A recent Manpower Employment Outlook Survey for Waterloo Region predicts an increasingly positive environment for hiring.

At 10%, Waterloo Region’s Net Employment Outlook in Q2 2010 is double last year’s rise, and a 7% increase over Q1 of this year.

77% of companies say they will hold the line on staffing levels. 5% expect cuts.

According to Manpower’s Kitchener office, high tech, education, health care and administrative employment will lead this growth.

Posted in Talent, Uncategorized, Waterloo Region Tech, Workforce Development | No Comments »

It appears that not everyone is thrilled with the fact that we are creating a commercialization capability through the Corridor for Advancing Canadian Digital Media which was awarded $10.7 million from the Federal Government on January 22nd.  Case and point.  A resident of Stratford wrote a letter to the editor of the local newspaper evangelizing the evils of commercialization.  An excerpt from the letter is as follows:

 ”The disappointment, however, runs deeper. These funds, along with those from the province and from the city, are in support of something called “commercialization,” best understood as the rich and the fatuous taking one more dip into the public trough; this time draping it with an aura of respectability by trading on the University of Waterloo’s well earned, if former, reputation. This continuing degradation of learning and education by reducing it to an adjunct to the very corporate interests that have led us into the global messes we face today is both frustrating and frightening. Einstein once said that “We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.” There is no new thinking here, only the same worrisome problems. ” The full letter can be found at http://www.stratfordbeaconherald.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=1406659.

I was initially more surprised than angered that any individual could have such a negative view of commercialization.  I can only hope that this individual represents the exception to the rule as opposed to the rule itself. Regardless, this letter has made me realize that not only do we in the Waterloo Region have an opportunity to export commercialization expertise, we also have the duty to reach out to the public at large and provide them with a more positive view of commercialization. 

Posted in Funding, Government Relations, Lifestyle, Startups, Uncategorized, Waterloo Region Tech | 1 Comment »

Just when you thought that you finally had the SR&ED program figured out (yup, we all know what technical uncertainty means, right?), the powers that be go and change it.  Why you ask?  Because they can.  And why not?  So what if we are living through the most challenging economic times in recent history.  Perhaps this is a not so clever way of reducing expenditures. Regardless, local accounting firms (for the most part) agree these are the key changes:

1. You now need to pick an industry identifier that best defines your SR&ED activity from a predefined list.  You can only pick one and there just might be some consequences of choosing poorly. What’s more, there is no field for selecting integration activities (e.g. mating hardware and software).  A not so subtle way of CRA saying that integration activities no longer qualify?  Hmmm. 
2. Is your activity classified as experimental development or scientific research?  Once again, you can only pick one. So what if you rage against the machine and pick 2? You guessed it.  Your claim could very well get thrown out.
3. Defining knowledge gained.  No longer an option. 
4. How long did it take you to figure out what CRA meant by technical uncertainty?  It took me a while but I finally got it (Thanks John!).  Well, forget technical uncertainty.  Wrap your head around “obstacle”.  Well heck, that’s the same thing as technical uncertainty, right?  Not according to CRA.  Apparently they are quite different.   An obstacle is defined as demonstrated failure of existing methods.  So, does that mean you have to demonstrate failure in your R&D activities a few times to be SR&ED able? 
5. Evidence!  Yup, you need to actually prove that you did the work.  Pshaw.  Only if you get audited, right?  See point #6.
6. Instead of describing your project activity in a 12 page document, you now have 1400 words to achieve the same goal.  So, what do you think your chances are of explaining your technical prowess, challenges, exploits and eurekas in 1400 words?  Not good? What this says to me is that CRA plans on doing many more audits (not that they will admit this of course – CRA is hiring just because government is way too thin).  Now, go back to point #5.

It appears that these changes in the SR&ED program will have more of an effect on larger companies than smaller companies.   Instead of succinctly mapping out one large project and one coherent story, it will need to be segmented into smaller projects such that each can be categorized by the proper industry code.  But don’t forget, there is no code for integration (so you stand no hope of stitching each of these smaller projects together).  Do you see your SR&ED claim going down next year yet?

But look on the bright side.  Maybe the pending coalition government will get it right.

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Due to an amazing response to our first (hopefully annual) Founders & Funders event, we have closed registration.  For those who would like to be added to the waiting list in case we have cancellations, just send an email to Kevin@communitech.ca. 

Posted in Communitech Events, Entrepreneur Week, Funding, Government Relations, Lifestyle, Startups, Talent, Uncategorized, Waterloo Region Tech | No Comments »

A **friendly** reminder that 5:00PM Wednesday September 24th (yes, this Wednesday) is the deadline for submitting proposals to meet with RIM, Microsoft, Yahoo!, Sun Microsystems and Google on Strategic Partnering Day. Email your submissions to Kevin@communitech.ca.

Strategic partnering is a very viable way to build your business. Don’t miss your opportunity to meet with these giants of industry.

Posted in Communitech Events, Entrepreneur Week, Funding, Government Relations, Lifestyle, Startups, Talent, Uncategorized, Waterloo Region Tech | No Comments »