Martin Prosperity Institute News & Events

The creative economy in Ontario: A Prince Edward County case example

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Dan Taylor (Prince Edward County Economic Development)and Dr. Greg Spencer(Munk Centre, University of Toronto) will present ‘The creative economy in Ontario: A Prince Edward County case example’ as the next installment of the Creative Economy Seminar Series at Queen’s University.

The seminar will take place on Tuesday March 23 from 12:00 – 1:00 PM in Room 304, Goodes Hall.

Management Strength in the Retail Sector

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The Martin Prosperity Institute’s sister institute, The Institute for Competitiveness & Prosperity, is pleased to announce the release of Working Paper 13 on management strength in the retail sector on April 8, 2010 from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at The Rotman School of Management.

The Working Paper features recent research done by the Institute on the strength of management in Canada’s and Ontario’s retail sector.The Working Paper follows the Institute’s work on Canada and Ontario’s manufacturing sector, presented in Working Paper 12, Management matters.

There is no charge for this event, but space is limited. Registration is required.

Olive: Who will be tomorrow's builders?

Sat, 06 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

thestar.com
“Toronto is the most ambitious place I’ve lived,” says Richard Florida, the urban-policy guru who heads up the Martin Prosperity Institute, a think-tank at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

'Campers' plot path to success

Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Brockville Recorder and Times
Kevin Stolarick is the research director with the Martin Prosperity Institute, a University of Toronto think-tank that has been taking part in the “Agenda …

Higher Education and the Creative Economy

Tue, 02 Mar 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The MPI’s Kevin Stolarick will be speaking at the University of Southampton’s conference on Higher Education and the Creative Economy on March 23rd. He will present a keynote called “The University and the Creative Economy: Is This Thing On?”.

The conference takes place in Southampton, UK on March 22nd and 23rd.

The TTC that could be

Sat, 27 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

National Post
Kevin Stolarick writes: “It’s time for the service sector to undertake the same kind of transformation. Services are the jobs of the future. Production might move to China or India, but the financing, marketing, advertising, design and sales are still run out of New York and Toronto. And, most service work cannot be shipped offshore — how would you offshore your haircut or your dry cleaning?”

Is America Really Ahead in the Olympic Medal Count?

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The Atlantic
So with the help of my statistically minded colleagues at the University of Toronto’s Martin Prosperity Institute, I decided to take a different kind of look. We rated and ranked medal performance by the size of each country’s population. We’ve dubbed this new ranking system the Winter Olympic Medals Per Capita Metric, WMPC for short, where we rank medals per one million people.

How High-Speed Rail Can Help Expand the Economy

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The Atlantic
It’s been hard to justify high-speed rail (HSR) projects in terms of conventional cost-benefit analysis. But, it may be time to rethink—and broaden—the way we think of the benefits of HSR. HSR’s benefits are usually thought of in terms of lowering transport costs by reducing problems like gridlock, pollution, and travel time. But the real benefit of HSR may turn on its ability to expand economic growth, according to a new analysis by my colleagues at the Martin Prosperity Institute.

New Insight: A Broader Perspective on High-Speed Rail

Tue, 23 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Typical cost-benefit analysis of high-speed rail considers benefits like reduced travel times, reduced congestion, and reduced pollution. The new issue of Insights makes a case that other economy-expanding effects should also be considered: expansion of the labour pool and job market, and extension of the effects of major infrastructure across the broader region.

Summer School on Management of Creativity in an Innovation Society

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

This two-week intensive program is offered by HEC Montréal and the University of Barcelona,
in collaboration with ESADE and the Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Discover and experience
two of the most creative cities in the world.

Montreal : July 2nd to 9th
Barcelona : July 10th to 17th

Does Education Make You Happy?

Thu, 18 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The New York Times
Now Richard Florida, director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, and his colleague Charlotta Mellander have taken a closer look at the metropolitan well-being numbers. They found moderate correlations between happiness and other factors, like wages, unemployment and output per capita.

Oh happy days: Silicon Valley tops the happy charts

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

San Francisco Chronicle
Richard Florida points out in his commentary on the survey, published on the Atlantic Wire, the cities that fare badly for happiness — Detroit, Providence, Tampa and Jacksonville, for example — are mainly housing-dependent Sunbelt cities and Rustbelt locations that have been hard hit by what he terms the “great reset”, namely the technology-driven new geographies of living and working, which, he believes, will drive the economic recovery.

Call for Applications to attend Experience the Creative Economy 2010

Wed, 10 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Experience the Creative Economy is a unique conference which allows scholars new in their careers to experience notions of the creative economy in a small and focused setting. This conference will bring together up to 25 individuals with similar research interests to share their work, receive feedback, foster the development of effective research methods and to establish an ongoing framework of collaborative learning and mutual exchange for years to come. Learn more about the conference, and how to apply to attend.

Rediscovering the Wealth of Places

Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Municiapal World recently published a municipal cultural planning handbook for Canadian communities by MPI affiliate Greg Baeker.

Rediscovering the Wealth of Places is a practical introduction to core planning concepts and tools. This includes a methodology for cultural mapping and the systematic identification of a wide range of local cultural assets. A strong focus is placed on the effective integration of culture in planning across municipal departments, and with a look at some leading practices from Canada and around the world.

This important work includes chapters from Elena Bird; David T. Brown; Susan M. Gardner; Jeannette Hanna; Gord Hume; Jennifer Keesmaat; Mark Kuznicki; Colin Mercer; and Kevin Stolarick.

Creative Economy Seminars

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The Martin Prosperity Institute’s Dr. Kevin Stolarick is presenting a seminar on ‘The rural creative economy: Issues and challenges’ as part of the Creative Economy Seminars at Queen’s University.

The seminar will take place on February 16, 2010 from 12 – 1 pm.

Making high-speed rail work for Ottawa

Wed, 03 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The MPI’s Kevin Stolarick, Ian Swain, and Patrick Adler explain why Ottawa should integrate high-speed commuter rail into its public transit infrastructure in the inaugural issue of the Journal of Public Transit in Ottawa.

The Great Reset

Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Academic Director Richard Florida will release his next book “The Great Reset: How New Ways of Living and Working Drive Post-Crash Prosperity” on April 27th in the United States and Canada. In its analysis of the global downtown and recovery, the book cites a wide range of studies undertaken by the institute. It is to be published by Harper Collins in the US and Random House in Canada.

For more information:
The Great Reset

To pre-order a copy:
Harper Collins (USA)
Random House (Canada)

Winnipeg receives high marks for creativity sector: study

Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

Winnipeg Free Press
A new study of creative sectors in 11 North America cities including Winnipeg gives the city high marks in a variety of categories, including No. 1 for the number of “bohemians” and No. 2 for “super creative” workers.

The study by The Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto and Pittsburgh consulting firm Catalytix Inc. used criteria touted by U.S. urban economist Richard Florida and championed locally by former Winnipeg mayor Glen Murray.

