News Release

2006-09-21 10:20:13

UW president shares vision of Waterloo Region as knowledge capital by 2010

WATERLOO, Ont. (Thursday, Sept. 23, 2006) -- David Johnston, president of the University of Waterloo, today outlined 10 goals to make Waterloo Region Canada’s knowledge capital by 2010 and invited the community to develop the next 10.

Johnston shared his vision of Waterloo as knowledge capital during a speech to the Greater Kitchener-Waterloo Chamber of Commerce. It’s based on the three Ts for the creative class – covering talent, technology and tolerance – as outlined by social theorist and public intellectual Richard Florida.

“Waterloo is already living, and in some cases exceeding, the three model of Florida’s three Ts,” said Johnston. The region excels at creating, attracting and retaining smart people. It builds on key strengths by investing in innovation. And it more than just tolerates, but rather “welcomes new people and new ideas.”

Johnston commended the region for its commitment to the 3Ts and urged the community to continue its investment. He then offered 10 goals, three or four for each of the 3Ts, that would help Waterloo achieve the status of knowledge capital by 2010.

Talent

Johnston first urged the region to improve overall educational achievement, with specific targets at all levels, from elementary through to doctoral. He also called for expanded support for think tanks like the Centre for International Governance Innovation (CIGI) and Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics (PI).

His second goal is ensuring that the area’s postsecondary institutions are Canadian leaders in their top disciplines and are well supported financially. He noted the particular strengths of the college and three universities, and acknowledged that the unprecedented success of Campaign Waterloo was largely the result of gifts from individuals.

The third goal is to build better access to quality health care. Citizens should not be heading to Toronto, London or Hamilton; Waterloo Region should be the destination. And the college and universities all have strengths that can help improve health care.

Technology

The fourth goal is for “transformational public investment” in science and technology. He believes the region “must strive to make this the number one industry cluster in terms of public and private investment in R&D,” and offered CIGI, PI and UW’s Institute for Quantum Computing as examples of success.

Johnston then recommended that governments provide tax breaks and other incentives for think tanks and non-governmental organizations like Habitat for Humanity and the Mennonite Central Committee. His fifth goal has the region borrowing from Montreal International, which promotes the advantages of Quebec’s corporate taxation system and encourages companies to operate in the province.

Johnston also urged an investment in infrastructure, saying: “attracting talented people is easier if they can get around by bicycle, road, train and airplane.” Other required elements include transportation improvements like rapid transit, wireless infrastructure “to accommodate our smart people” and a conference centre/congress facility.

Tolerance

The seventh goal is to encourage immigration. He reminded the audience that Waterloo Region is a “magnet for the smart and the ambitious from around the world,” with immigrants comprising 21 percent of its population, yet 18 percent of newcomers live in poverty.

“We should lead the country in integrating immigrants in their skilled field within two years,” said Johnston. “These newcomers are a community asset. If given the opportunity, they will participate fully and meaningfully.”

Goal number eight involves reducing poverty by empowering people to improve their situation. He noted that more people than ever before – 50,000 in Waterloo Region – are living below the poverty line. “The irony is that this region has the lowest rate of unemployment in the country.”

Johnston then urged the community to make the area a cultural centre and offered a vision of an artisans community in Cambridge, built around UW’s school of architecture. He suggested the region create a summer music festival, support local artists, including the Alliance for a Grand Community, and support Kitchener’s application to the federal Cultural Capitals of Canada program.

The 10th goal is to celebrate the area’s collective accomplishments and strive to do better. The region should celebrate the City of Waterloo’s success as one of the top seven communities of the world and support its next bid to be number one.

“The alchemy of Waterloo is the level of co-operation among business, government and educational institutions,” said Johnston, borrowing from Tom Jenkins, executive chairman and chief strategy officer of Open Text Corp. “We ought to establish a barn-builder award to systematically recognize the effort of our citizens to build a better community here, for a better Canada.”

Johnston then invited the community to gather together to generate the 10 goals that would move Waterloo Region beyond 2010 – an invitation “to dream together.

J. Fred Kuntz, group publisher of Grand River Valley Newspapers (GRVN), which publishes The Record, and Lynn Haddrall, editor-in- chief of GRVN, are joining Johnston in seeking community input. In the coming weeks, The Record will invite members of the community to comment on Johnston’s 10 goals, suggest the next 10 and help develop the metrics with which to measure success.

Resources

David Johnston, UW president, 519-888-4400

Michael Strickland, UW media relations, 519-888-4777

University of Waterloo release No. 107

2006-09-21 10:20:13