Increasingly, Canadian cities are discovering that supporting and fostering a vibrant ecosystem that connects business, academics, and government can accelerate innovation, drive economic and environmental sustainability, and enhance quality of life for residents. Ontario’s Richmond Hill is leading the way, and we spoke to Mayor David West to find out what the city is doing to enable businesses, people, and ideas to thrive.

How does innovation shape the city’s policies?  

Innovation is rooted in the work we do, helping us make data-driven decisions to support inclusive growth. Innovation isn’t a buzzword to us. We’ve created an environment that enables tech talent and ideas to flourish, and we’re getting noticed because of it. The Urban Economy Forum selected Richmond Hill to be the first Frontrunner City in Canada, enhancing opportunities for collaboration with business and academic partners to inspire local initiatives that have global potential as models of sustainable urbanization. This has global importance, because the innovative ideas, services, and products that are developed in Richmond Hill can be exported to the world. 

How does the Centre for Local Innovation and Collaboration accelerate economic growth and innovation? 

We partnered with OCAD University and Centennial College to launch the Centre for Local Innovation and Collaboration (CLIC), which connects local businesses with research and development opportunities through government funding initiatives. We’re helping companies take their business to the next level, by creating a platform for knowledge exchange. We bring in expertise from our Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC) and OCAD university and work together with researchers to uncover market insights and develop new products and services through a design-thinking lens. Already, 50 local businesses have gone through the program, and some have seen a lot of success as a result. Working with the Centre, businesses have an opportunity to develop and grow faster. 

How does the city’s commitment to environmental stewardship support innovation?

We have long championed environmental sustainability and digital transformation to create a hub for innovation, sustainable development, and economic resilience. Our community serves as a living lab for innovative ideas. We were the first municipality to use artificial intelligence technology from Visual Defence, a local company, to detect and fix potholes faster. We believe cleantech innovation has huge potential for energy efficiency, waste reduction, and green building practices. And the United Nations University recently chose Richmond Hill for the headquarters of its Institute for Water, Environment and Health. We were selected because of our commitment to sustainability, our skilled and educated workforce, and the many opportunities we offer for partnership with the private sector.

What’s the Richmond Hill advantage?

Richmond Hill has long been central to the Greater Toronto Area. We have great transportation infrastructure, and soon the Yonge North subway extension will create even greater connection to the region. We also have a highly educated workforce, with 79 percent of our population having post-secondary education, and the highest number of STEM graduates per capita than any other city in Canada. Richmond Hill is home to high-tech companies across diverse sectors, including medical, microelectronics, finance, and environmental. Richmond Hill is a great place to do business. It’s also a great place to live.

Reach out to the City of Richmond Hill’s Economic Development team to learn more about the opportunities for business success and innovation.

The post How Richmond Hill is Powering Innovation and Business Success  appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Peter Kuelken

Councillor,
Woodlands County

Where natural beauty meets economic innovation,
Woodlands County is shaping a sustainable and prosperous future.

Winding its way through the heart of Alberta is the picturesque, fluid, and very powerful Athabasca River. Woodlands County encompasses over 250 kilometers of the river, and has also established itself as picturesque, fluid, and economically powerful. Woodlands County is located 180 kilometers northwest of Edmonton. The municipality is approximately 7,600 km2 in area and is located within Treaty 6 and Treaty 8 territories. Woodlands County features a large variety of landscapes including large forest reserves, rivers, resource extraction areas, agriculture, recreational areas, wildlife habitats, and settlement areas.

A strategic vision for growth

Central to the County’s Strategic goals, their Mission Statement reads, “We are a diverse and welcoming rural community that strives to provide exceptional opportunities for our families, businesses, and industries for the benefit of current and future generations.” Local action supports this statement. The County is reviewing its key land use documents with the desired outcome of streamlining local development and reducing red tape so that projects can be completed with the proper authorizations as quickly and affordably as possible. Reeve, Dave Kusch commented, “Our Council is very aware that our local economy will evolve and change. We are actively looking for economic projects that not only grow our local economy, but that fit strategically into our existing community and add to our stability and sustainability. Our land use tools including our newly adopted Municipal Development Plan and our current review of our Land Use Bylaw create great local opportunities for all levels of new investment.”

