HALIFAX PARTNERSHIP ACTIVITY UPDATEOCTOBER 2020

WE ARE HALIFAX’S PUBLIC-PRIVATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION

We sell and market Halifax to the world • We connect business to the resources & talent they need to grow • We are experts on the Halifax economy

IN RESPONSE TO THE PANDEMIC, HALIFAX PARTNERSHIP AND HRM CREATED, IN CONSULTATION WITH KEY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STAKEHOLDERS, THE COVID-19 ECONOMIC RESPONSE AND RECOVERY PLAN (ERRP).Approved by Regional Council in May, the ERRP outlines 38 actions Halifax Partnership and HRM will undertake to weather the urgent health crisis, prepare to restart and rebuild the economy when conditions allow, and return to Halifax’s long-term growth trend and chart a path forward for a stronger, more resilient municipality.

HALIFAX PARTNERSHIP REFOCUSED ITS 2020-21 BUSINESS PLAN to align to the urgent and stabilization phases of the ERRP by supporting businesses planning for reopening or resuming full operations.

RESPONDING TO THE URGENT NEEDS OF BUSINESS AND

PROVIDING SUPPORT FOR REOPENING

PRIORITIES HIGHLIGHTS OF RESULTS SINCE APRIL 1, 2020

500BUSINESSES

with more than

Connected one-on-one

to off er help navigating private and public sector COVID-19

resources.

Launched the COVID-19 and Reopening Your Business resource support pages on our website. By September 30, the webpages were viewed 1,316 times by 1,112 unique visitors.

LAUNCHED THE HALIFAX SHOPHERE PROGRAMpowered by Google, an initiative of the Digital Main Street program which helps main street businesses in Canada achieve digital transformation.

• � e program will be off ered at no cost to 80-100 Halifax businesses.

• Funding is provided by ACOA.• To date there are 28 business applicants.

CONTINUED TO SELL HALIFAX AS A LOCATION FOR BUSINESS.

Between April 1 and September 30, in partnership with Nova Scotia Business Inc., the team achieved 10 WINS for Halifax. � ey include Shopify, currently ranked by RBC as Canada’s most valuable company, which is hiring 100 employees to work remotely from Nova Scotia; Arcurve, a so� ware development company headquartered in Calgary with offi ces in Houston and Vancouver; and, NorthBay Solutions, a Boston-based technology company.

Worked closely with Discover Halifax, Develop Nova Scotia, HRM, Halifax Chamber of Commerce, and the Province of Nova Scotia to promote reopening and buy local programs and campaigns designed to boost business and consumer confi dence by encouraging consumers to vacation here, buy here, and enjoy being here. We brought in our Investor Pattison Outdoor to expand media buy of the campaigns.

WE WORK WITH HRM, OTHER GOVERNMENT PARTNERS & NEARLY 100 PRIVATE SECTOR COMPANIES TO REACH OUR GOALS

Launched the Virtual Adviser Program in May with funding support from ACOA. Powered by BoomersPlus.

� e program will match up to 25 companies with a seasoned professional to help solve a unique COVID-19-related business challenge. 17 companies are currently enrolled in the program.

MATCHING EMPLOYERS’

EMPLOYMENT NEEDS TO RESOURCES

AND TALENT

Transitioned the Connector Program, funded by the Province of Nova Scotia and presented by RBC Future Launch, exclusively to online.

Since April 1,

205 new participants (Connectees) & 24 business leaders (Connectors)have joined the program.

80 Connectees found a job in their fi eld in Halifax.

Co-led three Future of Work sessions via the Innovation District, in partnership with Manulife and Volta, to infl uence local business leaders to create work environments that support employees, gig economy, and lifelong learning.

A fourth session is occurring in November.

ADDRESSING THE ECONOMIC

DEVELOPMENT ISSUES OF TRADITIONALLY

MARGINALIZED GROUPS

ADVANCING THE HALIFAX INNOVATION

DISTRICT

Halifax Regional Council unanimously approved the African Nova Scotian (ANS) Road to Economic Prosperity Action Plan on September 22, led by ANS communities in partnership with Halifax Partnership and HRM.

We have secured our fi rst private sector corporate sponsor for this work with a $25,000 annual sponsorship — to be announced in December.

A public launch will take place in December.

As part of the Halifax Innovation Outpost,

worked with Halifax-based startup Rimot to beta test a safer, more secure alternative to screen for COVID-19.� is is the fi rst pilot project of the Halifax Innovation Outpost’s City as a Living Lab initiative – supported by HRM, Halifax Partnership, and the Province – which aims to help startups and scaleups beta test and evolve their products and services with public, private, post-secondary, and community partners.

Led a working group focused on the green economy and green economic recovery with representatives from the Province, HRM and a variety of businesses and organizations. We are developing a plan for how this work may engage with the Halifax Innovation Outpost.

PROVIDING THE MOST UP-TO-DATE ECONOMIC DATA

AND COMPETITIVE INTELLIGENCE ON

HALIFAX

Launched the fi rst fully digital Halifax Index at our Reopen Halifax virtual event on June 23 attended by 281 business and community members.

HalifaxIndex.com has garnered:• 1,200+ views to date• 12 earned media interviews, articles & mentions.

Launched the online COVID-19 Recovery Tracker reporting how Halifax’s economy is changing due to COVID-19 based on several indicators.

ORGANIZATIONALEFFECTIVENESS

Hosted our Reimagine Halifax 2020 Annual General Meeting on October 7. Our fi rst hybrid virtual/in-person meeting at Halifax Marriott was attended by 230 people.

Since April 1, the following private sector companies increased investment or joined Halifax Partnership:

For the full list of Investors who partner with us on our work, visit halifaxpartnership.com.