
to
rura
l co
mm
un
itie
s to
im
pro
ve ru
ral b
usin
ess
ac
ce
ss.
5. S
up
po
rt a
ll o
f th
e ru
ral e
nh
an
ce
me
nt
me
asu
res
pro
po
sed
in t
he
Re
gio
na
l Pla
n.
Partnership Approaches
Wo
rkin
g re
latio
nsh
ips
be
twe
en
go
vern
me
nts
a
re s
om
etim
es
stra
ine
d a
nd
ide
ntif
yin
g
co
mm
on
prio
ritie
s c
an
be
an
issu
e e
ven
th
ou
gh
eve
ry g
ove
rnm
en
t is
se
rvin
g t
he
sa
me
citi
zen
. An
inc
rea
sin
g n
atio
na
l fo
cu
s o
n
the
gro
wth
of
citi
es
an
d u
nte
na
ble
exi
stin
g
mu
nic
ipa
l-p
rovi
nc
ial f
un
din
g a
rra
ng
em
en
ts
pre
sen
t n
ew
ch
alle
ng
es.
In a
dd
itio
n,
yea
rs o
f fis
ca
l re
stra
int
ha
ve le
ft g
ap
s in
se
rvic
e a
nd
ca
pita
l sp
en
din
g in
HR
M. H
RM
c
an
no
t a
dd
ress
th
ese
ch
alle
ng
es
alo
ne
.
Dev
elop
pa
rtner
ship
s bet
wee
n th
ree
leve
ls of
gov
ernm
ent,
bus
ines
s a
nd d
evel
opm
ent
org
ani
zatio
ns, t
o a
dd
ress
long
-sta
ndin
g
cha
lleng
es a
nd im
pro
ve th
e q
ualit
y of
life
of o
ur p
eop
le a
nd th
e g
row
th p
rosp
ects
of
our b
usin
ess.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: A
COA,
GHP
, HRD
A,
NSB
I, O
ED, U
NSM
, pro
vinc
ial a
nd fe
dera
l go
vern
men
ts
1. D
eve
lop
an
d im
ple
me
nt
an
HR
M g
ove
rnm
en
t re
latio
ns
pla
n.
2. W
ork
with
th
e t
hre
e le
vels
of
go
vern
me
nt
to e
nsu
re a
lign
me
nt
of
po
licy
an
d
ca
pita
l sp
en
din
g p
riorit
ies
in H
RM
.
3. W
ork
with
all
ou
r pa
rtn
ers
to
ide
ntif
y c
om
mo
n v
alu
es
an
d v
isio
n a
rou
nd
g
row
ing
ou
r co
mm
un
ity. C
rea
te a
n “
alig
nm
en
t o
f st
rate
gy
inte
nt”
an
d “
rule
s o
f e
ng
ag
em
en
t” t
o im
ple
me
nt
this
visio
n.
4. W
ork
with
th
e G
ove
rnm
en
t o
f N
ova
Sc
otia
to
rec
og
niz
e H
RM
as
a m
ain
e
co
no
mic
driv
er i
n t
he
pro
vin
cia
l ec
on
om
y. Im
ple
me
nt
a P
rovi
nc
ial E
co
no
mic
P
olic
y th
at
co
mm
its re
sou
rce
s to
:
• J
oin
t st
rate
gie
s in
volv
ing
th
e s
oc
ial i
nfr
ast
ruc
ture
in t
he
Ca
pita
l Dist
rict;
• N
ee
de
d e
co
no
mic
infr
ast
ruc
ture
inve
stm
en
t in
rura
l HR
M; a
nd
•
Prio
rity
join
t in
itia
tive
s in
volv
ing
de
velo
pm
en
t a
ge
nc
ies
of
HR
M a
nd
th
e
Pro
vin
ce
of
No
va S
co
tia.
Regional, National & Global
Partnerships
Like
su
cc
ess
ful b
usi
ne
sse
s, s
uc
ce
ssfu
l an
d
vib
ran
t c
om
mu
niti
es
thin
k g
lob
ally
. Th
ey
thin
k o
uts
ide
th
eir
bo
rde
rs a
nd
ou
tsid
e
the
bo
x to
ga
the
r ne
w id
ea
s a
nd
bu
ild
rela
tion
ship
s th
at
ca
n s
pu
r gro
wth
.
