Niagara Original eNewsletter

Niagara Original Webinar Recording is Now Available

In case you missed it, a recording from our November 18th Niagara Original Webinar is now available. This 60-minute webinar gives a complete overview of what the Niagara Original brand is, how it can be used, numerous examples of usage and more. Watch here

Niagara Original Award Recipient Announced

The Niagara Economic Development Corporation is pleased to announce that Welland-based CRS Electronics Inc. is the Recipient of the 2010 Niagara Original Award; a Bestowed Award with the Niagara Entrepreneur of the Year Awards (NEYA) program.

Scott Riesebosch, President and founder of CRS Electronics will be accepting the award February 18th, 2011 at the 17th Annual NEYA Awards Presentation at Sheraton Fallsview Hotel & Conference Centre, Niagara Falls, Canada.

The Niagara Original Award recognizes an outstanding NEYA alumnus (CRS Electronics was Innovative Small Business Award Recipient in 2004) who best exemplifies the four designated brand attributes of Niagara which are Inventive, Accessible, Abundant and Vivid. Last year, Accipiter Radar Technologies Inc. was the inaugural Recipient.

CRS Electronics (TSX Venture Exchange symbol: LED) develops and designs LED technologies to provide cost effective, safe durable solutions for its clients' lighting needs. CRS has become the LED contract manufacturer of choice for more than 50 leading lighting companies working in aviation, architectural, retail and display signage, automotive, theatrical, home décor, underwater, portable lighting, emergency vehicular, law enforcement, fire fighting and navigation.

NEYA Gala Tickets are available for purchase ($95 +tax each).
Please visit www.niagaraentrepreneur.com for more information.

NEDC Invited to Present Brand at Provincial Conference

The Province of Ontario has been working closely with key municipal sector associations (Associate of Municipalities of Ontario, and Economic Developers Council of Ontario) and Ontario's municipalities to document and showcase a number of innovative practices that are making Ontario's communities more investment ready and Open for Business.

The Niagara regional brand has been seen as an innovative practice which is both promoting greater regional collaboration and is catalyzing new job creation and investments.

Niagara is unique as it is the only jurisdiction in Ontario with a regional brand. Niagara is very much a leader in this field and offers many beneficial practices that other Ontario communities could potentially adopt.

Niagara Economic Development Corporation has been invited to showcase the award-winning innovative regional branding strategy to other Ontario communities at a dedicated peer-to-peer capacity building and knowledge transfer session February 28th, 2011 at the OGRA/ROMA Annual Conference. (Ontario Good Roads Association/Rural Ontario Municipal Association). NEDC's Guy Graveline (Director of Economic Development and Marketing) and Lyndon Ashton (Economic Development Officer) will be presenting.

The Niagara Original brand was launched in November 2008 after a need to develop a stronger branding position for Niagara was identified as a priority item in Niagara’s Economic Growth Strategy. Since its launch there has been substantial progress in adoption and usage. The Brand has also garnered significant profile beyond the region’s borders. NEDC won two prestigious awards for the Niagara Original brand: A Marketing Canada Award from the Economic Developers Association of Canada as well as an Award of Excellence from Economic Developers Council of Ontario.

Premier Event Uses "Niagara Original" Theme

The Ontario Association of Community Futures Development Corporations' (OACFDC) Annual Conference is its premier event, and the theme for the 2011 conference is "Niagara Original".

Used throughout the conference (May 16-18, 2011) this theme not only highlights the original beauty of Niagara Falls and the bountiful harvest of the Niagara Region, but also celebrates the 25 year history of the Community Futures Program in two of the original communities.

Niagara Original Gets Social!

You can now keep up to date with the Niagara Original brand at the same time as updating your facebook and twitter status. We invite you to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for Niagara Original brand news, updates, brand spotting, tips and lots more!

Brock Conversation Cafe to include Niagara Original

Paxton Allewell, NEDC's Marketing Associate for the Niagara Original brand, will be a Guest Speaker at Brock University's Conversation Café event:

"What are our dreams for Niagara?". Paxton will jumpstart the conversation by discussing the Niagara Original brand. All are welcome to attend this free event.

"What are our dreams for Niagara?"
Tues., March 8, 7-8:30 p.m. – Café on Main, Fonthill

Niagara has a very distinctive character that includes unique agricultural lands, older urban areas, the Niagara Escarpment and one of the largest tourist attractions in the world—Niagara Falls. Our region, like many Ontario communities, is currently going through a major transition. In this public conversation we will explore the qualities that make a great community and discuss what each of our hopes are for Niagara ten years from now. To register, or to learn more about Brock's Community Learning program and Conversation Café events please visit: www.brocku.ca/community-learning.

New Niagara Original icon

We're pleased to release a new ‘Cinema Production’ Niagara Original icon. The icon concept was submitted by Fourgrounds Media Inc. and was recently approved. Fourgrounds is now using it on their website www.fourgrounds.com . This icon will be available for download on our website in the near future. If you would like more information, or would like to utilize this icon, please contact us.

Recent Brand Spottings

1. MPP Kim Craitor uses the Trillium Niagara Original icon in DSBN's Winter/Spring 2011 Lifetime Learning Guide. View .pdf (page 7).

2. The Shaw Festival's 2011 Guide features the brand. Look on page 33 ~ “Promoting Niagara to the World”

3. The Agritourism/Farm Icon was spotted at Brock University's Market. The "Discover Niagara's Bounty" banner (pictured to the left) features the brand.

4. You can now find the 'History' icon on The Niagara 1812 Bicentennial Legacy Council's website: www.discover1812.com. Surgite! ("push on") 

Have you spotted the brand lately? Let us know where and we'll feature it!