perspectives niagara region 2011

TMPe r s p e c t i v eN i a g a r a R e g i o n 2 0 1 1

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INSIDE

Discover the New Niagara.

"If you can imagine it, you can achieve it in St. Catharines, where we’ve been creating the future for 200 years"St. Catharines Mayor, Brian McMullan

Every day, General Motors of Canada’s powertrain operations produce high precision automobile components using the latest manufacturing technologies and processes. It’s no surprise that we have a rapidly growing advanced manufacturing sector. Our city offers proximity to the U.S. border and supply chain partners with a superior quality of life to match.

Now is the time to invest in St. Catharines.

St. Catharines

www.investin.ca

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N i a g a r a R e g i o n 2 0 1 1

Discover the New Niagara.Original. Adaptive. Innovative.

Niagara’s economy is growing and evolving as all across the region, the winds of change are being felt in every sector and industry.

Traditional economic engines includ-ing manufacturing, tourism and agricul-ture continue to function as important drivers of the regional economy. Yet at the same time exciting, new advanced manufacturing opportunities are emerg-ing, and dynamic new industry clusters are starting to appear.

These changes are making Niagara more diverse and more adaptive – a region emerging as a new value-added centre of innovation that is prepared to meet the challenges and opportunities of a changing marketplace.

ManufacturingNiagara’s manufacturing sector

has been the backbone of Niagara’s economy. It employs approximately 25,000 people and it remains the largest wealth-producing sector and contributor to the region’s Gross Domestic Product.

Yet the face of manufacturing in Niagara is rapidly changing. The region, traditionally known as an automotive and industrial manufacturing hub, has adapted to global trends that have seen an increase in demand for alternative

energy technologies, digital media and bio-products.

While the region continues to address the needs of the automotive and other traditional manufacturing sectors, developments in advanced manufacturing have really put Niagara on the map of late, led by a legion of small to medium sized Canadian manufacturers with niche market products.

These companies are supported by Niagara College’s leading-edge Centre for Integrated Manufacturing Training and Applied Research and its Centre for Advanced Visualization, as well as its specialized microelectronics, photonics and alternative energy technologies.

TourismTourism has emerged as the driving

force of Niagara’s economic renaissance and is a significant contributor to an industry sector that generates over $57 Billion to the Canadian economy. As the number one tourist destination in Ontario, the Niagara region receives 50% of all travelers entering the province and accounts for 40% of the Ontario tourism industry.

AgribusinessNiagara agriculture has been on a

real upswing in recent years and the region is now widely recognized as one of the drivers of Ontario’s $34 billion agricultural economy. Niagara is the heartland of the Canadian wine industry and is the anchor of a high profile, agri-food strategy for the region, including expanding greenhouse operations.

Perspective™ Niagara Region 2011 was produced independently of the Region of Niagara. Its contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the written consent of Perspective Marketing Inc. The publisher is not liable for any views expressed in the articles and these opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or the Region of Niagara.

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Trisha Manoukian

MedIa execuTIveSMedIa co-oRdINaToRMelanie carrier

cReaTIve dIRecToRJennifer cortez

vIce-PReSIdeNTed Martin

PublISHeRSteve Montague

think niagara. think original.

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For more on Niagara, visit niagaracanada.com

Produced by Perspective Marketing Inc. | 1464 Cornwall Road, Suite 5, Oakville, ON L6J 7W5 | 1-866-779-7712 | [email protected] | www.perspective.ca

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Niagara’s well-established automotive and manufacturing sectors are being joined by a range of innovative new companies and niche marketers from a variety of emerging industries.

Manufacturing has been the Niagara region’s most important economic sec-tor from the earliest days of settlement in this historic part of Ontario.

A number of strategic assets - the Welland Canal connecting local manu-facturers with industries in the Great Lakes Basin and internationally; prox-imity to major hydroelectric power sources radiating from Niagara Falls; an efficient provincial transportation network and border crossings linking Niagara with the US and continental markets; and a skilled workforce – all gave the region instant advantages in developing a diverse manufacturing base. These legacy assets continue to be key building blocks of a rejuvenated Niagara economy.