We are a diverse and welcoming rural community that strives to provide exceptional opportunities for our families, businesses, and industries for the benefit of current and future generations.

Empowering economic opportunities

Woodlands isn’t just focused on itself; the spotlight is regional. Partnerships are key to the regions ongoing success. While there are several hamlets and the Town Whitecourt located within the County, surrounding Towns and Counties are an important part of the local economy. The workforce, and of course tourists, aren’t focused on municipal boundaries. Peter Kuelken stated, “As a Councillor, I have been appointed to Chair our regional economic development alliance. This entity is examining how we can address both the economic and socio-economic needs of residents in our region. Building strong partnerships is our path forward and we’re actively working towards this goal, because we know we can get further together.”

Advancing energy and industry

Woodlands County is a proven location for industrial development. Home to numerous forestry processing facilities, electrical generation plants, natural gas processing plants, and a wide variety of agricultural operations. The County continues to work with Site Selectors and others to draw the interest of other industrial projects. An announced carbon storage hub will sequester the emissions of a proposed natural gas-fired, combined-cycle power plant. Further details will be announced in 2025.

Forestry, Agriculture, Tourism, and Energy are the pillars of the local economy and each of these industries is dynamic and opportunistic. As a rural area, living in the presence of nature is the way of life. This includes respecting the environment in all we do. All current industrial entities, large and small, in the County understand this concept and work purposefully to ensure they are excellent stewards of our environment. Woodlands County is Naturally Economic!

To learn more visit woodlands.ab.ca/p/site-selection.

The post Building a Prosperous Future in Woodlands County appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Alectra is partnering with commercial and government sectors to enable electrification of vehicles, fleets, and transit systems.

Businesses and public entities are actively transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) as part of their net-zero approach: decarbonizing fleets, transit systems, and vehicles through electric mobility is a solution that can be acted upon today. 

On the surface, the eMobility concept is straightforward, but in actuality, it can be full of implementation and operational risks, as well as being capital intensive. Organizations would serve their net zero aspirations well by working with proven service providers to ensure the long-term success of their electrification transition. 

One such provider is Alectra Inc., which is partnering with public and private entities to address the technical and economic challenges of EV infrastructure implementation and has already deployed hundreds of EV charging stations.  Through its utility arm, Alectra Utilities Corporation, the largest municipally-owned utility in Canada based on customer size, Alectra is present in 17 communities in the Greater Toronto, Niagara and Hamilton Areas, serving over 1.1 million customers. Alectra Inc.’s commercial arm, Alectra Energy Solutions Inc., is actively developing customized EV solutions for its valued commercial customers, including municipalities, fleet owners, and transit agencies. 

Enabling eMobility    

The Government of Canada has mandated that all new light-duty cars and passenger trucks be zero-emission by 2035. To help meet that goal, Natural Resources Canada’s ZEVIP program was created to address a key barrier to the adoption of EVs in Canada — namely, a distinct lack of charging stations. Over the years, Alectra Utilities has been both a recipient and a ‘delivery organization’ for this funding, helping to bring millions of dollars to work towards successfully rolling out EV chargers across Ontario. And Alectra Utilities intends to continue leveraging funding opportunities as they arise.  

The Government of Canada has mandated that all new light-duty cars and passenger trucks be zero- emission by 2035.

But even without funding, Alectra Inc.’s affiliate, Alectra Energy Solutions, is offering tailored EV infrastructure solutions to private and public entities through flexible contracts, minimal to no upfront capital outlay, and an overall positive EV charging experience for customers.

Paving the way to electrification  

Since 2017, Alectra has been conducting research and customer engagement, educating customers about EVs, and running eMobility demonstration projects to test new business models. “These smart charging initiatives inform our development activities as well as our advocacy positions,” says Neetika Sathe, Vice-President of the Alectra Green Energy and Technology Centre (GRE&T Centre), Alectra Utilities’ dedicated innovation hub. “For example, we’re working in the residential sector to test intelligent charging solutions that reduce the impact on grid-edge infrastructure and help us identify how infrastructure can be provided in multi-family buildings.”