Listen to the radio interview on CJOB.

"Prosperity" Rules for 2010

Wed, 20 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

getknowinggetgrowing.com

Pennsylvania Tax Incentives Questioned

Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The Wall Street Journal
Richard Florida, director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto, said he thinks competition among states has calmed down amid the recession because there is less to fight over. He said that while many economic-development policy makers want to use the same incentives as competing states, many academics are finding that “at best they don’t work, and at worst they’re counterproductive and wasteful.”

A Nation of Hunkered-Down Homebodies

Sun, 10 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The New York Times
Richard Florida comments on “The New ‘Means’ Migration.”

The Ruse of the Creative Class, and a response

Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The American Prospect’s Alec MacGillis critiques Richard Florida:
“Cities that shelled out big bucks to learn Richard Florida’s prescription for vibrant urbanism are now hearing they may be beyond help.”

Ryan Avent, Online Economics Editor for The Economist, responds to MacGills here:

The Urban Economy
“I am generally a fan of the American Prospect and a very big fan of the people who work there, but the magazine’s latest issue, which highlights “The Post-Boom City” on the cover strikes me as a whiff all the way around. I discuss the Special Report on manufacturing here, but I also want to say a few things about Alec MacGillis’ piece on Richard Florida and urban development.” more…

Queen West's cool crowd meets CAMH caseload

Sat, 02 Jan 2010 00:00:00 +0000

The Globe and Mail
Other issues persist. Kevin Stolarick, research director of the Rotman School of Management’s Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto, argues that, for some portion of the CAMH population, it’s precisely the world outside – noise, traffic, garbage, drugs, rampant commercialization – that often provides triggers to mental illness and addiction. When integration is the order of the day, CAMH may no longer function as a sanctuary for those that need it.

Biz quiz 2009: Do you remember?

Thu, 31 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Windsor Star
Who wrote a report released in February 2009 that says: “The long-run success of Windsor lies in Ontario and not in Michigan.”?

Cultural Mapping and Cultural Planning: Making the Connection

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

March 2-3, 2010
MaRS Centre, Toronto

Discuss. Learn. Connect.

Join cultural planning practitioners from across Ontario for an informative workshop on cultural planning and mapping. Presentations on Creative City Network of Canada’s cultural planning and mapping toolkits, panel discussions from those in the field and a facilitated discussion on what’s next will give you the knowledge and connections to move the cultural planning agenda forward in your community.

Learn more…

Nashville: Music City Still Rockin'

Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

foxbusiness.com
MPI Research cited by Nashville Mayor in Fox Business Interview

How the Creative Class is Affecting the Way Businesses Think

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

bigthink.com

Toronto the good - but not good enough

Tue, 15 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Putting Culture on the Map

Mon, 14 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

publicvoice.tv
MPI Affiliate and Cultural Mapping expert Greg Baeker interviewed on PublicVoice.tv

Is Life Getting Better?

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

UofT Magazine
“In the next 20 years Ontario needs to boost the percentage of the workforce that works in creative positions from 30 to 50 per cent,” says Stolarick. “But getting to 50 per cent doesn’t mean we have to hire a lot more musicians. Getting to 50 per cent means we have to take existing jobs and make them more creative.… We need to increase the skill content, we need to increase the autonomy of the job itself, we need to make the person more responsible.”

Montreal, Music Capital of Canada

Wed, 09 Dec 2009 00:00:00 +0000

cyberpresse.ca

Home buyers face a double whammy

Fri, 27 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Uffe Elbaek to Speak at Salon Camden Series

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Martin Prosperity Institute and Salon Camden invite you to a talk and dinner on Wednesday November 25th, 2009 at 7pm.

Uffe Elbaek, the founder and former principal of the KaosPilots – International School of New Business Design & Social Innovation will speak on The Fourth Sector: Beyond Private, Public, NGO.

For more information on the fourth sector, click here.

Goodbye Silicon Valley North, hello creative economy

Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

MPI Researcher to Present at Baltic Sea Region Innovation Network Seminar

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

MPI researcher Patrick Adler will travel to Riga, Latvia in December to present at a seminar hosted by the Baltic Sea Region Innovation Network. He will present a paper entitled “BSR performance according to Talent, Technology and Tolerance”, which he co-wrote with MPI Visiting Researcher Charlotta Mellander. The paper will be published in an upcoming book entitled “Polaris – Navigating Transnational Innovation and Cluster Policies”.

A draft version of the paper can be viewed here.

Creativity the key to Durham's future, says professor Richard Florida

Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

newsdurhamregion.com
Durham Region is on the cusp of a brave new world where citizens celebrate the region’s diversity, innovation, entrepreneurship and collaboration.

Human history has not seen change like this

Wed, 18 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Hamilton Spectator
Florida says it hasn’t been a recession or depression. He calls it a “reset.” In fact, he’s called his next book The Great Reset and says it explores “new ways of living and working that will really power long-run prosperity.”

Urban studies author in Burlington today

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Hamilton Spectator
Urban studies guru Richard Florida will be the keynote speaker at the Halton Industry Education Council’s 20th anniversary gala today being held at the Burlington Convention Centre.

Canada a mecca for music industry

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Vancouver Sun
“Canada is home to five times as many music-industry businesses per capita than the United States, according to new analysis from the University of Toronto’s Martin Prosperity Institute”

At Your Service

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

tvo.org
Richard Florida and panel discuss “What can we do to foster a world class service culture and transform service jobs in Toronto and the Province of Ontario?” on tvo’s ‘The Agenda with Steve Paikin’.

Strength in Services Summit

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Join us for a day of thinking creatively about what we could do to foster a world class service culture and transform service jobs in Toronto, the region and the Province of Ontario.

Monday November 16, 2009 at the Toronto Reference Library’s Bram and Bluma Appel Salon
Moderated by Steve Paikin, host of TVO’s The Agenda

Happy to be here

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Baltimore Sun
The researchers, Peter J. Rentfrow of the University of Cambridge in England, Charlotta Mellander of the Jönköping International Business School in Sweden and Richard Florida (of “The Creative Class” fame) of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto, used data from Gallup’s well-being index to figure out which states are happier than others.

Dane of My Existence: Madison outranks Atlanta and San Francisco for music? Easy, now.

Sat, 14 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Wisconsin State Journal
The University of Toronto-affiliated Martin Prosperity Institute released the study Thursday. Dubbed The Great Musical North, the analysis takes into account the relative per-capita number of record labels, recording studios, music labels and distributers in North American metro areas of more than 500,000.

Kids choosing ‘experiences’ over big homes, says Richard Florida

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Florida closed by telling the media and marketing professionals in the audience that, as members of the creative class, they have an obligation to guide society get through this “economic reset.”

Canadian music businesses per capita: 5

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Gazette
“In 2009, there’s nothing that forces you to be in a big city to play music,” says Ian Swain, a researcher with the Martin Prosperity Institute. “You could conceivably record music on your computer in Nunavut, but people obviously cluster in certain cities.”

