As a former hockey player and coach, Mike Murphy has been to his fair share of tournaments.

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1 NOVEMBER 2010 the pulse ALSO INSIDE: St. Marys Paper set to restart production Destiny partners present labour trends 2010 Bridges to Better Business Awards Tourism workshop inspires industry locals Sutherland gearing up for major hiring blitz EDC guys take part in Movember fundraiser EDC staffer nominated for Premier s Award S A U L T S T E. M A R I E E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T N E W S NEW EVENT: Inaugural AAA hockey tournament rises to the occasion International Showdown shows SSM s warm hospitality As a former hockey player and coach, Mike Murphy has been to his fair share of tournaments. Some were very memorable. Other he d just as soon forget. Taking highlights from the good ones, Murphy had a goal when he became Chair of the first-ever Soo Greyhounds International Showdown: Put on the best hockey tournament around, an event where teams are lining up for. Following the four-day tourney, which wrapped up Nov. 21, is looks like the mission was accomplished. PHOTO: Tournament Chair Mike Murphy presents a game star award to a local pee wee division player. Most of the teams that came up here have already told me that they re planning on coming back next year, said Murphy. Based on this feedback, we re predicting a bright future for the event. The positive feedback was based, in part, on the tournament offerings. Teams, players and parents were treated to a variety of perks, including online scoring and stats, sports drinks prior to each game, and a shuttle service to and from the hotels and rinks. As well, division MVPs were given prizes like flat-screen TVs, high-end sticks and portable DVD players. With so many tournaments around, you have to go above and beyond to attract teams, said Murphy. So that s what we tried to do. The International Showdown featured 58 teams from seven AAA divisions. Almost all of them came from out of town places across Ontario and the U.S., including Chicago, Detroit, Lansing, Ottawa, Hamilton and Waterloo. The Soo Greyhounds International Showdown essentially replaced the old Steel City tournament, which had dwindled in popularity in the past few years and was in danger of falling by the wayside. One of the biggest challenges of the old event was the January date, a time when other tournaments were scheduled and when many parents were feeling the postholiday burn. Put simply, it was time for a change. And with the help of Tourism Sault Ste. Marie, a division of the Economic Development Corporation, the event was rebranded. To help raise the profile of the new tournament, the Sault Major Hockey Association partnered with Tourism SSM to put it on. Ian McMillan, Executive Director of Tourism Sault Ste. Marie, summed up his team s involvement in the event: "We met with the organizers of the Steel City tournament when it appeared this event might not happen and, through those discussions, our team identified ways we could work with this group to make the changes and upgrades required to make this into a new and first-class tournament that would attract a significant number of out-of-town teams and have a significant economic impact on the community."

2 PAGE 2 INDUSTRY: Company inks deal with province to establish 30 MW biomass cogen project St. Marys Paper to restart production St. Marys Paper, which has been idle since March, will soon restart production, the company announced earlier this month. The move was made possible with an $8.8-million loan from the provincial government s Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation. The announcement certainly sets us on a positive track, CEO and Board Chair Dennis Bunnell said in a news release. There is more work to be done, but we are off to a very positive start. The long-term viability of St. Marys Paper was bolstered with another November announcement, this one related to the company s proposed 30-megawatt biomass cogeneration project. With the green light from the Ontario Power Authority, the $175-million initiative is expected to create 400 construction jobs. Once complete, the facility will employ DESTINY: Workshop looks into future labour needs and trends in Sault Ste. Marie and area Wondering what employment field to get into? 30 people and create 125 jobs for workers collecting biomass (wood waste). Along with the jobs, the cogen plant ensures another revenue stream for the company, which can sell electricity to the power grid. Meanwhile, St. Marys Paper is a longtime client of the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation. The two have worked together for a number of years on a number of initiatives. St. Mary s Paper has been supporting the community for more than 100 years, and the Economic Development Corporation is very excited to see the company set to restart production, said John Febbraro, Director of Industrial Marketing for the EDC s Business Sault Ste. Marie division. We look forward to working with them on their future endevours. For many folks, particularly high school and postsecondary students, knowing the future job market is of the upmost importance. Knowing the likely demand of certain industries can help them make educated decisions on what field to break into. This was the topic of discussion at the Growth Strategies and Labour Development Forum, hosted by Employment Ontario, the Algoma Workforce Investment Committee and Destiny Sault Ste. Marie. The event connected employment service professionals with labour market information and economic development strategies for the region. Destiny SSM, the community s economic diversification strategy, consists of representatives from the public, private and non-profit sectors. The organization, now administered by the CEO s office of the Economic Development Corporation, identifies strategic sectors, areas with promise like alternative energy and tourism. Put simply, Destiny identifies the community s best bets with regards to economic development, and its member organizations then work to bolster these sectors. As Destiny s strategies relate to the future of Sault Ste. Marie and its workforce, they were presented at the Labour Development Forum. Strategies and presenters included: Dave Murphy, Acting CEO for the Economic Development Corporation, pr sented Manufacturing & Assembly and Post-Secondary. City Planning Director Don McConnell presented Transportation & Infrastructure. Helen Gillespie, Director of Development for the SSM Innovation Centre, presented Science & Technology and Alternative Energy. Steve Hollingshead, Coordinator of Special Projects & Sport Tourism for Tourism SSM, a division of the Economic Development Corporation, presented Tourism Development. Judy Montague, Service Delivery Manager for the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities, presented Labour Development. TOP: Dave Murphy, Acting CEO for the SSM Economic Development Corporation, presents Destiny s Manufacturing & Assembly Strategy. MIDDLE: Bruce Strapp, Executive Director of the NOHFC, introduces the Destiny panel (L to R): Steve Hollingshead (Tourism SSM), Dave Murphy, Don McConnell (City of SSM) and Helen Gillespie (Innovation Centre). BOTTOM: City Planning Director Don McConnell presents Destiny s Transportation & Infrastructure Strategy.

