July 29, 2015 – Toronto, ON – Canada’s private capital community believes current economic conditions are favourable for investment, and yet venture capital and private equity activity are trending in different directions.

According to the Canadian Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (CVCA)’s 2015 half year (H1) market activity reports released today, venture capital was up significantly in terms of both deal activity and disbursement levels. 2015 H1 saw 244 venture capital completed deals, capturing $939 million – up 21 per cent and 23 per cent respectively over the same period last year.

Meanwhile, private equity saw a similar number of completed deals year over year (145 deals in 2015 H1 versus 147 deals in 2014 H1), however the amounts invested dropped significantly with deal value down from $11.4 billion in 2014 H1 to $7.8 billion in 2015 H1. 

The surge in venture capital activity came in the second quarter of 2015 – the amount invested was up 53 per cent from the first quarter. Life Sciences played a significant role with the sector more than doubling the amount invested from Q1 at $92 million to Q2 at $211 million. Regionally, there were also massive spikes of VC activity in Q2. In British Columbia, deal activity grew by 123 percent quarter over quarter, and disbursement levels soared by almost 150 per cent. In Quebec, disbursements nearly tripled due to a surge in life sciences investments with two big deals driving growth (Clementia Pharmaceuticals, $73.9 million and Milestone Pharma, $20.9 million).

“A refreshed approach to venture capital in Canada, combined with recent successes and rising stars are creating a lot of market momentum,” said Mike Woollatt, CEO, CVCA. “Private investment is leveraging public investment very well and they are working together to generate robust growth.”

The trend toward greater private capital deal activity is expected to continue. Data collected from a comprehensive survey of CVCA members in July 2015 showed that the vast majority (82 per cent) believe economic conditions favour the private capital industry, and 66 per cent believe a lower Canadian dollar improves the business outlook.  As for possible exits, 60 per cent expect IPO and M&A activity will remain the same for the rest of 2015.  

VENTURE CAPITAL:

·         Click to view 2015 H1 VC market activity infographic

·         Click to view the CVCA’s full 2015 H1 VC market activity report

Highlights:

2015 H1 saw 244 disclosed VC deals with $939 million invested. ICT remains the sector leader capturing 161 deals and $547 million invested.

·         Next top three sectors: Life Sciences accounted for 39 deals, capturing $303 million, followed by Clean Technology at 25 deals and $56 million invested, and then Agribusiness with 11 deals and $14 million invested.

·         Top three regions: the majority of VC deal and investment activity took place in Ontario with 98 deals, capturing $458 million invested. Quebec was second largest with 69 deals and $244 million invested, followed by BC with 42 deals and $170 million invested. 

·         Top disclosed VC exit of 2015 H1: SkyWave Mobile Communications acquisition by ORBCOMM for $204 million. VC backers included McLean Watson Capital, Desjardins Venture Capital, and GTI Capital.

·         Stage: seed and early stage disbursements in 2015 H1 accounted 58 percent of total disbursements, up from 46 percent recorded in 2014 (seed 78 deals for $65 million, early stage 79 deals for $484 million).

·         Funds raised: 2015 H1 saw 19 funds raised for a total of $910 million, already reaching more than three-quarters of the total for 2014 ($1.2 billion).

PRIVATE EQUITY:

·         Click to view 2015 H1 PE market activity infographic

·         Click to view the CVCA’s full 2015 H1 PE market activity report

Highlights:

Private equity disclosed deal amounts totaled $7.8 billion invested over 145 deals for 2015 H1. The energy and power sector continues to lead overall investments by a considerable margin – it accounted for almost half (44%) of all deals at $3.4 billion.

·         Next top four sectors (to round out top five): Mining & Resources accounted for $1 billion, Real Estate accounted for $1 billion, Automotive & Transportation for $933 million, and Clean Tech for $487 million.

• Top three regions: Alberta generated 20 deals with $2.7 billion, Ontario had 54 deals with $2 billion, and Quebec had 38 deals with $1.7 billion.

·         Top Canadian 2015 H1 PE disclosed exit: The Ontario Teacher’s Pension Plan and Abu Dhabi Investment Council sold portion of its Hudson’s Bay holdings by way of a secondary offering for $316 million.

·         Deal types: PE buy-out and PE Add-on dominated deal types accounting for 70 per cent of all deals (buy-out = $3.5 billon, and add-on = $1.9 billion).

·         Funds raised: 2015 H1 saw 13 funds raised for a total of $3.6 billion. 

CVCA Methodology

Venture Capital:  dataset includes verified completed equity or quasi-equity venture capital deals only.  Not included are non-equity based government funding such as grants from FedDev, project financing from The SD Tech Fund of the Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC), pharmaceutical product development deals, senior debt as part of overall financing package, venture capital-backed acquisitions, and angel financing.

Private Equity:  dataset includes only completed private equity deals for consistency and quarter-to-quarter/year-to-year comparison.  Announced but yet to be completed deals are not included.

About the CVCA

The CVCA is the voice of Canada’s venture capital and private equity industry. We are focused on improving the private capital ecosystem by broadening industry awareness and providing market research, networking, and professional development opportunities. We also advocate on behalf of the industry to ensure sound public policy that encourages a favourable investment environment. The CVCA works alongside its members, who represent the vast majority of private capital firms in Canada, to improve the industry and drive innovation and growth. 

