2 replies to this topic

[amor de cosmos]

The Edmonton business community seems to be really organised. They've picked 10 industry clusters that they've decided they're going to get really good at. Here's the description from the Edmonton Economic Development site:

Clusters emerge because businesses and their suppliers like to be close together. A skilled labour force evolves to supply different players in the industry cluster. Specialized parts manufacturers, transportation, raw commodities, research and development, equipment suppliers, and finance all become available to serve the cluster. The companies in a cluster both compete with each other and collaborate towards common goals. This constructive-competitive environment encourages innovation and the formation of new businesses in the cluster.

A growing awareness of the strategic importance of clusters to the Edmonton region led to the adoption late in 2001 of the Greater Edmonton Competitiveness Strategy - most people simply call it the Cluster Strategy. The Cluster Strategy originally identified eight key industry clusters in Greater Edmonton. These have since evolved into 10 with the addition of NanoMEMs and ungrouping of Forestry and Agri-Foods. They are (N = Nascent. D = Developing. M = Mature):

1. Advanced Manufacturing (D)
2. Agri-Food Products (D)
3. Architecture, Engineering & Construction (AEC) (M)
4. Biomedicine & Biotechnology (N)
5. Energy (M)
6. Forest Products (D)
7. Information & Communications Technology (D)
8. Microsystems & Nanotechnology (N)
9. Tourism & Entertainment (M)
10. Transportation & Logistics (M)

http://www.edmonton....age.asp?page=39

If the Victoria area copied the same strategy, what would our clusters be? Off the top of my head, I can think of:
1. nanotech
2. biotech & pharmaceutical
3. alternative energy & green-tech
4. architecture, engineering & construction
5. government (is this an industry?)
6. tourism
7. banking/finance/accounting/etc
8. ocean tech (?)
9. electronics, infotech, etc

Yup, Victoria is a lot more than just a tourist town!

[Caramia]

I'd add higher education to that and bump it to the top of the list.

[amor de cosmos]

I don't think the things on the list are in any kind of order...