MPI releases analysis comparing Canadian and American music industries

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

While the public perception exists that Canada is a hot spot for music and musicians, an analysis that compares it to the global leader in music production – the United States – helps to separate perception from reality.

Interview with Richard Florida

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

zdf.de
ZDFmediathek video interview with Richard Florida

Creative Economy Seminars

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Monieson Centre at Queen’s University begins its 2010 winter seminar series in January. The series will focus on Ontario in the Creative Age, exploring how rural businesses and communities need not get left behind as businesses rely less on physical labour and routinized tasks, and compete increasingly using talent and technology.

Seminars:

January 26, 2010
The creative economy – fact and fiction
Dr. Betsy Donald, Queen’s University

February 16, 2010
The rural creative economy: Issues and challenges
Dr. Kevin Stolarick, Martin Prosperity Institute

March 23, 2010
The creative economy In Ontario: A Prince Edward County case example
Dan Taylor, Prince Edward County Economic Development
Greg Spencer, Munk Centre

April, 27, 2010
The creative economy: Rural policy implications
Ann-Marie Kelleher, Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Professor Jennifer Massey, Queen’s University

May 25, 2010
The rural creative economy: Agenda for research
Dr. Yolande Chan, Queen’s School of Business
Craig Desjardins, Prince Edward/Lennox & Addington CFDC

Ottawa lags U.S. cities in wedding culture, business

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Ottawa Citizen
Canada has cities with lots of creative and tolerant people, but it falls short of the United States in turning culture into tangible economic benefits, Richard Florida told officials at City Hall Friday.

Art Wars

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Wall Street Journal
Both cities understand that “to build a super-competitive, super-productive society” that “can attract the world’s best and brightest” professionals from an array of industries they need a world-class arts and culture scene, says Richard Florida

2009 Creative Places & Spaces Conference

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Creative Places + Spaces: The Collaborative City

Dates: October 28-30, 2009
Location: Toronto
Topic: The Collaborative City

MPI Friends and Family Get 15% off

Go to http://www.creativeplacesandspaces.ca
Click on ‘Register’ in the upper right hand corner and complete the registration form as indicated
Under “Special Needs” enter: MPI
Under “If you have a registration code, enter it here” enter: cps0809
Complete remainder of form and submit

Smart Shift

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Financial Post
Cities are comprised of two key components: people and infrastructure. While I have my problems with urbanologist Richard Florida’s contention that a great city is merely a matter of finding the right combination of bohos and homos, I do agree that if you attract a critical mass of appealing and creative individuals, you build a city others desire to live in.

Personality maps characterize Chicagoans

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Chicago Tribune
“While Chicago’s crosstown rivalry often displays itself in the world of sports, the split may run deeper than visceral attachments to the Cubbies or the Sox. According to newly developed personality maps, the Windy City is balkanized on a whole different level”

Home is where the good business is

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Another crosstown divide: Personality

Sun, 25 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Chicago BreakingNewsCenter
Stolarick used data from 2,540 Chicagoans who took the test between February 2006 and February 2008, a subset of the nearly 560,367 who took the test nationwide in that period and supplied their postal codes.

Richard Florida to Lecture Ottawa City Council

Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Ottawa Citizen
Richard Florida to address Ottawa City Hall on Oct. 30 at Andrew Haydon Hall. Attendees include council, senior staff, economic development staff and some media. There will be a question-and-answer session after his address.

Create WV Conference called a success

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

wvpubcast.org
“Speakers discussed the different aspects that are involved in a Creative Community. Kevin Stolarick, research director at the University of Toronto, said the Creative Economy isn’t a fad, and that a three-pronged attack is needed”

Risky business

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Eye Weekly
If you’re looking to become an entrepreneur, you’d better be prepared to fail — and more than once. According to Kevin Stolarick, associate director of the Toronto-based Martin Prosperity Institute, the average self-made business person takes at least three kicks at the entrepreneurial can before managing the trick of success.

Texas Leads the US in Thrice-Married Adults

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Atlantic
Our Richard Florida has the stats here and Catherine Rampell has a nice summary at Economix.

Hope for the future

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Windsor Star
A few weeks ago, the 2009 Asia-Pacific Cities Summit was held in Korea where the heads of 157 cities from all over the world had active discussion on “the Development of a Creative City.” Prof. Richard Florida of the University of Toronto, known as an authority on the theory of “City Creation,” received wide attention as a result of his presentation: Mankind is facing the most drastic change in its history and cities, not enterprises, have to take the lead in developing the model of future economic growth.

Create West Virginia conference tries to harness changing times

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Charleston Gazette
It used to be where you were located was essential for regional success because the physical shipping of goods was all important, said keynote speaker Kevin Stolarick, a researcher from the University of Toronto described as “the statistician of the creative economy.”

Toronto the Good - and bad and sad and mellow and ...

Sat, 17 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

thestar.com
The one characteristic we share across the board? Conscientiousness, a “Canadian trait,” says Stolarick.

Deciding where to stake your claim

Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Daily News
“Today’s key economic factors – talent, innovation, and creativity – are not distributed evenly across the global economy. They concentrate in specific locations. In today’s creative economy, the real source of economic growth comes from the clustering and concentration of talented and productive people. The clustering force makes each of us more productive, which in turn makes the places we inhabit much more productive, generating great increases in output and wealth.”

New Insight released on CO2 and cities

Wed, 14 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

There is evidence that the largest cities are not only centres of innovation but also energy efficiency as well. New research finds that with each increase of 1% in city population, growth in city carbon emissions is 0.92%. In other words, as population increases, CO₂ emissions per capita drop.

Poverty gap leaves youth `on precipice'

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

thestar.com
Kevin Stolarick, research director for the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto, said the steady decline of North American manufacturing jobs means the city’s economic future lies in people who are “paid to think.”

A great city, if you can afford it

Tue, 06 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

National Post
On the Bohemian Index —a measure of whether a region has more or fewer professional artistically creative people than the average region — Toronto scores third among its North American peers (ahead of Seattle, Boston and Chicago and just behind Vancouver and Los Angeles).

Jimi Hendrix and the future of North Texas

Mon, 05 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Forth Worth Business Press
Florida said he believes the driving force behind a strong economy for an area is directly related to the talent pool available in that area. We live in, not in the “information age,” but the “creative age,” he said.

Create WV Conference Features Kevin Stolarick

Sun, 04 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

HuntingtonNews.net
Kevin Stolarick, Research Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto, will talk about the role of the creative economy and the creative class in rural America. Known as the “Official Statistician of the Creative Class,” Stolarick’s talk is entitled, “Creative Economy Outside City Limits.”

Soul of the City

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Atlantic
What determines the level of attachment people have to their communities? And how do those levels of attachment and community satisfaction affect local economies? These are big questions that cross the boundaries of urbanism, economics, sociology, and psychology.

