Welch LLP Business Growth Survey: 2024 Report Launch

Is Ottawa making the grade?
Get early access to Ottawa's definitive annual survey of local business leaders

These are challenging days for Ottawa. A convergence of macro economic and local issues has business leaders feeling uncertain about the future.

Inflation and high interest rates persist. A tight housing market shows few signs of improvement. The workplace seems permanently disrupted for white collar workers. Downtown activity is still low and social issues are becoming more apparent.

Here’s the question: Are local political leaders rising to the challenge? And what priorities should they be pursuing?

Get early access to the results of the tenth annual Welch Business Growth Survey, including a first-ever City Hall report card.

Join the Ottawa Board of Trade, the Ottawa Business Journal and title sponsor Welch LLP for a morning of networking, local economic insights and expert commentary.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

1. Forecasts on future revenue and profits
2. Local hire intentions
3. Performance of key business sectors
4. Level of confidence in local economy
5. Grades on city hall performance
6. Opinions on city hall priorities
7. Support for Lansdowne 2.0
8. Support for a new downtown arena

 AGENDA

• 7:15 am ~ Registration
• 7:30 am ~ Buffet breakfast
• 7:50 am ~ Welcome from OBOT and OBJ
• 8:00 am ~ Is Ottawa Making the Grade? Survey results with Abacus Data CEO David Coletto and Welch LLP Partner Chris Meyers
• 8:30 am ~ Four Big Ideas to Advance Ottawa: Interactive panel, featuring Erin Benjamin, Graham Bird, Andrew Reeves and Sandrine Pechels de Saint Sardos
• 9:10 am ~ Closing remarks
• 9:15 am ~ Conclusion

SPEAKERS

Erin Benjamin, President & CEO, Canadian Live Music Association

President & CEO of the Canadian Live Music Association (CLMA) since its inception in 2014, Erin Benjamin has worked in the music industry for 30 years, originally as a touring and recording artist, and then as executive director of both Folk Music Ontario (FMO) and the Canadian Arts Presenting Association (CAPACOA). An unflagging champion for the live music sector, and an internationally recognized, highly regarded leader and community builder, Erin currently serves as a board member for the Ottawa Board of Trade and United Way Eastern Ontario. Over the years she has served a wide variety of organizations as a volunteer board/advisory council member including as chair of the Unison Fund – Canada’s leading music industry charity, Folk Alliance International (FAI), the Songwriters Association of Canada, the National Arts Centre’s Creation Fund, Ottawa Bluesfest, the Ottawa Film Commission, and many others. 

She is the proud recipient of several awards including the 2024 Changemaker of the Year Award presented by Women in Music Canada, the 2023 Estelle Klein Lifetime Achievement Award (FMO), the Spirit of Folk Award (FAI, 2022), the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario’s Resiliency Award (2021), the United Way’s Community Ambassador Award (2019), and the Ontario 150 Award (2017), all in recognition of her service to community. Erin lives in a vibrant Ottawa neighbourhood with her two amazing kids and beloved Golden Retriever. Learn more about Erin here.
 

Graham Bird, President and CEO, GBA Group

With more than 30 years of experience in the development business throughout Canada, Graham Bird has managed a wide variety of multidisciplinary projects for both the public and private sectors. He is particularly respected for understanding the business force of development — the need for building solutions into the design, the construction and the operations of new infrastructure; solutions that are flexible and respond promptly to the requirements of clients or markets.
 

Graham has a successful track record in leading-edge, complex redevelopment — whether it is institutional, commercial, residential, or mixed-use — through all of the applicable phases including planning, design, construction, financing, approval, communications, and operations. A member of the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario, Graham holds a degree in Applied Science from Queen’s University.



 

David Coletto, CEO, Abacus Data
David Coletto is the founder, Chair, and CEO of Abacus Data. He is one of Canada’s best known and most respected public opinion analysts, pollsters and social researchers. He works with some of North America and Europe’s biggest and most respected brands, associations, and unions and is frequently called upon by news organizations, to assess public opinion as events happen. He has led research for the Business Growth Survey for a decade, gaining great insights into the local economy.






Anne Howland, MBA, Editor-In-Chief of the Ottawa Business Journal
Anne Howland is the editor-in-chief of the Ottawa Business Journal and the Eastern Ontario Business Journal. She is an award-winning journalist and entrepreneur with more than 30 years of experience in communications, public policy, corporate strategy and international banking. She has a journalism degree from Carleton University and an MBA from Queen’s University.






Andrew Reeves, Founder, Linebox Studios

Originally from Windsor, Ontario Andrew studied architecture and received his Masters in Architecture from Carleton University. Andrew began his career at Brisbin Brook Beynon Architects and worked on projects including the Ottawa Airport, the Lansdowne Park Redevelopment, the Ottawa Congress Center and the Ontario Medical Association Headquarters. He launched Linebox Studio in Toronto in 2007 with a desire to create a strong connection between the clients and inhabitants of the spaces he designed. Andrew split his time between Toronto and Ottawa and moved to Ottawa in 2011 and established Linebox’s headquarters there.

 

The firm continued to grow and evolve into a multifaceted architecture and interior design studio whose projects include over 1 million sq.feet of interior office space, several adaptive-reuse and conversion projects as well as sustainable designs using mass timber and CLT.

 

Andrew’s team at Linebox is now active in providing ideas and solutions to developers, commercial clients and the City of Ottawa in how to reinvigorate the downtown and create a vibrant and energizing capital city. Linebox is heavily invested in Ottawa and wants to see it develop into a true world-class city.

 

Sandrine Pechels de Saint Sardos, Ottawa Film Commissioner
Sandrine has an extensive career in entertainment, production, co-production, creative development, and distribution with impressive global relationships and deep experience in deals and negotiations in children’s and family programming. Prior to joining the Ottawa Film Office, she was working in sales and distribution at Radio Canada/CBC growing their kids’ catalogue offering.

At Rocket Launch Media and Sanden Media, Sandrine created kids’ content from published book properties and distributed content domestically and internationally. From 2016 to 2019, she worked at TFO, a Franco-Canadian public broadcaster, as Director, Acquisition and Co-production, handling co-production, creative development, programming/scheduling, gaming, sales, and acquisition.

Before TFO, Sandrine spent nine years with Bejuba! Entertainment as EVP of Sales & Acquisitions putting together an impressive list of acquisitions and WW show sales to build a catalogue of over 600 half-hours of kids’ TV, and securing co-development and co-production deals. Prior to Bejuba, Sandrine worked in NYC for an array of major entertainment companies in creative development, co-production, and distribution for Sunbow Entertainment (Transformers, My Little Pony, G.I. Joe, etc.), Sony Wonder/Sony Music, TV-Loonland, Hallmark, and Classic Media/Dreamworks. While at Classic Media/Dreamworks, Sandrine spearheaded WW sales and co-productions on Casper, George of the Jungle, and other titles. Sandrine is also very much involved in the industry as she regularly participates in various festivals and organizations as a juror, mentor, panelist, and research adviser.

Justin Schurman, Regional Vice President, Business Financial Services, RBC

Originally from PEI, Justin has been with RBC for over 23 years. He has held a number of leadership and individual contributor roles in Commercial and Retail Banking across Atlantic Canada and Greater Toronto Region before leading Ontario North & East region’s Commercial Banking team based in Ottawa.