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I trust you and yours are in good health and are eagerly awaiting the unrestricted return to networking, safe travel and the enjoyment of human interaction once again.
As we look forward to brighter days, our priority will be to help ensure the Chamber is ready to take advantage of every possible opportunity as we come out of the global pandemic. We will work to help bring awareness to your business, facilitate quality networking opportunities and support members within the context of our purpose.
It is imperative to keep Ottawa “on the radar” to companies in Ireland looking to expand their operations to Canada. Equally important are eyes on the opportunities offered by the Ireland Canada Chambers across the country in Calgary, Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver for inter-regional networking and business development.
Virtual Events
COVID-19 presented the opportunity to deepen the relationship and work together to produce events which many have enjoyed over the past year and a Pan-Can Ireland Chamber network was proposed to begin the process of building relationships, sharing ideas and coming together for events beyond our provincial and territorial boundaries. Our audience now spans beyond Canada to Ireland, England, Scotland, and the United States. The numbers are growing steadily as we test a range of subject matters and industry verticals to determine interest.
Continuing on with our theme of Women Innovation and Leadership, the 2021 events on February 1st and April 1st were fully subscribed and we will continue this series into 2022.
The June 22nd event with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence, Simon Coveney TD, was a home run and the first ever event in Canada featuring an Irish Minister. The Q&A and subsequent discussion with Minister Coveney and the Irish Ambassador to Canada, Dr. Eamonn McKee, was met with a full inbox asking for more!
I would like to recognize and thank our Pan-Can Ireland Chambers of Commerce colleagues, Laureen Reagan in Calgary, Ruairi Spillane in Vancouver, Cathy Murphy and Rob McDonnell in Toronto, Conor Barry and Paul Dunne in Montreal, for their trust and support. With thanks to our event management team in Ottawa, Amy Lynch and Keith Ward, for their technical expertise in hosting this virtual series.
You can catch up on all of our virtual events hosted during the pandemic on the ICCCOTT YouTube Channel.
New Websites
We also updated our website at www.icccott.ca and launched the new Green Pages business directory – you can now upload your business / individual profile for free and opt in to the nationwide directory at the all chambers new site.
The initiative was a collective effort of all the Chambers across Canada. Our thanks to the Irish Government's Department of Foreign Affairs Emigrant Support Programme (ESP) for the grant, Ruairi Spillane in Vancouver who accepted the Project Management on behalf of the Chambers, and Cathy Murphy in Toronto who was the steward for the grant.
Join the Green Pages and apply to update your details here:
www.irelandcanada.ca
Future Plans
For those of you who completed our 2021 Digital Outreach Survey, we thank you for your time and consideration. This newsletter is part of a new quarterly communication we plan to roll out over the coming year, bringing you curated business news, opportunities and events from Ireland and Canada.
The relationship between Ireland and Canada is strong, with shared values we are poised to achieve economic recovery supporting each others' market needs and like-minded policies to boost business.
We will continue to encourage domestic and foreign investment in our region, with the purpose of driving job creation, all with a keen focus on the environment and sustainability. We remain committed to engaging with stakeholders and influencers to help shape our community for years to come.
I thank our sponsors, the Department of Foreign Affairs in Ireland, Embassy of Ireland in Ottawa, Shopify, Tourism Ireland and Setanta Solutions for their support in these challenging times. As we move into 2022, the coming year will see the reintroduction of sponsorship and partnership opportunities with a range of 'friends of ICCCOTT' support fees to suit all.
If you have requests or suggestions for specific speakers and events, please reach out to share your feedback with us at: comms@icccott.ca
Board Member Opportunities
Notwithstanding the repercussions from the pandemic, ICCCOTT remains in a healthy, well-organized, and well-managed position. We strive to achieve a range of skills and demographic representation among our five directors and are actively seeking new Board Members.
If you have an interest in business, trade, community and are a driven entrepreneur, public or private sector subject matter expert, team player and people person, there’s a welcome here for you!
For more information on the available roles, I can be reached at: president@icccott.ca
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Mise le meas,
Jackie Gilna
President, ICCCOTT and Chair, Pan-Can Ireland Chambers of Commerce
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Update from the Embassy of Ireland in Ottawa
Wildfires burning across Canada, as well as devastating flooding in Europe, are just the latest reminders that climate change is no longer coming. It is here. Analysis of the heatwaves that hit Western North America in late June referred to them as a “1 in 1000 year event” that “would be virtually impossible without human-caused climate change.”
As if we needed it, this provides a strong warning: our rapidly warming climate is bringing us into uncharted territory that has significant consequences for health, well-being, and livelihoods. Adaptation and mitigation are our way out.
Canadian Net-Zero Act
Canada is doing its part. July saw the passage of the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act, a key component of Canada’s climate action credentials. The Act is an important statement from Canada, struggling as it historically has done to maintain equilibrium between its climate action ambitions and its oil and gas industry.
The Act enshrines emission-reduction targets in law. Targets for milestones will be presented every five years, along with key measures to meet them, all with a view to have Canada achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. Perhaps most impressive is the requirement for an annual report, to be presented by the finance minister, detailing how the federal government is managing its climate-related financial risks.
Given Canada’s climate action ambitions coexist with the reality of being one of the world’s largest emitters per capita, not to mention an enabler of massive amounts of oil and gas extraction, this Act is a very welcome and crucial step in Canada holding itself accountable in this most crucial of decades for the planet.
