____________________
Saving Lives
Nancy Lublin: The heartbreaking text that inspired a crisis help line
When a young woman texted DoSomething.org with a heartbreaking cry for help, the organization responded by opening a nationwide Crisis Text Line to provide an outlet for people in pain. Nearly 10 million text messages later, the organization is using the privacy and power of text messaging to help people with issues such as addiction, suicidal thoughts, eating disorders, sexual abuse and more. The data collected in the process is reshaping policy and preparing schools and law enforcement to better handle spikes in crises.
____________________
Tentative Education
OPSBA Reaches Tentative Agreement with ETFO at the Central Bargaining Table
Toronto - The Ontario Public School Boards' Association (OPSBA) announced that a tentative settlement has been reached with the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) and the provincial government.
____________________
Start Up
Canadian startup first to win Android award at Tabby/Mobby Business Awards
Shah attributes much of his company's success -- and survival -- to hiring young tech talent, many of whom come from one of Canada's most reputable computer science programs at the University of Waterloo.
Toronto - QuickTapSurvey is a Canadian tech startup that went from nearly closing its doors in 2013 to becoming an award-winning company two years later. It was announced on Monday that the Toronto-based software company took home two wins at the Tabby/Mobby Awards 2015 -- a global competition for both consumer and business apps. Previous winners and finalists have included Citrix, Disney, The New Yorker, Adobe and Food Network.
____________________
Pension
Canada Revenue Agency Announces Maximum Pensionable Earnings for 2016
Ottawa - The Canada Revenue Agency announced today that the maximum pensionable earnings under the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) for 2016 will be $54,900-up from $53,600 in 2015. The new ceiling was calculated according to a CPP legislated formula that takes into account the growth in average weekly wages and salaries in Canada.
____________________
CRE
Consistent GTA commercial real estate investment market promises a strong finish to 2015 despite supply constraints
Third Quarter 2015 Greater Toronto Area Commercial Real Estate Investment Review
Toronto - Sales of commercial real estate assets in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) continue to fluctuate quarter-over-quarter. Despite a strong showing by the office sector, sales declined in the industrial, retail, ICI land and multi-residential sectors. Consistent, however, are historically low interest rates, plentiful capital, constrained product supply and competitive bids (especially from foreign buyers), resulting in historically low cap rates.
____________________
43North
Plum wins Buffalo startup prize, sets sights on U.S. market
Plum co-founders Christine Bird, Caitlin MacGregor and Neil MacGregor are set to build on their U.S. customer base after winning $250,000 from 43North, a Buffalo-based business competition - by Phil Froklage
Plum co-founders (l-r) Christine Bird, Caitlin MacGregor and Neil MacGregor - Photo by Samatha Clark
Waterloo - On October 29, Waterloo Region’s Plum won a $250,000 prize from Buffalo-based business competition 43North, a prize the company plans to leverage as it builds a sales force in the United States.
____________________
Energy
Energy consumption by the manufacturing sector for 2014
Ottawa - The manufacturing sector consumed 2,177 petajoules as part of the production process in 2014, up 1.7% from 2013. The total energy consumed by manufacturing establishments has risen by about 5% since 2009. Over this same period, real manufacturing sales increased by 15%.
____________________
Done
BLACKBERRY Completes Good Technology Acquisition
Waterloo – BlackBerry Limited announced yesterday it has completed the acquisition of Good Technology. BlackBerry will integrate Good’s software solutions and services with its own software suites to offer the industry’s most complete end-to-end solution that secures the entire mobile enterprise, across all platforms and applications while protecting personal privacy.
____________________
Planned Communities
Canada's Purpose-Built Rental Vacancy Rate Increases
The rise in the national vacancy rate was due to lower net migration in regions most affected by low oil prices
Ottawa - Canada's 35 larger centres saw the average vacancy rate in privately initiated purpose-built rental apartments increase to 3.3 per cent in October 2015, from 2.8 per cent in October 2014, according to preliminary data from the fall Rental Market Survey released today by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC).
