For Immediate Release
Vital Signs report examines Sudbury’s Mining Innovations
Sudbury – October 7th, 2014. This year’s Vital Signs report will feature Mining Innovations occurring in
the Greater Sudbury area. Sudbury is the Centre of mining intelligence in Ontario. Innovations in the
global industry are being led right here in our community. Innovation is about making changes in the
way things are done – changes that can significantly improve the performance and productivity of an
operation. In mining industries, this can include improvements in safety and health, reductions in
negative environmental impact, and / or increases in economic performance.
“By far, the strongest indicator of sustainability in our community is the mining and natural resources
sector which is 20 times larger in comparison to the rest of Ontario,” explains Jon Cole, President of the
Sudbury Community Foundation Board Committee, the organization that publishes the report. “Our
objective in this special edition is to try to understand the degree to which mining has been changing
under our very noses, and who has been at the leading edge of these innovations and how this affects
our community.”
Mining Innovation Panel
This year’s launch will feature a guest panel addressing the following question:
“If Sudbury is the centre of mining intelligence, what impact will this have on our community?”
“In today’s modern society, the mining industry continues to face new challenges – in terms of
productivity and mine waste management”, comments Douglas Morrison, President and CEO of Centre
for Excellence in Mining Innovation (CEMI). “The Sudbury Mining Cluster will again be at the forefront of
addressing these.”
The panel will be moderated by Dick DeStefano, Executive Director of SAMSSA, Sudbury Area Mining
Supply and Service Association. Panelists include: Brian Jones, Vice President, Business Innovation,
CEMI; Kirk Petroski, President, Simbioticware Inc.; Don Duval, CEO, NORCAT; and Greg Baiden,
Chairman, Penguin Automated Systems Inc. Together, they will demonstrate how Sudbury is leading the
way in mining innovations, through the development of technologies that have a profound impact on
the ways in which mining operations are carried out around the world.
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Community Issues and Concerns
“Each year this report focuses on indicators that highlight our achievements as well as outlines areas of
concern.” comments Carmen Simmons, Executive Director of the Sudbury Community Foundation. “It is
vital to look at these areas of concern as an important opportunity and incentive for our community to
change and grow”.
The following statistics reflect growing concerns within specific community areas.
Health and Wellness
Illicit Drug Use
In 2009-2012, 52.6% of adults aged 19 and over in the SDHU area reported having used illicit drugs in
their lifetime, which was higher than the provincial rate (42.2%).
Obesity Rates Still High
In 2013, 29.5% of the population aged 18 and over in the Sudbury & District Health Unit (SDHU) area
reported being obese. This rate was up 10.5 percentage points from 2003 (19.0%). The 2013 obesity rate
was 10.7 percentage points higher than the national rate (18.8%), and 11.6 percentage points higher
than the provincial rate (17.9%).
Heavy Drinking Still Very High
In 2013, 21.4% of the population aged 12 and over in the SDHU area consumed 5 or more drinks by a
male or 4 or more drinks by a female on one occasion at least once a month in that last year. This was
not statistically different than the rate reported in 2003 (22.2%). It was also not statistically different
than the national (18.9%) and the provincial rate (17.1%).
Belonging and Leadership Initiatives
Decrease in Number of Charitable Donors
In 2012, 23.6% of Greater Sudbury tax filers were charitable donors. Since 2002, the percentage of tax
filers making charitable donations (26.4%) has decreased by 10.6%. The 2012 figure was 5.4% higher
than the national level (22.4 %) and 0.4% higher than the provincial level (23.5%).
Bridging the Gap between Rich and Poor
Child Poverty Rate Increases
In 2012, the poverty rate (after tax) for children aged 0-17 in Greater Sudbury, based on the Low Income
Measure (LIM), an indicator of relative poverty, was 16.0%, 0.6 percentage points greater than the 2011
rate (15.4%). Greater Sudbury’s 2012 child poverty rate was 3.1 percentage points below the national
rate (19.1%), and 3.9 percentage points below the provincial rate (19.9%).
Overall Poverty Rate Increases
In 2012, the poverty rate (after overall taxes) in Greater Sudbury, based on the LIM, was 14.1%, 0.1
percentage points up from the 2011 rate (14.0%). Greater Sudbury’s 2012 poverty rate was 2.9
percentage points below the national rate (17.0%) and 3.9 percentage points below the provincial rate
(18.0%).
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Getting Started/Starting Over
Increase in Youth Unemployment Rate
In 2013, the unemployment rate of youth (15-24 years old) in Greater Sudbury was 13.5%. Overall, the
youth unemployment rate has increased 21.6% from 11.1% in 2008. The 2013 rate was 1.5% below the
national youth unemployment rate (13.7%) and 16.1% below the provincial average (16.1%).
Greater Sudbury Real Estate
Houses Becoming More Expensive
In 2013, the average MLS® price in Greater Sudbury was $245,307, up 2.7% from $240,312 in 2012.
Comparatively, the average MLS® price increased by 5.3% nationally (from $382,603) and 4.7%
provincially (from $402,547).
Note: Multiple Listing Service® (MLS®) is a registered trademark owned by the Canadian Real Estate
Association.
Existing Home Sales Decreasing Locally
In 2013, there were 2,308 (units) resale home sales in Greater Sudbury, a decline for a second
consecutive year, compared to 2,478 (units) in 2012. The existing home sales increased both nationally
and provincially, but at a pace of less than 1%.
Highlights
Last year’s Vital Signs report focussed on the economic and environmental sustainability. Some of the
highlights from this year’s report show improvements in our local economy and environment:
Local Employment Level Increases
In 2013, the number of people employed in Greater Sudbury was 83,000 people. Between 2012 and
2013, there was an increase of 1.5% in the employment level. This rate was 0.2 percentage points above
the national rate (1.3%) and 0.1 percentage points above the provincial rate (1.4%).
From 2003-2013, Greater Sudbury’s average annual employment growth rate was 1.0%, 0.2 percentage
points below the national rate (1.2%) and the same as the provincial rate (1.0%).
Another area of improvement shown in this year’s report was Arts and Culture.
Arts Attendance on the Rise
In 2013, the total attendance at exhibitions and at film/video/media screening in Greater Sudbury was
26,448 and 27,190, respectively. These numbers indicated a 16.3% attendance increase at exhibitions
from 2012 (22,742) and a 4.7% attendance increase at film/video/media screening from 2012 (25,977).
Arts Education Becoming Increasingly Important
In 2013, the total attendance/participants in Arts education and Arts learning activities in Greater
Sudbury were 88,154. This represented a 49.2% increase from 2012 (59,067).
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Vital Signs Report
Vital Signs is a community check-up conducted by community foundations across Canada that measures
the vitality of our communities, identifies significant trends, and supports action on issues that are
critical to our quality of life and is a national initiative of the Community Foundations of Canada. The 27
community foundations across Canada launching their report today are: Abbotsford, Calgary, Clayoquot,
Cranbrook, Edmonton, Fredericton, Grand Forks (Phoenix Foundation of the Boundary Communities),
Kingston, Kitchener-Waterloo, Lethbridge and Southwestern Alberta, London, Medicine Hat, Nanaimo,
Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Peterborough, Regina, Salmon Arm (Shuswap), Simcoe
County, Squamish, Greater Sudbury, Sunshine Coast, Surrey, Toronto, Victoria, Windsor-Essex, and
Winnipeg.
The Sudbury Community Foundation has been publishing the Vital Signs Report since 2007; this is the
eighth edition. We have been pleased to learn of the positive impact that this report has made in our
community for individuals, groups and organizations committed to making Sudbury an even more
vibrant place to live, work and play.
For more information about the Sudbury Community Foundation or the report, including how to receive
a free copy, please contact reception@sudburycf.ca or visit www.vitalsignssudbury.ca
Panelist Profiles
Greg Baiden, Chairman
Penguin Automated Systems Inc.
As Chairman and Chief Technology Officer of Penguin Automated Systems
Inc., Dr. Baiden leads a private research and development company that provides mobile robotic
technology solutions for numerous clients in various industries around the world.
Dr. Baiden holds a Ph.D. in Mining Engineering with a speciality in technology and economics. Formerly,
Dr. Baiden was a professor at Laurentian University. He was also a member of Inco Limited’s Senior
Management Team from 1986-2001, where he was responsible for all corporate mining research. In
2001, he was awarded the prestigious Canadian Research Chair in Robotics and Mine Automation at
Laurentian University.
Dick DeStefano, Executive Director
SAMSSA
As a high profile leadership figure within the Greater Sudbury community, Dick has a long history of
community involvement which includes participating as the Sudbury Regional Councillor for 7 years,
Chair of the Planning Committee, Commissioner on the Canadian Radio- Television and
Telecommunications Commission for 5 years, Chair of Sudbury’s Community Leisure Plan, and the Chair
of the Ontario Summer Games, amongst numerous other roles. In an effort to promote economic
development within Greater Sudbury, Dick has been involved in the Centre of Commercialization of
Mining Technologies and Services, The Greater Sudbury Community Adjustment Committee (Economic
Gardening Strategy), the Northeastern Ontario Resource Alliance, and recently has agreed to be a
member of the Learning City Initiative of Greater Sudbury.
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Don Duval, CEO
NORCAT
As the Chief Executive Officer at NORCAT, it is Don’s goal to empower their clients, their staff, and
community partners in order to create a culture of productivity, innovation, and life-long learning. In
order to ensure that their clients are successful, NORCAT empowers and supports their customers and
community with world-leading services and products to help them achieve their goals.
Currently Don serves as the Northern Ontario Chair of the Manning Innovation Awards and sits on the
Board of JUMP Math, University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT), Canadian Innovation
Exchange, and serves as the Chair of the Sudbury Queen’s Alumni Association. Prior to working at
NORCAT, Don worked as an angel investor, recovering tech entrepreneur, university engineering
professor, and former executive at the MaRS Discovery District.
Brian Jones, Vice President
Business Innovation, CEMI
As a trusted business development advisor to both large and small organizations in northern Ontario,
Brian brings more than twenty five years of experience to CEMI. He has owned and operated a Sudburybased management consulting firm known called Databac Services since the mid 1990’s. Prior to joining
CEMI earlier this year, Brian was a Senior Partner with the Business Development Bank of Canada’s
northern Ontario consulting practice.
In his role at CEMI, Brian has dual responsibilities to assist in developing internal and external innovative
business initiatives which align to the objectives of CEMI. Brian has established an extensive network
within the professional, government, Aboriginal, and small and medium business communities.
Kirk Petroski, President & CEO
Symbioticware Inc.
Starting his mining career in 1993 as a field technician for Falconbridge Exploration in Timmins, Ontario,
Kirk gradually became interested in mining innovation when he started working for ERE Services Inc.
which provided exploration services and was at the forefront of technology bringing differential GPS
surveying to Northern Ontario. In 1999, Kirk moved to Sudbury to complete an MBA and later worked
on building a network within the Sudbury basin by providing technical and development services for the
mining supply and service sector. As of 2008, Kirk began work with the network he created to cultivate
an idea of creating an open platform to facilitate the interoperability of diverse systems, enable realtime data flow in underground mining environments and the delivery of intelligent software for mining
and environmental monitoring and data applications. As a result, this innovation has moved from the
realm of Idea to Commercialization, putting Symboticware on a fast track for expansion and accelerated
growth. Kirk is also President of the Sudbury Area Mining Supply and Service Association (SAMSSA).
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Contact Information
Brian Jones, Vice President of Business Innovation at CEMI
Vital Signs Guest Panelist
705.673.6568
bjones@miningexcellence.ca
Carmen Simmons, Executive Director
Sudbury Community Foundation
705.673.7770
carmen@sudburycf.ca
Dick DeStefano, Executive Director of SAMSSA
Vital Signs Moderator
705.522.2606
destefan@isys.ca
Don Duval, CEO of NORCAT
Vital Signs Guest Panelist
705.521.8324
dduval@norcat.org
Greg Baiden, Chairman of Penguin Automated Systems Inc.
Vital Signs Guest Panelist
705.692.8748
gbaiden@penguinasi.com
Kirk Petroski, President & CEO of Symbioticware Inc.
Vital Signs Guest Panelist
1.800.519.5496
kpetroski@sympboticware.com
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