Atlanta, September 2, 2010: Ontario is the most competitive province in a competitive nation, followed by Québec and Alberta. Toronto, Québec City and Montréal lead Canada’s metro areas in corporate facility development. And the approaches of the country’s top economic developers are as fresh and invigorating as a cup of coffee from Tim Hortons — a company which just happens to have pursued two new corporate facility projects in Ontario within the past year.

Those are the conclusions reached as Site Selection publishes its fourth annual Canadian awards and rankings, based on June 2009-May 2010 project data derived from the publication’s proprietary New Plant Database (which counts projects according to specific criteria related to new construction) and the magazine’s own research:

• The Canadian Competitiveness Awards

, awarded to the leading provinces based on the number of qualifying new facilities and expansions, projects per capita, project capital investment per capita, project job creation per capita, 100-plus-jobs projects per capita and most metro areas in the total list of Top Canadian Metros;


• Top Canadian Groups

, recognizing local economic development groups based on total projects, total project investment and new jobs, investment and jobs per capita, collaboration, quality data, and innovative programming and Web tools;


• Top Canadian Metros

, based on a tally of new corporate projects and expansions qualifying for the Conway Data New Plant Database.

“Consistency in corporate project attraction, job creation, collaboration, proactive programming and quality data resources distinguish the top economic development organizations in Canada,” says Adam Bruns, managing editor of Site Selection. “What continues to distinguish Canada as a whole are openness to global firms and global talent, and an increasingly friendly operating environment for industry.” The entire Canada 2010 report, including an economic development directory, appears in the September 2010 edition of Site Selection and online at www.siteselection.com.

“We make sure Canada is covered in every issue of Site Selection, from provincial and Canada-U.S. border reports to coverage of new projects in our industry reports,” says Mark Arend, editor in chief of Site Selection. “The annual Canada report sheds additional light on Canada’s many location options for corporate site selectors. We salute the provinces and communities that made this year’s rankings.”

Also featured in the issue:

• In-depth reports on energy innovations, infrastructure, logistics, and plastics & chemicals;
• The Canada 2010 Report, including Site Selection’s annual Canadian Competitiveness Award, Top Canadian Metros and Top Canadian Groups awards;
• An Arizona spotlight featuring an exclusive interview with Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer;
• International spotlights on China, India and Malaysia;
• Area reports on California, Texas, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, the Upper Midwest, the Southeast and the Mid-Atlantic;
• Investment Profiles of the University of Delaware; Greater Topeka, Kan.; Malaysia; Saxony-Anhalt, Germany; Ameren Corp.; Sri City, India; and SP InfoCity IT Parks, India.

Site Selection magazine, published by Conway Data Inc., delivers expansion planning information to 44,000 executives of fast-growing firms. The senior publication in the development field, Site Selection is also available via Site Selection Online (www.siteselection.com). The SiteNet Dispatch, a weekly e-mail newsletter, is delivered to approximately 44,000 industry professionals. The publication also publishes the “Site Selection Energy Report” and “Site Selection Life Sciences Report” monthly e-newsletters.

Conway Data is an international publishing and association management company headquartered in Atlanta. The firm manages the Industrial Asset Management Council, the Development Hall of Fame and the World Development Federation (WDF), offers consulting services and awards the Conway Safe Skies Award.

Canadian Competitiveness Rankings

1. Ontario (Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade)
2. Québec (Invest Québec)
3. Alberta (Alberta Ministry of Finance & Enterprise)

Top Canadian Groups (in alphabetical order)

Greater Halifax Partnership

City of Hamilton – Economic Development & Real Estate Division

London Economic Development Corp.

City of Mississauga Economic Development Office

Montréal International

PÔLE Québec Chaudière-Appalaches

Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership

City of Toronto

Vancouver Economic Development Commission

Economic Development Winnipeg Inc.

