ONTARIO IS QUICKENING ITS PACE IN THE GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS RACE BY CUTTING INCOME TAXES IN AN UNABASHED EFFORT TO RETAIN THE BRIGHTEST PEOPLE IT CAN TO STRENGTHEN ITS RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CAPABILITIES, SAID WILLIAM SAUNDERSON, THE PROVINCE’S MINISTER OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TRADE AND TOURISM, DURING A VISIT TO ATLANTA JUNE 17.

MR. SAUNDERSON, A CO-FOUNDER OF ONE OF CANADA’S LEADING MONEY MANAGEMENT FIRMS, WAS APPOINTED TO HIS CURRENT POSITION BY THE PROGRESSIVE CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT AFTER THE NEW PARTY WON THE PROVINCIAL ELECTIONS A YEAR AGO.  HE ALSO SERVES AS THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT’S MINISTER OF TOURISM.

HE URGED ATLANTA COMPANIES TO CONSIDER EXPANDING THEIR OPERATIONS TO ONTARIO IF THEY AREN’T ALREADY OPERATING THERE, AND UNDERLINED THE QUALITY OF ONTARIO’S WORKFORCE, 56% OF WHICH HAS AT LEAST SOME COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY EDUCATION.  HE ALSO REFERRED TO ONTARIO’S STRENGTH AS AN EXPORTING ECONOMY WITH  EXPORTS HAVING DOUBLED IN THE PAST DECADE AND MORE THAN $11,000 REGISTERED IN EXPORTS PER CAPITA.

ONTARIO’S ECONOMIC REFORMS ALSO MAKE IT AN ATTRACTIVE INVESTMENT LOCATION, HE SAID.  ITS BUDGET IS COMMITTED TO CUTTING INCOME TAXES BY 30%  OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD BEGINNING JULY 1.

HE ALSO SAID THAT HIS GOVERNMENT IS COMMITTED TO ENHANCING ONTARIO’S REPUTATION AS A CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY, WITH 50% OF ALL CANADIAN RESEARCH TAKING PLACE IN THE PROVINCE.

DURING A PACKED DAY, HE VISITED SCIENTIFIC-ATLANTA HERE BECAUSE THE COMPANY HAS AN R&D CENTER IN ONTARIO WHERE IT IS DEVELOPING SATELLITE TV DISTRIBUTION AND DIGITAL VIDEO COMPRESSION TECHNOLOGIES.

HE ALSO VISITED THE OFFICE HERE OF MYTEC TECHNOLOGIES, A HIGH-TECH BIOMETRIC ENCRYPTION SECURITY FIRM WHICH HAS A SISTER COMPANY IN ONTARIO, AND CONWAY DATA, WHICH AMONG A VARIETY OF ACTIVITIES HOSTS CONGRESSES OF SENIOR CORPORATE REAL ESTATE EXECUTIVES IN CITIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD.

OTHER VISITS DURING THE DAY INCLUDED ONE TO TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEM, TO PROMOTE THE PROVINCE’S NEW INCENTIVES FOR FILM PRODUCTION AND POST PRODUCTION SERVICES, AND TO B&B MY GUEST, A BED AND BREAKFAST NETWORK PROVIDING TOURISM SERVICES.

MR. SAUNDERSON MENTIONED TORONTO’S FAILED ATTEMPT TO WIN THE 1996 SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES, BUT DENIED ANY RESIDUE OF ILL WILL BETWEEN THE TWO CITIES, WHICH NOW ARE LINKED BY DIRECT DELTA AND AIR CANADA FLIGHTS.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT MR. SAUNDERSON’S VISIT, CALL THE CANADIAN CONSULATE GENERAL AT (404) 577-6810.