The Next Youth-Magnet Cities

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Wall Street Journal
Here’s a look at the survey’s top five cities: Washington, D.C., Seattle, New York, Portland (Ore.), and Austin (Texas).

Where the Kids Are Heading

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Atlantic
Richard Florida’s rankings: New York City, Washington, D.C, San Francisco/Silicon Valley, Chicago, and Boulder/Denver.

Commentary: Mom-and-Pop shops and their contribution to economic development

Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Journal Times.com
The “value” of the Mom-and-Pop shop extends far beyond the traditional economic metrics of business profitability and can find a home in the writings of people like Richard Florida who, as an economist and scholar, articulates as well as demonstrates the importance of “quality of life” conditions to the overall economic health of a community. These quality of life conditions speak directly to the “value-added” impact Mom-and-Pop shops have in their local community.

What Kind of Toronto?

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The MPI’s Kevin Stolarick will be participating in a panel discussion on what it takes to create a workable city as part of the City Series at the Toronto Reference Library’s Bram and Bluma Appel Salon.

The Creative Class in the Country

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Ottawa Citizen
Kevin Stolarick writes: The first challenge is getting people to understand that when I say Creative Class, it is more than just your stereotypical “creatives” such as artists — the Creative Class is all about thinking. People who are being paid to think; those whose creativity generates the innovations that drive growth and prosperity…

DiverseCity Now Accepting Applications for 2010 Fellows

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The DiverseCity project to build a more diverse leadership in the Greater Toronto Area is inviting applications to its Fellows program. The initiative aims to turn those with a track record of leadership in work, volunteer, academic or community life into leaders at building a better, stronger Toronto region.

The deadline for applications is 5:00pm on Friday, October 9, 2009.

Creative people help a company 'thrive' in tough times

Thu, 24 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

itbusiness.ca
“It’s not the machines that make the factory great,” Florida’s father told him. “It’s the intelligence of the people that work here.”

New Insight released on creativity in the rural economy

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

We find that the potential for creative jobs and creative industries in smaller centres and rural areas should not be overlooked.

MPI Research Associate Scott Pennington Selected for Toronto Urban Fellows Program

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Congratulations to MPI Research Associate Scott Pennington who has been selected for the Toronto Urban Fellows Program. This exclusive program provides talented new professionals with an intensive introduction to the governance, operations and administration of Canada’s largest city through a combination of full-time work experience and a series of seminars, tours and workshops.

Toronto’s place in the “creative economy”

Wed, 23 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Excalibur
Over the past century, we’ve progressed past the Industrial Revolution, survived the birth pains of globalization and have now transcended into what some term the “creative economy.” What is this creative economy?

MPI Affiliate to present at The Future of Food

Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

MPI Affiliate Dr. Betsy Donald to participate as expert panelist at the Canadian Urban Institute’s “The Future of Food: Sustainable Supply Chain Strategies for Growing Urban Regions”.

GTMA International Leaders Breakfast Club kicks off with focus on Talent Crisis

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The GTMA’s International Leaders Breakfast Club series starts up again this fall on Wednesday September 30. The first meeting will focus on how the GTA must deal with the current Talent Crisis we face.

Virtual Fly Through of New Rotman Building

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Check out the 3:30 minute animation of the the new Rotman Building that was shared at the ground breaking ceremony last week.

The new building is expected to open in 2011. It will house the Martin Prosperity Institute as well as the Desautels Centre for Integrative Thinking and other Centres of Excellence, research programs, classrooms, study space and a 400-seat event space.

New & Disappearing Jobs

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

CBC
The MPI’s Kevin Stolarick discussed new & disappearing jobs on a segment of CBC’s ‘The Current’, broadcast on Sept 10, 2009.

Creativity and Business Course

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Course Outline for the Martin Prosperity Institute’s new Fall 2009 course ‘Creativity & Business’ is now available.

The interdisciplinary course is presented in collaboration with Queen’s University and the University of Waterloo. It will draw on insights from many fields – management, economics, geography, urban planning, sociology, philosophy, and the arts – to explore the multi‐faceted relationship between creativity and business.

Slouching toward utopia

Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Weekly Volcano
Remember America’s No. 1 Wired City? But the information economy is passé now. Next up is the creative economy, as popularized by economic development hipster Richard Florida.

Planetizen Announces Top 100 Urban Thinkers

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Life at HOK
Jane Jacobs, #1 on the Planetizen List
Richard Florida, also on the list

New Insight released on unemployment within the creative class

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Our time series analysis of United States labour data finds that while some sub-groups of the creative class exhibit consistently higher unemployment, all of them typically outperform the national unemployment rate.

Older women, younger men: A capital convergence

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Sacramento Bee
In his book “Who’s Your City?” University of Toronto professor Richard Florida mapped out the ratio of single men to women ages 20 to 64 in urban areas across the United States. The resulting visual showed an astonishing pattern: The East Coast is a magnet for single women, while every metropolitan area west of Denver has a significantly higher proportion of single men.

'Toronto Artmap 2009' unveiling Sept. 17 at 5:30pm Rotunda at City Hall

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Canadian Business
Artmap is a collaborative art piece by artists from each of Toronto’s 44 wards. The work has been commissioned for Manifesto Festival of Community and Culture and will be unveiled on September 17th at 5:30 in the Rotunda at City Hall. City Councillors and participating artists will be in attendance.

Equal rights for gays will improve economy

Sun, 30 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Anchorage Daily News
In the best-selling book, “The Rise of the Creative Class,” Richard Florida points out successful, growing communities are places accepting of gay and lesbian people.

Defining the ‘Spirit of Toledo’

Fri, 28 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Toledo Free Press
All this begs the question that Florida asks, “Who’s your city?” What is the “personality” of our city? Or, what is the “Spirit” of Toledo?

'Talent, technology and tolerance' key to attracting creative workers

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

EurActiv.com
A leading thinker on creativity believes attracting talented people is the driving force behind successful cities. In an interview with EurActiv, Richard Florida, author of ‘The Rise of the Creative Class’, said European countries are battling to attract and retain innovative people.

Kevin Stolarick to speak at October conferences in Philadelphia and Huntington

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

MPI Academic Director Kevin Stolarick will be speaking at two conferences this fall. The Global Creative Economy Convergence Summit runs October 5-6 in Philadelphia, PA. The Create West Virginia conference takes place October 18-20 in Huntington, WV.

Author: 'Talent, technology and tolerance' key to attracting creative workers

Tue, 25 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

EurActiv.com
Economic growth is driven by creativity, so if we want to increase it, we have to utilise the creativity of everyone. We are all creative beings and have the potential to [contribute to] the creative economy.

Richard Florida to speak at the Jim Blanchard Leadership Forum

Sat, 22 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Ledger-Inquirer
The theme is “Leadership in Uncertain Times.” Those speakers include retired general and former secretary of state Colin Powell; the man who currently oversees U.S. military activity in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gen. David H. Petraeus; the president of Aflac, Paul S. Amos II; Chick-fil-A president Dan T. Cathy; MSNBC chief Washington correspondent Norah O’Donnell and Jim Blanchard, retired CEO and chairman of Synovus.