Build
an
d m
ain
tain
pro
vin
cia
l, re
gio
na
l, n
atio
na
l an
d in
tern
atio
na
l re
latio
nsh
ips
wh
ere
th
ese
lin
ks h
ave
p
ote
ntia
l to
ass
ist e
co
no
mic
gro
wth
.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: A
CO
A, G
HP,
HRM
, N
SB
I, O
ED,
busi
ness
com
mun
ity
1. B
uild
on
exi
stin
g li
nka
ge
s b
etw
ee
n H
RM
an
d o
the
r re
gio
ns
an
d b
uild
ne
w
rela
tion
ship
s w
he
re t
he
se h
ave
cle
ar e
co
no
mic
be
ne
fit.
2. Im
ple
me
nt
a g
lob
ally
fo
cu
sed
ap
pro
ac
h in
volv
ing
tra
nsit
ion
fro
m a
Sist
er
Citi
es
pro
gra
m t
o t
he
cre
atio
n o
f In
tern
atio
na
l Str
ate
gic
Alli
an
ce
s fo
r Ec
on
om
ic D
eve
lop
me
nt
with
ta
rge
ted
prio
rity
co
un
trie
s/c
itie
s c
on
siste
nt
with
c
urr
en
t lo
ca
l bu
sine
ss a
nd
pro
vin
cia
l go
vern
me
nt
ec
on
om
ic d
eve
lop
me
nt
prio
ritie
s.
Halifax Gateway
The
Ha
lifa
x G
ate
wa
y –
ou
r po
rt, a
irpo
rt,
tru
cki
ng
an
d ra
il o
pe
ratio
ns,
dire
ctly
or
ind
irec
tly a
cc
ou
nt
for o
ver 1
6 p
erc
en
t o
f a
ll e
co
no
mic
ac
tivit
y in
HR
M. O
ver 4
0 p
erc
en
t o
f p
rovi
nc
ial t
ou
rism
reve
nu
es
an
d e
mp
loym
en
t d
ep
en
ds
on
tra
vele
rs a
cc
ess
ing
th
e H
alif
ax
Ga
tew
ay.
Th
e G
ate
wa
y g
en
era
tes
on
e b
illio
n
do
llars
in w
ag
es
ea
ch
ye
ar,
five
tim
es
mo
re
tha
n H
RM
’s t
ou
rism
se
cto
r, a
t p
ay
leve
ls a
th
ird h
igh
er t
ha
n t
he
pro
vin
cia
l ave
rag
e.
The
Ga
tew
ay
als
o g
en
era
tes
ove
r $25
0 m
illio
n e
ac
h y
ea
r in
mu
nic
ipa
l, p
rovi
nc
ial
an
d f
ed
era
l ta
xes.
Th
e H
alif
ax
Ga
tew
ay
co
mp
ete
s n
atio
na
lly a
nd
inte
rna
tion
ally
fo
r bu
sin
ess
, bu
t so
me
ele
me
nts
of
the
g
ate
wa
y h
ave
be
en
losi
ng
ma
rke
t sh
are
. G
rea
ter i
nte
gra
tion
an
d h
igh
leve
ls o
f p
art
ne
rsh
ip c
an
he
lp t
o s
tab
ilize
an
d g
row
th
e G
ate
wa
y a
s a
n im
po
rta
nt
co
ntr
ibu
tor
to t
he
loc
al a
nd
pro
vin
cia
l ec
on
om
y.
Sup
po
rt p
olic
ies
an
d in
vest
me
nts
th
at
en
ha
nc
e t
he
imp
ac
t o
f th
e H
alif
ax
Ga
tew
ay.
