Further thoughts on innovation

Earlier in the campaign, I explained how Edmonton can kickstart the innovative city.

But why is innovation important in Edmonton?

Because it is something we do well.

Innovation in business, government, and post-secondary institutions helps attract the best and brightest from the rest of Canada and around the world. And innovation is already something we do well. We’ve got a history of it. Think about the enterprising attitude we took to resolving our waste issues a generation ago. As I wrote earlier, we took an environmental problem, then turned it into a resource and a way for our city to generate revenue.

The success of TEC Edmonton and Startup Edmonton shows us that innovation can attract the best and brightest to our city from across the globe. These are people who will build their homes, raise their families, and create a better quality of life in Edmonton.

Innovation creates opportunities for new ideas. As I wrote earlier in the campaign, we have an opportunity to create incubators focused on unlocking innovation and entrepreneurship in immigrant communities, and another opportunity to incubate social enterprises.

Innovation is the first, best answer.

Every day, researchers and students at our universities, colleges, and technical institutes are strengthening that opportunity. Edmonton’s proximity to the world’s largest deposit of oil sands means that we are a hub for research and innovation in the energy and environmental sectors. Our region’s strong ties to the energy sector puts us in a position to lead the world not only in natural-resource development, but new energy technologies.

Our city’s history as a centre for innovation and the opportunities is exciting. Edmontonians are some of the best problem-solvers in the world. That is what will inspire people to work here, and to work with us far into the future.