Cutting the red tape and rolling out the red carpet: What you need to Know
Maclean’s magazine recently published its inaugural “Best Communities in Canada” ranking and Burlington ranked #1!
As Mayor Meed Ward told Macleans, “It’s that combination of world-class attractions as well as a 10 to 15-minute drive from agricultural farming, hiking, skiing… There’s nothing like it in this region. I don’t think there’s anything like it in Canada.”
This recognition from Maclean’s only further confirms what the city’s residents and businesses already know: Burlington is the best place to be.
Locating your business in Burlington brings several benefits to your company as well, including:
• Connectivity and Ease of Operations: Burlington is located in the west end of the Greater Toronto Area, less than an hour fromToronto and the US border, with central access to Ontario’s busiest highway interchanges, airports, and public transportation hubs.
• Talent Pool: Burlington’s well- educated and diversely skilled workforce provides the talent you need to compete in a global market. Draw from a talent pool of approximately 2 million people within a 45-minute commute.
• Competitiveness and Cost of Business: The Burlington Economic Development Corporation’s (BEDC) Data Centre available at www.bedc. ca provides extensive insights on the competitiveness and advantages of the Burlington economy over nearby cities. Advantages include low municipal tax rates and development charges to help control costs. Proximity to supply chain partners as well as competitors facilitates ease of access to products and services required to run your business.
• Scale-up and Innovation Support: TechPlace and the Halton Region Global Business Centre provide resources such as mentoring, programming and connections to investment and funding to help businesses grow, export, and tap into innovation. Soft landing programs are available for businesses looking to set up in the west GTA.
Burlington is not only the best place to live, but to work too
Burlington is now making it easier than ever to choose Burlington as a business location through the Red Tape Red Carpet Task Force, an initiative created to identify and eliminate barriers to growth and new business attraction.
The Red Tape Red Carpet (RTRC) Task Force began working in January 2019 when they held a public town hall and focus groups with developers, real estate agents, large and small businesses. As a result of the insights gathered, several recommendations were brought forward, including:
• A “One-Stop-Shop” staffed with subject-matter experts who can deliver a better customer service experience.
• An online, on-demand, searchable “Information Portal” to give business owners easy access to valuable resources when needed.
• A streamlined approval process for operational issues such as zoning, permits, and signage.
The RTRC Task Force will present final recommendations and action plans before the end of the year. In the meantime, the City is partnering with private sector businesses like Endress + Hauser to benefit from their insights through pilot projects.
RTRC Pilot Project: Endress + Hauser
Endress + Hauser is a laboratory instrumentation and automation supplier working with the City to pilot a transformation in the approval and permitting processes. BEDC began working with Endress + Hauser when like many companies considering Burlington, they initiated a site selection process. Fast forward to the present and Endress + Hauser has plans to build a state-of-the-art facility that will become their new Canadian headquarters.
The location in Burlington, and the facility’s design meets Endress + Hauser’s needs for connections with major transportation routes, public transport and airports, ample exterior parking, green space, and access to the talent to grow their business.The design will be the first LEED Gold certified and net-zero carbon commercial building in Canada.The Customer Experience Centre will feature a superior client and staff experience in a modern, collaborative workspace.
Endress + Hauser is also helping the City. Eliza Vrbanac, Quality and Business Excellence Manager, says, “With our pilot project, the City is looking to demonstrate their efficiency in the approval and permitting processes.The City Management has also had a further information session from us on the topic of LEAN Six Sigma methodology.The aim was to get an understanding of how to start the journey of business process improvement, how to prioritize, and how to plan the projects. Most importantly, the City is excited about training their own staff to have in- house specialists that can carry this initiative forward.We have been asked to provide our support in terms of a sounding board and some mentorship at key milestones.” The City plans to incorporate learning into process reviews and make it easier for companies to do business in Burlington.
BEDC sees the attraction of a high- value employer like Endress+Hauser to be an ideal opportunity to roll out the red carpet and cut the red tape.
Interested in learning how we can roll out the red carpet for your business in Burlington? Visit www.bedc.ca or Contact Andrew Elliston, Economic Development Officer at BEDC: andrew.elliston@burlington.ca. The City of Burlington is cutting the red tape, rolling out the red carpet and is open for business!