Pote
ntia
l Par
tner
s: C
NR,
DN
D,
HIA
A,
HPA
, H
RM,
GH
P, N
SB
I, O
ED,
Can
adia
n Re
taile
rs,
Gat
eway
Cou
ncil,
bus
ines
s or
gani
zatio
ns,
HC
C,
and
othe
r pr
ovin
cial
and
fed
eral
gov
ernm
ent
part
ners
, tr
ansp
orta
tion
com
pani
es
1. S
up
po
rt t
he
de
velo
pm
en
t o
f th
e H
alif
ax
Ga
tew
ay
Co
un
cil
to c
oo
rdin
ate
m
ark
etin
g, i
nfr
ast
ruc
ture
inve
stm
en
t a
nd
po
licy
initi
ativ
es
aff
ec
ting
po
rt,
airp
ort
, tru
cki
ng
, ra
il a
nd
oth
er l
og
istic
s c
om
pa
nie
s se
rvin
g H
RM
.
2. W
ork
to
de
velo
p t
he
Ha
lifa
x G
ate
wa
y a
s a
n E
ast
Co
ast
log
istic
s h
ub
.
3. W
ork
to
red
uc
e c
on
ge
stio
n in
th
e la
nd
side
mo
vem
en
t o
f c
on
tain
er t
raffi
c in
H
RM
by
exp
lorin
g a
ltern
ativ
es
like
an
inla
nd
te
rmin
al a
nd
usin
g t
he
rail-
cu
t fo
r tr
uc
k tr
affi
c.
4. P
rom
ote
th
e d
eve
lop
me
nt
of
imp
rove
d ra
il fa
cili
ties
an
d s
erv
ice
s.
5. W
ork
with
th
e m
ilita
ry t
o e
xpa
nd
th
eir
log
istic
s c
ap
ab
ilitie
s in
HR
M.
6. P
rote
ct
an
d c
rea
te b
uff
er a
rea
s b
etw
ee
n in
du
stria
l an
d re
side
ntia
l are
as,
in
clu
din
g p
rote
ctin
g a
irpo
rt b
uff
er l
an
ds.
7. P
rote
ct s
tra
teg
ic in
dus
tria
l lo
ca
tions
fro
m n
ea
r-te
rm d
eve
lop
me
nt p
ress
ure
s. E
nsur
e
tha
t suf
ficie
nt h
arb
our
fro
nta
ge
and
ha
rbo
ur-f
ront
land
s a
re re
serv
ed
for e
xist
ing
a
nd p
ote
ntia
l fut
ure
ma
rine
ind
ustr
ial a
nd m
arin
e c
om
me
rcia
l use
s fo
r the
Po
rt o
f H
alif
ax
to g
row
as
a g
lob
ally
co
mp
etit
ive
se
ap
ort
.
Measuring Success: Outcomes, Targets and Trends Any strategy worth its salt sets targets. The degree to which these targets are met reflects the success in implementing the strategy. It is vital that these targets include quantitative measures of progress as well as completion of strategy activities. Generally, economic strategies measure their success in terms of such things as job growth, income growth, and new business investment. This strategy will also be judged on the ability of the municipality and other organizations to follow through on the activities discussed earlier. However, these process outcomes are not reviewed here. These outcome measures and targets will evolve over time as experience is gained and appropriate targets are identified.
Measured TargetsOur People
Outcome Measure Target Current TrendIncrease Population Growth
Rank among the top 10 CMAs with the fastest population growth over the next five years.
Below target; our labour force growth currently ranks HRM 12th.
Improve Employment Growth
Increase employment growth by more than 10 percent over the next five years.
On track.
Decrease Unemployment Rate
Reduce the overall unemployment rate by 1 percent over the next five years.
On track.
Enhance Participation Rate
Rank among the top five CMAs with the highest labour force participation rate.
Current rank of 7th.
Attract More Immigrants
Attain 2800 immigrants a year by 2009.
Below target.
Retain More Immigrants
Retain 70 percent of new immigrants by 2009.
Below target.
Increase University Admissions
Increase admissions by 500 a year in HRM for the next 5 years.
Below target.
Improve DND and Federal Employment
Increase defence and federal government presence by 3000 persons by 2010; recover half of the job losses since the 1990s.
Below target.
Any strategy worth its salt
sets targets. The degree to
which these targets
are met reflects the success
in implementing
the strategy.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for32
Our Creative Community
Outcome Measure Target Current TrendIncrease Public Investment
Increase per person public investment to be on par with benchmark cities.