Irish Climate Action Bill
Ireland’s net zero ambitions were also given a boost when its Climate Action Bill was passed on 16 July. Notable amendments were made at the Seanad to recognise agriculture’s role in sequestering carbon (via afforestation, soils, hedgerows and re-wetting peatlands) and to allow for these carbon removals to be counted in the upcoming sectoral targets and carbon budgeting process. While strongly criticised by some for departing from the scientifically established methodology, accommodating agricultural offsets was always part of the Act’s initial conception.
In addition, Ireland launched the National Marine Planning Framework, which will manage how Ireland balances the different demands for using its maritime area of approximately 495,000km², from offshore renewables, to fishing, to the need to protect the marine environment. The Taoiseach noted this is the “biggest reform of marine governance in a century”. In addition to this progress in maritime spatial planning, work is also ongoing on increasing Ireland’s level of Marine Protected Areas from 2.13% to 10% as soon as practicable, and 30% by 2030.
Climate Financing
When G20 Finance Ministers met in Venice in early July, they (like the G7) failed to make tangible progress on the $100 billion/year climate finance target for developing countries which threatens the success of COP26 (the UN Climate Change Conference) taking pace in November. However, on the positive side, the US announced that it will convene Multilateral Development Banks (MDBs) to articulate its expectation that they do more to align their portfolios with the 2015 Paris Agreement and more effectively mobilise private capital. A new report by eight MDBs showed that they committed US$38 billion for climate finance in 2020 in low- and middle-income countries, a figure many feel can be increased substantially.
These developments and more are making it abundantly clear that those industries and companies that have made or are making the transition to cleaner production are the ones that will thrive in the future. With strong legislation now underpinning efforts in both countries, we look forward to increased bilateral trade and investment between Ireland and Canada with a decidedly greener tint.
John Boylan
Deputy Head of Mission
Embassy of Ireland | Ottawa
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The June 22nd Pan-Can Ireland Chambers of Commerce virtual event featured a conversation with Minister Simon Coveney TD and Ambassador Eamonn McKee
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Recent and Upcoming Events
Pan Can Ireland Chambers of Commerce
St. Brigid's Day Webinar: Women, Leadership & Innovation
1st February 2021
In celebration of St. Brigid's Day, we were joined by guest speaker Leonora O'Brien, Founder and CEO of Pharmapod. Watch the replay online here.
Women, Leadership & Innovation Series: Spring Webinar
1st April 2021
A Spring webinar featuring guests, Lara Murphy, Co-Founder and Director of Business Development and Strategy, Ryan Murphy Construction Inc. (RMC) and Mandy Rennehan, Founder & CEO of Freshco.ca (not the grocery store!) The Blue Collar CEO. Watch the replay online here.
Canada-Ireland Strong: A Conversation With Minister Coveney
22nd June 2021
A Summer webinar featuring a conversation with Minister Simon Coveney TD and H.E. Ambassador Dr. Eamonn McKee. Watch the replay online here.
Ireland Canada Business Association
Ireland Canada Business Summit 2021
20th May 2021
This biennial conference brought together the entire Ireland Canada business network. The conference was a platform to learn about the important issues facing Irish and Canadian businesses today. It comprised of a series of keynote speeches, panel discussions and conversations with top business leaders and policy makers. Watch the replay online here.
ICBA Annual General Meeting (via Zoom)
1st September 2021
ICBA Golf Classic at Castleknock Golf Club
23rd September 2021
Enterprise Ireland Events
Doing Business In Canada: FTA Webinar Series
25th May 2021
EU Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Canada, Japan, Mexico and South Korea enable Ireland to increase its trade, GDP and national income. During this one-hour webinar Enterprise Ireland supported companies can learn more about the opportunities available in the Greater Montreal region and the strong ecosystem which exists in the region within sectors such as multimedia, cybersecurity, fintech, bio science, food processing and aerospace. Watch the replay online here.
Export Compass 5-Part Webinar Series
7th, 14th, 21st, 28th September and 5th October 2021
Spotlight on Skills
8th September 2021
Virtual Selling Masterclass
14th September 2021
Masterclass in Sales Pipeline Management 2021
21st September 2021
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Key Contacts in Ireland and Canada
Embassy of Ireland
Dr. Eamonn McKee
Ambassador of Ireland to Canada
+1 613 233 6281
Suite 1105, (11th Floor)
130 Albert St
Ottawa, ON
K1P 5G4 Canada
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Embassy of Canada
Nancy Smyth
Ambassador of Canada to Ireland
+353 1 234 4000
dubln@international.gc.ca
7 Wilton Terrace
Dublin 2, Co. Dublin
Ireland
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Irish Canadian Immigration Centre (ICAN)
Cathy Murphy
Executive Director
+1 416 603 9549
National Toll Free: 1-877-603-9549
cmurphy@irishcdn.org
44 Victoria Street
Suite 1620
Toronto, ON
M5C 1Y2 Canada
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Enterprise Ireland - Canada
Lydia Rogers
Country Manager / SVP Canada
+1 416 934 5033
lydia.rogers@Enterprise-Ireland.com
1 University Avenue
Suite 1604
Toronto, ON
M5J 2P1 Canada
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IDA Ireland
Deirdre Moran
SVP Technology & Country Manager Canada
+1 416 238 8202
idaireland@ida.ie
1 University Avenue
Suite 1604
Toronto, ON
M5J 2PI Canada
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Ireland Canada Business Association (ICBA)
Kate Hickey
Executive Director & Company Secretary
+353 1 624 3031
3 Dublin Road
Leixlip, Co. Kildare
Ireland
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Pan-Can Ireland Chambers of Commerce
Green Pages Website
Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce Ottawa
Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce Toronto
Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce Montreal
Ireland Canada Center for Commerce Calgary
Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce Vancouver
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News | Resources | Opportunities
Embassy of Ireland, Ottawa - Newsletter - July 2021
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