guelph ontario globe and mail

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Guelph | 2 0 2 0

SMART GROWTH THROUGH STRATEGIC INNOVATION GUELPH ONTARIO

University of Guelph Co-operative Education supports, trains & leads students

Start, grow and thrive.

Taking business concepts to the next level.

Guelph Junction Railway connects CP Rail & CN Rail

The

biological REVOLUTION is here.

You can be too.

Leasing and building opportunities available in the Research Park, strategically located in the heart of the University of Guelph.

UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH

University of Guelph Research Park is the right place to be right now www.uoguelph.ca/realestate UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH call us at 519-767-5014

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About the cover

A message from the mayor

I

want to thank Perspective Marketing for producing this guide to living, working, and doing business in Guelph!

Guelph consistently ranks as one of the best places to live and work in Canada, and was recently ranked as the 4th best large city in Canada to start and grow a business. When you spend time here, it’s easy to see why. Guelph boasts a high quality of life with thoughtful urban planning, a vibrant and engaged community, and outstanding local support for businesses through organizations like the Chamber of Commerce, Innovation Guelph, and the Business Enterprise Centre.

Cam Guthrie, Mayor

Just minutes from highway 401, Guelph is centrally-located in the innovation corridor that stretches from Toronto to Waterloo. Our city is home to the world-renowned University of Guelph, and offers a wealth of knowledge, expertise and skilled labour to foster innovation and growth.

With all the big-city amenities you might need and the welcoming community spirit you would only expect from a small town, Guelph truly is the best of both worlds.

Welcome to our city! We hope Guelph can be part of your success story.

Guelph is situated within Ontario’s Innovation Corridor between Toronto and Waterloo and is open for business.

P e r s p e c t i v e TM 1464 Cornwall Rd, Suite 5, Oakville, ON L6J 7W5 1-866-779-7712 info@perspective.ca www.perspective.ca

Publisher, CeO Steve Montague ViCe-PresiDeNT Ed Martin Editorial Meredith MacLeod and Phil Gaudreau PerspectiveTM Guelph was produced Independent of the City of Guelph. Contents are copyrighted and may not be reproduced without the written consent of Perspective Marketing Inc. The publisher is not liable for any views expressed in the articles and opinions do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher or the City of Guelph.

HIRE A UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH CO-OP STUDENT recruit@uoguelph.ca (519) 824-4120 x52323

• Students are ready to be hired from over 40 co-op programs including Business, Engineering, Computing, Science & Arts • Hire a student for 4 or 8 month work terms (program specific) • We support work-from-home placement solutions • Funding has temporarily become more flexible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Visit our website or contact us to learn more

Advanced Manufacturing

Over 500

One of Guelph’s longest standing and most innovative sectors, Advanced Manufacturing, is a vibrant local economic engine.

9.5% employment

Guelph’s Advanced Manufacturing companies, led by Canadian and international leaders like Linamar Corporation, Magna-Polycon and Würth Canada, are already building the economy of the future right here in Guelph, based on competitive wages and staying at the cutting edge of the competitive global economy.

employers and entrepreneurs in this sector

growth in this sector since 2011

Business Development and Enterprise Services bizinfo@guelph.ca • 519-837-5600 guelph.ca/business

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Property owners and developers make one call for efficient construction methods.

Newton Group operates a Precast Concrete manufacturing plant and their own Steel Fabrication shop in Guelph Ontario

G

uelph’s The Newton Group is aggressively expanding to accelerate the production of its engineered, prefabricated and vertically integrated building system.

The company was founded in 1994 in Guelph as industrial and office builder Kiwi Newton and has since launched other divisions, including solar, parking structures and bridges, and expanded into residential and institutional projects.

Newton Group owns and operates a 30,000-square-foot precast concrete manufacturing plant, as well as a 50,000-square-foot structural steel fabrication shop, allowing for vertical integration and a “one-stop shop” for property owners and developers looking for cost-effective and sustainable structures, says company founder and CEO Ed Newton.

In July 2019, the Newton Group received $2.5 million from FedDev Ontario to help build a 45,000-square-foot addition to its Massey Road headquarters.

It’s expected to be fully operational by the end of August.

