HISTORY

In 2003, local business, government, and community interests assembled for the first annual Prosperity Forum of Waterloo Region on February 3, 2003. The objective for participants at this event was:

"To identify, champion and hold ourselves collectively responsible for the tangible directions required over the next decade to ensure prosperity for our region, so that we can become the best we can be."

The guest speaker was Jim Milway, Executive Director of the Institute for Competitiveness and Prosperity. Local business leaders, government representatives, business organizations and associations attended.

Following the 2003 Forum, founding partners formed the Prosperity Council of Waterloo Region. Taking the five key directions identified at the 2003 Forum, the federation developed a discussion paper entitled "Moving Our Economy from Good to Great" and established five task forces to study these directions and develop action plans for consideration at the 2004 Forum.

2003 Prosperity Forum Agenda

The 2004 Prosperity Forum was held on November 4, 2004 in Kitchener. This event picked up on the key directions derived from the 2003 Forum, designed to move the economy from good to great. A number of actions were identified to confirm our regional economy's path for the future.

The Forum was co-chaired by John Doherty, Managing Partner of Gowlings & John Bell, President & CEO of Polymer Technologies Inc. and facilitated by Greg Barratt, Senior Vice President of Cowan Insurance Brokers. David Pecaut, Chair of the Toronto City Summit Alliance provided closing remarks.

With input from the Forum participants, the Action Plan was formalized and integrated into the Good to Great Agenda.

2004 Prosperity Forum Agenda

David Picaut, Toronto City Summit Alliance speaking at 2004 Prosperity Forum	2004 Prosperity Forum attendees	Jamie Grant, General Manager Centre in the Square offers comments at the 2004 Prosperity Forum

David Johnston, President, University of Waterloo offers comments at the 2004 Prosperity Forum	John Keating, President, ComDev and Chair of the Prosperity Council´s Post Secondary Education Taskforce	John Spearn, Chair of Kitchener Waterloo Symphony offers comments at the 2004 Prosperity Forum

Photos from 2004 Prosperity Forum courtesy of Adamski Tomasz Photography

On June 11, 2007, the Prosperity Council hosted local business and arts communities at the Waterloo Regional Children's Museum and King Street Theatre Centre for Creative Intersections: A Call to Action.

Organized through the efforts of a dedicated group of business and cultural leaders, the Creative Intersections event formally commenced a strategic planning process for supporting the many dynamic opportunities that are emerging within the region.

VISION

Prosperity Council Vision Taskforce
Vision Task Force Report 2004

Vision Task Force Members

Task Force Member	Company Name
Scott Carson	Wilfrid Laurier University
Greg Durocher	Cambridge Chamber of Commerce
Iain Klugman	Communitech Technology Association Inc.
Todd Letts (Chair)	Greater KW Chamber of Commerce
Paul Spencer	Cambridge Chamber of Commerce
John Tennant	Canada's Technology Triangle
John Whitney	J.J. Barnicke Whitney Limited

BRANDING & MARKETING

Prosperity Council Branding and Marketing Task Force
Recommendations to The Waterloo Region Prosperity Council - October 28, 2004

Branding Task Force Members

Task Force Member	Company Name
Joerg Stieber	ODG Ontario
John Doherty	Gowlings Lafleur, Henderson LLP
Mary D'Alton	Waterloo Inn and Conference Centre
Ingmar Borgers	Miller Thomas LLP
Peter Boak	Prestige Business Interiors
Glan Drummond	Quarry Integrated Communications
Garry West	Ernst & Young LLP
Paul Spencer	Cambridge Chamber of Commerce
David Strucke	Navtech Systems Support Inc.
Richard Hall	Cambridge Chamber of Commerce
Iain Klugman	Communitech Technology Association Inc.
John Tennant (Chair)	Canada's Technology Triangle
Diane Wolfenden	RBC Dominion Securities
Mary Ellen Willard	Cambridge Tourism

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Prosperity Council Post Secondary Task Force
Post Secondary Interim Report - October 28, 2004

Post-Secondary Task Force Members

Task Force Member	Company Name
Todd Beechey	Automation Tooling Systems Inc.
John Bell	Polymer Technologies Inc.
David Johnston	University of Waterloo
John Keating (Chair)	COM DEV International
Iain Klugman	Communitech Technology Association Inc.
Greig Mordue	Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada
Sam Purdy	Ryobi Canada Ltd.
Dr. Robert Rosehart	Wilfrid Laurier University
Larry Smith	University of Waterloo
John Tibbits	Conestoga College Institute of  Technology & Advanced Learning

HEALTH

Prosperity Council Health Task Force
Good to Great A Regional Prosperity Initiative - October 28, 2004

Health Task Force Members

Task Force Members	Company Name
Doug Brock	CIBC Wood Gundy
Dominic Covvey	Waterloo Institute for Health Informatics Research
Roger Farwell	Walter Fedy Partnership
Shirley Fenton	Waterloo Institute for Health Informatics Research
Mary Sue Fitzpatrick	Greater KW Chamber of Commerce
Donna Gravelle	CHYM FM/570 NEWS
Bill Jeffrey	School of Health Sciences & Community Services
Helen Jowett (Chair)	McDonald-Green
Glen Mathers	CIBC Wood Gundy
Lyssa Nielsen	Angel Stone Photography
Don Smith	City of Cambridge
Anita Tomins	Cambridge Chamber of Commerce

ARTS

Arts Task Force Members

Task Force Member	Company Name
James Beingessner (Chair)
Alf Bogusky	KW Art Gallery
Kelly Borgers	Artist
Alison Burket	Gallery on the Grand
Martin de Groot	Waterloo Regional Arts Council
Paul Spencer	Cambridge Chamber of Commerce