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Ontario Venture Capital Fund Invests in Jobs of the Future

Toronto -The Ontario Venture Capital Fund is committing $20 million in EdgeStone Capital Venture Fund III (EdgeStone) to help support innovative, high-growth businesses, including high-potential companies in Ontario.

EdgeStone is an Ontario-based venture capital firm investing in early and growth stage Canadian information technology companies. EdgeStone’s track record of successful investments includes Ontario-based companies such as Workbrain, SlipStream Data, Protus IP Solutions and Varicent.

The $205-million Ontario Venture Capital Fund, managed by TD Capital Private Equity Investors, is a joint initiative between the provincial government and leading institutional investors to invest primarily in Ontario-based and Ontario-focused venture capital and growth equity funds.

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Toronto – The first trailer for the upcoming ten-episode web series, Ten Sundays, was released today on the series’ official website. Available in both standard and high definition, the trailer, which runs one minute and 11 seconds, previews the story of two roommates living in a basement apartment in Toronto, Canada.

The series, directed by Pavan Moondi, was initially conceived as a companion piece to help pitch Everyday Is Like A Sunday, a television concept the Toronto-based writer-director is actively marketing. “It started out as a short promotional piece to help pitch Everyday Is Like A Sunday, but as we developed the web series, it became its own animal in many ways. Ultimately, it’s something that can stand alone, and we’re very proud of,” said Mr. Moondi, who also co-wrote and edited the series.
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Ottawa – New technologies are shrinking our ability to protect our anonymity – a trend being reinforced by laws around the world, according to a new study by leading scholars from Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Netherlands and Italy.

The study, unveiled today at a special event organized by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, reveals scant protection of anonymity and a growing preference for laws and policies requiring people to be identified.

For example, some retailers ask for and record identification such as a driver’s licence number when consumers return or exchange purchases. Personal information is being collected and stored more frequently and, in some cases, is disclosed to authorities without a person’s knowledge or approval.

“Driven by curiosity, humanity and a profound belief in the sanctity of the individual, a group of scholars from the University of Ottawa and around the globe set out to describe the state of privacy in Canada and around the world – today, and well into tomorrow,” says the Privacy Commissioner of Canada, Jennifer Stoddart.
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Vancouver – Ion Branding + Design, a Vancouver-based multidisciplinary graphic design studio, today announced the launch of their third annual One Good Idea™ contest. Doing good for the world is any organization’s badge of honour. Through their third annual One Good Idea™ contest, Ion Branding + Design is looking for a project that positively contributes to the well-being of our world. An organization’s project could be environmentally, socially or economically focused. The submission with the most merit will receive $25,000 worth of Ion’s creative services.

At its core, sustainability is an expression of the desire to find balance and harmony among the competing social, economic and environmental drivers of culture. It’s about trying to fashion a better society. While most would agree that we all want to make a difference, we would probably also agree that we feel overwhelmed about how to make it real. Our One Good Idea™ contest endeavors to remind people that even small steps can contribute to massive change. One Good Idea™ is all it takes.
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Longueuil Québec – Heading to the movies just became a more “moving” experience, thanks to new motion-activated theater seats available for theatergoers,  announced today. Beginning April 3, audiences will experience the seats with the release of Universal Pictures’ new action-thriller, Fast & Furious.

D-BOX Technologies will debut its Motion Systems for the first time during this theatrical release. The seats are equipped with the company’s Motion technology and powered by D-BOX Motion Effects that corresponds to the action taking place onscreen, causing the seats to tilt and shake in perfect synchronization with the onscreen action.

Audience members will feel all the shifts and rumbles of an opening hijacking sequence, however the seats will remain still during the quieter, dialogue-driven scenes. The seats are in motion for about a third of the film, including intelligent vibrations that move along to the soundtrack and stronger movements for the action scenes.

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Recall Hotline: 1 800 233 0462

Burnaby – Best Buy Canada has announced the voluntary recall of the following two products due to potential fire hazards. Consumers should stop using the recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.

