2016 Consular Corps Reception
Speaking notes for Councillor Thompson
May 30, 2016

Good evening.

Welcome to the City of Toronto’s 2016 Consular Corps reception.

We are pleased that so many Consular representatives from all corners of the world were able to join us today.

This event is one of what we hope will be many opportunities to network with you.

Toronto is committed to deepening our cultural, social and economic ties with other cities around the world.

Both Mayor Tory and I have spent a significant amount of time over the past year travelling to other cities to strengthen Toronto’s international relationships and to support trade and investment initiatives.

We have found that our presence in these markets is helping to energize Toronto’s trade and cultural relationships around the world.

I would like to ask Mayor Tory to share his perspectives on these initiatives, and on our global outreach efforts.

Mayor Tory.

(MAYOR TORY SPEAKS)

Thank you Mr. Mayor.

Toronto’s international trade, investment and cultural outreach efforts are built on two pillars: our core belief in diversity, and our commitment to collaboration.

I am sure you are well aware that Toronto is one of the most diverse cities on the planet. More than half of our residents were born outside of Canada and our neighbourhoods are energized by the sound of more than 150 languages and dialects.

We are a “global city” where people from everywhere are welcome to come and live in peace.

This connection to the world is one of our greatest assets. It gives us a tremendous advantage in doing business on every continent on the globe.

The second pillar – collaboration – comes from our natural desire to make friends, and our understanding that stable, long term success comes from working with others rather than competing against them.

We have been building our economic development and culture initiatives with this approach for the past few years, and it is a cornerstone of our new “Toronto Going Global Strategy.”

We are going global in a number of ways.

For example, over the past few months, the city has been working with a group of Latin American Consul Generals to establish the Toronto Latin American Bilateral Trade Initiative.

The Initiative is bringing together City Economic Development staff and committee members with consular officials from nine Latin American countries to develop mutually beneficial trade opportunities.

In 2013, Toronto got together with Austin, Texas to sign a “music cities” agreement. Under this agreement, the two cities have established a closer creative and working arrangement that is strengthening the music industry in both places.

Toronto is also developing the business potential of its Partner City and Friendship City agreements. Last year, we added Rio de Janeiro, raising our total of such agreements to 10 cities in South America, Europe, Asia and the U.S.

Similarly, since 2013 we have helped conclude Memoranda of Agreement with cities in Brazil, India, Turkey and Dubai that are deepening our economic ties with key overseas markets.

Clearly, we are not only thinking globally, we are collaborating globally as well.

But we are also collaborating here at home.

In 2012, we brought together a task force of local business leaders to draw up recommendations to improve the way the city serves the business community. Their report -Collaborating for Competiveness - now forms the basis of our ongoing Economic Development strategy.

In the arts and culture realm, an equally impressive gathering of leaders brought forward the Creative Capital Gains report, which has enabled us to put in place increased funding and greater collaboration in our creative industries.

Toronto has been working hard to extend economic development collaboration to include what are usually seen as natural competitors such as other Canadian municipalities in the greater Toronto area.

We are a driving force in the creation of Toronto Global, a regional foreign direct investment marketing agency launched in April.

We have partnered with the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and with our municipal neighbours in this venture.Toronto Global is a well-financed, highly professional marketing agency that is proactively reaching out to key world markets to bring new business investments to the Toronto region.

In addition, we have joined with Kitchener-Waterloo to establish the Ontario Technology Corridor. The corridor is supporting, building and marketing the strengths of both cities in the high tech sector.

Toronto is not just talking about collaboration, we are living it. And we want to find mutually beneficial ways to collaborate with you.

For us, you are an important gateway to the economies in your countries. As a globally-focused city, we would like to work with you to build relationships with cities and businesses in your homelands. If we work together,all of our economies will grow.

I urge you to talk to us – to me and our economic development team leaders here today – about ways we can help each other meet our economic objectives.

If we start sharing ideas and discussing opportunities, good things will happen.

Finally, I would like to ask that everyone remain here in the Council Chamber for a group photograph. Following the photo you are all invited to the Members' Lounge just above the Chamber for a reception.

Thank you.

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