The expanded plant will incorporate a high level of automation, says Newton.

The company’s services span the project cycle, from planning to design and engineering, to construction and finishing.

Its well-defined, standardized, tested and proven approach has huge advantages in reducing costs and staying on schedule, says Newton.

The idea is to apply the principles of automated manufacturing to the construction industry in order to maximize efficiencies.

“We are completely unique. There is no one else in Canada that does what we do.”

Newton’s KiwiCondo/Commercial panelized system produces the structural and architectural walls, floors, and roof systems, with all electrical, mechanical and plumbing components inside. Windows and doors are already installed and, in some cases, cladding is in place.

The panels arrive to the construction site in a staged fashion for assembly.

“There is a lot more on-site control over scheduling and staying on time

and on budget. Pre-cast systems go up very quickly,” Newton said. “We make projects more cost-effective and feasible.”

Newton’s method also provides an energy efficiency that reduces heating and lighting consumption in buildings by up to 60 per cent over 2015 building code standards.

Newton says targets to cut greenhouse gases by 30 per cent by 2025 will require building much differently.

“Buildings account for about 30 per cent of carbon emissions, so it’s going to require an enormous shift to carbonneutral buildings.”

The Newton Group’s innovative parking structure system called CANADACAR and a solar division, are both found at hospitals, transit stations, government buildings, and colleges and universities across Canada.

“They are capital cost-effective, have low maintenance and operational costs, and they look really good. They are open and light-filled, making them safer and nicer places to be.”

CANADACAR employs precast plates and steel supports to create an open, light-filled, energy-efficient structure with few vertical columns. With solar panels installations, the garages can become power stations.

Newton, who grew up on a sheep farm in New Zealand, says he immediately felt at home when he visited Canada. He also says he made a good decision to set up shop in Guelph.

“Guelph has been very good to us. The city is a great place to do business and they even helped us secure provincial and federal grants. The city was instrumental in that.”

Guelph is also a fantastic place to live, says Newton, making recruitment of tradespeople, engineers, draftsmen and equipment operators an easier task. He expects to do a lot of that, adding about 30 employees to the company’s current 100-person payroll to handle the growing production capacity.

“We need to expand to keep up with the demand for all that we can do.”

#GuelphShops

Visit guelphshops.ca for a local business directory and links to online shops

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Pivoting in response to COVID-19 Like their clients, Innovation Guelph (IG) is pivoting to deliver value and programming in new ways in response to the COVID19 pandemic. Anne Toner Fung, CEO commented “We are humbled and excited to see the creativity, agility and innovation displayed by our client companies and others in the community.

We are truly all in this together!”

IG clients and other innovators are responding to the pandemic by 3D-printing facemasks, adapting the production of spirits to produce hand sanitizer and working to manufacture ventilators. As a rallying point for local business, IG is connecting clients and facilitating collaboration to solve issues and respond to pandemic-related challenges. IG then celebrates these good news stories on its blog and through social media while encouraging companies to connect with others to share resources and ideas.

Leveraging technology, IG continues to deliver programming, including a new series called Leaders Helping Leaders,

IG CLIENTS HELPING IN THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19: ] Dixon’s Distillery switches

production to hand sanitizer and gives it away to frontline workers ] Precision Biomonitoring responds to

the Government of Canada’s Plan to Mobilize Industry to fight COVID-19 and recieves Letter of Intent for their point-of-need SARS-CoV-2 Go-Strips and mobile testing device ] WelTel receives federal funding to

help launch their mobile health app, which will be used to support and connect with quarantined and isolated patients

to provide online support for companies struggling to cope with isolation and economic challenges. IG clients also continue to receive support from mentors and staff by phone and video.

The office is closed, but IG is definitely open for business. Visit IG’s website, innovationguelph.ca, and follow them on social media for all the great online opportunities to connect and learn!

This spring, IG was thrilled to be recognized by the University of Guelph’s Gordon S. Lang School of Business and Economics for their Rhyze™ women’s entrepreneurship programming. On March 11, IG received the inaugural HeForShe Impact award for promoting gender equity internally and through programs like Rhyze Ventures and Rhyze Up! In addition to receiving the award, a $2,500 donation was made to Guelph Women in Crisis on IG’s behalf thanks to the generous support of the Angel Gabriel Foundation. Additionally, Innovation Guelph received the CANIE Award for Enterprise Support presented by the Innovators and Entrepreneurs Foundation within the 2020 CANIE Digital Awards Tour.