Alectra Utilities believes it is imperative for local distribution companies to play a role in providing eMobility services to customers. “Customers can get access to rate options, actionable information, and funding while utilities get visibility into customer needs, enabling them to plan and operate the system effectively. Alectra Utilities’ aim is to be a trusted ally to our customers, we strive to develop relationships that empower our customers to participate in load management programs that can make the grid run more efficiently and reliably,” says Sathe.

eMobility for businesses 

Alectra Inc.’s competitive affiliate, Alectra Energy Solutions, is also enabling organizations to reap the benefits of EVs by delivering eMobility solutions that are simple, dependable, and aligned with clients’ commercial aspirations. 

Alectra Energy Solutions does this by taking on the implementation, financing, and operational risks of tailored EV charging infrastructure. Their flexible, partner-based approach takes pressure and risk off organizations, leaving Alectra Energy Solutions to shoulder turnkey responsibility for the development, financing, installation, and reliable operation of EV-related infrastructure and systems. 

“Our approach takes the implementation risks and financial hurdles away from our commercial customers, while allowing for flexibility in EV charging solutions that work with their business,” explains Ariel Bautista, Director of eMobility at Alectra Energy Solutions. “Organizations can focus their capital investments on their core operations, while achieving their decarbonization goals faster. With our trusted and experienced team, we are putting the customer experience first, delivering successful eMobility solutions that just work,” says Bautista.

In addition to EV charging solutions, Alectra Energy Solutions brings added value to its partners by delivering infrastructure solutions both in front and behind the meter, which can include on-site generation such as solar PV systems, and on-site battery energy storage. This comprehensive suite of distributed energy solutions can help customers manage their peak load to mitigate electricity costs and ensure economically viable energy solutions.

With its proven track record, deep understanding of customer reliability needs, operational expertise, and financial strength, Alectra Inc. is uniquely positioned to enable the electric mobility transition across North America. 

Visit alectrasolutions.com/emobility to learn more.

The post How Alectra Inc. is Enabling Electrification of Transportation appeared first on HiveInnovates.

Large commercial buildings account for significant greenhouse gas emissions. Stronger action is needed to meet ambitious environmental targets. One Canadian company has an innovative solution.

Rooftop solar panels are well-known, but what about solar walls? This is the kind of leading-edge technology that Elemex has developed and is proving successful in not only creating greener buildings, but also generating renewable power. 

With over 50 years of experience in the building materials industry, Elemex perfected the use of aluminum composite panels, and then created a sintered ceramic facade called Ceramitex. These building exteriors are strong, durable, and resist chemical staining and graffiti. 

Design flexibility

Redefining the standard of facade innovation, Elemex created Solstex, a building integrated facade system designed to harness the power of the sun. The company’s proprietary Unity attachment technology allows for seamless integration of different facade panels that come in a palette of colours to allow for design flexibility. 

“We wanted to fill a gap in the building industry, while finding ways to address climate change,” says Hugh Lowry, Strategic Account Manager, Solar Facades at Elemex. “Our Solstex panels, which come in custom sizes and shapes, convert sunlight into power that can be used directly in the building or sent to the grid. And with net metering, building owners can receive a credit when they produce excess power, on the weekends for example.” 

Lowry adds their system works with rebuilds and new buildings, and in addition to reducing a building’s environmental impact, the return on investment can be realized in 10-15 years. 

Learn more about the Solstex technology, and how it can improve your next building project at elemex.com.

The post How One Company is Redefining the Standard of Green Building Design appeared first on HiveInnovates.

What is the role of cleantech innovation in the journey toward achieving net-zero emissions? How does it fit into the broader strategy for addressing climate change?

As we work toward a sustainable future, collaboration between government, industry and research institutions is crucial. How is your ministry fostering partnerships to accelerate the development and deployment of cleantech solutions?

The post Q&A with Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada appeared first on HiveInnovates.