Below target.
Enhance Quality Labour Force
Have the number of people employed with post-secondary degree or diploma at 70 percent within five years.
On target.
Improve Average Income
Increase average weekly wage to meet the Canadian average within five years
Below target
Increase Support for Economic Development
Increase economic development funding over the next five years.
Below target; no growth currently.
Attain High Community Satisfaction
Benchmarks to be set.
Increase Visitors Increase visitors to heritage sites by five percent per year in five years
On target.
Our Awareness
Outcome Measure Target Current TrendImprove Business Confidence
Improve business confidence over the next five years so that it is the highest in Atlantic Canada.
On target.
Enhance Brand Recognition
Improve brand recognition of HRM in national and international markets.
Benchmarks to be set.
Increase Room Nights Sold
By five percent a year. Below target.
Foster Greater Awareness of HRM as a place to do business
Increase by an average of five percent a year, over the next five years the number of hits to HRM business development organization websites.
Metrics need to be developed.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 33
Our Partnerships
Outcome Measure Target Current TrendJoint Economic Development Initiatives Implemented
Priority actions of the strategy are implemented.
Leadership structure and partnerships need to be strengthened.
Implement Gateway Strategy
Have a fully operational Gateway Strategy up and running within one year.
On target.
Our Business Climate
Outcome Measure Target Current TrendIncrease Public Investment
Increase per person public investment to be on par with benchmark cities within five years.
Below target.
Increase Private Investment
Have private investment above the national average within five years.
On target.
Grow Employment in Capital District
Achieve growth of 1000 jobs within five years.
Below target; employment declining.
Grow Commercial Tax Base
Attain growth averaging three percent per year in five years.
Below target.
Set Competitive Commercial Taxes
Have competitive levels of commercial taxation.
To be developed.
Improve Decision Times For Construction Projects
Achieve appropriate decision times for major projects that are below the average of benchmark cities within five years.
Believed to be below target; benchmarking needs to be conducted.
Enhance Access to Broadband
Reach 100 percent broadband access within five years.
Below target.
Reduce Crime Rate Decrease crime rate per 100,000 so it is below the average of similar Canadian cities within five years.
Below target.
Increase Research and Incubation Space
Increase research and incubation space by 100,000 sq. ft. within five years.
Below target.
Benchmark Business Climate
Establish a comprehensive business climate benchmarking capability within two years.
Benchmarks to be developed.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for34
Implementing the Strategy
The economic strategy explores how we can best use our available resources to ensure our economy continues growing at a sustainable rate. It offers suggestions for building a strong competitive edge over other regions worldwide.
There are guiding principles that will help us implement this plan efficiently and effectively. Structural issues that need to be addressed in the implementation process and best-practice approaches to assist in moving forward have been identified.
Best PracticesIn the review of economic development organizations, several trends became apparent. Economic development activity in progressive communities is moving away from the hierarchical approaches of the 1970s. This approach provides little connection to the needs of business clients and seems to lead to the development of large, unresponsive government departments.
Simple outsourcing of business development activity to public/private organizations, popular in the 1990s, has also been found wanting. Often these organizations fail to build much needed partnerships with government and business. As well, co-location strategies have been found lacking because of a heavy focus on internal “politics” at the expense of client focus.
The approach gaining momentum today takes a public/private focus and features a heavy level of networking and partnership activity. This approach maximizes the potential financial leverage while addressing development challenges of far greater breadth and scope. The “networked” economic development organization directly serves the business client and community needs by working though joint ventures with a host of public and private organizations.
Outsourced Networked
Hierarchical Co-located
High
Low
Pub
lic-P
riva
teC
olla
bour
atio
n
Models of Economic Development
Low HighNetwork management capabilities
Source: Adapted from "Governing By Network" by S. Goldsmith and W.D. Eggers
The approach gaining
momentum today
takes a public/private
focus...
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 35
Implementation Principles• Do not create new layers of bureaucracy.
• Make use of existing structures and create new ones only as a last resort.
• Eliminate duplication.