3 PAGE 3 SMALL BUSINESS: Tattoo joint, and others, honoured at 2010 Bridges to Better Business Katrina Thibodeau discovers the entrepreneur within Painting has been a passion for Katrina Thibodeau for as long as she can remember. When one of her close friends past away about a year ago, the tragedy led her to try something new. I decided to design a tattoo to commemorate him, said the first-year Sault College graphic design student. Not long after, she opened her own tattoo parlor and gallery, a place where she could also sell her art. Discover the Canvas, located at 370 Albert Street, was born. The transition from painting pictures to inking bodies PHOTO: Katrina Thibodeau applies her craft. was smooth, said Thibodeau. The two are similar, except for the fact that she s under more pressure to perform when applying tattoos. Also interesting, said Thibodeau, is the image transformation of tattoos themselves. Years ago, they were often associated with motorcycle gangs and other fringe elements of society. Today, those connotations are largely gone. Tattoos have become much more mainstream, with many folks simply getting inked to be fashionable, others to show love for one another. With Discover the Canvas, Thibodeau is taking advantage of this trend. To help get started, she signed up for Summer Company, a program that provides grants to help youth start a business. The program is administered regionally by the Economic Development Corporation s Business Sault Ste. Marie division. Summer Company helped me with everything, said Thibodeau. And being your own boss is awesome. For her somewhat unique idea, and the fact that the business had a great summer and is still operating today, Thibodeau received the 2010 Summer Company of the Year Award. The honour was presented Nov. 24 at Bridges to Better Business, hosted by Business SSM. At the event, which attracted nearly 150 attendees, the following awards were also given: Bridges to Better Business Award - Dr. Carl Bowyer. The owner of Superior North Mobile Veterinary Services won for his innovation and excellence in his field Alynn Burke Award of Excellence - Michael Brown. The Central Algoma Secondary School business teacher instills a strong sense of entrepreneurship in his students and encourages them to take advantage of youth entrepreneurship programs. The award is given in hounour of Alynn Burke, a former Economic Development Corporation staff who passed away in a tragic accident in "The entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well in the city and region, said Terri Chiarello, Business SSM s Small Business Advisor. For proof, look no further than this year's award winners. SPORT TOURISM: Workshop teaches the fine points of hosting tournaments and other events Tourism SSM giving locals the skills needed to host top-notch events Hosting tournaments and other sporting events can be a massive undertaking. While the economic benefit to the community is often significant, the logistics of these events, from the initial bid process to the summary reporting afterwards, can sometimes be overwhelming, particularly for first-timers. The Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance, in partnership with the EDC s Tourism PHOTO: Dr. Carl Bowyer, veterinarian and business owner. Sault Ste. Marie division, are working to teach locals the fine points of hosting events. The two hosted a sport tourism workshop in November, which was attended by a couple dozen people in the ALLIANCE (L to R): City Marketing & Events Manager Trevor Zachary; TSSM Executive Director Ian McMillan; Rick Traer, CEO of the Canadian Sport Tourism Alliance; and Steve Hollingshead, TSSM s Coordinator of Special Projects & Sport Tourism. Sault s public, private and non-profit sectors. Giving local champions the tools needed to put on top-notch events will go a long way in increasing the sport tourism sector and, ultimately, visitation levels to the city, said Tourism SSM s Steve Hollingshead, also a CSTA Board member.