CityBuilders Toronto - Call for Referrals

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

CityBuilders Toronto is seeking referrals for individuals or groups to be featured in a new book and photography exhibit. They need your feedback on who these young CityBuilders are. Where are they? What are they doing and why? If you know of any young Toronto people or groups you think exemplify a CityBuilder, please go to www.citybuilders.to and submit your info by August 31st.

The Bailout Maps

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Atlantic
The bailout is massively concentrated in just a few states. Total bailout funding, according to the ProPublica data, is $476.5 billion to date.

Technology is no substitute for the messiness of humanity

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Brisbane Times
Academic Richard Florida tackles the enduring appeal of the city in his book Who’s Your City. He writes: ‘‘Globalisation is not flattening the world; on the contrary, the world is spiky. Place is becoming more relevant to the global economy and our individual lives. The choice of where to live, therefore, is not an arbitrary one. It is arguably the most important decision we make, as important as choosing a spouse or a career. In fact, place exerts powerful influence over the jobs and careers we have access to, the people we meet and our ‘mating markets’ and our ability to lead happy and fulfilled lives.’‘ Florida’s point is: where you live matters.

The Creative Class is now in Session

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Eye Weekly
When it comes to the education you get, Milway says you don’t have to be too picky. Getting a commerce degree might be cool, but if it isn’t your thing, you should look elsewhere. “Go with what you love and life will take care of itself,” Milway advises. “Get a degree where you have some passion and where you’re invested.” But whatever you do, even if it’s learning to become an accountant (yes, accounting counts as a creatively oriented occupation) or learning a trade, don’t stop at high school. “The more education, the better,” he says.

Build a better think-tank

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Eye Weekly
The Martin Prosperity Institute isn’t your average, run-of-the-academic-treadmill brainiac camp: it’s super-cool as well. Here’s how they did it!

Iron Chef: Richard Florida Edition

Wed, 19 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Eye Weekly
Here’s his recipe for baking a successful creative age economy.

Diverse, talented city a laggard on innovation

Mon, 17 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Toronto Star
As we move into the creative age, Toronto must continue to build on its strengths – its multicultural and talented workforce – and leverage these to become more innovative. The stronger the Toronto CMA can perform on each of the 3Ts, the more creative and prosperous it will be.

Richard Florida to present at the Center for Economic Growth in Albany

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

On September 24 the Center for Economic Growth in Albany, NY is presenting a speech by Richard Florida entitled “Who’s Your City? How the Creative Economy is Making the Place Where You Live the Most Important Decision of Your Life.”

Up and coming Ottawa

Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Ottawa Citizen
These indices cluster ideas and clearly stem from the thinking of people such as Jane Jacobs and Richard Florida about what makes for a good city. Rankings are therefore changeable by design: Arts policies, public transit, maintenance and accessibility of recreational facilities, encouraging walkable and lively neighbourhoods and affordable and attractive space for creative industries.

Does Higher Unemployment Lead to More Drug Use?

Wed, 12 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NYTimes.com
Luckily, as it turns out, Richard Florida has already whipped up some fascinating charts looking at many of these relationships.

High On Obama

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Atlantic
Here’s incontrovertible evidence that Democrats are hippies and libertines: demographer, urban theorist, and Altantic Correspondents blogger Richard Florida finds that marijuana and cocaine use rates are higher in states that voted for Obama in November…and, more notably, that more votes for Obama actually correlate to more residents who use marijuana and cocaine.

The Wizard of Ossington

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Globe and Mail
And that’s a valuable talent in a Richard Florida-influenced world that believes the creative ecosystem is the answer to every city’s dreams.

Incheon kicks off 80-day festival

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Korea Herald
The Asia Pacific Cities Summit to be held from Sept. 15-17 will bring together top-ranking officials of the cities from around the globe to discuss creative urban development strategies. Richard Florida, renowned urban studies theorist and professor at the University of Toronto, will deliver the keynote speech on Sept. 15.

Home-Buying Risks Decline Along With the Rewards

Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Bloomberg.com
Richard Florida, a business professor at Toronto University, plotted large US market percentage increases from 2006 through the first quarter of 2009. …

Plan to identify 'quality of place'

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Tennessean – Nashville,TN,USA
This “quality of place” is what author Richard Florida writes about in his book The Rise of the Creative Class. In today’s new economy, he states that …

The Next Level / Redrawing the Video Game Map (at a cost of $328,750 per job)

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 00:00:00 +0000

ReportonBusiness.com
Ontario has been specifically inspired by the “creative cities” thesis of Richard Florida, a University of Toronto professor and consultant to Queen’s Park. …

Ten Questions with Richard Florida

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Trendhunter.com
Interview with Richard Florida

Let’s get creative about the economy

Thu, 30 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

O’Connall Street
… have also written on this subject most notably Richard Florida whose books include the Rise of the Creative Class and The Flight of the Creative Class …

Going Global From Rural America

Wed, 29 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

E-Commerce Times – USA
In fact, it matters more than ever, according to author Richard Florida. At the intersection of Opportunity and Culture, the concepts of Friedman and …

The Four Efficiencies of Cities

Tue, 28 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Raise the Hammer – Hamilton,Ontario,Canada
In previous article, I’ve noted research (compiled by Richard Florida in his recent book Who’s Your City? ) finding that density increases the efficiency …

Gen. Colin Powell and Richard Florida to speak at Blanchard Leadership Forum

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Speakers include Aflac president and chief operating officer of Aflac U.S. Paul S. Amos, NBC News correspondent Norah O’Donnell, best-selling author and financial columnist Richard Florida, Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy and Gen. David Petraeus, commander of United States Central Command.

Analysis: Scrutinizing Portland's arts economy

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

OregonLive.com
The “creative class” refers to the professionals in the Pop economy theories of Richard Florida and Daniel Pink: America’s competitive future rests with a highly educated 20- and 30-something creative work force of right-brained analysts, not traditional, information-based white collar attorneys and engineers…

Globalization Leads to Civic Leadership Culture Dominated by Real Estate Interests

Sat, 25 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

NewGeography.com
Richard Florida described this in his Atlantic Monthly article on the financial crash. “As the manufacturing industry has shrunk, the local high-end services—finance, law, consulting—that it once supported have diminished as well…

Your City, Museums, Piano Follies, Human Nature

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

KNPR – Nevada Public Radio
We talk with Author Richard Florida about his book, “Who’s Your City?” that argues people should know the temperament of the town they’re living in.

Test of faith: In art and the economy, how do you measure success?

Wed, 22 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Cleveland Scene Weekly
We have Richard Florida to thank for lumping arts and technology together, but he’s not the first to argue that a strong arts sector — which we certainly have — can lure people to cities to spend money.

