Emerging civic leaders gather to take action on issues that affect the
Toronto region

ELN Studio on Dec. 9th in Toronto

TORONTO, Dec. 7 /CNW/ - This Thursday, December 9^th, a diverse group of rising leaders will gather to collaborate and explore ideas that accelerate the prosperity and health of the Toronto region. The Emerging Leaders Network (ELN), an initiative of the Toronto City Summit Alliance (the Alliance), will host its second annual ELNstudio at MaRS on College St. in Toronto, starting at 8:30 a.m.

"The ELNstudio brings together passionate and resourceful rising leaders, determined to come up with and implement ideas to improve the Toronto region," says John Tory, Chair of the Alliance.  "Embracing new perspectives and surfacing fresh ideas is the only way to collectively tackle the complex challenges facing the Toronto region and we are excited to support the region's emerging leaders in this effort."

Specifically, ELNstudio participants will:

• Connect with 200+ civic leaders working in organizations, companies, governments and communities across the Toronto region
• Find out what's next for Toronto Homecoming, Better Ballots, and the Living Library; ELN initiatives unveiled at ELNstudio '09
• Learn about other city-building projects and collaborate to launch new ones
• Help shape the Toronto City Summit Alliance's Toronto Summit 2011 agenda

Other highlights:

• The Toronto City Summit Alliance will make a not-to-be-missed announcement over lunch, at 12:30 p.m.
• Hon. Glen Murray, Minister of Research and Innovation, will talk about Ontario's innovation agenda at 8:40 a.m.
• Jeff Melanson, Executive Director and Co-CEO of Canada's National Ballet School and Mayor Rob Ford's newly appointed special arts and culture advisor, will speak about his personal leadership insights at 11:00 a.m.
• Mitzie Hunter, CAO, Toronto Community Housing (ELN Co-Chair) and Andrew Graham (ELN Studio Co-Chair) will deliver the keynote address at 8:50 a.m.

For further details, including the day's agenda, please visit www.elnonline.ca/elnstudio

About the Toronto City Summit Alliance
The Toronto City Summit Alliance is a coalition of thousands of civic leaders who contribute their knowledge, expertise and influence to affect positive change in the Greater Toronto area (GTA). Many of these leaders come together at the Alliance's Toronto Summits to assess the region's strengths and challenges and to identify priority areas for attention. In the periods between Summits, the Alliance takes a role in incubating innovative initiatives designed to galvanize action in these priority areas. To read more about the Alliance visit: www.torontoalliance.ca.

About the ELN
The Emerging Leaders Network (ELN) is a group of more than 300 engaged civic leaders who in their own spheres are becoming known as "city-builders": people who mobilize action, laying the social groundwork for the city of tomorrow.  ELN members support the work of the Toronto City Summit Alliance and, as a result of the myriad of resources available through the ELN network, are pursuing city-building projects of their own.  For more information, visit www.elnonline.ca.

For further information:

Stephen D'Angelo
Playbook Communications
416-690-5777 x 164
[email protected]