NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
December 16, 2010
Supporting Innovation And Creating Jobs In Durham Region
McGuinty Government Supporting Entrepreneurs, Bringing Local Ideas To Life
NEWS
Innovation Durham Northumberland has been selected to join the new Ontario Network of Excellence (ONE) 
.
ONE consists of 14 regional innovation centres across Ontario. These centres help local entrepreneurs bring new and innovative ideas to the marketplace, such as new ways to treat disease, cleaner ways to produce power and next-generation digital entertainment.
The centres also 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
“Ontario’s new network will help businesses harness the power of ideas, research and invention to create the next technology, life-changing therapy and automotive breakthrough here in Durham ONE puts the power in the hands of regional hubs and business to make innovation possible, affordable and inevitable.”
— Reza Moridi, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Research and Innovation
“Through our new network, Durham region’s entrepreneurs and talented researchers have a more integrated, collaborative way to translate new discoveries into products and services that can be marketed to the world, and life-changing therapies that can be used in our hospitals. This community has some of the most inventive, creative minds – it’s time to harness that power of innovation to its maximum potential.”
— Joe Dickson , MPP, Ajax-Pickering
“Innovation Durham Northumberland will bring together this area’s community of talented entrepreneurial firms and the excellent research capability that exists in our own backyard. Through ONE we can link to other Regional Innovation Centres across the province to share costs, ideas and resources to create a synergy leading to mutual success.”
— Jacquie Hoornweg , Chair, Innovation Durham Northumberland
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 Durham Region, local thinking and support for innovation has already produced successful companies, like GreenWorks Solar Power. Its breakthrough solar products for farmland has the potential to help farmers turn unused land into revenue-generating power sources.
LEARN MORE
About Durham region innovation success stories.
About the Ontario Network of Excellence (ONE) .
About Ontario's Innovation Agenda.
About the government’s Open Ontario Plan .
See also:
