Burlington Economic Development Releases 2020 Annual Report

*Please see below a news release issued by Burlington Economic Development. Click this link to read the 2020 Burlington Ec Dev Annual Report.Burlington, ON — April 27, 2021, Burlington Economic Development is pleased to announce the release of their 2020 Annual Report. The report presents the key challenges brought forth by COVID-19 for businesses of all sizes, highlighting the work Burlington EcDev delivered on to support business resilience and survival during the pandemic. These initiatives included advocacy work and new partnership initiatives, including the Burlington Safe Restart Grant and the launch of the Burlington Economic Recovery Network (BERN).

"Burlington EcDev didn’t hesitate to partner with the other members of Team Burlington to develop a coordinated approach to supporting businesses. One of the first things Team Burlington did was launch the Burlington Economic Recovery Network (BERN), which I am proud to Chair. BERN brings together key stakeholders, business leaders and elected officials to understand the needs of business during this time, strategize to support them, communicate critical information and resources, and finally, prepare for long-term economic recovery." -- Randall Smallbone, Chair of Burlington EcDev & Burlington Economic Recovery Network (BERN)

The 2020 Annual Report also highlights successes and achievements from the year, including notable business expansions and progression on strategic projects. Brock University’s relocation of their satellite campus to Burlington, the launch of the new investburlington.ca website, progress on the Mayor’s Red Tape Red Carpet Taskforce, and international recognition for TechPlace are all covered.The 2020 Annual Report also shares details on Burlington Economic Development’s priorities for 2021 as the COVID-19 pandemic continues and Burlington prepares for long-term economic recovery.

"The changes that 2020 have brought to the economy and Burlington community as a whole have highlighted the importance of responsive economic development and partnerships. In 2021 our team will stay committed to being flexible to the needs of the business community while maintaining strong partnerships with Team Burlington and the City of Burlington. Our 2020 Annual Report is the most detailed report we have published to date, and we are proud to showcase what we accomplished in 2020, and how we were able to support our business community through an extremely difficult year. However, the pandemic is not over, and it will be a long road to economic recovery. Therefore, we are looking forward to remaining focused on the work that still needs to be done." -- Anita Cassidy, Executive Director of Burlington EcDev

The full 2020 Annual Report can be viewed online here.MAYOR MEED WARD'S TAKE:This past year has certainly proven how truly resilient and community-minded the City of Burlington is. While 2020 has been the toughest in recent memory, we’ve also seen our residents and business community rise and forge new partnerships and ways of doing business that has become a legacy of the pandemic and will last well beyond its end.We’ve seen how devastating the COVID-19 pandemic has been to our residents and local business. As such, establishing the Burlington Economic Recovery Network proved to be invaluable in not only advocating for our local businesses that led to direct cash in their pockets, but also by providing them a single, easily-identifiable source they could go to for clarity and financial assistance at a time when a large influx of information seemed to change almost daily.There have been some positive outcomes emerging from the pandemic. Many small businesses were able to digitize and expand their reach to their customers thanks to Team Burlington, BERN and the Digital Main Street program, and that will help them long after we’re out of the pandemic.In addition, 2020 saw Burlington get into the post-secondary realm with the announcement of Brock University moving its campus to our city. City Council support establishing the Burlington Lands Partnership as a new organizational structure with key priorities to maximize business development opportunities to support economic growth and job creation; implement city building projects and initiatives that enhance the quality of life for our citizens; and leverage opportunities and deliver increased affordable housing in our city.As we now look towards economic recovery, Burlington Economic Development continues to evolve to help support the City of Burlington’s strategic plans and initiatives and be well-positioned to meet the future challenges of the business environment.--*Posted by John Bkila, Mayor's Media and Digital Communications Specialist