Like many regions within Ontario, Niagara manufacturers have experi-enced the impact of a changing manu-facturing environment. Increasingly, investment in new ideas, innovative product development, flexible services and the creation of an attractive invest-ment environment has emerged as a priority that is securing the future sus-tainability of Niagara’s goods-produc-ing economy.

Enterprising small to medium-sized Canadian manufacturers and technol-ogy companies with niche market prod-ucts and services are enjoying export success developing products that cus-tomers around the world want. Local goods producers are responding to the demands of a global economy and con-tinue to export their manufactured goods to over 95 countries and 47 American states. The region has a deep reservoir of agile, entrepreneurial managers and skilled workers that is increasing over-all capacity for diversification, innova-tion and the commercialization of good

ideas. A number of regional firms with

international operations and markets are providing leadership in this trans-formation of the manufacturing sector:• As part of its commitment to the

rebuilding of the automotive industry in Ontario, General Motors of Canada recently announced an investment of $235 million for a new generation of fuel efficient engines to be produced at the St. Catharines Engine Plant• One of Canada’s largest shipping

companies, Algoma Central Corpora-tion, headquartered in St.Catharines, is working with a team of international na-val architects and designers to develop a state-of-the-art, energy-efficient bulk carriers as part of its $400 Million fleet renewal program• Two large multinational companies,

Jungbunzlauer International and Casco Inc., have become the anchor tenants along Port Colborne’s Carbohydrate Valley. They are leading the way in af-firming the value of economic cluster-ing for regions, firms and workers.

Smaller, agile high technology firms are also enjoying export success by de-veloping niche market products that are in demand:• Handling Specialty Manufacturing

in Grimsby is an internationally-recog-nized engineering and manufacturing firm focused on producing customized, turn-key systems for complex material handling applications. It specializes in engineered-to-order mechanical, hy-draulic and pneumatic lifting solutions for material handling applications for specialized industries including auto-motive, aerospace, advanced manufac-turing, entertainment, process indus-tries and transportation• CRS Electronics in Welland, a

designer, manufacturer and distribu-tor of energy-saving light emitting diodes (LEDs), has emerged as one of Niagara’s pace-setting companies help-ing to expand the use of LEDs into a variety of fields in the transportation,

.srotces laicremmoc dna laitnediserCRS has been profiled by the national and business media as one of Canada’s rising high tech stars. • Accipiter Radar located in the Town

of Pelham has gained international rec-ognition for its expertise and applica-tion of radar technologies in the fields of avian strike prevention for airlines, coastal surveillance, vessel movement, border and port security• The ASI Group, headquartered in

Niagara with satellite office locations in North America, has become one of the world’s leading experts in water and wastewater engineering and underwa-ter inspection services• Rankin Construction Ltd, with head

offices in St. Catharines, is a diverse conglomerate specializing in highway, road, sewer, canal and bridge construc-

tion. Under the leadership of a team of engineers and skilled tradesmen, the company became one of the first entrants into Ontario’s commercial scale wind farm infrastructure development and remains at the forefront of the in-dustry with over a dozen projects com-pleted in across the province. Rankin has been extending its reach into the renewable energy field by developing three 2.0 Megwatt micro hydro electric power stations using the water power of the Welland Canal system, the first such projects to be build in Ontario in decades.

Niagara’s manufacturing base is un-dergoing a fundamental transformation. Many of the building blocks are already in place to redirect and transform the regional goods-producing economy. In Niagara’s manufacturing sector there is innovation, technological advance-ment, flexibility and diversification. Building on this momentum is helping set the stage for the new Niagara.

Niagara’s Traditional Manufacturing Sector Provides Strong Building Blocks for the Future

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$7,036,158,318 Value of Niagara/USA Cross Border Trade

Located in the heart of Southern Ontario and bordering on the United States, Niagara Canada is a major gateway to North America. The region is comprised of 12 municipalities nestled between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, with a population of 430,000 people.

