Meaford CAO Frank Miele unveiled plans for an interesting and unique initiative at last Monday's (December 14) meeting of council.
What has been billed as the Virtual Green Technology Centre, the project will see a high profile eco-conference held at Meaford Hall on March 20th, and transmitted live to 10,000 participants over the internet.
Approximately 30 speakers will participate in this 'Eureka Exchange' event who will discuss many subjects relating to green productivity including; local green-tech trials, new green innovations, and green productivity and business issues.
An Eco-fair will be held in the Meaford Hall galleries in conjunction with the virtual conference that will offer an opportunity for small business owners to meet vendors offering green technologies designed to assist small businesses.
The entire project which Miele says will help to raise the profile of Meaford on an international stage, and will also hopefully position the municipality as a viable host for innovative green businesses, will be completely funded with grants and private sector sponsorship.
Grants from the Centre For Business and Economic Development totalling $52,000 and private partnership funding of more than $100,000 have already been secured to enable the project to move forward. The funds will cover everything from the rental of Meaford Hall, to the hiring of a full time project coordinator for a four month period, to the technology required to enable up to 10,000 participants from around the globe to join the 200 attendees in the Meaford Hall Opera House in discussions and presentations which will focus on ways to help small businesses 'green' their productivity.
“It is all about showing small businesses how they can do better with less,” said Lynn Johannson during a walk through Meaford Hall with The Independent earlier this month.
Johannson and her company E2 Management Corporation have partnered with the municipality to make the event happen.
“We want to use this to help bring forward ideas to help small businesses green their productivity,” said Johannson.
A long time friend of Miele's, Johannson has helped to establish the framework of the project, as well as to recruit some other private sector sponsors such as XOOL TV who will provide the technology required to transmit the event from Meaford Hall by a live feed using high definition internet media broadcasting known as 'HD IP TV'.
Organizers of this event advocate that the Eureka Exchange will bring leading edge thinkers in green technologies, products and services, and entrepreneurs with practical, commercial and pre-commercial innovations together with mainstream small and medium sized businesses.
The municipality is seeking candidates for a contract position to be the 'on the ground' event coordinator. The deadline for submitting resumes is December 23 in order to allow for the successful applicant to begin working on the project at the beginning of January.
Details about the contract position can be found by clicking here. (Clicking will open a PDF document)