• Develop networks and partnerships.
• Build on the public/private approach to economic development pioneered by HRM.
Implementation RecommendationsThe most important element of any strategy is its implementation. Several issues need to be addressed.
Who are the strategy champions?
Every strategy needs a champion. One person who feels a passion for the task and will be held accountable for results. In many communities, the mayor or CAO becomes the champion. Often this champion is a business leader. It is recommended that HRM appoint such a champion.
Who should be involved in the implementation?
Implementation of this strategy needs all of those organizations and individuals concerned with economic development in HRM to work together. It is recommended that HRM establish a mechanism for broad participation in support of this strategy.
It is recommended that an Implementation Group guide the strategy implementation in much the same way that the Advisory Group assisted in the plan’s creation. The Implementation Group should draw on senior business and government leaders, volunteer organizations, business groups, academia, and labour. Consideration should be given to using existing structures to eliminate duplication.
How do you create capacity within HRM so that economic development issues get addressed in the normal course of business?
There are dozens of economic development organizations active in HRM. A structure needs to be developed that allows economic development issues to be integrated directly into the day-to-day priorities of our community. Economic development has to become a priority for HRM. This can be accomplished by creating an internal capacity to facilitate working with these organizations.
What are the roles of existing organizations?
Existing organizations have to be measured against a yardstick of efficiency, effectiveness and return on investment. The development of a new strategy does not necessarily go hand in hand with a restructuring of economic development organizations. Reorganization comes with a high cost and has a long payback period. However, it should not be avoided if change is required.
How do we measure outcomes and who measures them?
Outcome measures are being proposed for this strategy so that we can track our progress. These outcome measures and targets will
Implementing the Strategy... continued
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for36
evolve over time as we gain experience and identify appropriate sources. Many communities report on their progress annually through community meetings convened by a chamber of commerce or other organization. HRM should establish a public forum for the partners in implementation.
Who is accountable for the success of this strategy?
No one organization currently has the authority for all of this strategy. Everyone has to do their part. Every group involved in economic development is accountable.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010 for 37
What Lies Ahead
HRM is a bustling, dynamic city – and we’re growing. We are home to almost 40 percent of Nova Scotia’s residents and more than 15 percent of all Atlantic Canadians. Half of our population is under 37, the youngest profile in the Atlantic region. Our employment growth has out paced population growth, bringing down our unemployment rate to one of the lowest levels in Canada.
Economically we have evolved from a place dependent on government and traditional industries to a diversified service economy with a growing international market. We no longer rely on the accident of geography or proximity to markets for our economic success.
Clearly our foundation is strong. Now we need to build on that strength.
Growth today depends on access to knowledge and our ability to innovate and adapt. Successful growth is about smart communities attracting and retaining smart people. In a world economy centred on talented people, what’s important is being a place where the best and the brightest want to live.
We started this economic strategy by laying out for you the task that lies ahead: To enrich the lives of every citizen in HRM by building a prosperous economy that supports a quality of life that is the envy of the world.
The economic strategy lays out how that task will be accomplished broadly – by using our community resources more effectively so that our economy continues to grow at a sustainable rate while giving us a competitive edge over other regional centres worldwide, and specifically, by spelling out new initiatives that need to be undertaken and the existing approaches that need to be improved.
The elements of a successful tomorrow are clear. We will have a business environment that inspires entrepreneurship, that encourages existing business to take on the world in export markets and that draws inward investment. We will be a place that attracts and retains smart people. We will have a healthy environment, where a wide range of educational and employment opportunities drive social inclusion and promote healthier lifestyles. This creative environment will propel a fast-paced knowledge economy that creates enviable, high-wage jobs in fast growing sectors. We will maintain the aspects of our history, culture, civility and quality of place that make us distinct, that make us who we are.
Now, in this conclusion, we have come full circle. We end up where we started – with a realistic vision of what HRM can be if we work together, if we plan together, if we dream together. We have come, once again, to the beginning.
We will maintain
the aspects of our history,
culture, civility and
quality of place that make us
distinct, that make us
who we are.
Halifax Regional Municipality’s Economic Development Strategy 2005-2010for38