4 PAGE 4 CUSTOMER CARE: 10 years and counting, industry remains major employer in the Sault Sutherland embarking on a significant hiring campaign PHOTO: Gordon Nisbet, a manager with Sutherland s local operation, is preparing for a major hiring blitz. One of the Sault s largest employers is gearing up for a major hiring blitz. Sutherland Global Services, a leading provider of business process outsourcing (BPO) and technology enabled services, plans on increasing staff levels by as much as 300 in the next few months. The company s Service Delivery Centre, located on Old Garden River Road, is one of three in community, which can easily be described as the industry hub of Northern Ontario. About 10 years ago, with a rather high unemployment rate, the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation worked to attract the industry to the community. The EDC was integral in the start, said Gordon Nisbet, a manager with Sutherland. As is often the case in the economic development field, this exercise first involved bringing a number of groups together, including City Council and staff, senior levels of government especially the province s Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and the private sector. With incentives offered, the industry flocked to the Sault, swooping up hundreds of unemployed in the process. While the incentives were certainly vital in the process, it wasn t the only reason the industry took a quick liking to the community. Turns out that many folks just like the way people in these parts sound. We have a neutrality in our accent, said Nisbet. People here also have a friendly demeanour, great customer service skills and a solid work ethic. So, the development of the industry was really the culmination of a number of factors: a high unemployment rate during the late-1990s leading many in town to look for work, government incentives, and the fact that people here are friendly-sounding. Not to be overlooked, another key ingredient was the fact that a number of local groups including the City, Algoma District Community Network and Economic Development Corporation AWARENESS: EDC staffers nix the razor to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer And a happy Movember to you, too Two members of the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation team took part in Movember this month. The annual fundraising campaign has people grow mustaches during November to raise money and awareness for prostate cancer. The two at the EDC were Relations & Global Logistics for Business Sault Ste. Marie. Andrew Ross, General Starting in Manager of En- Australia in terprise Services for its Business Sault Ste. Marie division, and 1999, Movember has since spread to countries Randy Tallon, Director around of International Andrew Ross the world, in- Randy Tallon facilitated the building of the infrastructure needed to allow the city to host service delivery centres. It was sort of an If you build it, they will come kind of thing, said Nisbet. Infrastructure was built, and the industry came, employing 3,600 at its peak. This industry remains one of the largest employers in the city, said John Febbraro, Director of Industrial Marketing for Business SSM, a division of the Economic Development Corporation. The economic impact, in terms of tax base and wages, which leads to increased spending in the community, is significant. That s why we continue to work with our partners to grow this sector. Nisbet added: The expansion of our Sault operation is a testament not only to Sutherland s consistent business growth and success but also the capability and commitment of our workforce here and the cooperation and support of the local authorities, organizations and, of course, the community. cluding Canada, the U.S., Ireland, the U.K. and Spain. Last year, $7.8 million was raised in Canada alone, according to the country s official Movember campaign website, ca.movember.com.

5 Out & About: EDC Photo Gallery PITCH MAN: John Febbraro, RECOGNITION: John TOURNEY TALK: Sunny BRIDGING RELATIONSHIPS: Dave Director of Industrial Market- Milloy (left), Minister of Naqvi (left), Director of Sales Murphy (left), Acting Chief Execu- ing for the EDC s Business Training, Colleges and & Marketing for the newly- tive Officer for the Sault Ste. Marie Sault Ste. Marie division, gives a presentation on the city s Universities, with Steve Hollingshead from the renovated Comfort Suites, discusses the Soo Greyhound Economic Development Corporation, with fellow members of the strategic advantages to a visit- EDC s Tourism Sault International Showdown with Upper Peninsula of Michigan Eco- ing business group. Points Ste. Marie division. EDC Communications Coor- nomic Development Network. With dealt with the Sault s location Hollingshead, a Sault dinator Marc Capancioni, economic and geographic similari- at the centre of Canada on the College graduate, was also a member of the event ties, the Sault Ste. Marie Economic Trans-Canada Highway, at the nominated for a 2010 organizing committee. The Development Corporation has part- heart of the Great Lakes and Premier s Award, which tourney, held in partnership nered with its counterparts across on the United States border, recognize outstanding with Tourism SSM, attracted the International Bridge in the all of which make it a great college grads across the 58 teams, filling most of the nearby Upper Peninsula of the state place to do business. province. city s hotel rooms. Michigan. November Foster Drive - Level Three Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario Canada P6A 5X6 Phone: Toll Free: Fax: info@ssmedc.ca the pulse is prepared by: Marc Capancioni Communications Coordinator Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corp m.capancioni@ssmedc.ca The Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation recognizes the financial support it receives from the City of Sault Ste. Marie. As well, it recognizes the strong backing it receives from the Mayor, Council and City staff team. The SSMEDC also thanks the federal and provincial governments, and its many other partners, for their financial support. The Sault Ste. Marie Economic Development Corporation is a non-profit organization, funded by public and private partners, whose goal is to be the community s leader in supporting and promoting an environment that generates sustainable employment in a healthy, growing and diversified economy.