Item - 2013.ED27.1

The Economic Development Committee recommends that:

1.         City Council request the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to convene a Toronto manufacturing business roundtable as generally described in this report, to be held in Q1 2014, focussed on identifying issues and opportunities related to enhancing Toronto’s competitiveness for manufacturers, and report back to Economic Development Committee on this consultation in Q2 2014.

2.         City Council request the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, as part of ongoing business outreach activity, to proactively identify Toronto manufacturing companies seeking global product mandates, and work with the proponents, other City Divisions and the appropriate agencies, including Invest Toronto and Provincial/Federal orders of government, as required, to help accelerate these investment opportunities.

3.         City Council request the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to work in partnership with the General Manager, Toronto Employment and Social Services, the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, and representatives from manufacturing business, labour and academia to identify Toronto manufacturing sector recruitment, skills and workforce training needs, concentrating on base skills that are transferable, and to identify a range of preliminary opportunities to connect jobseekers, educators, trainers, and employers. 

4.         City Council request the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to collaborate with Invest Toronto and others to prepare a manufacturing focussed investment opportunity package, profiling Toronto's advantages for manufacturing business and identifying available sites and/or projects in Toronto along with the supporting ecosystem components.

5.         City Council request the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to report back to Economic Development Committee in Q1 2015 with the next annual report on the state of manufacturing in Toronto, in the form of a 'dashboard' report providing an update on key indicators related to manufacturing activity in Toronto and to report on the impacts of supportive measures taken in 2013 and 2014.

The Economic Development Committee:

a.         Requested the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture to report back to the Economic Development Committee on the state of job creation incubation programs in the City and on how the City can provide or expand the incubation program for newcomers.

As part of its endorsement of the Collaborating for Competitiveness economic growth and job creation strategy, City Council has directed the preparation of an annual report on the state of manufacturing in Toronto to keep a special focus on this high value sector. 

This report highlights key trends in manufacturing in Toronto and in the broader context, speaks to the significance of manufacturing in Toronto’s economic and employment landscape, identifies key issues and challenges, provides an overview of current City initiatives to support manufacturing, and presents potential future directions to enhance support for manufacturing in Toronto.

While manufacturing in Toronto, as elsewhere, has experienced significant decreases both in the number of firms and the number of jobs, reflecting a variety of economic forces, it remains a crucial part of Toronto’s economic landscape.  Manufacturing has not left entirely.  Toronto’s manufacturing firms employ almost 120,000 people representing 9 percent of Toronto’s total employment.  Manufacturing creates quality jobs, has high economic multipliers, and needs to be recognized and supported as a component of a strong and balanced economy with good growth prospects. 

In an increasingly competitive global economy, Toronto manufacturers face challenges and pressures that require them to have a stable yet flexible, cost-competitive and supportive operating environment, so they can survive, innovate and expand.  With focussed and collaborative efforts, Toronto is well positioned to capitalize on its unique advantages and on the strengths of its diverse manufacturing sector, to build on emerging trends, to position the sector for growth and to continue to enhance the health and vitality of this important sector.