Niagara is a wonderful place to live, work and play. From the spectacular Niagara Falls to beautiful parks, golf courses, orchards, vineyards, trails and gardens the area’s natural beauty is world renowned. The quality of life is excellent and the cost of living is affordable.

Niagara’s cities and towns are less than a one hour drive to Toronto, Buffalo or Western New York. Its businesses are within one day’s drive of 55% of all U.S. manufacturing activity, and almost half of the U.S. population. In addition, Niagara is accessible worldwide through

the St. Lawrence Seaway and historic Welland Canal.

The Niagara border is the second busiest commercial crossing between the U.S. and Canada, carrying 19% of all trade between the two countries. To support this, Niagara has a strong logistics industry with a large number of companies providing a full-range of transportation services and immediate access to the U.S. market.

The region has become an ideal and highly competitive location for expansion, growth and diversification of its industrial base. Overall costs in Niagara are very competitive compared to other cities in the central North American industrial region. An abundant supply of electricity, water and natural gas, competitively priced land and buildings and reasonable base wages and low benefit costs all contribute to helping support lower overall business startup and operating costs.

Research and development tax credits serve to encourage innovation within local companies. Credits are available through:

Niagara College: Niagara Research & the Research and Innovation Division (applied research)

Vineland Innovation and Research Centre: Horticulture and floriculture research, innovation and commercial activity

McMaster University: Manufactur-ing Research Institute; Niagara College & Brock University Partnership in the Golden Horseshoe Biosciences Net-work

Brock University Research: Niagara Health and Bioscience Research Complex, Cool Climate Oenology & Viticulture Institute, Centre for the Digital Humanities

The Welland Canal is just one of the unique advantages of doing business in Niagara

Easy access to North America and global marketsWell-integrated transportation infrastructure; Niagara is served by multi-lane highways, three international and local airports, and the Welland Canal connecting Lake Erie and Lake OntarioHigh speed, advanced fibre-optic networks linking Niagara to domestic and international marketsProactive regional and municipal government, committed to continually improving business processes including taxes, development charges, and planning approvalsA labour force of 216,000 highly skilled, well-educated peopleClose proximity of several post-secondary education institutions including Niagara College and Brock UniversitySpecialized training facilities like Niagara College’s Technology Skills Centre offer business technology support A multicultural society: over 20% of Niagara residents speak a second languageAn internationally welcoming community: the region’s diverse tourism base alone attracts over 14 million visitors annually

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Niagara Canada offers many competitive advantages to business including:

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Live, work, play. Finding the ideal balance comes naturally in Niagara. The quality of life is immensely attractive, with a widely varied and reasonably priced housing supply available in each of the dozen distinctive communities in the region.

Situated between two Great Lakes, Niagara enjoys a unique microclimate, conducive not only to its world-famous fruit orchards and thriving vineyards but also to the year-round enjoyment of those who live here.

Recreational and leisure opportunities abound, with Niagara’s multitude of parks, hiking and biking trails, conservation areas, sports fields and

community centres, as well as its array of championship calibre golf courses. Annual arts, festivals and cultural events reflect both the centuries-old traditions of Niagara and the diverse backgrounds of immigrants welcomed to the area more recently.

Opportunities for higher education are available at both Brock University and Niagara College. The Region’s hospitals and health care facilities are excellent, as is Niagara’s police force. Shopping is plentiful, from big malls to one-of-a-kind stores on downtown streets to farmer’s markets. Public transit makes it easy to get around and enjoy it all.

With such an attractive quality of life, it’s simply nicer in Niagara.

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Situated in the heart of North Amer-ica’s most affluent consumer market, Niagara Falls, Ontario is a dynamic, mid-sized city that welcomes 12 million visitors each year.

Capitalizing on its Canada/United States border location and proximity to the Greater Toronto Area, this world-class destination continues to see new investments in many of its key econom-ic sectors.