The database is a tool for tracking nearly every business within Ottawa’s knowledge-based industry. It’s the first time the city’s technology ecosystem is represented in one clear interface. Users can drill down by three filters:

• Number of Local Employees
• Age of Company
• ICT Industry/Cluster

Today, Andrew Saxton, Member of Parliament for North Vancouver, on behalf of the Honourable Michelle Rempel, Minister of State for Western Economic Diversification, announced $1.5 million in Western Diversification Program funding to NACO.

The funding will be used to implement a three year initiative aimed at growing the Angel investor community in Western Canada. This initiative is expected to triple the number of visible Angel investors in Western Canada, tapping into unexplored investment potential.

NACO is grateful for the opportunity to work with Western Economic Diversification Canada. To learn more about this announcement, I encourage you to review the press release here. To view photos from today's announcement, visit NACO's Facebook page.

OTTAWA, Ontario — August 10, 2015 — Remotronic, a provider of affordable telehealth solutions that simplify remote care, announced today that it has started beta tests of a new in-home, health management system that will enable remote, extended care monitoring from anywhere, at any time, and on any device.

The RemoCare TeleHealth System eliminates the need for proprietary equipment and disruptive installation processes that have become a major challenge of traditional home telehealth solutions. It’s an easy-to-use, low-cost and scalable smartphone-based application that can be easily personalized to enable secure, remote, 24/7 monitoring of patients from any web-enabled device. And it is engineered to be available when needed to reduce the care burden and increase peace of mind by enabling real-time, unobtrusive monitoring of a patient’s activity, location, and physiological status at all times. 

“RemoCare puts personal, affordable, remote healthcare management in the palm of your hand,” says Tao Chen, President of Remotronic. “Unlike traditional monitoring systems that require expensive hardware and complicated installations, RemoCare makes it easy to provide ongoing care to patients and loved ones with technology you already own. It can be set up in minutes with a few simple screen swipes. It does not require patients to wear uncomfortable devices. And it is completely safe and secure.”

The advanced RemoCare solution leverages the built-in camera in today’s smartphones to provide caregivers with instant access to visual monitoring of patients. Innovative (patent pending) algorithms are used to analyze the video feed to detect falls or potential wandering and generate alerts when needed. Users simply download the RemoCare application to their smartphone, activate the service, and place the smartphone in any room that they want to monitor. The live video feed from the smartphone can be accessed and monitored with a browser on any web-enabled device in real time, including tablets, laptops, smartphones, and desktop computers. Once activated, the proprietary RemoCare technology enables caregivers to monitor vital signs, track movement, receive alerts and even ping patients to let them know they are monitoring the system. Patients have direct access to caregivers, can activate a panic button, if needed, or can switch to privacy mode, which enables monitoring to continue, but changes the video feed to silhouette mode. Patients can also disable remote access, but maintain the ability to send alarms, if necessary.

“It’s a complete remote care solution that puts caregivers and patients in control,” says Chen. “Once installed, users can provide remote, long-term and respite care management from anywhere in the world and reduce or avert serious emergencies. Best of all, it is a completely private and secure solution built on advanced encryption that ensures a patient’s privacy is protected at all times.”

RemoCare field trials are scheduled to continue for the next six to eight weeks, with a full launch of the Android^™-based version planned for later this year. An Apple^® iOS version is planned for early 2016.

About Remotronic

Remotronic provides affordable telehealth solutions engineered to simplify the health management process for caregivers and patients. It’s RemoCare TeleHealth System is an advanced, easy-to-use, low-cost and scalable smartphone-based solution that can be easily personalized to enable secure, remote, 24/7 monitoring of patients with any web-enabled device. RemoCare reduces the care burden and increases peace of mind. It enables caregivers to stay connected with patients at all times and reduce or avert serious emergencies.

Vancouver, August 18, 2015 - Vancouver-based teliPhone Navigata-Westel Communications Inc. (‘TNW’) announced today that it is enhancing its Canadian network from coast to coast and is launching an innovative telecommunications initiative which will allow Canadians to receive an annual cash rebate equivalent to one month’s telecommunications service for each year of service.

Canada OneNET is a Canadian network alliance which will provide wider access to telecommunications services at more affordable rates. The annual cash rebate will cover all of a customer’s new monthly recurring services such as home and business VoIP phone lines, Internet and IPTV (Internet television) and iPCS mobile phone service from service providers that are part of Canada OneNET.

Over the years since its origin as BC Rail Telecom in 1957, the company has acquired several networks and evolved into TNW, a well-established telecommunications network across Canada. It is one of the largest independent facilities-based Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLECs) in the country and has multiple mutual colocation facilities with other CLECs and the Incumbent Carriers. TNW’s national network makes it well positioned to spearhead this initiative and become the backbone of the new alliance.

Bruce Cran, President of the Consumers’ Association of Canada says: "Canadians pay among the highest prices in the world for telecommunications services. We welcome affordability and increasing competition in the telecommunications industry, and the steps teliPhone Navigata-Westel is taking will be welcomed by consumers.”

