Enterprise Canada
Monday, April 25, 2016
BRAMPTON, ON: If the first rule of real estate is location, the first concern once you settle in has to be your neighbours.
Great neighborhoods are built on strong residents, and business parks are no different. Assembling a cluster of strong companies drives local economic activity, creates and sustains jobs and fosters a strong sense of community. Such are the prestigious commercial and industrial properties astride Highway 407 in Brampton in the area of Steeles Avenue and Mississauga Road, where a cluster of iconic Canadian and multi-national companies is driving economic activity and contributing to community growth. Home to well-recognized domestic and multi-national brands such as Loblaw, Medtronic Canada, Canon Canada, Amazon and Air Canada, it has become a strong business community that brings top companies together.
“We chose our location in Brampton for the safety and security of our operation in the event of a major disruption at Pearson International Airport, and it is a better location for our employees as it has improved the commute for 70% of our staff,” says Catherine Brassard from Air Canada, which has 400 employees — a quarter of those highly skilled jobs created in its first two years in Brampton — at its Operational Centre. “The city’s economic development office was very helpful in meeting our requirements, providing community information and giving tours to a group of employees who were relocating from Montreal.
Medtronic Canada, a global leader in medical technology helping to alleviate pain, restore health and extend life for millions of people around the world, was drawn to Brampton for a variety of reasons that combined to make good business sense.
“Among many reasons, Brampton was selected as the location for our Ontario head office because of the incredible talent pool in the area, its proximity to world class hospitals and researchers, and easy access a major international airport,” says Monika Paquette from Medtronic.
This high-end business area boasts natural features that enable companies to include outdoor spaces where their employees can go for a walk or simply sit outside to enjoy the summer sunshine. These outdoor features are a significant element of the new facility that Canon is opening in the area. Slated to be operational by summer, the 180,000-square-foot building sits on a 19-acre lot. The building itself features a design that maximizes natural light and is surrounded by 500 trees and shrubs and a stormwater pond, creating an idyllic natural setting to break up the work day.
“Our vision for Canon Canada’s headquarters goes beyond an investment in infrastructure or building where our employees live,” says Ted Egawa, President and CEO of Canon Canada. “We want our new headquarters to become a community for our employees and for our customers.”
“A strong business park is a necessity in today’s fast-moving and globally competitive economic environment,” says Sohail Saeed, Director of Economic Development and Tourism for the City of Brampton. “A good business park has quick access to state-of-the-art transportation networks and a young, skilled and growing workforce. But great ones include the intangibles that take into account the physical and mental health of the people working in the area, drawing iconic multi-national companies and their ability to attract more of the same.”
About Brampton: The ninth-largest city in Canada, Brampton celebrates a diverse population that represents people from 209 distinct ethnic backgrounds who speak 89 different languages. Brampton residents and visitors have access to state-of-the-art recreation facilities and one of the fastest-growing transit systems in Canada. For more information, visit www.brampton.ca or follow @CityBrampton on Twitter.
