November 21, 2011

Technicity bolsters Toronto's growing information and communications technology industry

Major players from Toronto's Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry converge on Tuesday, November 22 at Technicity. The all-day symposium will celebrate achievement, develop growth strategies and stimulate shared visions for the future.

Participants from technology companies, government and key stakeholders will work to gain perspectives and explore plans to further grow Toronto’s technology sector and propel the Toronto region forward as a centre of global technology. "Toronto is Canada's high-tech hub," said Mayor Rob Ford."We want to ensure that this rapidly expanding sector, which generates billions for the economy and employs over 160,000 people in Toronto, continues to be strong. Technicity draws these businesses together so that they can develop new partnerships and build common goals for their industry." In the next five years, more than 35,000 workers will be needed for Toronto's growing ICT industry - based on a recent study by Canada's Information and Communications Technology Council that states that between 2011 and 2016, Canadian employers will need to hire approximately 106,000 ICT workers. That figure is double the size of Research in Motion's (RIM's) entire worldwide labour force, estimated by RIM to be at 17,000 as of July 2011. Technicity's keynote speakers include Mark Surman, Executive Director, Mozilla Foundation; Jim Milway, Executive Director, Martin Prosperity Institute; Dr. Sara Diamond, President, OCAD University; David Wolfe, Royal Bank Chair in Public and Economic Policy at University of Toronto; and Shane Schick, Editor-in-Chief, ITWorld Canada. Technicity will also feature the release of two studies related to Toronto's mobile industry and the city's financial services sector. More information is available at http://www.technicity.ca. Technicity is presented by ITWorldCanada in co-operation with the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Marketing Alliance. Sponsors include KPMG, Microsoft Canada, IBM and Infusion. Technicity will be held at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre's South Building. Toronto is Canada's largest city and sixth largest government, and home to a diverse population of about 2.7 million people. Toronto's government is dedicated to delivering customer service excellence, creating a transparent and accountable government, reducing the size and cost of government and building a transportation city. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can dial 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

- 30 –

Media contact: Shane Gerard, Senior Communications Coordinator, 416-397-5711, sgerard@toronto.ca