A Global Tourism Destination: Home to two casino gaming resorts, brand name attractions, cultural/eco-tourism, hotels, championship golf courses, and award-winning wineries, the newly opened $100-million Scotiabank Con-vention Centre is expected to bring 500,000 new visitors and $93 million in spin-off expenditures annually to the lo-cal economy.

Retail/Commercial: National and in-ternational retailers continue to invest and expand their operations at the city’s regional shopping malls, power centres and arts and culture districts.

Manufacturing: Niagara Falls con-tinues to be the North American head-quarters for international transportation equipment, metal fabrication manufac-turers and a preferred Canadian location for food and beverage processing and distribution centres. Generations of in-dependently owned manufacturing and fabrication businesses have invested in leading-edge manufacturing technolo-gies and established strategic partner-ships to better serve the manufacturing needs of global customers.

Knowledge-based Enterprises: A growing knowledge-based and profes-sional services sector is home to engi-

neering firms, digital and interactive media studios, and financial services providers.

Green Energy: With more than 80% of Ontario’s hydro-electric power gen-eration already coming from Niagara Falls, our green energy sector continues to grow! Ontario Power Generation’s new $1.6-billion Niagara Tunnel Proj-ect will create an additional 1.6 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity a year starting in 2013, and new solar, wind, and geothermal developments are on the way.

There’s plenty of room to grow or expand your business in Niagara Falls. An attractive inventory of affordable commercial land is readily available and the City-owned Montrose Business Park provides prestige industrial land along-side the Q.E.W. highway. Community

Improvement Plans offer incentives and assistance with brownfield rede-velopment projects city-wide and in the downtown and the Historic Drummond-ville districts.

Niagara Falls provides a work-life balance that’s hard to beat with its dynamic business community, strong education system, cultural and recreational attractions, and vibrant neighbourhoods. New residential de-velopments, schools, retail, and com-mercial areas offer a wealth of choice, while growing community amenities such as the new $35-million Gale Centre four-pad arena complex, and an exten-sive parks and cycling trail network, offer endless recreational possibilities.

Niagara Falls, Ontario: A Global Home For Business. www.niagarafalls.ca

Niagara Falls: A Global Brand for Business

Welcome to niagaracanada.com

Niagara Canada’s Window to the World

Niagara has always made a monumental impacton the world. Now there is a new website that ispromoting Niagara throughout cyberspace andaround the globe ---- niagaracanada.com.

The website serves as a powerful communicationsand marketing platform that effectively tellsNiagara’s story to the world: that Niagara is avibrant, diversified, exciting place where “naturalpower and people power come together in oneperfect location.” The website is a portal for peo-ple to understand and appreciate everythingabout Niagara, and its ideal location for invest-ment and superb quality of life. The diversity ofthis ever-evolving website accurately reflects theabundant diversity of the Niagara region itself.

You will find the latest economic news aboutNiagara, including interesting features, videos,and profiles of the people, places and businessesacross the region. It has a cutting-edge mobilewebsite application, incorporates web 2.0 func-tionality, and is accessible through our socialmedia links that connect Niagara to the globalcommunity. NEDC will be continually refreshingthe content and introducing new technicalenhancements to meet the expectations of themany audiences that view the site.

We invite you to visit niagaracanada.com and dis-cover what makes Niagara a truly original place.

Guy Graveline, Director of Marketing, NEDC

1. Site SelectionA dedicated section just for site selectors, whichprovides helpful business relocation and expansioninformation about the Niagara region: availablecommercial properties, GIS mapping, variousregional maps, business improvement areas, andredevelopment opportunities.

2. Video and MultimediaThe media centre includes videos about Niagaraand profiles of Niagara success stories, testimonials,features on emerging innovative companies, a pho-tos and images database, community and businessnewsletters, and “Niagara on the Move” economichighlights.

3. Business ResearchOur Business Research section provides regionaleconomic data, economic reports, important busi-ness links, information on Niagara’s top employersand local business development offices, municipalprofiles, business support and financing, Niagara’seconomic growth strategy, and regional maps.

Natural Power and People Power.Together in One Perfect Location.