____________________
Bio-Business
Top Biotech Employers to Accept BioReady Candidates
Ottawa - Five top biotech employers recently committed to considering BioReady™ Candidates - job seekers who have been successfully pre-screened by biotech industry-professionals, through BioTalent Canada's BioSkills Recognition program. Therapure Biopharma of Mississauga, Charles River Laboratories of Montreal, Synaptive Medical of Toronto, New β Innovations Canada of Burnaby and Guelph Vision Therapy Center of Guelph, all "Showcase Employers" of BioTalent Canada, recently agreed to accept BioReady candidates for consideration for new hires listed on the PetriDish, BioTalent Canada's national bilingual biotechnology job-board.
____________________
weather App
The Weather Network launches new app for Apple TV
Interactive weather app brings personalized and local forecasts to Apple TV users
Oakville - The Weather Network announced today that its weather application is now available on Apple TV. Offering features similar to its popular mobile and web apps, The Weather Network Apple TV interactive app provides users with quick and easy access to localized weather forecasts and personalized content.
____________________
Leader
OpenText Named a Leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Content Management
Report Evaluates OpenText's Enterprise Content Management Solution in Delivering Relevant Content to Business Applications
Waterloo -OpenText announced yesterday that it has been positioned as a leader in Gartner's Magic Quadrant for Enterprise Content Management report, Published on October 21, 2015 by one of the leading worldwide research and advisory firms, Gartner, Inc. The report evaluates 20 Enterprise Content Management (ECM) vendors.
____________________
Arts & Culture
Opera Laurier celebrates 40th anniversary of the Faculty of Music with ‘It’s my party’ performance
Waterloo – In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Wilfrid Laurier University’s Faculty of Music, Opera Laurier will perform a collection of party scenes, titled “It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to,” excerpted from the following operas: Falstaff and La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi, The Tender Land by Aaron Copland, Les contes d’Hoffman by Jacques Offenbach, and Die Fledermaus by Johann Strauss Jr. The performances will take place Nov. 13 to 14 in the Maureen Forrester Recital Hall on Laurier’s Waterloo campus.
____________________
Getting Home
Guelph Gets in The Driverseat
Ground Breaking App Places “Chauffeurs” in Private Vehicles
Kitchener – Southwestern Ontario families continue to benefit from the valuable services offered by Driverseat with the opening of its latest franchise in Guelph, just east of the Corporate Headquarters in Waterloo Region. Driverseat is a unique home-based franchise that provides drivers—or “Coachmen”—to chauffeur a customer’s vehicle when the customer is unable to or prefers not to drive their own vehicle. The one-of-a-kind company now services over 150 communities across Canada and is preparing to launch in the U.S.
____________________
Environment
EPA, California Notify Volkswagen of Additional Clean Air Act Violations
WASHINGTON – Yesterday, EPA is issuing a second notice of violation (NOV) of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to Volkswagen AG, Audi AG and Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. This NOV is also being issued to Porsche AG and Porsche Cars North America. These five companies are collectively referred to as Volkswagen (VW).
____________________
Financial Literacy
Financial Literacy Leader kicks off 5th anniversary of Financial Literacy Month
November is Financial Literacy Month in Canada; an opportunity for all Canadians and organizations to either host or take part in an activity to increase Canadians' financial knowledge.
Toronto - Canada's Financial Literacy Leader Jane Rooney kicked off the 5th anniversary of Financial Literacy Month (FLM) by speaking to over 300 attendees at the ABLE Financial Empowerment Conference in Toronto.
____________________
Problem Solving
Problem: ‘I’m Not Creative’ Solution: Believe You Can Be
Many Difficulties Are Blank Canvases Awaiting Innovative Answers, Inc. 5000 Fastest-Growing CEO Says
Imagination is the difference between the problems plaguing our every day and the future solutions to those issues; imagination is step one for answers that work, says problem-solving entrepreneur Mona Patel.