TNW’s goal by creating Canada OneNET is to reduce the overall dependence by the competitive carriers and independent operators on Canadian Incumbents Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC) by creating a robust and efficient alternative telecommunications national network. Telecom service providers that become part of Canada OneNET will be able to seamlessly transit their voice and data traffic over the OneNET “network of networks”.

The alliance will allow other independent telecommunications companies to share their resources and allow them to collectively combine their networks, thereby enabling them to achieve significant economies of scale which would be impossible on their own. Businesses and consumers will benefit greatly as a large portion of the savings are passed on to them and as the geographical availability of affordable telecommunications becomes wider in Canada.

After each 12 months of service, consumers and small & medium size enterprises that have one or more telecommunication services on a network that is part of Canada OneNET, will be able to apply online to receive a cash rebate equal of one month of service. This initiative is made possible because encouraging customers to use a common network allows service providers to achieve significant savings on key costs such as equipment, power, Internet Protocol transit, network and wireless spectrum.

Sandeep Panesar, TNW Chief Executive Officer says: “We recognize the power of collaborative networks that customers can benefit from. The result is that we will save money and we will share these savings with our customers. We believe this is the tipping point which will provide Canadians with truly affordable and more widely available telecom services.”

The creation of Canada OneNET follows TNW’s recent announcement of the launch of its iPCS mobile service. Through teliPhone Mobile, the company’s mobile service division, the company will offer leading mobile services and will be the most affordable wireless communication service in Canada at $10 a month. TeliPhone Mobile will be part Canada OneNET and its customers will be eligible for the annual rebate.  

To learn more about Canada OneNET and apply for the rebate, consumers and businesses should visit the Canada OneNET website at www.canadaonenet.com.

About teliPhone Navigata-Westel

From its origin in 1957 as BC Rail Telecom, to its evolution into teliPhone Navigata-Westel, TNW is now one of the largest independent facilities-based Competitive Local Exchange Carriers (CLEC) in Canada. The company owns and operates 5 Data Centres in Canada and a national network that has been designed to offer data center clients unsurpassed access, reliability and cost-effectiveness. TNW has 131 Points of Presence, a national network which includes a wireless backhaul network, a trans-Canada SONET fibre optic network and multiple CLEC/ILEC Central Office facilities providing voice, data, broadband Internet, IT support, cloud computing, co-location and IPTV services to its carrier, business, government and residential customers in Canada and the US. TNW also operates a US network and its voice and IPTV services are available in 47 countries. TNW recently announced the introduction of its patent pending iPCS^TM mobile technology and teliPhone Mobile service.

TORONTO (August 17, 2015) – Following a landmark two decades of science programming with its most-watched-ever season and showing no signs of slowing down, Discovery’s flagship science magazine DAILY PLANET launches its 21^st season with “Extreme Machines Week”, Monday, Aug. 31 – Friday, Sept. 4 at 7 p.m. ET. On the hunt for the most  outrageous, quirky, and  “must-see” machines, Co-Hosts Ziya Tong and Dan Riskin track down everything from two-storey-tall mining machines to the world’s most powerful skateboard. And it doesn’t end there! DAILY PLANET looks at a gyrocopter chasing a world record to circumnagivate the globe, and even a pogo stick on steroids!

The 21^st season of DAILY PLANET comes fresh off the heels of the series’ highest rated season ever. Final data from Numeris (BBM Canada) confirms last season was the third consecutive year the program established a new audience high, and the fifth in a row of year-over-year growth (P2+, A25-54, and A18-49). In the key A25-54 demographic, audiences were up 13% over the previous season, having increased by 60% since 2009/10.

(L-R): Massive mining truck from Japan; DAILY PLANET’s Dan Riskin using a special fishing crane to scoop out bicycles in Amsterdam canals

**Media Note** Photography and promo reel for DAILY PLANET available online at BellMediaPR.ca. Click here for all of Discovery’s Fall programming premieres.

Highlights from DAILY PLANET’s “Extreme Machines Week” include:

“Gyrocopter World Record”

Featured in the 1967 James Bond film You Only Live Twice, the gyrocopter was said to be the only aircraft never to circumnavigate the globe. But that’s about to change asNorman Surplus takes to the sky to make aviation history. The autogyro pilot will cross 26 countries, flying more than 43,000 kilometres over deserts, jungles, mountains, and oceans. DAILY PLANET meets Surplus prior to the last and most treacherous part of the journey – crossing the Atlantic Ocean. If he makes it, the world record is his.

“Suction Brake”

Tired of bad drivers on the road? Fear no longer! Swedish automotive safety developer Autoliv could change the way drivers come to a complete stop. Using a massive suction cup below the car which helps the vehicle brake faster in emergencies, the Torricelli Brake  decreases stopping distances by almost half. DAILY PLANET is in the driver’s seat to find out how this technology could revolutionize traffic safety.

“Bicycle Fishing”

Amsterdam might house some of the world's most beautiful canals, but people should probably think twice before taking a dip in one. Every year, up to 15,000 rusty bicycles are fished out of the canals by special dredge boats equipped with fishing cranes. DAILY PLANET Co-Host Dan Riskin dives alongside “bicycle fishing” experts who remove bikes from the canals for a living.

