DESTINATION : QUINTEVATION

Listen as Rob Clute, Executive Director of QuinteVation discusses the reality that as urban population continues to swell, rural communities are in danger of being left behind unless there is growth and investment in infrastructure, connectivity and resilience.  Imagine a rural community that is self-reliant and thriving, making the best use of technology to drive the local economy; where people, households and community centres are interconnected; where children can access virtual classrooms and share entertainment across the internet. Rob is joined by Ken Dickson and Alnis Dickson, owners of Snap 360, Michael Summers, owner of Nesda Technologies, platinum sponsor for the upcoming Canadian Rural Innovation Summit being held here in the Quinte Region, and Andrew Normore, a new resident to Quinte, bringing his skills as a coder to the region.  They are part of the solution in bringing technology to rural Quinte, and busting the myth that it can't happen in rural communities like it happens in the cities. 

Listen as Rob Clute, Executive Director of QuinteVation discusses how Loyalist College was founded in 1967 as part of a provincial initiative to provide career oriented diploma and certificate courses, as well as continuing education programs.  Over the last five decades, Loyalist College has grown to become a Quinte landmark.  Rob is joined by Dr. Ann Marie Vaughan, President of Loyalist College since October 2016.  Dr. Vaughan, at the helm of this prestigious establishment, guides the college along the path of innovation, collaboration and inclusion.  

Listen as Rob Clute, Executive Director of QuinteVation discusses how agritech is fundamentally changing how agriculture is being accomplished within the Bay of Quinte region.    Agritech uses technology to improve yield, efficiencies and profitability in not only agriculture but horticulture and aquaculture, standing to revolutionize the food and agriculture industry.  Rob is joined by Victoria Watts from Pasta Tavola in Belleville, producing good food from locally-sourced ingredients; Melanie Harrington from Dahlia May Flower Farm in Quinte West growing quality flowers locally; and Ryan Goldin from Entomo Farms in Norwood, converting empty farm buildings into cricket farms, producing healthy, natural sources of protein.

Listen as Rob Clute, Executive Director of QuinteVation discusses how the Bay of Quinte region's 'ruralness' creates a beautiful dichotomy to the surrounding urban areas.  In spite of this, the Bay of Quinte region still faces the same environmental challenges.    Rob introduces you to a new concept that is seeing success in environmental circles -  'enviro-innovation'.    Why is environmental innovation important?  Here's some not-so-fun facts.  Every day in the U.S, enough trash is produced to equal the weight of the Empire State Building; Americans throw away 2.5 million plastic bottles every hour. Rob is joined by Laura Nash,  host of  'Zero Waste Countdown' podcast, Rachel Revoy of Quinte Waste Solutions, and Matt Groves of Springbox Water. 

Listen as Rob Clute, Executive Director of QuinteVation discusses the Bay of Quinte region as a compilation of numerous counties in Ontario, all found on the north shore of Lake Ontario.  Rob sees the Bay of Quinte as a healthy, thriving rural region where tourism, business and life in general are not constrained by political boundaries or county lines. Rob is joined by Dug Stevenson, Executive Director of the Bay of Quinte Regional Marketing Board, and Dug’s predecessor, Jeremiah J. MacKenzie, currently an active board member of QuinteVation.  Dug and Jeremiah discuss how the region is being marketed and how that furthers the desire to make the Bay of Quinte region a destination for enterprising entrepreneurs and tourists alike. 

Rob Clute, Executive Director of QuinteVation, contemplates ‘rural’ as a vision of a family growing their own food, on their own land; breaking bread far away from an urban setting. Quintelicious is an innovative local culinary event running from March 1 - 19, 2018.  Restaurants are offering 'prix fixe' menus, sourcing local products and foods from the region’s unique livestock and dairy operations, as well as heirloom vegetables, artisan sweets and more. Listen to the discussion on the evolution of this local food and drink celebration, which not only pairs courses with Bay of Quinte Craft ciders and beers, but in some cases, actually infuses the food.  There will be another event in the fall of 2018 as well. Rob is joined by guests, Eric Hornauer, brewmaster of Prince Eddy’s Brewing Co. in Prince Edward County and Steve Georgiou, owner of Red Rock Canyon in Belleville and chair of the Quinte Restaurant Association. Also joining in are Melanie Hilmi, owner of Capers Restaurant in Belleville and Capers chef, Dan Biadune. The discussion touches on the challenges of providing taps for local craft beers while educating patrons on a different palate.

Listen as Rob Clute, Executive Director of QuinteVation discusses ‘rural innovation’ from a tech perspective. QuinteVation offers a program ‘RevUP’ to growth stage companies in Eastern Ontario.  Listen as we find out how the framework for ‘RevUP’ was created in “Silicon Valley North” in the Okanagan region of British Columbia.  Accelerate Okanagan has a Quinte connection, so the programs’ local development was a natural fit for QuinteVation. Find out how RevUP works with companies to accelerate growth, what an ‘entrepreneur in residence’ is and how it can ‘rev up’ your business. Rob is joined by the local project manager, Cathy Ireland, and Jacques Pilon, an ‘entrepreneur in residence’. Also joining in are Kari Fraser and Darryl Denyes from ‘Clevr’, a software company located in Belleville, and the first graduate of Quinte’s RevUP program. Andrew Greer, former Bay of Quinte resident calls in from B.C. to add his insight on the impact an acceleration program has on growth in rural innovation.

Listen as Rob Clute, Executive Director of QuinteVation talks to innovators that are thinking 'outside of the box' and have chosen to start it, and make it right here in the Bay of Quinte region. QuinteVation finds people doing innovative things and shines a spotlight on them. Whether that something is truly new and innovative, or a seasoned concept that is being presented in a new and innovative way, these innovators have one thing in common.   Rob is joined by entrepreneurs Adam Tilley, owner of 'The Brake Room' in Belleville and Ivan MacKinnon from MacKinnon Brothers Brewing Company, located on their bicentennial family farm in Bath.   QuinteVation board chair, Ryan Williams also joins in the discussion about what led to the decision to 'start it' and 'make it' in the Quinte Region.

Listen as Rob Clute, executive director of QuinteVation talks to guests about the growth and evolution of the film industry right here in Quinte. Part of what QuinteVation defines as ‘innovation’ are things that are happening in a rural setting that you would normally see in an urban environment or are completely unique to a rural environment.  The flourishing film industry in the Bay of Quinte region fits that description perfectly. Rob is joined by film makers who are setting the stage for this exciting, new medium locally.  Aaron and Angela Bell of ‘Lot 48 Film Company’, Joel George, owner of Prime Focus Productions and founder of Cinema Quinte, Jason Miller, aspiring film maker who immigrated to the region from Jamaica discuss their journeys as they embarked into the film industry.

Listen as Ryan Williams, Chair of QuinteVation, talks about the creation of QuinteVation and how innovation in the Bay of Quinte is flourishing in a rural environment.