For additional information, call (800) 233-0462 between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. CT daily, or visit Best Buy Canada’s website.

Recall of Certain Rocketfish Universal Portable Power Sources

Name of product: Rocketfish Model RF-INV80 Universal AC/DC/USB Portable Power Sources

Units: About 90

Importer: Best Buy Canada Ltd. of Burnaby, B.C.

Hazard: While charging the battery, the power source can unexpectedly ignite, posing a fire hazard to consumers.

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Ottawa/Gatineua – The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today opened an online consultation to gather views on Internet traffic management practices. The consultation, which is being hosted by Nanos Research, is part of a proceeding launched in November 2008. A public hearing will also be held starting on July 6, 2009, in Gatineau, Que.

Current Internet services have made it possible for Canadians to use new applications and services, such as video streaming and peer-to-peer networking. Certain Internet service providers (ISPs) maintain that this growth in traffic can cause congestion, especially during peak times. This has led some ISPs to manage the flow of traffic on their networks or adopt new business models.

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Toronto – Kids Help Phone announced today that it is participating in Google’s launch of the YouTube Safety Centre in Canada. Kids Help Phone will be featured as a resource for kids on the dedicated Canadian pages containing online safety tips and resources for young people across the country.

“Kids Help Phone is very excited to be involved in YouTube’s new Safety Centre for Canada,” says Meghan Reddick, Director of Marketing, Kids Help Phone. “Our counsellors connect with kids from across Canada every day about issues like cyber-bullying, online safety, abuse and more. Through the YouTube Safety Centre, online users will have easy access to our counsellors and to information on our website – 24 hours a day, 365 day a year.”

YouTube users will be able to access the Safety Centre in the Help & Information section located in the bottom navigation bar of YouTube.com. When they click on Safety Centre, users will be directed to information about online safety as well as content from Kids Help Phone and other support organizations about issues like cyber citizenship, child and teen safety, hateful content, harassment and cyber-bullying and suicide.

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Toronto – The entertainment software industry is a growing and vital contributor to the Canadian knowledge economy, according to a new report released today by the Entertainment Software Association of Canada (ESAC). Canada’s Entertainment Software Industry: The Opportunities and Challenges of a Growing Industry, conducted by respected Ottawa consulting firm Hickling Arthurs Low, and commissioned by ESAC, is the first ever national survey report of the Canadian entertainment software industry, involving original research, surveys and interviews of industry leaders.

“Canada’s entertainment software industry is one of the most promising knowledge-based industries in the country,” said Danielle LaBossiere Parr, Executive Director of ESAC. “This report reveals just how prosperous entertainment software is to the Canadian economy: an estimated $1.7 billion in direct economic activity, 14,000 jobs, and a further $2.2 billion in retail sales figures highlight a strong industry in spite of the economic downturn.”
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Submissions for environmental awards open on Earth Hour March 28, 2009

Mississauga – Canon Canada is pleased to announce the launch of the 2009 Canon Canada Nurture Nature Awards. The Nurture Nature Awards is an environmental program that encourages Canadians to help protect or improve the natural habitat of an endangered or threatened species in their community. Beginning Earth Hour on March 28, 2009, individuals can submit a proposal consisting of a short video and a brief written plan on how they intend to positively impact a threatened habitat in their area. Proposals can be uploaded at www.canon.ca/donations_sponsorships until 5 p.m. EDT on September 1, 2009.

Three winners from across Canada will be announced on September 14, 2009. Each winner will receive a cash award of $20,000 to fund their project. Winners will also receive a Canon digital SLR camera and a Canon video camera so they can document their progress and the final results of their project.

“At Canon, our responsibility to the environment is part of everything we do. The 2009 Nurture Nature Awards is an opportunity for us to extend this commitment and recognize and support Canadians who want to make a difference in their own communities,” said Stanley Skorayko, VP of Corporate Communications and General and Environmental Affairs, Canon Canada. “Whether it is cleaning up a polluted pond, or re-claiming a woodland, Canon Canada invites individuals across the country to submit their plans to make a positive impact on the environment.”