Seattle as a talentopolis: The rise of 'means metros' in America

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Seattle Times
Richard Florida discusses the rise of “means metros” in an article on McKinsey & Co.‘s blog. These are the urban areas that in recent decades have gathered a disproportionate share of America’s most talented workers. Seattle is among this elite few.

Round Pegs in NoLA's Square Hole: Entrepreneurs Defy Recession

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

TheAtlantic.com
Citing the work of Richard Florida, Cummings describes the city’s current era as a “creative class-led transformation of New Orleans.”

Is country crushing Nashville's creativity?

Sun, 19 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Tennessean.com
Richard Florida, the sociologist who wrote about “the creative class” as such an important ingredient for economic growth and vitality, has written that Nashville “sucked up all the growth in the music industry” between 1970 and 2004, meaning it grew more than other cities in numbers of musicians.

Milwaukee take note: Gay-friendly cities benefit from more economic prosperity

Sat, 18 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Milwaukee Gay Community Examiner
Florida argued that educated kids are generally moving to the most “gay-friendly” cities after graduating from college because those cities tend to have the best job markets.

The New Geography of American Innovation

Thu, 16 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

TheAtlantic.com
The graph below, compiled by Scott Pennington of the Martin Prosperity Institute, shows patent trends from 1976 to 2007 for the top 10 U.S. regions. The graph identifies a clear shift in the geography of patenting.

Accelerate the Corridor

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Globe and Mail
“Ontario in the Creative Age”, written by Roger Martin, dean of the Rotman School of Management, and Richard Florida, director of the Martin Prosperity Institute, makes the compelling case that the ability to compete in a global economy is inexorably linked to connectivity, that the rapid movement of people, goods and ideas is a critical competitive asset.

Home Prices Play Big Role in Americans’ Decision to Move

Tue, 14 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Wall Street Journal
Some economists, including urban theorist Richard Florida, have used this slowdown in mobility to argue against government policies that subsidize home ownership — the argument being that increased home ownership hampers economic flexibility by making Americans less mobile.

Help Desperately Wanted

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Financial Post Magazine
“Right now, with unemployment where it is, labour shortages are the furthest thing from people’s minds,” says Jim Milway, executive director of the Martin Prosperity Institute, a Toronto-based economic think tank. “But mark my words, this recession will end – whether in six, or nine, or 12 months – and those ‘Help Wanted’ signs will be going back up.”

Top 25 cities to live for ages 20-29

Fri, 10 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Dallas Generation Y Examiner
The list was developed by Richard Florida and Kevin Slolarick at the Martin Prosperity Institute. They are based upon a variety of variables, and were conducted upon 363 metropolitan cities.

High Speed Rail Stimulus Money

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

IndianaNewsCenter.com
Recently, an article written by Professor Richard Florida, an American Urban Studies Theorist, stated that cities and towns not closely connected to high speed rails may miss out on economic growth opportunities in the future.

Gainsville Sun

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Gainesville has grown used to making various publications’ top 10 lists – including No. 1 in “Cities Ranked and Rated” in 2007 – but a couple of statistics analyzed for Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine kept the city out of the “Best Cities 2009” top 10 for its July edition, and one statistic in particular shows an alarming drop in wages.

PSP World

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The reason why software companies tend to be located in fun places is because, like Richard Florida argued in his book The Creative Class, cool people with skills want to live in nice cities.

The Hamilton Spectator

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Lies, damned lies and indicators.

The Martin Prosperity Institute, utilizing Florida’s model, released a report for the Hamilton Economic Summit a couple of months ago on how Hamilton is faring on those 3Ts. It noted, “Given the challenges that Hamilton faces as it transitions from an industrial centre based on mass production into the knowledge based creative economy, the region does surprisingly better on the 3Ts of economic development than was anticipated.”

Arts industry is vital to economy

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Dayton Daily News
Urban theorist Richard Florida says that communities that have talent, tolerance and technology, while accommodating the cultural, creative and technological needs of talented people, are best poised to succeed in a post-industrial economy.

The Vancouver Sun

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

You’ve probably read Richard Florida’s stuff — which the Obama-ites in the White House love — suggesting links between cities will create mega-hubs of economic power that are the future of the continental economy. In the Pacific Northwest, we call it Cascadia. It would be nice to be part of that.

The Globe and Mail

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Smaller town, bigger edge. What does Waterloo have that we don’t? Mennonite pragmatism and an inferiority complex.

Dr. Richard Florida Headlines HCI’s National Summit

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Human Capital Institute (HCI), a think tank, professional association and educator in talent management strategies, announced today that Dr. Richard Florida, widely regarded as one of the most influential scholars on the shift to the new knowledge economy, will headline HCI’s inaugural National Human Capital Summit, to be held in Chicago April 6-7.

Who’s Your City? (and the Impact on Church Planting)

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Urban Loft
Of all of the books I’ve read by Richard Florida this has by far been the most compelling.

Gay Marriage Gets a Dutch Boost

Thu, 25 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

New York Times
She cited studies, by Richard Florida, an urban theorist, that some of the most promising ingredients for economic development are talent, technology and tolerance.

Experience the Creative Economy 2009

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

June 23-25, 2009

Experience the Creative Economy 2009 is designed to promote the exchange of ideas and methods, giving feedback to participants on their current research areas through group discussion. Researchers will explore the creative economy at a multi-dimensional level, focusing on theory, empirical methods, and practical applications.

Download the conference announcement

Download the conference programme

The bottom-up process is the key to renewal, revival, Richard Florida says

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Model D
Richard Florida is that creative class guy. Some agree with him, some don’t. Wherever you fall on Florida, he does make some good points in his piece in the Atlantic that Detroit should pay attention to.

U.S. Stimulus Puts Bullet Trains on the Fast Track

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Time.com
One of the key ideas fueling HSR is that the U.S. in the 21st century has grown beyond a country of cities and suburbs to what urban-studies expert Richard Florida calls “mega-regions.”

Managing Creative People To Keep Juices Flowing

Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

HartfordBusiness.com
Richard Florida, author of the best-selling book, “The Rise of the Creative Class,” and the more recently published “Flight of the Creative Class,” says creative workers constitute 30 percent of the American work force and earn 50 percent of the salaries. That’s a significant chunk of people and payroll to manage.

New Normal: Is the American Dream Dead?

Fri, 19 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Richard Florida weighs in as “20/20” asks what the “new normal” is when it comes to getting ahead in the U.S.

Building on Brainpower

Thu, 18 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

London Free Press
Educating new generations is obviously critical. But to observers like Stolarick, the institute’s research director, so is finding ways to hang onto creative young minds after they’re done school.

Indice de créativité: une autre première place pour Québec

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

An article in Le Soleil on June 16, a newspaper in Quebec City, looked at research conducted by Kevin Stolarick from the Rotman School’s Martin Prosperity Institute.

David Suzuki: Are Canada’s urban mega-regions landscapes of opportunity or regret?

