Toronto Region Research Alliance
Founded | 2005 |
---|---|
Dissolved | 2012 |
Type | Economic Development |
Focus | Investment Attraction, Research Capacity Building, Public Awareness |
Location | |
Origins | Toronto City Summit Alliance |
Area served | Durham, Halton, Hamilton, Peel, Toronto, Waterloo, Wellington, York |
Key people | Patrick Draper, President and CEO |
Slogan | Engaging Innovation |
Website | http://www.trra.ca |
The Toronto Region Research Alliance (TRRA) was a regional economic development organization promoting increased investment in research and innovation to further economic prosperity. TRRA was a public-private partnership supported by the governments of Ontario and Canada, and a wide range of regional stakeholders from the private sector, universities, colleges, and research hospitals.
Overview
History
TRRA was conceived in June 2003 as a result of the civic consensus achieved through the Toronto City Summit Alliance (TCSA).[1] TCSA represents over 40 civic leaders from the private, labour, voluntary and public sectors in the Toronto region.[2] This unique group came together in 2002 to assess our urban region's strengths and challenges and shape a framework for action that could move the region forward over the next five to 10 years. TCSA released its report, Enough Talk: An Action Plan for the Toronto Region, in April 2003.[3] This report included a recommendation to form TRRA.
Mission
TRRA focused on retaining and growing foreign investment into regional organizations; attracting innovative, research-intensive foreign companies to locate in the Toronto region; promoting enhanced research intensity among regional businesses; and advancing initiatives to strengthen research and innovation capacity. The organization focused on the following four broad research-intensive sectors:
- Life sciences
- Information and communication technology (ICT)
- Advanced manufacturing, including materials science
- Energy & Environment (Clean tech)[4]
Funders
Toronto Region
The Toronto Region Innovation Zone consists of key innovation clusters in a broad geographic area anchored by the City of Toronto, and includes the surrounding regions of Durham, Guelph, Halton, Hamilton, Peel, York, Waterloo and Wellington.[4]
The Toronto Region has a population of about 7.4 million[5] (including over 200 ethnic groups and 180 languages)[6] and a GDP over $300 billion.[7] It has 9 universities, 8 colleges and 12 research hospitals. It also houses a skilled labor force, with 64% of workers aged 25–64 holds a post-secondary degree or equivalent.[8]
External links
References
- ↑ Toronto Region Research Alliance launched by TCSA. URL:http://www.torontoalliance.ca/tcsa_initiatives/research_alliance/ Accessed on: November 29, 2007.
- ↑ Toronto City Summit Alliance - Backgrounder. URL http://www.torontoalliance.ca/about_tcsa/backgrounder/ Accessed on: November 29, 2007.
- ↑ Enough Talk: An Action Plan for the Toronto Region. URL:http://www.torontoalliance.ca/docs/TCSA_report.pdf Accessed on: November 29, 2007.
- 1 2 Mission. URL: Accessed on: April 17, 2009.
- ↑ Statistics Canada - Labour Force Survey. 2007
- ↑ City of Toronto - Labour Force Survey, 2007
- ↑ The Conference Board of Canada, 2007
- ↑ Statistics Canada - Census, 2006