The Halifax Index will tell the story of economic prosperity in Halifax and provide a blueprint for improvement. It will be presented each Spring to the community by the Greater Halifax Partnership and the Halifax Chamber of Commerce. The Halifax Index will include: - A progress report related to the goals, objectives and actions of the Strategy; - Benchmarking against other similar cities; - A measurement of business climate; and, - A quality of place review.

1. E C ONOMIC S T R AT E G Y
R E V IE W A ND R E NE WA L
ME AS UR ING E C ONOMIC P R OG R E S S
T HE HAL IFAX INDE X
FRED MORLEY
EXECUTIVE VP AND CHIEF ECONOMIST

2. T HE HA L IFA X INDE X
• It will tell the economic story of economic
progress in our city
• It will measure:
– The strength of economic growth
– The pace of economic development and the
health of our community
– The sustainability of our approach
– The quality of life

3. Quality of Life
Economic Economic Economic
Development
Progress Growth
Sustainability

4. Business
Growth
Population
GDP Growth
Growth
Economic
Growth

5. Employment
Creation
Unemployment
Income Growth
Rate
Economic
Development

6. Safety and
Security
Quality
Quality Public
Education and
Services
Culture
Quality
of Life

7. Fiscal Stability
High Social Environmental
Capital Sustainability
Economic
Sustainability

8. HA L IFA X INDE X C OMP ONE NT S
• A scorecard of macro-economic indicators, benchmarking
Halifax against other similar cities;
• Outcome measures that attach to and measure progress
related to the strategic goals, objectives and actions of the
economic Strategy.
• Provide ongoing tracking of the state of Halifax’s business
climate
• Produce an annual quality of place review
• The work of the Halifax Index will be undertaken by a
research consortium lead by the Greater Halifax
Partnership.
• It will be presented each spring to the community in
partnership with the Chamber as a replacement for the
scorecard.

9. T HE S TAT E OF T HE C IT Y C ONF E R E NC E
• An economic “town hall”
• Use key indicators to measure results from the last year
• Identify challenges and opportunities
• Mobilize stakeholders for the challenges and opportunities
ahead
• Who attends?
– Thought leaders
– Journalists
– Elected leaders
– Educators and academics
– Business leaders
– Labour leaders
– Knowledgeable and engaged citizens

10. OUT C OME S
• A strategy progress report
• A gut check
• Keys to success
• A blueprint for action

11. HOW WIL L WE K NOW WE HAV E S UC C E E DE D?
• More Companies, More Businesses, More People
• Larger Labour Force Responsive To Business
Requirements
• Sustainable Economic Growth/Activity (GDP)
• Higher Average Income
• Cost Competitive and a Contagious
Business Environment
• Confident Business and Proud People

12. HOW DO WE C OMMUNIC AT E T HIS

13. INDE X E XA MP L E
• 15 years
• 1200 attend
• David Packard Award
• A best practice
• “Who’s Who”

15. OT HE R C OMMUNIT Y INDIC ATOR P R OJ E C T S
• California Center for Regional Leadership • Georgia Community Indicators
• Great Valley Center • Baltimore Neighborhood Indicators Alliance
• Boston Indicators Project • Anchorage Community Indicators
• Long Island, New York • Detroit Community Data Connection
• Sustainable Seattle • South Carolina Indicators Project
• Pittsburgh Today • Dallas Indicators
• State of the USA • Calgary's Vital Signs
• Jacksonville Quality of Life Indicators • United Kingdom Sustainable Development
Indicators

16. Regional Partnership