“Vurtego Pogo Stick”

Lucas Cochran, DAILY PLANET’s Tech Correspondent, is bouncing off the walls...literally! Testing out the latest in pogo stick technology, the V4 from Vurtego, Cochran bops around with inventor Ian Britt, who demonstrates how this pogo stick is a real game changer. To prove it, Britt attempts a high-flying trick he’s never done before exclusively forDAILY PLANET.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Discovery Canada on Facebook: Facebook.com/DiscoveryCanada

Discovery Canada on Twitter: Twitter.com/DiscoveryCanada

Discovery Canada on Instagram: Instagram.com/DiscoveryCanada

Daily Planet on Twitter: Twitter.com/DailyPlanetShow
Daily Planet on Facebook: facebook.com/DailyPlanetShow

Dan Riskin on Twitter: Twitter.com/RiskinDan

Ziya Tong on Twitter:  Twitter.com/ZiyaTong

About DAILY PLANET

An international success story, DAILY PLANET is produced by Exploration Production Inc. (EPI), a production house wholly owned by Discovery Canada. The series’ Executive Producer is Kelly McKeown; Senior Producers are Cindy Bahadur and Steven Hunt; Supervising Producer is Agatha Rachpaul; Managing Producer is Devon Bradley; and Director is John Morrison.

About Discovery:
The world is just awesome! With compelling real-life programming that inspires and entertains, Discovery reveals the world in all its wonder, diversity and amazement. As Canada’s #1 entertainment specialty channel, Discovery offers a signature mix of adrenaline-charged stories, larger-than-life personalities and vivid imagery for viewers with curious minds. With the best non-fiction programming from Canada and around the world, Discovery captures the excitement of a passion for life – one lived fully and at its most extreme. With exceptional and immersive storytelling, the channel offers in-depth, behind-the-scenes glimpses at the extraordinary people and places that shape our world. Launched in Canada in 1995, Discovery is now available in more than eight million Canadian homes. Discovery Canada is a joint venture between Bell Media, which is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada’s largest communications company, and Discovery Communications Inc. Find more information and interactive online features at Discovery.ca.

Source: Numeris (BBM Canada)

- DISCOVERY -

For more information:                                                                                                                     

Elysia Circelli, Discovery, 416.384.5166 or elysia.circelli@bellmedia.ca

Renee Dupuis, Discovery, 416.384.3154 or renee.dupuis@bellmedia.ca

• Entrepreneur Support Ecosystem
• Startup Basics: Legal & Accounting
• Value Proposition and Customer Discovery
• Turn your Idea into Reality: Prototyping and Testing
• Startup Basics: Project Management
• Legal: Protecting your Business
• Product and Market Fit
• Startup Basics: Metrics
• Hiring Contractors and Creating Contracts
• CEO vs. Co-Founder
• Funding Mechanics for Startups
• Perfecting Your Business Pitch
• Introduction to the Business Model Generation

Go Mobile Media Marketing, a Medicine Hat, Alberta company offering a comprehensive suite of digital marketing services specializing in mobile marketing has joined up with Memory Lane Computers, a leading IT service provider offering advanced management tools and technical expertise for organizations. The partnership will enable clients of Memory Lane Computers to use the web development services of Go Mobile Media Marketing and boost their business prospects.

“We are proud of our association with Memory Lane Computers, a leading computer technology enterprise in business for over 30 years,” says Pam Lehr, CEO and Founder of Go Mobile Media Marketing. “Our collaboration will add more value to our company and will also be of help to the stakeholders of Memory Lane Computers. Initially, we will be providing website development service to their clients and strengthen the partnership further so that it can mutually benefit both companies.”

Go Mobile Media Marketing was launched with the aim of helping small and mid-sized businesses benefit from advanced mobile technology. Mobile marketing strategies are critical to increase exposure thereby generating leads and sales. The company offers a suite of digital marketing services including mobile marketing strategies to engage the 24/7 connected user such as, but not limited to, text message or SMS marketing, digital scratch and save coupons, mobile advertising, and mobile-friendly websites.

In 2011, after Pam realized how mobile impacts each and every business she launched Go Mobile Media Marketing.  The company offers basic core foundational strategies to highly advanced strategies making Go Mobile Media Marketing a full service consulting firm.

Go Mobile Media Marketing has formed a powerful team of industry experts capable of providing customized business solutions in all areas of digital marketing including responsive website development, coupons, digital scratch and save cards, local SEO, Social Media management, online reputation management, remarketing, targeted display advertising and lots more.

The association with Memory Lane Computers will be mutually beneficial to both companies, according to Pam Lehr. The clients of Memory Lane Computers can use their web development and a host of other services to put their business on the fast track.

Go Mobile Media Marketing’s team strives to remain current with the latest developments in the online and mobile space to make sure their clients achieve their business and financial goals using the latest technologies available. Before they take on a project, the company’s team conducts extensive research of key areas of their clients' business to make sure they get the best solutions for marketing their business.

For more information on this press release visit: http://www.getnews.info/509178/go-mobile-media-marketing-partners-with-memory-lane-computers-in-medicine-hat-alberta.html

Media Contact:
Company Name: Go Mobile Media Marketing
Contact Person: Pam Lehr
Email: info@gomobilemediamarketing.com
Phone: 1-888-544-4639
Address: 640 - 3 St SE #113 
City: Medicine Hat
State: Alberta
Country: Canada
Website: www.GoMobileMediaMarketing.com

TORONTO — ThinkOn, the all-in-Canada cloud services company, has partnered with CommVault (NASDAQ: CVLT), the information management solution provider, to offer user device backup, archiving, and disaster recovery, harnessing CommVault’s Simpana 10 software to better align with Canada’s leading value added resellers (VARs).

