CDMN National Tour Reports for Fredericton, Niagara-on-the-Lake and Ottawa
By Andrea Wahbe on Feb 22, 2012 / Categories: CDMN News, Featured
In 2011, the Canadian Digital Media Network (CDMN) launched a nationwide tour in an effort to understand how the digital economy will impact regional businesses, and discuss how to better prepare for future demands on our infrastructure, education system, and more. The focus of the tour was inspired by our third annual Canada 3.0 digital media forum – with a call-to-action for Canada’s industry, government, academia and businesses in the ICT sector to come together and find ways to create more jobs, companies and wealth for the nation.
In order to compliment the focus of our fourth annual Canada 3.0 Digital Media Forum on April 24th and 25th 2012, national tour delegates have discussed and debated the necessary resources and support required to achieve the following key objectives:
• Connectivity for Canadians of any financial status and geographic location;
• Productivity improvements through the adoption of digital media technologies and the infrastructure to support it;
• Mobilizing digital Content, from ensuring Canadian content is accessible to realizing commercialization opportunities created through content development or management; and
• Capital, from the digital skills and talent required to meet these rapidly evolving needs, to the access to capital and investments required for technology and business growth.
Even though each Canadian region has its own specific needs, the issue of connectivity has remained prevalent in every CDMN digital media workshop held to date. Connectivity can improve local access to content and information, and enhance collaboration and sharing of resources. But it’s not possible without the right infrastructure in place to facilitate broadband internet access.
Likewise, the need for a national digital strategy continues to be more and more important as we uncover the challenges faced in each region. In order to unite the North with the rest of the nation, and ensure that the ability to obtain digital media skills and access to content, capital and infrastructure is universal, we need to develop a digital plan of action now, more than ever.
Below is a quick recap of what has been discussed at each of the CDMN National Tour workshops to date.
Fredericton, New Brunswick – November 2011
A half-day of digital media strategy workshops focused on how to grow the appreciation and understanding of the ICT and digital media sector in New Brunswick – as it relates to building a national digital strategy. Delegates also discussed ways to close the significant productivity gap between New Brunswick and other national and international jurisdictions. For a full summary of the discussions that took place in Fredericton, download the report.
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario – January 26th, 2012
At these workshops, delegates again emphasized the need for a consolidated national digital strategy, an improvement in the way that SMEs collaborate and connect via a regional and national network, and a desire to educate regional businesses on how to use social media effectively. For a full summary of the discussions that took place in Niagara-On-The-Lake, download the report.
Ottawa, Ontario - February 1st, 2012
At the Northern Canada digital media strategy workshops, delegates emphasized the need to overcome constraints specific to our Northern broadband infrastructure, develop stronger bandwidth capabilities, facilitate e-commerce and e-readiness, and support digital strategies for Northern health care. For a full summary of the discussions that took place in Ottawa, download the report.
Stay tuned for the reports from our most recent national tour stops in Calgary and Vancouver. We will continue to share reports from each regional workshop as they become available. As always, we welcome your comments and ideas on how we can accelerate the growth of Canada’s digital economy.