.

The Greater Toronto Area has become ground for many successful clusters and I am eager to learn more about the Business Services Cluster

According to a study by ICAP, Institute Competitiveness and Prosperity, the Toronto Cluster has a significant presence in Canada however it is know well established on an international scale. The

Toronto has the highest “LQ” of 1.90 and ranks third in employment› 1st – New York› 2nd – Los Angeles› 3rd – Chicago

“Procom is a leading provider of professional IT services to businesses and governments in North America. Privately held, Procom was launched 1978 by President Frank McCrea and is dedicated to consistently achieving superior client results by adapting to their unique needs. This dedication is matched by a rigorous approach to standardization that has resulted in ISO 9001-2000 certification for Procom’s industry-leading processes.”

Procom’s e-Newsletter:› http://www.procom.ca/newsletter.aspx

Some 24,000 business and professional service firms in Toronto make up 21% of the Canadian total for this cluster.

Toronto is home to 9 of Canada’s 10 largest law practices, 9 of the top 10 accounting firms, 7 of the 10 largest advertising and communications agencies and all 10 top human resources and benefits firms.

“Toronto. Financial services capital of Canada. One of North America’s premier financial centres and the fastest growing. A dynamic and vibrant business centre, Toronto has a sophisticated cluster of financial services companies, offering a range of quality services and expertise that rank among the best in the world.”

Some partnerships that TSFA possesses are: http://www.tfsa.ca/

› Founders› Corporate› Academic › Observers

STATISTICS as of 2004› Toronto is a leading knowledge centre with three

universities and four colleges. More than 70% of financial service employees have post-secondary designations, well ahead of the industrial average.

› Toronto’s three MBA programs graduate more than 600 students per year.

› The Toronto CFA Society is the second largest in the world after New York, boasting more than 5,500 members.

› The cluster benefits from strategic links to other economic sectors within the city. Toronto is also the hub of Canada’s IT&T and digital media industry and home to the country’s most extensive fibre-optic network. Canadian institutions are world-leaders in the development and use of debit card and automated bank machine technology.

High-Tech Capital of CanadaHigh-Tech Capital of Canada “Markham is Canada's High-Tech Capital with over 900 High-Tech and Life

Science companies, including…”

http://www.markham.ca/Markham/Departments/EDO/HiTech_Capital.htm

The third-largest North American financial services centre after New York and Chicago, based on direct employment.

North America’s fastest expanding financial services sector - growing 41 per cent between 1994 and 2004.

Home to Canada’s 5 largest banks, 50 foreign bank subsidiaries and branches, and 112 securities firms.

Headquarters for 6 of Canada’s top insurers that manage over 90 per cent of the industry’s assets, 61 mutual funds companies, 58 pension fund managers, and 5 Canadian pension plans with combined assets in excess of $250 billion.

Home-base for the TSX Group - the third-largest stock exchange in North American and seventh largest in the world based on market capitalization - is the world leader in mining sector listings.

The centre for over 10 per cent of all Canadian economic activity with a population of 2.6 million and $123 billion.

 “The best clusters have a network of service providers to perform noncore tasks or provide members with access to equipment, personnel or other resources they don’t have internally. By farming out jobs such as computer maintenance, smaller ventures can focus on what they do best: commercializing new ideas. That results in a higher rate of product and service introductions.”

“Over the past 20 years, we have fine-tuned our methods and analytical approaches to helping our clients achieve and sustain economic competitiveness in a manner consistent with their unique cultural values and goals for the future.

Our methods include:› Context Setting & Benchmarking› Primary Rearch› Facilitation› Strategy Formulation› Implementation Support”

“Calgary’s city relationships are strategically positioned throughout the world”

Calgary Committee Chair - Manfred MerkelCommittee members in Calgary – Christa Andraos› Stacey Dyck› Michael W. Palmer› Mayda Beyleria› Patricia Glenn› Dawn Hankins› Rowena James› Laura Oyen› Carla Stephenson› Kevin Franco› Jessie Hislop› Stewy Stuart› Orest Warchola› Norman Leach

Partnerships with › Asia-Pacific› Europe› Latin America and the

Caribbean,› Middle East and North

America› Sub-Saharan › Africa› United States of America

“Canada’s business services industry is a major sector of the Canadian economy, with annual revenues of more that $65 billion. Industry empowerment in Canada is over one million people, representing more than 6% of the total Canadian workforce.”

BUZGate is the leading resource portal for start-up, small and medium-sized businesses.

To get started, click on your state to discover Free Programs and innovative Business Solutions for Funding, Marketing, Technology, Veterans, Women and much more

Presented by: Presented by: Sherisse LiburdOn: April 7.2008

Thank you for your Thank you for your time!time!