GenNEXT hot topic at Markham mayor’s luncheon
Yorkregion.com
June 2, 2016
By Amanda Persico
Markham’s future hinges on Generation Next - the innovative generation, according to Markham’s mayor.
Who makes up Generation Next was the focus of this year’s Mayor’s Luncheon hosted by the Markham Board of Trade.
Mayor Frank Scarpitti talked about how Markham is not only the high-tech capital of Canada, but is also becoming the home for Generation Next-ers, as more and more leading-edge companies are putting down roots in Markham.
“Generation Next is bringing tomorrow’s solutions today,” Scarpitti said in front of a full house of more than 500 guests at the Markham Hilton Suites.
“Generation Next is making our future look very very bright.”
At the end of the presentation, the lights went out and a robot appeared on stage.
“The future is ours to create,” Scarpitti said via iPad held by the robot.
Luncheon attendees included business leaders and executives, municipal officials, dignitaries, business school students and academic professionals.
Markham is home to several headquarters, including yoga apparel company Ranka; MOBIS, a parts and logistics distribution facility for Hyundai and Kia; and smart transportation digital management firm Green Owl Mobile. Under Armour is also expected to move into Markham Centre.
But technology is where Markham will make its mark.
“With family, you might see three or four generations in a century. But with technology, we move closer to the speed of light,” the mayor said.
That’s the case with Huawei Canada, headquartered in Markham, which has invested in millions in 5G technology and network research.
Innovation is the future and it can be found in all sectors, Scarpitti said.
“Generation Next-ers do work in other industries other than technology,” he said.
Several innovations will have Markham DNA: LEO Pharma’s innovation lab to help those suffering from psoriasis opened earlier this year; Hatch Cold Brew, one of North America’s only cold brewing coffee facilities; remote patient care and imaging technologies firm, RAD365, is building a research and development hub in Markham; CieNET Technologies is set to build the Canadian Centre of Excellence for automotive technologies; and the Ford 2017 GT supercar will feature automotive engineering and motorsport form Multimatic parts.
The new Canadian Centre of Excellence, to be located on McNabb Street, will research new technologies found inside the car, such as syncing a smartphone calendar with the car’s GPS system.
“Next time, I’m going to drive here,” said CieNET vice-president Michael Yuan. “Then the car will park itself. When we’re done, I’ll call the car to pick me up. The car will already have the way home mapped out. And then it will remind me to pick up milk and the dry cleaning.”
“I already love this car,” joked Scarpitti.
The mayor noted how much of what Markham is today started with dreams and plans that many may have had a hard time grasping.
“It wasn’t that long ago, there weren’t any buildings there,” Scarpitti said of the new Downtown Markham area along Enterprise Drive.
“It was not too long ago people said not to build condo buildings in Markham because that is too far north.”
Downtown Markham is slated to be the future home to more than 40,000 residents, accompanied by 40,000 jobs.
Aviva Insurance is set to open in the next year with some 1,500 jobs and York University’s Markham Campus is set to open for the 2020/2021 school year.
Part of the mayor’s presentation was a sitdown with notable business leaders from the community, including Chris Bratty of Remington, Cailey Stollery, president of Angus Gluen Golf Club and Michael Yuan of CieNET.
Remington is also behind the Pride of Canada carousel, set to open this summer. The solar-powered carousel, housed in a glass pavilion, features characters from each province.
“We want to create a sense of place,” Bratty said. “The carousel will be part of Markham’s culture. A green field was turned into a city centre. Markham is the apple of every municipality’s eye.”
