Learn how Toronto Global is leveraging the GTA’s unique manufacturing advantages


Join Nick and Brendan in Toronto as they sit down with Matthew Aiken, the Sector Development Lead at Toronto Global, a foreign direct investment attraction agency.

Brendan and Matthew discussed the concept of Ontario’s industrial commons – the collective pool of knowledge, IP, management expertise, academic institutions, and companies that co-exist within a local economy. Since the globalization of the 1990s and the financial crisis of 2008, he’s heard talk of a “…manufacturing renaissance” coming to Ontario and is excited to see what that will look like.

The diversity and density of manufacturing capabilities in Ontario (specifically in the GTA) are unique to this region. The transition to electric vehicles is one specific area where these capabilities will prove valuable. As OEMs continue to provide electric vehicle options for consumers, the availability of reliable charging infrastructure becomes crucial.

Ontario’s Industrial Commons has demonstrated its ability to adapt to challenges and solve complex problems. So, what’s next? Have a listen.

Timestamp

00:00-03:59 – Nick’s Intro
04:00-05:15 – Meeting our guest
05:16-09:22 – How did Matthew and Brendan meet? Opining on Aerospace
09:17-13:53 – What is ‘The Industrial Commons’?
13:54-17:06 – Are companies more open now to story-telling than before the pandemic?
17:07-20:00 – Putting a cost on an insecure supply chain
20:01-22:55 – The manufacturing that left Ontario vs. what’s coming back – chatting about EVs
22:56-28:33 – Inventing the un-invented – or – Brendan’s block heater story from the 1980s
28:34-34:05 – Discussing the definition of ‘Risk’
34:06-39:41 – Should we chase scale or embrace risk? – or – Matthew’s opinions on Excel
39:42-43:24 – Discussing gaps in the industrial commons
43:25-48:14 – What’s keeping you awake at night? -or- “Which one is the priority? I don’t know!”
48:15-51:12 – What are Matthew and Brendan looking forward to?

Links

Toronto Global

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