Toronto needs stronger ties to strengthen new media cluster, says SMART Toronto chief

SMART Toronto president Mark Deacon is leaving the organization after 18 months in the job, saying he's pleased with Toronto's progress in becoming a new media cluster - despite ongoing problems to unite the city's new economy companies. In an interview with Canadian NEW MEDIA, Deacon says he envies the tight relationships enjoyed by other communities such as Ottawa's telecommunications companies. But he's confident his successor, when named, will continue to make headway on the issue. Deacon is leaving to work with the Gartner Group as Canadian director of the firm's Information Technologies Executive Programs. Key SMART Toronto Initiatives (www.sto.org)IT&T StudySMART Women in Technology InitiativeToronto New Media WorksThe Technology Viability NetworkToronto New Media Trainers AllianceAccess for Success ProjectLiberty Village Enterprise CentreGreater Toronto Technology AllianceY2K Resource PageStudent Placement ProgramsDeacon took over the helm at SMART Toronto in November 1998, and has worked diligently to bring the disparate elements of Hogtown's new media players together in a more cohesive fashion. He concedes that a recent report by Pricewaterhouse-Coopers (CNM, March 22/00) urging greater cooperation among Toronto's digital players was bang on, though he says several of SMART Toronto's recent initiatives have done exactly that. "The technology industry of Toronto has come to understand the value of community," says Deacon. He says he is proud of SMART Toronto's initiatives such as winning funding under the province's Interactive Digital Media fund for the Liberty Village initiative which will create another new media cluster in Toronto (CNM, Nov. 23/99). Other milestones include the Access for Success project which provides community organizations in Toronto and York Region with free access to shared online services with funding from Human Resources Development Canada. SMART Toronto was the brainchild of Rogers Communications Inc president Ted Rogers six years ago. Deacon says the organization has since moved beyond building physical infrastructure, to actually using it to provide access and to act as a collaborative organization for the creation of new content. New Media Clusters in TorontoThe Fashion DistrictLeaside/East York New Media VillageLiberty VillageThe Downtown CoreDon Valley & Port Area Studio DistrictCork Town -BerkeleyVillage Media CommunityThe Don Valley/404 CorridorYonge Street Media NodesWoodbine & Steeles AreaWhile SMART Toronto has made key leaps in helping foster a community spirit among Toronto's new media companies, Deacon says the challenge for his successor will be to continue building a tighter network. "I'm always envious of the community in Ottawa and in Kitchener-Waterloo. I think community-building is a key thing to promoting what we do, and in Canada's largest centre, Toronto, I think that's a challenge." Deacon joined SMART Toronto after having served the University of Toronto in its research office, responsible for building industry linkages. No successor has yet been named to SMART Toronto, and an executive search continues.

Toronto needs stronger ties to strengthen new media cluster, says SMART Toronto chief

News | 05/18/2000 4:00 am EDT

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