Rhyze Ventures, funded through the Government of Canada’s Women Entrepreneurship Strategy (WES) Ecosystem Fund, combines in-class learning, hands-on project work, mentorship, and peer networking to address women entrepreneurs’ biggest business challenges. This eight-month program delivered in three streams (Small Business, Scalable Business, and Social Enterprise) with community partners (Business Centre Guelph Wellington, GreenHouse and the Waterloo Regional Small Business Centre) culminates in a chance to pitch for cash prizes.

Rhyze Up!, funded by National Research Council of Canada Industrial Research Assistance Program (NRC IRAP) is a

new national program for women entrepreneurs. Rhyze Up! helps womenled companies from across Canada accelerate their businesses through a focused program of support that includes business analysis, targeted project implementation and access to professional leadership coaching.

Aside from award winning programs for women entrepreneurs, IG also offers several unique programs for all entrepreneurs, plus another new program specifically targeting one of Guelph’s key growth sectors. The AgriInnovation Accelerator is designed to give innovative agriculture related companies the boost they need to flourish. This program is tailor-made for agri-food, agritech and agri-innovation companies.

As part of a bigger project spearheaded by the City of Guelph and County of Wellington, IG is a partner in Our Food Future, a Smart Cities initiative focused on creating Canada’s first circular food economy. IG’s role includes managing an Innovation Hub to support the companies that will contribute to this new economic model. IG is excited to be part of, in effect, a rural-urban living lab to develop a more sustainable regional food system.

CLIENT WINS IG is proud to support client success with #IGClientLove Simplify Supply Chain ³ New Business of the Year award

KW Business Excellence Awards February 2020

Rillea Technologies Inc. ³ Trailblazer of the Year award at

the Quinte Business Achievement Awards in October 2019 ³ Innovation Award, Ottawa 2020

Bootstrap Awards in February 2020

UTComp ³ Chief Technical Officer Geoff

Clarkson recieves Ernest C. Manning Innovation Awards’ David E. Mitchell Award of Distinction ³ Women’s Entrepreneurship Funding

Backcountry Wok ³ Green Award, Ottawa 2020

Bootstrap Awards in February 2020

SpeakFeel Corporation ³ Women’s Entrepreneurship Funding

Wyndham Forensics ³ Women’s Entrepreneurship Funding

IG’s business support programs will all be offered remotely while COVID19 continues to require physical distancing.

Looking forward, IG continues to build on community partnerships to showcase innovation. In September, the third annual Innovation Expo will deliver even more value as IG partners with Linamar to expand the event’s footprint to include the Frank Hasenfratz Centre for Excellence in Manufacturing in addition to the Grand Guelph. Partners, Invest in Guelph and the University of Guelph, will also contribute to this event that welcomes entrepreneurs, investors, buyers and the public to see innovation in action!

FIND OUT MORE innovationguelph.ca 519-265-4495 info@innovationguelph.ca 361 Southgate Drive Guelph, ON N1G 3M5 InnovationGuelph

@InnovateGuelph

@innovationguelph

Innovation Guelph

INNOVATION GUELPH CLIENT SHOWCASE

Building green, healthy and affordable communities

Accelerating Clean Tech Innovation KPM Power offers Lithium Battery solutions, specializing in Battery Management Systems. Our mission is to support the advancement of alternative energy products and getting them to market.

For every lithium battery application, there is a need for a BMS for monitoring and safety.

KPM Power’s BMS is customizable with any chemistry for applications up to 1000A/800V, and UL certified for functional safety.

There has been much focus and resources allocated to the EV market, where many publications forecast a significant boom within the next 2 decades. Somewhat overlooked, are a host of other industrial applications including machinery, back up power systems, and light electric vehicles that are also attempting to make the transition, but struggle to find the resources and partnerships necessary to complete projects. It is this underserved market where KPM Power hopes to support and be the catalyst to launch environmentally innovative products.

