Looking to support the transformation of main street, Chris led a project to develop a wifi toolkit for Business Improvement Areas aimed at helping them understand and streamline the implementation of wireless networks in their neighbourhoods.
Elevate
Chris was part of the founding team that launched Elevate Tech Festival, Canada’s leading tech and innovation festival.
Hosted annually in September, Elevate is founded on the belief that diversity is our strength, that we’re stronger when we disrupt together, and that it is Canada’s time.
Attracting a worldwide audience, Elevate invites a global audience to collaborate with Canada’s thriving innovation ecosystem.
Civic Innovation Office
Working with the Mayor’s Office and Bloomberg Philanthropies, Chris helped lead the creation of the City of Toronto’s Civic Innovation Office. Focused on disrupting City Hall from the inside out, the Civic Innovation Office is a bridge between outside innovators and the City. The goal of the office is creating a more responsive government, one that acts quickly and meaningfully on behalf of the people it serves.
Starter Company Program
Launched by the Province of Ontario in 2014 to support young people aged 18 to 29 to start their own businesses, the Starter Company Program provided training, mentorship and a grant of up to $5,000 to launch and run their business.
The development and delivery of the program in Toronto was led by Chris and his team at the City's Small Business Centres. Through Chris' leadership, the team at the City of Toronto exceeded its targets and assisted 275 young people to start businesses.
Chris' management of the program involved developing the programming, overseeing its delivery, administering a grant fund of over $1 million, and developing a back-end technology platform on Salesforce to manage the program.
Digital Main Street Lab
Working with his team, Chris worked to develop the Digital Main Street Lab - an testing ground for new retail technologies in Toronto.
Leveraging Toronto's diverse and vibrant main streets, the Digital Main Street Lab connects retail technology companies with local business improvement areas allowing them to pilot new technologies.
The purpose of the Lab is to assist Toronto's main street businesses in adopting new technologies, while also encouraging the growth of Toronto's retail technology sector.