The Quay - 100 Queens Quay East, 3rd Floor
In Person
Toronto businesses face a critical challenge: preserving the industrial lands that are vital to our economy while we accommodate a rapidly growing population. As demand for housing intensifies, lands zoned for industrial, commercial, and institutional uses are under increasing pressure to be converted to residential. But you need your business to grow.
This “race for space” will result in rising costs and uncertainty for businesses looking to locate or expand within the region, threatening your organizational growth and our regional economy.
At this event, we’ll explore the essential role of employment lands, which support over 1.5 million jobs, including 88% of the region’s high-paying manufacturing positions.
Why Attend?
Together, we will address the urgent need to advocate for a coordinated industrial lands strategy—one that ensures these spaces remain dedicated to economic growth and productivity, while still supporting the region’s housing needs.
You’ll hear about international best practices and local strategies aimed at preserving and enhancing these critical lands.
Join the conversation to help shape our advocacy efforts and explain to government that we need to break free of the race for space and find the appropriate balancing act that will fuel our economy.
The Race for Space
Get ready for the conversation by reading our report, The Race for Space: Securing the Future of Ontario’s Employment Lands.
Agenda
11:00 – 11:30 am: Registration and Networking
11:30 – 11:35 am: Welcome Remarks
- Giles Gherson, President and CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade
11:35 – 11:40 am: Introductory Remarks
11:40 am – 12:15 pm: How Must the Toronto Region Adapt and Protect its Industrial Land Base in a Transforming Economy to Grow the Regional Economy
The Toronto region boasts a diversified economic land base for manufacturing, logistics, transportation and other highly productive industries that is highly sought after and helps contribute to region’s 25 per cent share of Canada’s GDP. Is it time to rethink how we classify these lands? Why do we need “no go” zones and where should they be located? Have employment land policies kept up with the times? How do other city-region tackle governance challenges and coordinate employment land planning through a long-term vision and sector priorities?
12:15 – 1:05 pm: Lunch
1:05 – 1:10 pm: Introductory Remarks
- Giles Gherson, President & CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade
1:10 – 1:50 pm: Protecting the Toronto Region’s Regionally Significant Economic Assets
Key employment and productivity zones across the Toronto region are under threat from conversion requests for housing, parkland and land speculation. These include regionally significant economic assets such as ports, airports and multi-modal facilities that support manufacturing and distribution hubs through a dense rail and highway network close to talent, transportation and markets. How can these assets be protected through integrated planning and strategic visioning to ensure that these lands close to talent, transportation and markets, are not degraded, and flexibility of uses including housing are permitted in a considered manner?
1:50 – 2:25 pm: CEO to CEO Fireside Chat
Leaders of major industrial and commercial businesses who have located in the Toronto region discuss the impact of employment lands policies on decisions about where businesses will invest and locate themselves.
2:25 – 2:40 pm: Networking Break
2:40 – 3:20 pm: Are We Ready When the World Comes Knocking?
How does Toronto stack up against other competitor regions around the world when investors and site selectors come looking to invest or expand existing operations in the Toronto region? How can the Toronto region do a better job have marketing and selling a coherent regional economic development strategy that focuses on a diversified industrial land base close to transportation, talent and markets? How can municipalities across the region communicate, collectively, the strengths of our economic region?
3:20 – 3:50 pm: Closing Keynote
3:50 – 4:00 pm: Closing Remarks
- Giles Gherson
4:00 – 5:00 pm Cocktail Networking Reception
Speakers
Speakers for this event will be announced shortly.
Tickets & Registration
Individual:
- Member: $199
- Non-Member: $299
Table of 10:
- Member: $1,990
- Non-Member: $2,990