This past year has been exciting for the fledgling Institute of Southern Georgian Bay. We kicked off the year with our first Community Innovation Day. 90 people from across the region showed up, 28 ideas were developed and two working groups were formed.

The Arts and Culture and the Business, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation Working Groups are developing events for the Institute’s 2019 Speakers’ Series. We welcomed new Board members, shaped our Strategic Plan, and have begun discussions about the creation of a regional quality of life report.

And, we partnered on two important events – Reel History and TEDx Collingwood.

TEDx Collingwood is giving all of us the gift of new ideas and the inspiration for new ways of thinking. Thanks to Chris Keleher, Tara Gignac, and Matt Jackson, videos of the extraordinary presenters can be found here.

I encourage you to take some time over the holidays to enjoy each of these thought-provoking presentations based on the theme “What’s Next?” Whether you are interested in the arts, entrepreneurship, social justice, health, or the environment, you will find something of interest. The water to table movement, biomimicry frontiers, design secrets of the natural world, rethinking education, agricultural solutions for climate change, innovation in local government, and how the new economy is built on the values of sustainability are just a few of the ideas shared.

On behalf of the Board of Directors, thank you all for being patrons, members, partners, and supporters of the Institute.

Wishing you a very happy holiday season and a very satisfying 2019!

 

Rosalyn Morrison
Chair, Board of Directors