NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release
March 11, 2011

Supporting Innovation And Creating Jobs In Halton Region

McGuinty Government Helps Local Entrepreneurs Bring Ideas To Life

 

NEWS

Halton Region’s HalTech is now part of the Ontario Network of Excellence (ONE) .

ONE consists of 14 regional innovation centres across Ontario. These centres help local entrepreneurs bring innovative ideas to the marketplace, such as new ways to treat disease, cleaner ways to produce power and next-generation digital entertainment. 

The centres give entrepreneurs access to a broad range of experts, including researchers, academics, businesses, government and investors, who can help sell an idea and grow a business worldwide.

Supporting made-in-Ontario technologies is part of Ontario’s strategy to make innovation a driving force of Ontario’s economy, and supports the Open Ontario Plan to build new opportunities for economic growth and jobs.

QUOTES

“The strength of Ontario’s creative environment, diverse culture, highly skilled workforce, world-class education system, internationally recognized research community and proven entrepreneurs is second to none.  ONE links these talents together across the province to ensure all great ideas have the opportunity to flourish — creating jobs and improving our lives now and in the future.”
— Glen Murray, Minister of Research and Innovation

“Oakville is recognized for its staggering innovative talent.  Halton Region boasts world-class institutions like Sheridan College and global sensations like Pipeline Studios.  The launch of HalTech and its connection to the rest of the province’s brightest minds through ONE, will further the development of our knowledge economy, creating more local, high-quality jobs — now and for generations to come.”
— Kevin Flynn , MPP for Oakville

QUICK FACTS

• In 2008-2009, Ontario’s local innovation centres helped our province’s technology-based entrepreneurs and companies: create and retain more than 3,400 jobs, protect over 1,300 new ideas through patents and copyrights, develop nearly 900 prototypes, bring more than 700 products and services to the market and sell to more than 3,500 new customers.
• It is estimated that ONE will increase these numbers dramatically, by providing more coordinated, immediate and specialized help that is accessible across the province.
• In Halton Region, local thinking and support for innovation has already produced successful companies like Pipeline Studios Inc. (PSi).  PSi specializes in the production of quality family entertainment.  The award-winning company employs 90 digital artists, many graduates of Sheridan College’s internationally renowned animation programs.  It pushes the envelope by applying innovative production techniques, and has an impressive production portfolio that includes: The Adventures of Chuck & Friends, Bubble Guppies, Handy Manny, Sidekick, Scaredy Squirrel, Babar, Grossology, Willa’s Wild Life, Guess with Jess, Doki, Yahero, and the award-winning Nick Jr. series The Backyardigans.

LEARN MORE

About Halton Region innovation success stories.
About the Ontario Network of Excellence .
About Ontario's Innovation Agenda.
About the government’s Open Ontario Plan .

---

See also:

• Backgrounder: Supporting Innovation and Creating Jobs Across Ontario
• Success Stories
• For the media
• Photo Gallery