Blue Valley Building Corporation (BVB) is setting a new standard in building greener, healthier homes for individuals and families as well as municipalities tackling the growing affordable housing crisis.

Using our novel insulated concrete wall foundation system and Insulated structural wall panels, BVB-built homes are designed and engineered to be affordable and provide healthier living environments, superior comfort, quality, durability and energy efficiency.

Compared to traditional stick-built homes, the BVB system cuts build lead times by 30 per cent, reduces waste to landfill by up to one-third, lowers utility costs for homeowners by 30 to 60% and dramatically reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Components are built in our factories in Guelph and Barrie, then assembled on-site for faster, easier, safer and more cost-effective homebuilding.

Attainable today, a BVB-built home will remain affordable and sustainable to own and operate for generations to come. We invite private and public partners to work with us to create sustainable, affordable housing solutions for municipalities and First Nations.

For more information, contact John Cheung at john.cheung@bluevalleybuilding.com

For more information please visit www.kpmpower.com

www.theseedguelph.ca theseed@guelphchc.ca @SEEDGUELPH

Brewed in the Guelph Junction Fixed Gear Brewing Co. was founded by Michael Oosterveld as a means to both live and work in the community of Guelph, while exercising his entrepreneurial spirit.

After a successful career in the corporate automotive industry, Mike opened the doors to Fixed Gear Brewing last fall. Located in the heart of the emerging Guelph Junction neighbourhood, success was evident early on by way of routinely selling out of their most popular beers via the on-site tap room and beer store. Then only a few months later, Fixed Gear acquired Stonehammer brewing facility increasing production capacity ten-fold. Now Fixed Gear’s great tasting beers are being enjoyed across Ontario, available on taps and in LCBO stores near you. fixedgearbrewing.com

innovationguelph.ca

The SEED is a food project of the Guelph Community Health Centre. We believe that everyone should have access to healthy food, and that good food should be at the centre of our healthcare system. Our innovative programs and social enterprises are designed to increase food access for food-insecure community members, engage people who want to help, and inspire healthy food policies.

Collaborate with us.

We are inviting healthcare agencies and organizations in other communities who are doing, or are interested in doing, similar work to reach out to us. We would love to collaborate, share best practices and provide mutual support.

Serving the truth — backed by science Wyndham Forensic Group (Wfg) provides trusted, accredited forensic laboratory testing and consulting services for clients across Canada and around the world.

The Wfg team is also advancing forensic science in emerging areas such as: Kinship searches for police investigators Wfg offers phenotypic DNA testing to identify the traits of individuals and generate new leads from DNA samples that may be years old. This is an invaluable tool for missing persons or cold case investigations.

DNA testing for immigration Wfg is accredited by the Standards Council of Canada to provide DNA testing to verify biological relationships between individuals to support immigration applications.

Cannabis traceability and authentication Wfg is Canada’s only Health Canada-licensed, ISO-accredited forensic lab providing DNA-based cannabis testing for licensed producers, law enforcement and regulatory agencies. Testing identifies the unique characteristics of cannabis flower and CBD oil to enhance quality control, protect IP, and differentiate between legal and illicit cannabis.

Dick Duff’s Organic Jerky – Made without compromise Dick Duff had been making homemade beef jerky for 25 years and he simply could not keep up to demand. In 2015, Dick partnered with long-time fans and brothers Jeremy & Jonathan Anderson to take things to the next level.

Scaling up without compromising quality wasn’t straightforward. Four years later, Dick Duff’s Organic Jerky officially hit store shelves in the summer of 2019.

The hard work was well worth it. Dick Duff’s Organic Jerky is truly in a league of its own. #embracethechew

+ Premium Flavours

+ Certified Organic

+ Authentic Texture

+ Non-GMO Project Verified

+ No Preservatives

+ Gluten-Free

Contact: info@wyndhamforensic.ca

Site Safety Solutions is transforming the way construction businesses manage their health and safety and keep workers safe Site Safety Solutions’ REBAR is an easy to use software solution for safety compliance allowing companies to reduce risk, realize new efficiencies and meet compliance with digital job site checklists. REBAR customers are able to replace hours of paperwork, save time and money and quickly communicate and document job site hazards, by using their mobile phone to record incidents, capture project information with pictures, and communicate through automated instant notifications.