“ThinkOn partners can benefit from the power of CommVault’s Simpana 10 software suite to help solve client data challenges,” said Craig McLellan, ThinkOn.com founder and CEO. “The CommVault partnership will allow ThinkOn to offer solutions and will benefit organizations serious about protecting and maximizing the value of their data assets.”

For more info: http://www.thinkon.com/thinkon-gains-commvault-managed-service-provider-accreditation/

OTTAWA, Ontario, Aug. 27, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Bold thinkers, strategic visionaries, technology evangelists, and innovation champions – these are the attributes of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) leaders who are increasing the performance and productivity of Canada's public service.  And on the eve of the federal election, GTEC will recognize some of Canada's most accomplished ICT change agents during its annual Distinction Awards at the Shaw Centre in the nation's capital.

GTEC, Canada's internationally recognized forum for enabling and celebrating ICT leadership, innovation and impact in Canada'spublic sector, today announced the distinguished Honourees of its highly-prized Distinction Awards.  The annual awards recognize and celebrate Information and Communication Technology (ICT) leadership, excellence and service delivery across municipal, provincial and federal governments. 

Following the receipt of 73 nominations and rigorous criteria-driven evaluation by leading public and private sector executives, the GTEC Judging Committee selected 37 honourees from government departments across the country.  The 2015 honourees join more than 556 public sector teams and individual leaders who, since 1992, have received this distinction for excellence in public service ICT management and delivery. This year's recipients will be honoured at GTEC's Distinction Awards Ceremony on Monday, October 19 in the presence of hundreds of public and private sector guests.  Up to 18 honourees will be awarded the coveted Distinction Medal at this special event.

"GTEC is committed to showcasing and celebrating leaders who are transforming Canada's public sector, and achieving impact through the creative application of technology," said Michele Lajeunesse, Executive Director of GTEC. "Selected projects demonstrate leadership, dedication, and represent true 'firsts' in government. These initiatives are increasing public sector performance and productivity; enhancing value to clients, and bolstering Canada's capabilities and impact as a global ICT partner."

For more information, visit: gtec.ca.
For an overview of each GTEC honouree, please visit:

• Federal Initiatives: http://www.gtec.ca/ottawa/wp-content/uploads/2015_Honourees_Listing_Group_1.pdf  
• Provincial Initiatives: http://www.gtec.ca/ottawa/wp-content/uploads/2015_Honourees_Listing_Group_2.pdf
• Municipal Initiatives: http://www.gtec.ca/ottawa/wp-content/uploads/2015_Honourees_Listing_Group_3.pdf

Register for GTEC: gtec.ca/ottawa/registration-and-pricing 
Apply for a GTEC media pass: gtec.ca/ottawa/press-centre-overview

Backgrounder: GTEC Distinction Award Honourees

Federal Honourees: 24 Initiatives

Application Sustainability Program (ASP)
Canada Revenue Agency, Information Technology Branch

apps@DFATD
Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Canada, Information Management and Technology Bureau, Business Solutions

Corporate Payment Management System (CPMS)
Employment and Social Development Canada

Cost Effective Telephony Services (a.k.a. Cut-the-Cord)
Shared Services Canada (SSC), Networks and End Users Branch, Project Management

Criminal Intelligence Solution
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Federal Policing Knowledge Management

Enterprise Information Technology Service Management
Department of National Defence, Assistant Deputy Minister (Information Management), Director General Information Management Project Delivery

Express Entry
Citizenship and Immigration Canada, Solutions and Information Management Branch

Integrated Risk Assessment System (IRAS)
Canada Revenue Agency, Compliance Programs Branch, International and Large Business Directorate

iRIMS to GCDOCS Migration Project
Department of Justice Canada, Information Solutions Branch, Management and Chief Financial Officer Sector

Joint Command System (Air) Project
Department of National Defence, Assistant Deputy Minister (Information Management), Director General Information Management Project Delivery

Local Solutions Governance
Canada Revenue Agency, Information Technology Branch

Mercury Global Early Access
Department of National Defence, Assistant Deputy Minister (Information Management), Director General Information Management Project Delivery

Mobili-Key
Canada Revenue Agency, Information Technology Branch

Online mail / Pre-Authorized Debit (PAD)
Canada Revenue Agency, Information Technology Branch

Quebec Region Talent Management Team - Performance Management Learning Labs
Employment and Social Development Canada

Secret C
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada

Secure Supply Chain Information Management System Enhancement Project
Transport Canada, Aviation Security Program Development

SSC Videoconferencing Transformation
Shared Services Canada (SSC), Networks and End Users Branch, Telecommunications Services, Conferencing Services

Strategic Business Reengineering:  Innovative Language Technology
Public Works and Government Services Canada, Translation Bureau

Submit Documents
Canada Revenue Agency, Information Technology Branch

Surface Infrastructure System
Transport Canada, National Capital Region, Transportation Infrastructure Programs Directorate

