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Hyper Local: Economic Development

Hyper Local: Economic Development

By: Hyper Local Host: Mason Ainsworth
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Summary

 Mission: To inspire economic development professionals, encourage entrepreneurship, and foster community growth by sharing stories, lessons learned, impactful projects, case studies of successful initiatives, and innovative ideas for thriving communities.Hyper Local Host: Mason Ainsworth Economics Leadership Management & Leadership Personal Development Personal Success Political Science Politics & Government
Episodes
  • Reclaiming Narratives Through Food: Why Culinary Tourism, Shared Meals & Hyper-Local Stories Are Essential for Thriving Neighborhoods-S2 E7-Howard Tam

    Reclaiming Narratives Through Food: Why Culinary Tourism, Shared Meals & Hyper-Local Stories Are Essential for Thriving Neighborhoods-S2 E7-Howard Tam
    May 12 2026

    Howard Tam is an Urban Planner, a proud foodie, and the founder of Eat More Scarborough food tours. Through immersive culinary experiences, Howard is championing culinary tourism while shining a light on the incredible diversity and stories within one of Toronto’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.

    In this tasty episode of Hyper Local, we chomp into:

    • The power of culinary tourism, how it supports local restaurants, and why we urgently need to do more.
    • How shared meals and food tours help combat loneliness by bringing people together to socialize, connect, and build genuine community.
    • Celebrating Scarborough’s incredible culinary diversity and the immigrant entrepreneurs behind it, and their incredible stories.
    • Reclaiming and amplifying hyper-local narratives through food and storytelling.
    • Using culture + food as tools for economic and social impact — turning “suburbs” into must-visit destinations.
    • Collaborations with plazaPOPS, Destination Scarborough, and BIAs like the Young BIA.
    • And much more!

    Howard’s message is clear: Great cities aren’t just built, they’re tasted, shared, and told through the people who live in them. When we eat together, we fight isolation and strengthen the social fabric of our communities.

    This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about food, community development, economic development, placemaking, food entrepreneurship, or using culinary tourism to create more connected, thriving neighbourhoods.

    Now some work for YOU! What’s one hyper-local restaurant, spot, or shared food experience in your community that deserves way more attention? Or share a time when a meal brought people together and reduced that sense of loneliness. Drop it in the comments, let’s celebrate the power of food to connect everyone.

    #HyperLocalPodcast #EatMoreScarborough #CulinaryTourism #Scarborough #Toronto #FoodTours #CommunityStories #Placemaking #EconomicDevelopment #CombatLoneliness #Urbanism #CityBuilding #Ontario #SupportLocalRestaurants #HyperLocalPod #EcDev
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    43 mins
  • To what end? Paul Kalbfleisch, on the importance of Play, The Joy Experiments, and the Future of Cities-S2 E6.

    To what end? Paul Kalbfleisch, on the importance of Play, The Joy Experiments, and the Future of Cities-S2 E6.
    May 4 2026

    Paul Kalbfleisch is disrupting traditional city-building strategies with JOY! From his time as the VP of Brand Marketing and Creativity for Research in Motion (RIM) to creating his own consulting firm (PAUL Consulting Inc.) and co-authoring The JOY Experiments.

    In this energized episode of Hyper Local, we dive into:

    • The JOY Experiments: “moving beyond traditional quality of life measures to prioritizing the economic, social and environmental benefits of infrastructure for the human spirit.”
    • Prioritizing designing public spaces that foster genuine connections between citizens through shared experiences.
    • How to create curiosity in our communities.
    • Encouraging true play, agency, and unpredictable shared experiences.
    • The Gaslight District.
    • A change in PERSPECTIVE, through a change in LANGUAGE.
    • And much more!

    Paul's message is clear: “If we want to change the world - we must change cities”. This episode is a must-listen for anyone passionate about the future of cities and communities, and about how we can start building thriving ones!

    Now some work for YOU! What is an incredible shared experience you have had with others? Put it in the comments and let's show the power of Play!

    #HyperLocalPodcast #EconomicDevelopment #TheJoyExparaments #PlayWorkLive #Play #Leadership #Collaboration #YouAreNotAlone #EcDev #HyperLocalPod #Ontario #City #Cities
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    55 mins
  • Bright Ideas, Bright People, Bright Future. The EDCO Bright Ideas Competition Experience!-S2 E5

    Bright Ideas, Bright People, Bright Future. The EDCO Bright Ideas Competition Experience!-S2 E5
    Mar 22 2026
    Join former winners of the EDCO Bright Ideas Competition—Laura Thompson, Sushmitha Thirumalaivasan, and our host, Mason Ainsworth for an inspiring deep dive into one of Ontario's premier programs for economic development innovators.As former participants who turned bold ideas into recognized successes, we break down everything you need to know about the Bright Ideas Competition, hosted by the Economic Developers Council of Ontario (EDCO). This annual challenge invites EDCO members to collaborate in teams, tackle real-world economic development issues of their own choosing, and propose innovative solutions—complete with mentorship, reports, pitch videos, and the chance to present at the EDCO Annual Conference and Showcase.In this episode, we cover:Personal stories from the winners:Sushmitha reflects on her recent win—what the journey felt like, the biggest lessons learned, and how the experience continues to fuel her future career in economic development.Laura shares insights from one of the program's beginnings, how it shaped her professional path, and the long-term impact on her work in the field.Why you should get involved: Hear our collective take on the unique value of participating: building skills, expanding networks, testing creative approaches, contributing to stronger Ontario communities, and advancing your professional credentials.Brainstorming the future: We toss around exciting, forward-thinking ideas that the next cohort could explore to address emerging economic development challenges.Whether you're an economic development practitioner, student, or EDCO member considering your first Bright Ideas entry, this episode offers practical advice, motivation, and real-world inspiration from people who've been there and succeeded.Additional Information:Registration: Open now until Friday, April 10, 2026 (extended deadline!). It's easy to register—you must be an EDCO member to participate. Log in to your EDCO membership account at www.edco.on.ca, navigate to the Professional Development dropdown, and click on Bright Ideas Competition. This page has all the details about the competition along with the direct registration link.Cost: $50 (plus HST).Teams: Each participant will be assigned to a team. If you have someone you'd like to work with, please include this in an email to Stephanie Crilly at edco@edco.on.ca—EDCO will do their best to accommodate requests.Competition Kick-Off: Week of May 4, 2026, with a kick-off meeting.Topic: Each team develops their own relevant topic (focused on critical, innovative issues in Ontario economic development). The first report—a short proposal document (less than 1000 words)—is due June 19, 2026, outlining:A clear definition of the problem to be addressedA proposed methodology for tackling the issueA workplan and timeline, including meeting dates with your group and mentorWhy the topic is relevant to economic development and how it can help others solve similar issuesMentors: Each team is assigned a mentor from the Bright Ideas committee to provide guidance, answer questions, and support throughout the process.Guests:Laura Thompson – LinkedInSushmitha Thirumalaivasan – LinkedInNow some work for YOU! Tag someone you think should join the Bright Ideas Competition! Or put an interesting topic in the comments to get them expired!Also, some Big News! Hyper Local just levelled up and is now supported by Storied Places Media, which specializes in producing audio and video podcasts for economic development organizations. If you have been thinking about starting a podcast but don’t have the time or know-how, now is the time to get started, and Storied Places Media can help. Learn more about their services and clients at storiedplaces.ca.#HyperLocalPodcast #EconomicDevelopment #Innovation #BrightIdeas #EDCO #OntarioBusiness #ProfessionalDevelopment #BrightIdeas2026 #Ontario #MEDI #EcDev
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    47 mins
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