Site Safety Solutions founder Annamaria Bartolomucci has deep roots in the construction industry with over 30 years as an employee, a construction business owner, and now, tech entrepreneur. She was inspired to build Rebar and make a positive change in her industry after losing her father to a construction workplace-related illness.

What’s rooted in crisis can change us for the better For many of us, the pandemic set us reeling, grappling with so many questions and dealing with fear. Once we collectively picked ourselves up and took the first tentative steps forward, we discovered that within the pandemic there was also opportunity. It is our pleasure to support and celebrate our clients as they navigate these challenging times often pivoting to provide new products and services – becoming the helpers!

Our team also took action, rising to the challenge by embracing working remotely, exploring new technologies, virtually delivering programs and surfacing collaboration and partnering opportunities. In addition to a new series called Leaders Helping Leaders delivered virtually via zoom, our team rallied to provide clients with a new source of revenue.

As we look forward, may these new initiatives, products, services and attitudes of kindness and concern for others, rooted in the crisis of a frightening pandemic, be sustained beyond COVID-19’s duration. May we be a kinder more collaborative business support network not afraid to give others a (sanitized) hand up wherever possible.

To learn more about REBAR visit www.sitesafetysolutions.ca

innovationguelph.ca

Helping innovative businesses START, GROW & THRIVE At Innovation Guelph, we are proud to serve as a hub where businesses and community converge, collaborate and cross-pollinate.

Funders

Through our mentorship, programming, business support services and events, we help companies in Guelph, Wellington County and beyond take their businesses to the next level!

SINCE 2011, WE HAVE SUPPORTED

OVER 1,285 BUSINESSES

WE FOCUS ON SERVING INNOVATIVE, SCALABLE BUSINESSES

FROM FOUR MAIN SECTORS:

Sponsors AGRI-INNOVATION

INFORMATION & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (ICT)

OUR CLIENTS ARE LOCATED ACROSS SOUTHWESTERN

ONTARIO & BEYOND

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING

CLEAN TECH

OUR SIGNATURE PROGRAMS SUPPORT BUSINESSES FROM STARTUP TO SCALE-UP:

Partners

STARTUP

Accelerate your business to revenue and investment

+

Seeding Our Food Future

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An initiative of Our Food Future Guelph-Wellington

Transformational change for women-led business

GET IN TOUCH INNOVATIONGUELPH.CA 519-265-4495 • INFO@INNOVATIONGUELPH.CA 361 SOUTHGATE DRIVE, GUELPH, ON

Business support to cultivate your agri-innovation company Access to experts and leadership coaching to boost business momentum Move your company to the head of the pack

SCALE-UP

InnovationGuelph @InnovationGuelph

@InnovateGuelph InnovationGuelph

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Guelph’s Railway has been transporting industrial products such as grain, plastics, and lumber for over 130 years.

Guelph Junction Railway connects with the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Canadian National Railway.

T

he City of Guelph has what few other municipalities in Ontario or Canada can boast: a successful short-line railway that connects to two of Canada’s Class 1 rail freight railroads and the in-house expertise to help companies of all sizes realize the benefits of moving goods by rail.

The 38.6 kilometres of the Guelph Junction Railway (GJR), which is entirely owned by the City of Guelph, connects to the Canadian Pacific Railway in the south end of the municipality and to Canadian National Railway’s line in the

north. It serves the city’s north industrial park and traverses through the heart of the downtown, providing the local link for long-distance delivery.

Connections to both of Canada’s major rail companies is a huge business advantage for companies in Guelph, says GJR general manager Les Petroczi.

“Having that ability to get competitive quotes is really great for our customers.

Most municipalities can’t offer that.”

Guelph is also well served by a number of large, well-equipped transloading facilities that transfer freight from truck to rail or rail to truck for customers that aren’t on a direct rail line.

In addition, GJR provides storage for rail cars for its customers.

“We know our customers and we are there for them. We offer services that are reasonably priced and we’re there to help

them grow. The GJR is a big incentive for businesses to come to Guelph,” says Petroczi.