Tax Data Delivery
Canada Revenue Agency, Information Technology Branch

Tri-agency Database System Renewal (TDSR)
Bank of Canada, Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI), and Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC)

Winnipeg Data Centre Relocation
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Shared Services Canada (SSC)

Provincial Honourees: 8 Initiatives

Child Protection Information Network
Government of Ontario, Ministry of Children and Youth Services

IFIS Renewal Project- Phase 2
Government of Ontario, Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, Enterprise Financial Systems Branch, Enterprise Financial Services and Systems, Ontario Shared Services

IT Security Assessment Alignment Team
Government of Ontario, Ministry of Education – Architecture and Quality Assurance Unit (Community Services I+IT Cluster) and Ministry of Government and Consumer Services – Cyber Security Branch (Treasury Board Secretariat)

New Brunswick Road Network - a Collaborative Effort
Service New Brunswick, New Brunswick Department of Public Safety, Ambulance New Brunswick and municipalities of  Fredericton,Moncton, and Saint John

ServiceOntario Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI-DSS) Compliance Project
Government of Ontario, Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, Government Services Integration Cluster, Business Solutions Branch

POLARIS II Work Queue Modernization
Government of Ontario, Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, ServiceOntario, Citizen Services Transformation Branch, Regulatory Services Branch, Central Production and Verification Services Branch

Provincial Approach to Student Information (PASI)
Government of Alberta, Alberta Education, Program and System Support, Information and Technology Management, PASI and Student Records Branch

Small Claims eFiling
Government of Ontario, Ministry of Government and Consumer Services, ServiceOntario, Business Services Transformation Branch, Business Improvement Division

Municipal Honourees: 5 Initiatives

Business Process Centre of Excellence Division Implementation
City of Windsor, Information Technology Department

ePIC  -  Electronic Police Information Check
Calgary Police Service, Police Information Check Unit and Information, Communication & Technology Section

Free Public Wifi in City of Ottawa Facilities
City of Ottawa, Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services

ottawa.ca
City of Ottawa, ServiceOttawa and Information Technology Services departments

Public Works Work Management Solution (WMS)
City of Ottawa, Public Works Department, Traffic Services & Information Technology Services

About GTEC

GTEC is Canada's internationally recognized forum for enabling and celebrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) leadership, innovation and impact in Canada's public sector.  Since 1992, GTEC has brought together more than 100,000 public and private sector innovators, leaders and enterprises to explore and drive leading-edge ICT initiatives, application and service delivery.  Building on targeted webinars, summits, and roundtables that stimulate dialogue throughout the year, GTEC's annual flagship Conference and Exhibition attracts more than 4,500 participants, and delivers:

• Education and training opportunities that develop top ICT talent
• A robust conference program with compelling keynote presentations and panels on current strategies, opportunities and trends
• An extensive exhibition showcasing emerging technologies, innovations, and solutions that enhance productivity and performance
• A wealth of collaboration, business development and networking opportunities
• Distinction Awards that celebrate ICT excellence in Canada's public sector

For additional information on GTEC, please visit: www.gtec.ca. 

About UBM Tech
UBM Tech engages technology professionals live and online through its world-class brands, including Black Hat, InformationWeek, Enterprise Connect, Game Developers Conference (GDC), Dark Reading, HDI, GTEC, Network Computing and Interop. We're dedicated to fostering real engagement by creating environments where the technology industry can make connections, share insights, and network effectively. UBM Tech is the only media company that delivers large-scale industry events, leading online brands and content marketing services serving the Enterprise IT, Information Security, Game Development, Enterprise Communications and Technical Services and Support communities. UBM Tech is a part of UBM (UBM.L), a global provider of media and information services with a market capitalization of more than $2.5 billion. For more information, go to http://tech.ubm.com.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20150826/261384

SOURCE UBM Tech

Toronto, Ontario – September 3, 2015 – Canadian manufacturers can compete and win on a global scale if they devote themselves to innovation in their products and processes, and efficiency in their operations.

That’s the message keynote speaker Linda Hasenfratz, Canada’s 2014 Entrepreneur of the Year and CEO of Guelph, Ontario-based Linamar Corp. as she prepares to deliver the opening address at SME’s Canadian Manufacturing Technology Show 2015 (CMTS 2015) and APMA Automotive Outlook Conference, co-located at The International Centre in Toronto.

“All too often, we fall into a negative tone when we talk about the Canadian manufacturing sector when we should be celebrating our successes,” said Hasenfratz, who will be speaking Monday, Sept. 28 at, 9:00 a.m. “It’s time to tell positive stories of success, about companies with fantastic productivity and amazing products who are growing and winning right here at home.”

CMTS 2015 is Canada’s largest and most respected manufacturing event, presenting the largest display of manufacturing equipment and technology to about 10,000 manufacturing professionals from across the country and around the world. The show also features the RAPID Canada Conference, Sept. 29-30, an industry-leading forum for the exchange of information related to the latest developments in additive manufacturing, 3D printing and 3D scanning.

Committed to the success of manufacturing in Canada today – and in the future – Hasenfratz was a perfect fit for delivering the opening message at CMTS, according to Julie Pike, CMTS Event Manager.