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

_The Georgia Straight _
Dr. Florida believes the concentration of people, and especially newcomers, in these urban areas has generated many desirable benefits, such as scientific advancements; explosions of creativity in art, writing, and music; and thousands of jobs in the emerging green-tech sector.

Yet, although cities in Canada have clearly emerged as centres of human capital, their growth has had a correspondingly devastating impact on natural capital—ecosystems such as forests, wetlands, and rivers that sustain the health and well-being of the very people who live there.

Research Director Kevin Stolarick Provides Prosperity Scorecard for Quebec City

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Dr. Kevin Stolarick visited Quebec City this week to present findings on how Quebec City ranks in terms of prosperity.

English Presentation
Présentation française

Placing Creativity Conference 2009

Wed, 10 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

June 9-11 2009
Martin Prosperity Institute

The conference is an extension of the Placing Creativity partnership which investigates the interconnection between ‘Place’ and ‘Creativity’ through a number of different dimensions.

Business Week

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Why Certain Cities Attract Gen Ys
by Richard Florida

Toronto Mayor David Miller recognizes MPI Research Director Kevin Stolarick as Creative City Builder

Mon, 08 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

MPI Research Director Kevin Stolarick received recognition from Toronto Mayor David Miller for Kevin’s significant contribution to the Placing Creativity Conference.

The Creative Economy - what does it mean?

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Exec Digital – UK
There is hope in the world of business, say some academic thinkers. It comes in the form of a concept called The Creative Economy. Two chief proponents are leading scholars Richard Florida and Roger Martin of the Martin Prosperity Institute of the Rotman School of Management at the University of Toronto.

'I Live New York' initiative gains new life

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:00:00 +0000

TimesUnion.com
The economist Richard Florida, now a professor at the University of Toronto, notes in his research that the young have always been drawn to big cities, and says today’s youth place particular emphasis on living in creative, diverse and interesting cities.

Where to Find a Job

Wed, 27 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

ABCNews.com
ABC News interviews Kiplinger’s Bob Frick on their report on the Ten Best Cities of 2009 to Find Work. MPI Research Director, Kevin Stolarick, is cited.

MPI Affiliate Dr. David Wolfe participates in CIBC Scholar-in-Residence Lecture

Tue, 19 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

3rd CIBC Scholar-in-Residence Lecture — 21st Century Cities: The Geography of Innovation

Smart Ways to Spend Infrastructure Dollars

Thu, 14 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Ontario Centre for Engineering and Public Policy and the Martin Prosperity Institute present “Smart Ways to Spend Infrastructure Dollars”, part of the Policy Engagement Series.

Speakers:
Dr. Chris Kennedy, Dr. Bryan Karney, Dr. Eric Miller and Dr. Marianne Hatzopoulou
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Toronto

Thursday, May 14, 2009
12 – 2pm
Sutton Place Hotel, Stop 33 (33rd floor)
955 Bay Street, Toronto
Lunch will be served.

Pre-registration is required; please reply to info@ocepp.ca or call 416-224-1100, ext. 1204 by May 11

Richard Florida becomes TheAtlantic.com's Newest Correspondent

Mon, 04 May 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Zawya

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Global City’s inaugural Middle East edition ends on successful note

Ottawa Tech Watch

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Ottawa a “hot spring” of innovation

MaRS Blog

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Ontario competes, but has room to grow

Breakfast Television Toronto

Tue, 28 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Who’s Your City!

The Vancouver Sun

Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Time for Vancouver to get aboard Obama’s Cascadia Express

The Record

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Region suffers from ‘brain drain’

The Financial Times

Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Diamond in the rust

Florida Weekly

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Creative minds will gather at EDC’s next Project Innovation program

Winnipeg Free Press

Thu, 23 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Chamber touts our strengths

National Public Radio (NPR)

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Scholar: It’s Time For The Post-Automotive Era

The Bracebridge Examiner

Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Arts council receives $40,000 grant for arts-in-education program

Las Vegas Review Journal

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Economic downturn called opportunity to modernize

The New York Times

Tue, 21 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Minority Rules: Sex Ratios and Suffrage

The Times Online

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Move house and join your favourite cluster

Dr. Kevin Stolarick Featured in The Stolarick Series on Creativity Killed the Recession Blog

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Creativity Killed the Recession blog features Dr. Kevin Stolarick in a 4-part series.

The Times Online

Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Mapped out: Britain’s personality clusters

The Daily Gleaner

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Another laurel for Fredericton

The Guelph Mercury

Fri, 17 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Urban guru ranks Guelph among top 10 in Canada

Ottawa Business Journal

Thu, 16 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Ottawa-Gatineau tops in list of favourite cities to live

Roger Martin and Richard Florida to release report on Canada's Competitiveness and Prosperity

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Roger Martin, Dean of the University of Toronto’s Joseph L. Rotman School of Management and Chairman of the Institute for Competitiveness & Prosperity, will be releasing the 2009 Report on Canada’s Competitiveness and Prosperity.

The report is a collaboration of the Martin Prosperity Institute and the Institute for Competitiveness & Prosperity. It will draw on research recently released in Ontario in the Creative Age.

Richard Florida, Director of the Martin Prosperity Institute and co-author of Ontario in the Creative Age, will address the conference.

Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Time: 8:30 to 11:30 am
Location: Sutton Place, Toronto
Click to register

Relevant Links:
How the Crash will Reshape America by Richard Florida, The Atlantic, March 2009
The Great Reset: An interview with Richard Florida by The Atlantic’s Conor Clarke, February 2009
Evan Solomon interviews Richard Florida, CBC News Sunday, March 1, 2009
How the Crisis will Reshape Toronto by Richard Florida, Creative Class Blog, February 18 2009

The Ottawa Citizen

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Ottawa: It’s Canada’s Most Creative Place

The Ottawa Citizen

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Canada must seize the advantage

Media Mosaique

Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Ils sont plus scolarisés que les Canadiens de souche

Who's Your City, Canada?

Tue, 14 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Canadian edition of Who’s Your City? How the Creative Economy is Making Where to Live the Most Important Decision of your Life is now available in bookstores and online at Indigo.ca and Amazon.ca.

Who’s Your City, Canada? Find out with our Place Finder.

The Globe and Mail

Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Will stimulus debts spur an effective fix?

The Globe and Mail

Fri, 10 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The creative compact

Canadian Business Online

Mon, 30 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Urban Living: Home, sweet home by Chet Wesley

MPI to offer course on Creativity & Business in Fall 2009

Wed, 25 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

How can companies and other organizations tap into and enhance the creative potential of their employees? To explore this question and others, the Martin Prosperity Institute is pleased to announce a new Fall 2009 course called Creativity & Business in collaboration with Queen’s University and the University of Waterloo. The interdisciplinary course will draw on insights from many fields – management, economics, geography, urban planning, sociology, philosophy, and the arts – to explore the multi-faceted relationship between creativity and business. It will focus on the following key elements:

Talent & Skills
Tolerance & Diversity
Technology & Innovation
Amenities, Benefits & Workspace
Prosperity & the Multiple Bottom Line
Managing Creativity in Challenging Times

Instructors will be Kevin Stolarick, Betsy Donald, and Tara Vinodrai. Richard Florida will participate in several class discussions. Students will attend most classes at their registered school, but some weeks the class will travel, both to its partner campuses and to visit businesses that do an exceptional job of harnessing creativity. A fee will be assessed to cover group travel costs.