Emerging CompaniesTell Niagara’s Story

The growth of Niagara’s emerging clustersis being nurtured both by innovative com-panies in the private sector and by signifi-cant investments from supportive federal,provincial and regional governments.

The promotion of these emerging clustersis a crucial factor in their future potentialgrowth. NEDC’s work in raising awarenessof our Green Energy, Bio-Products, DigitalMedia and Health and Wellness clusterscontinues to contribute to the success ofcompanies in these new fields.

NEDC has produced a series of new videosthat profile three of Niagara’s emergingeconomic clusters. As leaders in Niagara’seconomic renewal, these companies attractdomestic and international recognition andinvestment.

NEDC is actively promoting each of thevideos on the website, as well as throughsocial media and other interactive medi-ums. To view the videos, go to the landingpage of niagaracanada.com or to ourYouTube channel, NEDCanada.

4. Invest in NiagaraClick on “Invest in Niagara” and go to “Investment,Growth and Development” for information on morethan $5 billion in economic projects across Niagara:projects completed, projects currently underway,and projects recently announced.

5. Niagara Business NewsThere is always news happening in Niagara, and it isan active region for ongoing business investmentand exciting projects and activities. You can visitthe niagaracanada.com website daily for real timeupdates on funding announcements, job creation,developing sectors and industries, and other impor-tant stories that reflect Niagara’s diverse and evolv-ing economy.

6. Business DirectoryOur free online Business Directory allows users toconduct research on over 6500 of Niagara’s localbusinesses. You can search by company name, loca-tion and/or business category to find the contactinformation, website and mapped location of com-panies across the region. A CD-ROM version is alsoavailable.

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Home to Niagara Falls, one of the world’s most majestic natural icons, Canada’s Niagara region projects an international image as a haven for tourist attractions appealing to visitors from around the globe.

In the agricultural world, Niagara Canada is known as a powerhouse of an entirely different kind – an agribusiness centre widely acclaimed for its lush vineyards and orchards, world-renowned wineries, upscale regional cuisine and manufactured goods designed to meet the demands of today’s consumer markets.

Building on the knowledge and experience brought to Ontario by European settlers over the past 200 plus years, Niagara’s agricultural sector–always a mainstay of the economy–has seen an upswing in recent years.

A diverse agriculture and agribusiness economy has become the cornerstone of Niagara’s resurgent rural economy, spurred by new growing practices and niche businesses related to the cultivation of floral, vegetable and other horticultural products introduced centuries ago by the Dutch and other European settlers.

The bottom-line impact of the region’s output of agricultural commodities and its diverse base of agribusinesses, including its high profile food and wine industry sectors, is now widely recognized as one of the drivers of Ontario’s $34 billion agricultural economy.

The diversity of agricultural products and expertise in developing efficient, technology-based processes to maximize the potential and profitability has not gone unnoticed in the investment community. Many growers and agribusiness companies are discovering the strategic advantages of locating in Niagara, Canada. The region has untapped potential to develop new

product lines, expand markets and create jobs that sustain careers, families and the attractive lifestyles enjoyed by residents in the region.

Horticulture and greenhouse operations

Niagara’s greenhouses are a burgeoning success – the largest and fastest growing sector of the regional agricultural economy. With more than 250 greenhouse operations, the region is one of Canada’s most concentrated agribusiness clusters with over 18 mil-lion square feet of growing space under glass or plastic, producing floral and vegetable products for both domestic and export markets.

A substantial infrastructure of lead-ing-edge secondary manufacturers of greenhouse products (including green-house structures and environmental control systems) and a diverse range of design, marketing and consulting services support the larger North American greenhouse industry.

The regional greenhouse industry is a ‘hot bed’ of product diversification, technology innovation and market development. Growers are moving beyond traditional floriculture products by making investments in new products and related secondary industries that support the sector.

The Niagara Culinary Trail, a unique agri-tourism attraction, winds its way through the area, connecting visitors with the bounty and tastes of the region.