Hasenfratz’s advice to those in the industry? “Run your business as if you were the founder of a small company that has to watch pennies and really care for your people and customers, and embrace that same determination to get results that a start-up has,” she said. “If you create strategies focused on opportunistic markets that solve real problems, and push relentlessly for those wins even when it means taking mitigated risk, you’ll absolutely remain competitive.”

This is the second time the APMA chose SME’s CMTS to co-locate its one-day APMA Automotive Outlook Conference. “This partnership brings together Canada's fastest-growing export sector with its premier exhibition of innovation and know-how,” said APMA President Flavio Volpe. “There is real benefit to companies sharing their market development experience and demonstrating their product leadership in the same place and we are proud to be a part of it.”

Building on the theme Capturing Growth: Lessons to Share, the Outlook Conference is aimed at providing Canadian manufacturers with strategies to achieve sustainable growth. Immediately following Hasenfratz’s keynote, Michael Robinet, Managing Director, HIS Automotive Advisory Services, will share an automotive industry outlook and forecasts, followed by a series of industry-leading panel discussions to round out the event. Topics include: strategic insights into Canada’s tooling and mold-making sectors; best practices to navigate today’s human resources challenges; and, insights from Tier 1 suppliers.

With free registration for the trade show until Sept. 25, attendees gain the insights and experiences from a variety of Canadian manufacturing leaders, including Hazenfratz, at no extra cost. APMA Outlook Conference attendees benefit from other conference speakers’ expertise and acumen for one low rate.

For more information about CMTS 2015 and the APMA Automotive Outlook Conference, including keynote and conference times and schedules, and to register for the event, visit www.cmts.ca or call 1-888-322-7333, ext. 4435.

About SME

SME connects all those who are passionate about making things that improve our world. As a nonprofit organization, SME has served practitioners, companies, educators, government and communities across the manufacturing spectrum for more than 80 years. Through its strategic areas of events, media, membership, training and development, and the SME Education Foundation, SME is uniquely dedicated to the advancement of manufacturing by addressing both knowledge and skill needs for the industry. Follow @SME_Canada on Twitter.

About APMA

APMA is Canada's national association representing OEM producers of parts, equipment, tools, supplies and services for the worldwide automotive industry. The Association was founded in 1952 and its members account for 90% of independent parts production in Canada.  In 2014, automotive parts shipments were over $25 Billion and the industry employment level was over 85,000 people.

Toronto, September 8, 2015 -- With the BionicOpter, Festo has applied the highly complex flight characteristics of the dragonfly to an ultra-lightweight flying object at a technical level. As a technological leader, the German based company will demonstrate how nature provides inspiration to kick-start innovation and create the automation technology of the future at Canada’s leading manufacturing event CMTS which will be held in Toronto from September 28^th  to October 1st. Meet Festo at The International Centre in Toronto in Hall 1, Booth 1115.

As a global manufacturer of pneumatic and electric automation technology, Festo’s core business is to shape the production and working environments of the future by offering its customers innovative solutions for the production systems of tomorrow and beyond. “Through Festo’s Bionic Learning Network, we turn to nature which provides a vast source of intelligent solutions to technical problems which we can apply in areas of energy efficiency, lightweight construction and functional integration. As technological leader and a learning company, the objectives of the Bionic Learning Network go well beyond developing new technologies: to motivate, inspire and enthuse and to kick-start innovation. This is what makes Festo a development partner and a driving force for customer innovations” says Thomas Lichtenberger, General Manager of Festo Inc., Mississauga, Ontario.

Learning from Nature to Improve Productivity

The Bionic Learning Network is a network linking Festo to well-known universities, institutes and development companies. Its objective is to transfer biological principles to industrial automation technology and to provide innovative solutions for industrial applications through biomimicry.

BionicOpter – Mastering the highly complex flight characteristics of the dragonfly

The BionicOpter’s natural model, the dragonfly, is able to manoeuver in all directions, glide without beating its wings and hover in the air. Its ability to move its two pairs of wings independently enables it to slow down and turn abruptly, to accelerate swiftly and even to fly backwards. With the BionicOpter, Festo has applied these highly complex characteristics to an ultra-lightweight flying object at a technical level. For the first time, there is a model that can master the flight conditions of a helicopter, plane and glider combined. This bionic integrates several functions into small spaces, reliability through condition monitoring and real time communication and thus provides inspiration for Festo’s integrated automation concept.

Festo at a glance

Festo is a global leader in automation technology and the world market leader in industrial training and education. Festo’s pneumatic and electric drive technology stands for innovation in industrial and process automation – from individual products to ready-to-install solutions. Festo’s hallmarks include a global presence and improving customer productivity through close, long-term partnerships. With over 300,000 customers globally and 16,800 employees worldwide in 61 national companies, Festo’s sales for 2014 were 2.34 billion Euros. This year, the third generation, family owned company celebrates the 90^th anniversary of its founding and 40 years in Canada.

Related Materials including animations, photos and brochures:

www.festo.com/cms/en_corp/13165.htm

www.festo.com/bionics

www.festo.com/group  

www.festo.com/ca

Photo captions:

With the remote-controlled dragonfly, Festo demonstrates wireless real-time communication and function integration into lightweight construction.

