London is a confident and cohesive city built on a diverse economy that is recognized for its skilled workforce, innovation and academic excellence, and whose reputation continues to grow in key markets both nationally and internationally.
At our recent Annual Celebration the LEDC Board and Staff along with Mayor Joe Fontana were able to showcase our 2010 accomplishments and discuss our strategic priorities for 2011 and 2012.Building from our 2009 Economic Summit we continue to leverage the city’s industrial, institutional and cultural assets, and our team is optimistic about future opportunities.
In 2010 London established Canada’s first Advanced Manufacturing and Green Technology Park in partnership with The University of Western Ontario and Fanshawe College.This park attracted Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute, a lead partner in the creation of the International Composites Research Facility.This park will be home to the world’s most advanced wind engineering facility, the WindEEE Dome. The internationally acclaimed assets housed at this park will continue to build London’s reputation in composite materials research and enhance our attraction efforts as we grow our advanced manufacturing and renewable technology industries.
Among previous strategic priorities outlined at the LEDC’s Annual Celebration, London also completed an $11-million cargo gateway and $6-million international airport expansion.The opening of a Foreign Trade Cargo Complex at the airport and its designation as the first Canadian Duty Free Zone airport are key initiatives for investment attraction as well as business growth and retention.The multi-use facility is expected to evolve into a full foreign free trade zone that will include manufacturing and logistics and bolster the city’s strategic location as the transportation gateway hub into the U.S.
The continual review of the 2009 Economic Summit Report by the LEDC Board and stakeholders has defined clear recommendations for initiatives that will help support London’s strategic economic plans.The LEDC, City of London and community partners are leading these initiatives and involving stakeholders to move these projects forward.They include the launching of a medical device website, www.medicaldeviceson.ca, and the Materials Centre of Excellence website, www.materialscoe.com, a new Digital Interactive Gaming site, www.diglondon.ca, a new social media strategy including YouTube channel, wordpress blog, sector-specific twitter and facebook accounts, and a major cost-competitive study completed, benchmarking London against 10 Ontario, 4 Canadian, and 6 US locations relative to taxes, incentives, utility costs, land costs, development and administration charges, talent, etc.
While many of the projects previously identified will be implemented over the next several years, looking forward, 2011 priorities include the International Water Treatment Centre of Excellence, the International Composite Research Centre, the Digital Media Centre, the Medical Device Centre of Excellence, Fanshawe’s downtown campus, and the 401/402 Gateway, including interchange enhancements through the 401/402 corridor.
These projects are through public/private partnerships, demonstrating what can be achieved when everyone works together toward a common goal. The LEDC Board and Staff would like to thank its partners including The City of London, Techalliance, the London Small Business Centre, the Stiller Centre, the London Chamber of Commerce, the University of Western Ontario, Fanshawe College, the Greater London International Airport Authority, London Hydro, Tourism London, Downtown London, the London Arts Council, WorlDiscoveries and London’s many research institutes for their ongoing support and contribution to the prosperity of our city.