Grape and wine industryNiagara is the heartland of the

Canadian grape and wine industry. A favourable microclimate enables over 60 varieties of grapes to be grown in the distinctive grape-growing sub-regions of Niagara. Here, over 80% of the nation’s viticulture acreage and

a cluster of over 70 large and small wineries come together to produce award-winning wines, including the region’s internationally recognized ice wines, providing an unforgettable taste experience.

Entrepreneurial industry champions are continually enhancing this growing sector of the agribusiness economy by developing new wine products, export markets, and unique festivals and events. Winding through the region, a Niagara Wine Route guides visitors to the smaller cottage wineries nestled in the small towns and rural areas of Niagara. Many larger wineries offer a full suite of onsite wine tours and appreciation seminars, dining experiences, and live entertainment for discriminating consumers.

Canada’s signature teaching winery and brewery, experimental vineyards and on-campus upscale dining form part of the Canadian Food and Wine Institute located on the Glendale

Campus of Niagara College. In addition, Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute has become a hub of basic and applied research activity centered around crop improvement, vine stock diversification and disease control. Both institutions attract students, researchers and wine production practitioners from around the world.

The commitment to grow and innovate Niagara’s agricultural economy is relentless. Regional farmers are producing more valued commodities; agribusiness practitioners are mastering new technologies that expand their knowledge base and production methods; food producers are finding new niche markets for consumer products; and agricultural research and commercialization activities at the region’s educational and research institutions are helping position Niagara as the hotbed of Ontario’s agribusiness economy.

Niagara: A Hotbed of Ontario’s Agribusiness Economy

CHOOSE MOHAWKContact for more information:

Tel: 905.575.2000 | Toll free in Canada: 1.866.410.4795Email: [email protected] | www.mohawkcollege.ca

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Niagara’s Economic Growth Strategy Steering Committee and community leaders have identified four priority growth sectors that will provide significant business development and investment opportunities over the medium and long term.

In each of these emerging clusters, a number of bold and original thinkers are making their mark – innovative entrepreneurs whose cutting-edge, local companies are playing a dynamic role in the region’s transformation to a knowledge-based economy.

Bio-ProductsNew technologies are developing

and converging, spurring the growth of a burgeoning Ontario biotechnology industry.

The province is now home to a diverse group of bio-based industries, innovative new manufacturing processes and on-going research activity. And investors and developers have awakened to the attractions of the Niagara Region’s own biotechnology base in particular.

Niagara has many unique competitive advantages perfectly suited to the emerging bioeconomy – a long-

established agricultural and agrifood business infrastructure; institutional bioscience research; industry expertise drawn from a number of leading-edge companies; and abundant supplies of water, energy and biomass.

Collectively, these assets have helped attract businesses in a variety of growing sub-industries within the bioproducts field, from waste-to-energy conversion to industrial fermentation.

The roster of current activity in bioenergy and biochemicals is forming the backbone of an exciting new industry cluster for Niagara. Increasingly, small and medium-sized companies are helping to unlock the inherent economic potential of the region with their niche bioproducts, services and markets, and through focused institutional support from both government and academic partners.

Niagara’s natural and man-made assets are providing a firm foundation for future growth and innovation in the bioeconomy, making it the ideal location for your bio-based business.

Green EnergyNiagara’s natural abundance is

matched by the multitude of companies that have found a home here, in a wide range of emerging business sectors perfectly suited to the region.

Many forward-thinking companies in Niagara are now focusing on significant opportunities within the green energy

“We’ve found the perfect work/play balance here

in Niagara Region”- Denis Dyack, President

Silicon Knights Interactive Gaming Developers

“In my life I have always strived for perfection.

For my wine business I have found it here, in the

Niagara Region” - Mike Weir, Proprietor,

Mike Weir Wine

“Our future is brighter, here, in the Niagara

Region.” - Scott Riesebosch,

President, CRS Electronics, Specialists in LED Lighting

Technologies

Original Thinkers. Original Innovators.

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sector, including solar, wind and other renewable energies.

