Leadership and Policy in Economic Development (Year 3)

Location: Balsillie School of International Affairs, Room 1-23

8:30-9 am: Registration

9-9:15 am: Welcome and introductions

• Urban renewal - heritage, innovation and renewal spaces
• Paul Parker, Director, Economic Development Program, University of Waterloo

9:15 am-12 pm: Change Champions

• Working with politicians
• Mentoring colleagues, identifying career pathways
• Creating and maintaining partnerships (across sectors, across the region)

• Panel: 

  • Aileen Murray, President, Mellor Murray Consulting

  • Dave Cash, Cash & Associates, Former CAO and EDO

  • Paulette Prentice, Manager, Economic Development, FEDDEV

​​12-1 pm: Lunch

1-2:30 pm: Creativity and Strategy: The important relationship

• Understanding and maximizing benefits from different creativity/work preferences/skills
• Review self-assessment – identify your creativity preferences and those of people around you
• Geoff Malleck, Dept. of Economics, University of Waterloo

3-3:15 pm: Refreshment break

3:15-4:45 pm: Introduction to Foundation business strategy simulator

• Activity: Ideas
  • Presentation of ideas

  • Review Foursight results

• Foundation business strategies 1
  • Problem identification, brainstorming, strategy development, implementation
• Geoff Malleck, Dept. of Economics, University of Waterloo

4:45-5:45 pm: Working dinner

5:45-8 pm: Foundation practice round 1

Location:  Communitech Hub, Pollock Executive Centre

9-10:15 am: Foundation business strategies Round 1

10:15-10:30 am: Refreshment break

10:30-11:30 am: Trends in Digital Manufacturing

• Making sense of the maker economy
• Tara Vinodrai, Director, Economic Development and Innovation Program, School of Environment, Enterprise and Development, University of Waterloo

11:30 am-12:30 pm: Transformational Economic Development: From Plan to Investment

• Strategic economic planning: greenfield or brownfield priority
• Leveraging partnerships
• Rod Regier, former Director, Economic Development, City of Kitchener

12:30-1:30 pm: Lunch

1:30-2:30 pm: Communitech Hub Programs and Partners

• Creating an innovation ecosystem
• Communitech, Kitchener, ON

2:30-3 pm: Refreshment break

3-5:30 pm: Foundation business strategies Round 2

• Round 1 feedback – results and group challenges
• Round 2 simulation
• Round 2 feedback - results and group challenges

Location: Balsillie School of International Affairs. Room 1-42

9-10 am: Global Context: Trends and Opportunities

• Canadian communities in global context
• East Asia and Pacific economy
• Political economy and trade
• Crisis as catalyst for action
• John Ravenhill, Director, Balsillie School of International Affairs

10-10:30 am: Global Ideas / Knowledge Trends I

• Global economy:  latest trends
• Business networks, city networks, idea generators
• Brock Dickinson, CEO, MDB Insight, Stoney Creek, ON

10:30-11 am: Refreshment break

11 am-12:30 pm: 

Global Ideas / Knowledge Trends II

• Global economy:  latest trends
• Business networks, city networks, idea generators
• Brock Dickinson, CEO, MDB Insight,, Stoney Creek, ON

1:30-2:30 pm: Investment Attraction Best Practices: Alternative Incentives

• Comparative study of neighbouring jurisdictions
• Lessons learned and opportunities
• International comparison of alternative incentives
• Chris Lau, Ministry of Economic Development and Growth

2:30-3 pm: Refreshment break

3-5 pm: Foundation business strategies Round 4

• Round 3 feedback
• Round 4 simulation

Location: Balsillie School of International Affairs. Room 1-42

9-9:30 am: Foundation business strategies Round 5

• Round 4 feedback
• Round 5 simulation

9:30-10:30 am: Group presentation preparation

10:30-11 am: Refreshment break

11 am-12 pm: Presentations

12-1 pm: Lunch

1-3 pm: Presentations

3-3:15 pm: Refreshment break

3:15-4 pm: Foundation Business Strategies Finale

• Each team has 15 minutes to summarize and present the following:
  • How team approached the competition
  • Key considerations included
  • Outcomes v. expectations
  • Final Annual Report to the Board
• Feedback: Insights