Toronto Region Board of Trade reposted this
President and CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade, Former Ontario Deputy Minister and Newspaper Editor
With the Tour de France wrapped and the Paris Olympics now in full-swing, Stephen Lund ICD.D's post reminds us of the power of collaboration. Here at the Toronto Region Board of Trade, we are grateful for the partnership of Destination Toronto and Toronto Global. The inspiring Olympic motto—Higher, Faster, Stronger—speaks to the spirit of Canada’s Olympians and what can be achieved when they bring their extraordinary talent, ambition, hard work, and unstinting dedication together. And Stephen's cycling analogy captures the essence of our Toronto Inc. initiative: like a well-oiled cycling peloton, Toronto Global, Destination Toronto, and Toronto Region Board of Trade are riding in formation. Since its inception, Toronto Inc. has leveraged the combined strengths of our partners in service of Toronto’s growth, competitiveness and economic advantage. Together, we are attracting investment, visitors, jobs and creating a more vibrant, productive and prosperous city. We collaborate to run faster to win new investment, reach higher to grow our businesses, and be stronger as a premier destination for business, tourism, and culture. Channeling the Olympic spirit, together, we can ensure our city continues to shine brightly on the global stage.
As the Tour de France rolls into its final week, I’m reminded of the deep and often unseen teamwork that helps define the race and who wears the yellow jersey. While many casual fans tend not to know this, professional cycling is very much a team sport in which various riders play a distinct role in support of something bigger than their own personal victories or gains. Something similar takes place in my area of focus. As CEO of Toronto Global, I'm reminded daily that we can't build Toronto’s reputation as a world-class destination in isolation. On the contrary, our strength lies in collaboration across partners, industries, geographies, and priorities. In other words, we win faster when we work together. Just as in pro cycling. Enter Toronto Inc., an entity co-founded by Toronto Global, Destination Toronto, and the Toronto Region Board of Trade. It was born in late 2021 from our recognition of the city’s vast potential and the need for a unified vision to bring Toronto’s story to the world. Our yellow jersey? Bolstering Toronto’s global presence and reputation. With crucial support from the City’s Economic Development team, we’ve been hard at work to establish Toronto as the premier destination for business, tourism, and culture. Since its inception, Toronto Inc. has attracted investment and visitors, tackled city challenges, boosted revenue, and created jobs. We want every CEO who visits our city to become a lifelong fan and every tourist to become a repeat visitor. These are big goals, to be sure. But they’re eminently reachable when we work together to advocate for our city. And there’s room for more as we continue this mission. Join us at major events, where we combine efforts to showcase the city’s strengths. If you know someone looking to visit or expand their business, send them Toronto Inc.’s way. You can even become an ambassador by proudly wearing your Toronto hat or other merch. Remember, your involvement shapes Toronto's present and future success. Let’s get that yellow jersey.