It is only natural that Niagara’s highly competitive manufacturing base should be applying its depth of knowledge in heavy metal fabrication to new opportunities to manufacture wind energy components. Indeed, the region is poised to become a major player in wind energy development, thanks to public and private investment, and the area’s many natural, locational and infrastructure advantages.

At the same time, Niagara is gaining a high profile among domestic and international investors seeking opportunities in solar energy development. The Niagara Industrial Association, a consortium of regional

manufacturers, is leading a drive to diversify its operations and make inroads into not only wind energy but solar and other green energy component manufacturing, while small entrepreneurial companies are exploring niche markets in the same sectors.

With a number of local projects in active development and the committed support of regional government in developing sustainable communities, Niagara is attracting green energy companies and jobs, and working towards a greener future for us all.

Digital MediaDigital media is the playground

of visionaries, for it is creativity that drives this unique entrepreneurial business. The Niagara region is uniquely positioned to provide a strong labour pool of researchers, creatives

and programmers, as well as a fertile environment where they have the opportunity to strengthen their talents.

The world competes on an international digital media stage and the Niagara region is poised to surge forward. Niagara’s Interactive Corridor offers both attractive and competitive options for investment in this emerging economy. Niagara is engaging all levels of government and industry and education partners who together are nurturing a sector that is becoming an economic cornerstone of the new Niagara.

As a competitive player in the Digital and Interactive Media sector, Niagara has successfully launched Niagara Interactive Media Generator, which is a business incubator for local entrepreneurs involved in digital media development.

Health & Wellness /Life Sciences

Niagara’s enviable lifestyle has attracted seniors from across Canada, and the need for new health-related services, products and delivery systems offers enormous growth potential.

A new hospital for the Niagara health system, coupled with new health care teaching facilities currently under construction at both Brock University and Niagara College, are enabling Niagara to attract investments from related medical, diagnostic and clinical testing firms wishing to become part of the region’s growing cross-section of specialized health services.

“The Niagara Region fosters high tech

innovation. The data bears this out.”

- John Bordynuik, President John Bordynuik Inc.

Data Recovery

“Our location in the Niagara Region is a vital element in our continued growth”- Dr. Yousef Haj-Ahmad, President Norgen Biotek

Interested in locating your business in Niagara and joining our Original Thinkers and Innovators? Contact Valerie Kuhns at 905-685-1308 ext. 3257 or visit us at niagaracanada.com.

“ Our graduates, programs and industry partnerships are driving

growth, innovation and investment in the

Niagara Region.” - Dr. Dan Patterson, President,

Niagara College

FOR TODAY AND THE NEEDS OF THE NEXTGENERATION.

ONTARIO POWER

Electricity powers our smart phones and our dishwashers.

It powers the lights in our schools and our ice rinks.

It also powers our factories and our offi ce buildings.

And that means electricity powers Ontario’s economy.

Today, we’re building more power sources for the needs of tomorrow

by expanding our clean, renewable hydro capacity.

Deep beneath the City of Niagara Falls we’ve just fi nished drilling the

Niagara Tunnel. When construction is completed in 2013 this 10.2 km

tunnel will provide more water to the Sir Adam Beck plants - enough to

power an additional 160,000 homes every year.

It’s an ambitious project, but clean energy projects like the Niagara

Tunnel are exactly what we as Ontarians need to supply our homes,

our businesses and the businesses that haven’t yet made Ontario their

home. The Niagara Tunnel will generate low-cost power for a hundred

years or more.

And that’s something our next generation and the generation after that

can count on.

For the full story go to opg.com

OPG_HydroDam_4.5x10(white).indd 1 11-08-16 12:20 PM

In today’s business climate of in-creasing operating and energy costs, it is refreshing to know that it is possible to optimize the return on your invest-ment.

Did you know that through Ontario’s Green Energy and Economy Act, the roof of your building can earn money? A number of Ontario building owners and businesses have already taken ad-vantage of this opportunity by installing solar modules on their properties.

Systems are mounted on your roof and can be either angled at 35 degrees to the sun for maximum energy capture, in the case of a flat roof or surface mounted for pitched roofs.

