A Canadian First – In Waterloo

June 2, 2005 – The Regisrty

By: Mary Kim Cichocki-Beaudry, RPP, MCIP

In the first meeting of its kind in Canada, TCI met with cites and large employers on behalf of the Region of Waterloo, Ontario, June1, 2005.

Leading Canadian telework and virtual workplace expert, Linda M. Russell, Managing Partner of TCI, was retained by the Region to head up and facilitate this unprecedented gathering.

“We have brought together municipal employers – to sit alongside private sector employers”, said Linda Russell. “Our objective is to investigate more creative ways to balance the concerns of local resident about quality of life and environment, against the health of the local economy and the demands of its employers.”

“We have solid examples from around the world how partnering with local area governments and employers can converge virtual capabilities to leverage efforts against intelligent growth, flexible and cost effective business and urban planning”

Around the world, many countries and cities are capitalizing on existing remote technology capabilities and harnessing outcomes from the growth of virtual teams and telework.
Typically, as with most planning ideas that arise out of necessity and lack of resources, some of these experiments have indeed been successful at finding innovative solutions while at the same time reducing costs.

According to Russell – “we know that on-the-ground experiments in the US and other countries around the world show that the last dollar of investment in virtual technology, to be used as a substitute for facility space, travel/commute or emergency preparedness, can be a more effective investment than the first dollar spent on expanding traditional urban facilities, public and private road infrastructure, or planning for business continuity.”

“The quality and commitment of the delegates that represented their companies at the table was extremely high”, said Russell. ´We know that, as with most planning ideas that arise out of necessity and lack of resources, experiments like the one Waterloo is willing to undertake can indeed be successful at finding innovative solutions to moving information to people instead of people to information, while at the same time reducing costs.

For a look at some of the Case Studies reviewed by TCI click here
For More Information: Contact Dorie Golden TCI Media – 416-483-6039