This is a seminar-style course and space is extremely limited. Students must be eligible to register for graduate courses at either the University of Toronto, Queen’s University or the University of Waterloo. If you’re interested in taking the class, please send a two-paragraph note describing your academic background and reasons for interest in the course to info@martinprosperity.org by July 31, 2009. This deadline may be different at our partner schools – please contact your school’s instructor for details.

Syllabi for related courses offered by the MPI in the past (PDFs): Winter 2008 | Fall 2008

MPI experts to participate in TVO’s AgendaCamp Waterloo on the Innovation Economy

Tue, 24 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Research Director Kevin Stolarick and Research Associates Patrick Adler, Scott Pennington and Ronnie Sanders are participating in the Waterloo edition of TVOntario’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin‘s AgendaCamp series. Expert guests and concerned citizens will debate the issues facing Ontario’s innovation economy on Sunday, March 29 from 9:30am to 4:30pm at the Davis Centre, 200 University Avenue West, University of Waterloo.

Director Richard Florida will be a guest on the televised component of AgendaCamp along with Research in Motion co-CEO Jim Balsillie, broadcasting live on Monday, March 30 at 8 pm on TVO.

Learn more about how to attend in person or join in online via the AgendaCamp website and contribute to the TV program’s schedule on the AgendaCamp wiki’s open source TV production page.

National Post

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

National Post columnist Jonathan Kay calls Richard Florida “the world’s most influential living urban theorist”.

MPI's Marisol D'Andrea interviewed by University of Toronto's The Bulletin

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

In recognition of International Women’s Day, The Bulletin interviews Marisol on Achieving Gender Equity, and features her paintings.

Las Vegas Sun

Fri, 06 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Planning guru Richard Florida holds out some hope for Vegas

CBC's The Hour

Wed, 04 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Richard Florida on The Hour with George Stroumboulopoulos.

CBC Sunday

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

CBC Sunday interviews Richard Florida.

The Atlantic

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 00:00:00 +0000

How the Crash Will Reshape America, by Richard Florida.

Call for Post-Doctoral Fellowship applications

Mon, 23 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0000

The Martin Prosperity Institute welcomes interested scholars to apply for its upcoming one-year Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship, commencing September 2009. One or more positions are available.

Applicants should have relevant research experience and hold, or obtain shortly, a PhD in business, economics, geography or a related field. Positions will be filled based on candidate qualifications and research interests. Preference will be given to outstanding candidates whose research interests best complement the Institute’s current research.

This position will be filled for a one-year term (either academic or calendar is negotiable) and holds the possibility of renewal for one additional year. Applications must be received by May 31, 2009.

Detailed information for applicants (PDF)

Le Soleil

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0000

L’heure de gloire de la «classe créative» par Marc Allard

MPI Post-Doctoral Fellow to present at International Population Conference

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0000

MPI Post-Doctoral Fellow Karen King will be presenting her paper entitled “Technology, talent and tolerance and internal migration: Evidence from the 2001 Census of Canada” at the 26th International Population Conference 26th International Population Conference in Marrakech, Morocco to be held from 27 September to 2 October 2009.

CBC News

Fri, 20 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Daniel Lak of CBC News discusses the economic crisis with MPI Research Director Kevin Stolarick.

Salon Camden @ MPI

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Every month our workshop plays host to an evening of lively conversation and debate known as the Salon Camden series. Founded by a group of passionate Torontonians as a way to celebrate the city’s thought leaders and emerging talents across all fields, the salon welcomes the open-minded for a night of discussion, debate, and flavourful food and drink.

Salon Camden and the MPI are proud to celebrate the ideas, experiences, and opinions of Torontonians.

"Markets Making Music" - A Lecture and Concert

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Tuesday, February 10, 2009
7:30 to 10:00pm
Fleck Atrium (ground floor), Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
105 St. George Street, Toronto

The Martin Prosperity Institute presents the inaugural event of its Program on Innovation and Creative Industries:

“Markets Making Music” – A Lecture and Concert

You and your guests are invited to register for this unique evening of lecture, discussion, and music.

At 7:30pm sharp we will begin the session and introduce lecturer Prof. Ajay Agrawal, Director of the Program on Innovation and Creative Industries at the Martin Prosperity Institute and Peter Munk Professor of Entrepreneurship at Rotman.

Immediately following his presentation, the evening will feature a Q&A session with Sellaband CEO and Co-Founder Johan Vosmeijer as well as an album debut concert performance by Sellaband recording artist Angie Arsenault. The evening will adjourn by 10:00. There will be a cash bar and snacks.

Synopsis: In 1999, an unknown Northeastern University student named Shawn Fanning released – with little fanfare – a program for sharing music over the Internet. Despite its modest dorm room origins, that innovation and subsequent permutations had a devastating effect on the recorded music industry worldwide. In Canada, for example, revenues declined by a stunning 50% between 1999 and 2007, after adjusting for inflation. In fact some industry observers, reflecting on the rise of Internet traffic and the concurrent decline in music sales, referred to the launch of Napster as “The Day the Music Died.”

Almost a decade later, however, in 2008, something surprising happened. In order to finance the recording and production of her debut album, an unknown artist in Montreal named Angie Arsenault turned to another Internet innovation and raised $50,000 from 531 “believers” spread across 34 countries using an online market-making platform that virtually no one had heard of – Sellaband. She was the first Canadian to successfully do so. Sellaband had been launched in the Netherlands – with little fanfare – two years earlier, in 2006.

Although it is too early to speculate on long-term industry trends, Prof. Agrawal will present insights, based on Sellaband data, into what general lessons might be learned from this unique artist market in terms of peer-to-peer lending and microfinance (believers invest in $10 increments), foreign direct investment (artists raise much of their financing from outside their home country), and crowd-financing (believers have collectively financed only a select few from thousands of artists featured on the site).

TO REGISTER FOR THE SESSION: The fee to attend on February 10 is $30 per person plus GST. The fee includes your seat and a signed copy of Angie Arsenault’s debut CD. Please register here before noon on February 10.

The session is sponsored by the Martin Prosperity Institute at the Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto.

Questions can be directed to events@rotman.utoronto.ca or at (416) 978-4193.

Dress code is business casual. There are three ways to reach the Rotman School:

by public transit we are a 2.5 minute walk south of the St George TTC station
by bicycle we have bike racks at our main entrance and to the south
by car there is underground parking available – the entrance is located just south of the Rotman School

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