Niagara Windpower Inc., has received an Ontario Power Authority contract to supply electricity into the grid for the next twenty years.

It is reasonable for a 10 kW (kilo-watt) system, occupying 900 square feet of roof surface to …

Earn $11,000.00 to $13,000.00 dollars of revenue a year.Provide a fixed return on invest-ment between 12 and 14 per cent for twenty years, (far superior to many investments)With little to zero riskMake you feel good about your effort to protect the environment for future generationsRequires little or no maintenance

Of course larger systems will earn significantly more money.

From initial site and resource assess-ment, through working with stakehold-ers and partners to acquire connection agreements, state of the art components and financing, to final project construc-tions and commissioning, Niagara

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Windpower Inc. provides expert advice for any aspect of your FIT or micro-FIT project.

Niagara Windpower Inc.‘s real strength lies in their people; knowledge-able individuals who are responsive to and respectful of customers, colleagues and the environment. They pride them-selves on being accountable and provid-ing value to the communities they live and work in; providing quality products and services; exhibiting fairness and integrity in all relationships and devel-oping long-term mutually beneficial partnerships.

Niagara Windpower Inc., a leading Ontario renewable energy company with multiple commercial projects in development across the province, is unique in Ontario’s Green Energy land-scape because it is the only entirely Ontario-owned and managed company operating in Niagara that has been placed on the Ontario Vendor’s list as a preferred Vendor. With over 140 instal-lations to their credit, it is this expertise that Niagara Windpower offers to prop-erty and building owners who want to earn money while making the world a better place.

For a free site evaluation, please call Niagara Windpower at 905-892-2276 – 1-888-273-2870

Serving Southwestern Ontario since 1996 in the Renewable Energy industry.

Discover How Niagara Windpower Inc. and Alternative

Energy Can Earn You Money

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Ships Ahoy!

w w w.stcatharines.ca 1-800-305-5134

For more information or to book a tour or event contact us at: 1932 Welland Canals Pkwy.St. Catharines, [email protected]

Discover and ExploreThe St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre is the most popular place to watch ships as they navigate one of the world’s engineering marvels – the Welland Canal. Observe these giants from the observation deck or from the 2nd floor Lock View Lounge.

During your visit to the site, take time to explore the Museum’s exhibition galleries where local history is brought to life. The outdoor Discovery Park provides an added opportunity to soak up the local history or to just enjoy a picnic in the tranquil surroundings.

Don’t forget to stop into Merritt’s Mercantile and pick up a souvenir of your visit or browse through the local history books and DVD’s for sale. The St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre is also the perfect place to host your birthday parties, special events, meetings or conferences.

Visit one of our 5 locations to view our fleetBurlington • Hamilton • Kitchener • Niagara Falls • Vaughan

Tel: 905-318-5481 • Toll Free: 1-866-205-5466 • www.mermaidlimo.com

Mermaid Limousine Service, a family owned and operated business was established in Hamilton in 1996 and servicing the Hamilton area. Mermaid Limo has grown to accommodate the regions needs, including an expansion in Burlington (2008) Niagara Falls (2009) Vaughan (2010) and furthermore, Kitchener (2011).

At Mermaid Limousine we have the flexibility to shuttle 723 passengers at one point- With over 45 vehicles to serve.

As you prepare for one of the most memorable days of your life, it is important that your transportation needs are handled flawlessly. Celebrate your wedding in the luxury and elegances of one of our Mermaid Limousines’. Let Mermaid Limousine handle all the transportation needs for your special celebration. Why drive yourself and be concerned about drinking and driving when Mermaid Limousine can chauffeur you and your friends in style.

Allowing Mermaid Limousine the opportunity to chauffeur your friends is the perfect method to say thank you. Forget the hassles of navigation, traffic, and parking, at Mermaid Limousine we are on standby service for you and will take you right to the front doors. Mermaid Limousine will make your wedding unforgettable!

Mermaid Limo Service

www.sctchamber.com

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