Top Canadian Metros

These areas were tops in corporate facility projects from June 2009-May 2010, according to the qualifying criteria of the Conway Data New Plant Database (at least $1 million invested, at least 50 new jobs created, or at least 20,000 new sq. ft.):

Metro area Project Count

1. Toronto, Ontario 71

2. Quebec City, Québec 26

3. Montréal, Québec 23

4. Calgary, Alberta 17

5. Hamilton, Ontario 15

6. Vancouver, B.C. 15

7. London, Ontario 13

8. Edmonton, Alberta 11

source: Conway Data New Plant Database

Atlanta, September 2, 2010: Site Selection magazine has selected its annual Top Utilities in Economic Development. The designation is based on calendar year 2009 performance in four categories — capital investment, job creation, capital investment per capita and jobs per 10,000 in population. It also takes into account innovative programs and services that meet the needs of industrial customers, creativity and flexibility in working with corporate clients to facilitate project activity, the input of leading site selection consultants, and extensive interviews with company executives who have located real deals. More broadly, the designation gauges the ability of U.S. utility companies to complement power delivery with the powers of persuasion in fostering corporate investment in their territories.

The winning utilities, in alphabetical order, are Alabama Power, Birmingham, Ala.; DTE Energy, Detroit, Mich.; Duke Energy, Plainfield, Ind., and Charlotte, N.C.; Entergy Corp., New Orleans, La.; Georgia Power, Atlanta, Ga.; Hydro-Québec, Montréal, Québec, Canada; Memphis Light, Gas & Water, Memphis, Tenn.; Oncor Electric Delivery, Dallas, Texas; PPL Electric Utilities, Allentown, Pa.; and Tennessee Valley Authority, Nashville, Tenn.

Those qualifying for Honorable Mention include Ameren Corp., St. Louis, Mo.; ComEd – An Exelon Company, Chicago, Ill.; CPS Energy, San Antonio, Texas; E.ON U.S., Louisville, Ky.; FirstEnergy Corp., Akron, Ohio; Hoosier Energy, Bloomington, Ind.; Omaha Public Power District, Omaha, Neb.; PNM, Albuquerque, N.M.; Progress Energy, Raleigh, N.C.; and PSE&G, Newark, N.J.; .

“The top-performing utilities have several things in common,” says Ron Starner, executive vice president of Site Selection. “They are constantly raising the bar on delivering superior customer service. They are engaged now more than ever in providing companies with certified sites. They are always looking for ways to save industrial power customers money; and they are fostering and building regional coalitions of support for economic development.”

“Utilities play a key role as participants in the economic development efforts of cities, regions and all areas working to improve their local business climate,” says Mark Arend, editor in chief of Site Selection. “This year’s Top Utilities were particularly successful in this endeavor in 2009.”

The entire Top Utilities article and the annual Utilities Directory appear in the September 2010 edition of Site Selection and appear online at www.siteselection.com. Also featured in the issue:

• In-depth reports on energy innovations, infrastructure, logistics, and plastics & chemicals;
• The Canada 2010 Report, including Site Selection’s annual Canadian Competitiveness Award, Top Canadian Metros and Top Canadian Groups awards;
• An Arizona spotlight featuring an exclusive interview with Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer;
• International spotlights on China, India and Malaysia;
• Area reports on California, Texas, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, the Upper Midwest, the Southeast and the Mid-Atlantic;
• Investment Profiles of the University of Delaware; Greater Topeka, Kan.; Malaysia; Saxony-Anhalt, Germany; Ameren Corp.; Sri City, India; and SP InfoCity IT Parks, India.

Site Selection magazine, published by Conway Data Inc., delivers expansion planning information to 44,000 executives of fast-growing firms. The senior publication in the development field, Site Selection is also available via Site Selection Online (www.siteselection.com). The SiteNet Dispatch, a weekly e-mail newsletter, is delivered to approximately 44,000 industry professionals. The publication also publishes “The Site Selection Energy Report” and “The Site Selection Life Sciences Report” monthly e-newsletters.

Conway Data is an international publishing and association management company headquartered in Atlanta. The firm manages the Industrial Asset Management Council, the Development Hall of Fame and the World Development Federation (WDF), offers consulting services and awards the Conway Safe Skies Award.