Aurora Chamber Tech Expo connected local businesses with IT experts

The Tech Expo featured more than 20 exhibitors, giveaways and demonstrations

Yorkregion.com
Oct. 24, 2017
By Laura Finney

Local lawyer Susan Tucker said the Aurora Chamber Tech Expo made her feel "empowered."

"It's been phenomenal; really, really helpful," she said.

Like many others who run a business or company, she relies on technology.

"I'm not very technically proficient," she said. "But you are forced to pick it up."

She attended the second annual expo which brought over 20 exhibitors to King's Riding Golf Club on Oct. 19.

"They really impart a lot of information to you," she said.

That is part of the idea behind it, said Roman Kantar, owner of The Tech Zone and lead sponsor of the expo.

While a lot of the focus was about connecting members of the local businesses community with technology companies, he said it was also about education.

"It's not just to have an exposition where we are showing products or services, but more to help educate small businesses on how to use IT to make your life better," he said.

While he acknowledged technology can be "scary" for a lot of people, it is essential and needs to be maintained.

"Technology is a living, breathing thing, and unless it's taken care of properly, then you are going to have issues and problems," he said, adding it is critical to businesses. "You can't take a payment, you can't send an email; whatever the case, technology has become a part of our lives, not just at work."

Sandra Watson, events manager with the chamber, said it was important to attract local vendors.

"We're trying to make it a little bigger, a little more integrated with the York Region tech sector," said Carol Green, co-chair of the Aurora Chamber Tech Expo committee.

According to Statistics Canada, York Region is the largest information and communications technology hub per capital in Canada.

Despite this, Green said there is not really anything major from the tech section in the northern six York Region communities.

By hosting these expos, she said they are hoping to help the town attract new businesses and that the town will become a centre for the northern York Region communities.

"We have a big vision for this event," she said.