The GJR has also built expertise and experience to help customers make the most of the line and the efficiency it brings.

“We are willing and able to work with any customer who wants to come to Guelph. We will build infrastructure to help customers grow, including grade preparation, and handling a rail connection to the line. All a GJR customer has to worry about is ensuring they are satisfying their own customers. I worry about everything else.”

The GJR began operations in 1888 and has been inextricably linked to the economic success of Guelph ever since.

It now carries large quantities of grain, plastic pellets, lumber, aggregates, chemicals, iron, stone, glass and paper for 16 customers on more than 5,000 rail cars a year. The GJR reported a net income of $1.1 million and delivered dividends to the City of $80,000 in 2019.

Moving freight by rail – raw materials in and finished products out – provides major benefits over trucking. A single rail car can hold the equivalent of four tractor-trailers and is never slowed down by congestion on highways or at the border, making rail a more cost-effective and reliable form of transportation.

It’s also environmentally friendly. The operation of all of Canada’s rail companies

combined contributes just 1 per cent of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.

The GJR reinvests a minimum of 16 per cent of its revenues into modernization, including upgrades to the rail lines to allow the use of wider and heavier rail cars used by Class 1 carriers, improvements to level crossings and larger LED signal lights.

The GJR’s rail operations are contracted to a third-party operator, which provides locomotives and crews. A contract with a new provider begins in September.

“They have a lot of experience and are proven to be great freight managers,” says Petroczi, who has had a long career in private-sector rail service.

Only a handful of municipalities operate a short-rail line and very few actually make money, says Petroczi. There are only two other wholly municipally owned railways in Ontario and a dozen across the country.

Guelph is at the centre of Canada’s Innovation Corridor, the second-largest technology cluster in North America. It is home to some of the country’s leading advanced manufacturers and is also an agricultural, agri-food and animal sciences hub. Guelph’s central location provides easy access to major highways, five international airports, two major shipping ports, and four road border crossings.

Three additional border crossings, a dedicated commercial truck ferry and a dedicated freight train tunnel are within 300 kilometres.

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Hey neighbour, can I borrow a cup of sugar?

There are many wonderful examples of people coming together in difficult times, and one such story can be found on Wyndham St. in the heart of downtown Guelph.

A

s pandemic restrictions started to lift, NV KITCHEN + BAR and its neighbour, popular student haunt Frank & Steins, were eager to begin serving customers again.

Fortunately for Frank & Steins, they had a large area for a patio where they could keep the taps flowing. Unfortunately, it

was more challenging for them to keep the kitchen running in this new format.

So, the owners asked NV if the restaurant would be interested in serving clients on Frank & Steins patio. They agreed.

“Everybody is helping everybody, giving up territory and giving ample consideration,” said Marty Williams, Executive Director of the Downtown Guelph Business Improvement Area (BIA).

“They are seeking out creative ways to work together and keep the lights on.”

On a stroll through downtown you will find many stories of Guelph businesses working together to beautify the downtown and capitalize on the sidewalk patios and car-free streets.

You will notice the nicely decorated safety barriers designed

to entice the public in for a meal, a shopping trip, or a long-overdue styling appointment.

Some shops are organizing events to help Guelph residents and visitors de-stress and discover more of the city’s vibrant downtown.

The customers may be lounging and relaxing, but the business owners and the BIA are keeping busy staying on top of the latest COVID-19 regulations and news to ensure customers stay safe and businesses can remain open.

“While there’s a lot of emphasis on patios right now, they have a season and we have to be ready for the fall and what’s coming next,” Williams noted.

Whether it’s time for a spa visit, a shopping trip, or a sip on the patio, visit downtownguelph.com to plan your visit.

DOWNTOWN GUELPH IS A

= PATIOS

DINING, SHOPPING, AND STYLING DISTRICT #STAYINGSAFESTAYINGOPEN @downtownguelph

@downtownguelph

N ALO T. LE S S APP ILSON 26 W

IF F 42 WY OOTWEAR NDHA M ST N.

/downtownguelph

PEDESTRIAN DISTRICT 21 PATIOS

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Knowledge and innovation excellence: Guelph Ontario

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uelph is well positioned as a leader in advanced manufacturing, agri-innovation, environmental technology, and information and communications technology.