Like its natural model, the dragonfly, the BionicOpter combines the flight capabilities of a plane, glider and helicopter combined.

8 September, 2015 Invenias, the leading cloud-based platform for executive and strategic hiring, has announced today that Conroy Ross Partners has implemented the Invenias platform in order to align its 60 plus consultants operating from seven offices across Canada. Conroy Ross Partners is one of the leading retained search and consulting firms in Canada, and a member of IIC Partners, one of the world’s top ten global executive search organizations.

Over the last few years, Conroy Ross Partners has substantially grown its operations through two strategic acquisitions, and as a result, multiple databases were being used across the business. This made it challenging to fully integrate the national team and provide everyone with real-time access to the same candidates and client briefs. The move to Invenias will see all consultants operating from the same platform, empowering employees to collaborate, share knowledge and access a wider talent pool of candidates.

Diane Wheatley, Director Corporate Services, Conroy Ross Partners commented: “The move to Invenias is an exceptionally important element of helping us to deliver on our integration strategy and wider company vision. We’re an expanding business that is ambitiously seeking to partner with clients with operations across Canada. We see the Invenias platform as crucial to supporting us in that goal; it will be the engine powering our consultants to access real-time information while either at their laptop or via their mobile device. The result will be a standout experience for candidates and clients, but also the creation of one single, well-integrated national team all pulling in the same direction.”

Conroy Ross Partners works with clients across various industries including, academia, finance, government, health and social institutions, industry associations, retail, manufacturing, not-for-profit, oil & gas, and power generation, but is also looking to move into new markets as well as expand its working relationships with existing clients. Invenias will help Conroy Ross Partners to realize operational efficiencies by aligning and integrating business processes and will provide consultants with a far more intuitive and user friendly interface. In addition, the cloud-based platform will support digital working as consultants will be able to access data regardless of location.

Wheatley continues: “Due to the strategically important nature of this migration, we undertook a comprehensive market review before making our selection. Quite frankly, no one else could hold a candle to the Invenias platform. Technology is rapidly changing the face of executive search, and with Invenias we’re in a good place to not only realize our operational efficiencies, but also future proof our business.”

David Grundy, CEO, Invenias, commented: “Growing through acquisition often throws up a number of IT hurdles. When people are working on different systems, it creates significant information management challenges. We’re delighted that Conroy Ross Partners recognized that the Invenias platform is a powerful solution to unite its coast-to-coast team and support its company growth strategy both now and in the future.”

About Invenias

Invenias® is a privately owned software company whose cloud-based platform for executive and strategic hiring enables executive search firms, specialist recruitment companies and enterprise recruitment organizations to effectively run their business. Easy to use, cloud-based desktop and mobile applications enable customers to deliver better assignments, build stronger relationships with clients and candidates and transform the productivity of their operations. Incorporated in 2005, Invenias serves thousands of users in over sixty countries across the globe. Invenias is headquartered in Reading, United Kingdom, with additional offices in Europe, the US, Australia and Malaysia. Invenias has a global strategic partnership with the Association of Executive Search Consultants (AESC). For more details on Invenias, please visit www.invenias.com.

About Conroy Ross Partnership

Founded in 1994, Conroy Ross Partners is a retained search and consulting firm with offices across Canada. Whether it’s recruiting the right talent or providing advice on the complexities of business, Conroy Ross Partners works with leadership teams to help their organizations thrive. With over 20 years of experience and thousands of successful engagements, Conroy Ross Partners has earned the reputation as one of Canada’s leading recruiters. Please visit www.conroyross.com for more information.

Tuesday September 15, 2015 - Companies that are currently in or launched from Waterloo’s Velocity startup program have raised more than $150 million in funding from investors in just the last 18 months, bringing the total since the incubator launched to more than $250 million.
 
The total investment includes funding from venture capitalists, angel investors, government programs and grants from the Velocity Fund. This funding milestone does not include acquisitions, such as Google purchasing BufferBox in 2012, or Kite going to Docker in 2015.
 
"The entrepreneurial drive at the University of Waterloo is supported by student network programs, dedicated residences, in classrooms, research labs, discovery and maker space and more," said Feridun Hamdullahpur, president and vice-chancellor of Waterloo. "I congratulate the entire Velocity network of programs — current Waterloo students and alumni, and those who provide students and founders valuable support and mentorship — on reaching this milestone, and wish them continued success."
 
Established companies among Velocity alumni, including Kik, Pebble and Vidyard, make up a large percentage of the funding. Companies that are earlier in the business cycle such as Thalmic, PumpUp, MappedIn, Couple and Fora, whichAndela recently acquired, make up a significant though smaller level of funding. Current Velocity companies that have announced funding in the range of $1 million include Piinpoint, Kaizena, Sortable, SparkGig and TritonWear.
 
"Funding is a world of steep competition and Velocity companies continue to stand out and convince investors to believe in and support them," said Mike Kirkup, director of Velocity. "This achievement proves that we are doing something very right here in Waterloo and I commend all of our companies and their employees for their dedication and hard work."

Velocity provides programs and resources to support entrepreneurs that include free workspace, mentoring and coaching in such areas as marketing, business planning, human resources, and legal advice. Velocity has built a robust investor network and is focused on ensuring that investors and companies create a good fit that will help Velocity companies achieve success.