Business After 5 Returns

Making new connections and strengthening relationships is an important part of building your business and developing young leaders. That is why we are re-launching the ever popular monthly Business After 5 networking series!

New venues across the city. Delicious food and drink. Network with business and community leaders. Join Ottawa's key business group to learn more about top challenges and opportunities facing our local businesses and our city.

Premium pricing and sponsorship availability for OBOT members. For more information, please contact Sharon Diamond.

• Camelot Golf & Country Club
• Canadian Live Music Association
• Convergence Networks
• Hotel & Restaurant Consulting Yasha360

• Lightenco
• PathLight Communications Inc.
• PCL Constructors Canada Inc.
• Tiger Lily Marketing

Ontario Building New Highway 416 Interchange

As part of the new deal with Ottawa, the Ontario government is investing $5 million in a new interchange at Highway 416 and Barnsdale Road. The province will work with the City of Ottawa to plan and design the Highway 416 and Barnsdale Road interchange, which will also serve the communities of Manotick and Richmond. 

"The Ottawa Board of Trade welcomes the Ontario government’s investment in a new interchange at Highway 416 and Barnsdale Road. As the nation’s capital and the second largest city in the province, increasing connectivity for Ottawa businesses, residents, and visitors is critical to driving Ontario’s economic growth agenda. Innovative infrastructure inspires confidence and future investments. We look forward to continued collaboration with Queen’s Park to build up Ottawa and Ontario as the best place to live, work, play, visit, learn, and invest."

Sueling Ching, President and CEO, Ottawa Board of Trade

LAST CALL!

Join top business and community leaders for Ottawa's long standing tradition of gathering the day after the release of the federal budget. You will hear a budget overview from Minister Sudds, a technical briefing from MNP and insights from key leaders at the Business Council of Canada, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the private sector. The federal government is an important part of Ottawa's economic ecosystem and we have a particular interest in their financial and workforce plans.

Dive into the heart of our thriving business community with episode nine of Ottawa Business Matters!

Featuring Sueling Ching, President and CEO of the Ottawa Board of Trade; Henry Akanko, Project Director at Hire Immigrants Ottawa; Roxanne Whiting, Director of Business Development at Asign; and Erin Crowe, CFO of the Ottawa Senators as they discuss everything from major investments in our city to the transformative power of sports in community.



Catch the next episode airing Sunday night on Rogers TV at 8:00 PM. Or listen on your Monday morning commute, wherever you get your podcasts!

New speakers announced. Limited spots available!

Join us for an inclusive conversation about the future of Canada's Capital Region at our annual City Building Summit. You will hear more about our downtown revitalization, energy, housing, and high impact projects. Together, we can Build Up Ottawa and create a diverse and vibrant community with a thriving economy and quality of life for all.

You're invited to connect with city builders, learn about what is on the horizon, and share your ideas about the future of our city.

ICYMI: A conversation with the Mayor and Michael Deluce

Over 200 local business and community leaders gathered at Ottawa City Hall this week to hear from Michael Deluce, CEO of Porter Airline in an exciting fireside chat with Mayor Mark Sutcliffe. During their conversation Michael talked about the importance of investing in our city, how Porter is connecting people and becoming Ottawa's hometown airline.

As productivity challenges hamper Canada’s growth and competitiveness, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce announced the launch of its Artificial Intelligence (AI) Hub. This Hub will be an industry-academic collaboration to drive AI adoption among Ontario businesses – and evidence-based policymaking from government.

While Ontario boasts a strong foundation in AI, there remain barriers to adoption, such as talent gaps, ethical considerations and privacy concerns. The Hub has three core offerings: courses and training sessions to bridge the knowledge gap among businesses; policy development and advocacy to promote evidence-based decision making; and events and networking to drive thought leadership and conversations about AI.

Congratulations to our partners at the OCC and one of the AI Hub's anchor partners, and our proud OBOT member, the University of Waterloo on this exciting launch.

The federal government also announced a $2.4 billion package of measures from the upcoming Budget 2024 to secure Canada's AI advantage. These measures include:

• Investing $2 billion to build and provide access to computing capabilities and technological infrastructure for Canada's world-leading AI researchers, start-ups, and scale-ups. 
• Boosting AI start-ups to bring new technologies to market, and accelerating AI adoption in critical sectors
• Investing $100 million in the NRC IRAP AI Assist Program to help small and medium-sized businesses scale up and increase productivity by building and deploying new AI solutions.
• Supporting workers who may be impacted by AI, such as creative industries
• Creating a new Canadian AI Safety Institute, with $50 million to further the safe development and deployment of AI
• Strengthening enforcement of the Artificial Intelligence and Data Act

The Ottawa Board of Trade is a proud partner of the Trade Accelerator Program (TAP), facilitated by the Toronto Region Board of Trade and the World Trade Centre Toronto. With its comprehensive and unique approach, TAP connects companies with top industry experts, offers coaching to support the creation of a tailored export strategy and empowers participants with the necessary tools and resources to scale successfully.

This cohort is designed for Ontario businesses in the technology sector, helping them develop a thoroughly vetted export plan in order to enhance their international business strategy and expand into new global markets. Led by industry experts and thought leaders, this session will cover:



• Market Insights: Opportunities, Challenges & Risks
• International Marketing & Sales
• International Financial Management
• Funding Programs & Grants for Exporting
• Global Legal Considerations & Tax Policies