Ideally located in southern Ontario along Canada’s Innovation Corridor, Guelph offers unparalleled access to talent, customers, and transportation infrastructure, a community supporting innovation, a business-friendly local government, and an enviable affordability and quality of life. Guelph is the place where entrepreneurs, start-ups, and established innovators find everything they need to flourish and expand.

Some of the most successful and forward-thinking advanced manufacturers in Canada, and the world call, Guelph home. These include Linamar Corporation, Hammond Manufacturing, Würth Canada and Denso, among others.

The city also has the largest concentration of agri-innovation research and technology expertise and infrastructure in Canada, one of the fastest-growing information and communications technology sectors in the country, and a robust and cutting-edge environmental technology cluster.

“With a strong economy supporting its agri-food, manufacturing, and environmental sectors, Guelph has staked its claim along the Innovation Corridor,” said Tyson McMann, a business development analyst with the Business Development and Enterprise Services department at the City of Guelph.

Guelph was the second-fastest growing mid-sized city in Canada, in 2018, according to the Conference Board of Canada. It was also the fourth-best place to buy real estate and the third-best millennial hotspot in 2018. As well as the Top 6 place for newcomers and the among the Top 10 in the Americas for foreign direct investment in 2017.

“The quality of talent coming out of our post-secondary institutions, as well as those that choose to call Guelph home, drives the world-class expertise and idea generation coming from our community.”

ADVANCED MANUFACTURING More than 500 companies and entrepreneurs collectively employ more than 16,000 people in Guelph’s largest employment sector. Advanced manufacturing jobs have grown 9.5 per cent since 2011 and the sector contributes more than $2.5 billion in GDP and $4.5 billion in exports.

Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen), the Canadian government’s ambitious investment in the Advanced Manufacturing Supercluster, is chaired by Guelph’s own Linda Hasenfratz, CEO of Linamar, a global powertrain company founded and headquartered in Guelph.

“If there is one company that embodies the kind of innovation happening in Guelph, it is Linamar,” said McMann.

“Whether it be medical devices, agriculture equipment, clean tech, or transmissions, Linamar continues to seek the next innovation in advanced manufacturing.”

Local companies appreciate the probusiness reception they get from Guelph City Hall.

“The decision to relocate to Guelph has proven to be a very good one. The economic development team has been supportive, responsive and easy to work with,” said Walter Hancharyk, logistics manager at Würth Canada.

AGRI-INNOVATION The Agri-innovation sector in Guelph includes close to 1,500 employers and entrepreneurs, employs 7,000 people and has experienced 17 per cent employment growth since 2011.

It’s all anchored by the University of Guelph, also known as Canada’s food university, which is internationally recognized as the centre of excellence in agriculture, bio-science, nutritional science and food science. There are more than 40 agricultural-focused research institutes and

more than 30 agri-innovation industry associations in the city, too.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Public Health Agency of Canada are all headquartered in Guelph.

“Collaboration with the City of Guelph has resulted in the expansion of our business and facilities providing tremendous value to Canadian food and beverage companies while allowing NSF to launch a diverse portfolio of global services,” said Petra Schennach, global managing director, training and education at NSF Canada.

“There is not a better Canadian location for our business than Guelph, Ontario.”

ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES Guelph is also a leader in environmental technologies (cleantech), with 500 employers and entrepreneurs in soil remediation, water and wastewater management, chemical and brownfield remediation, renewable energy and environmental engineering.

The sector employs 3,100 and has experienced more than 7.3 per cent employment growth since 2011.

Guelph is home to Alectra’s new Green Energy & Technology (GRE&T) Centre, that will drive green technology innovations and solutions. The GRE&T Centre will catalyze the commercialization

and mass consumer adoption of green technology.

Derek Webb, president and CEO of BIOREM, says his company operates in 23 countries and has worked with many more jurisdictions and local economic development teams.

“Working with the Guelph team has been by far the most productive and efficient use of our time. They’ve worked closely with us to truly understand our needs and to best position us locally, provincially and federally to achieve our strategic vision. I highly recommend Guelph if you are considering a cleantech expansion.”

INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY The information and communications technology (ICT) sector is among the fastest growing in Guelph, experiencing 35.7 per cent employment growth since 2011, which outperformed the traditional tech centres of Montreal, Toronto,Vancouver and Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo.

That success is driven by the city’s place on Canada’s Innovation Corridor, which provides access to key customers, talent, investors, research and development, incubators and academic institutions.

The Guelph region is home to the highest concentration of embedded developers, data scientists and machine learning specialists in Canada.

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Generations of loyal customers Sutherland Insurance in Guelph provides services including Automobile, Property and Business insurance.

N

ot many businesses make it 150 years to a fifth generation, but that feat is something Sutherland Insurance in Guelph is very proud to have achieved.

And the lessons handed down over the generations still guide the business, says the firm’s president Jeff Sutherland, even if technology has changed virtually everything else.

“All my ancestors believed in serving our customers in the best way possible,” he said. “Now, that means returning phone calls and emails right away, even if it’s just to say you are on it,” he said.

“We have always been a group of people who back each other up. We have a true sense of a team and our message to our customers is that we are always here and there is no call that isn’t important. I will take a call about a change of address if no one is available. That was passed all the way down from my grandfather.”

Sutherland Insurance is one of the oldest businesses in Guelph, dating back to 1870 when John Sutherland – Jeff ’s great-grandfather – visited clients all over the Guelph area and into neighbouring counties in a horse and buggy.

His prowess as an insurance man are legendary.

According to a story on the Sutherland Insurance website, a severe fire in the village of Chepstow in the 1890s wiped out the hotel, some stores and upstairs dwellings.

“No one had any insurance, and the next day, before the ashes were cold, who should come riding into town with a big hamper of vittles but Johnnie Sutherland from Guelph. He stayed the whole day, and

by sundown, he had signed up the entire village.”

Jeff has been at the helm since 1995 and now the fifth generation – his children and step-children Zac Sutherland, Lauren Kurtz and Stephen Kurtz – are fulfilling various roles among the 38-member team.

Jeff stepped into the business alongside his mother Mary upon the untimely death of his father Bob Jr. in 1979. Jeff was just 21 and a serious ski-racer at the time. He had spent summers answering the phone, filing papers and shredding files, but had not considered a career in insurance.

“My dad never, ever put pressure on me to get into insurance, he supported whatever it was I wanted to do. He told me to do what I wanted in life and he really supported my skiing,” he said.

“I did feel some pressure because of his death, but I really grew to love this business. I’m so glad I stuck with it.”

Nothing ever stays static in his industry, he says. Constant technological innovation has moved communication chains from fax and phone to email, text and social media.

The global pandemic saw Sutherland shift quickly and entirely to remote work, something that wouldn’t have been possible just a few years ago.

Now there are new factors on the horizon. Insurance companies are selling directly to consumers and cutting out brokers, and there are indications that larger corporations such as Google and Amazon are exploring entry into the insurance space, says Jeff.

And autonomous cars are poised to entirely disrupt the industry, potentially over the next decade.

Right now, about 70 per cent of Sutherland’s business is in home and auto coverage, but Jeff says it’s gearing up to make commercial insurance, especially small business, a bigger focus.

Jeff has also seen a huge change in his native Guelph, which has doubled in size since the 1970s to become a mid-sized city.

“Guelph is really a wonderful, safe place to grow up and to raise a family. It has

Jeffrey Robert, President, Sutherland Insurance

Zac Sutherland, Vice President, Sutherland Insurance

grown and flourished. It’s a small town but it has everything big towns have, too.”

Sutherland Insurance supports its community through the volunteer efforts of its employees, donations to local charities and through a program in which Sutherland sends each five-year customer a thank you note and plants a tree in their name at the Guelph Lake Conservation Area.

The company’s website is packed with testimonials from customers who praise the personal touch they

get at Sutherland. That has resulted in generations of loyal customers, says Jeff.

“When you have a claim, through a car crash, fire or some other issue, we step up and become your advocate.”

Jeff welcomed his first grandchild, Olivia, in 2019. Though he will never pressure her, he can’t help but dream about a sixth generation for Sutherland Insurance.

“I’m trying not to get ahead of myself on that one.”

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