TORONTO, Nov. 30, 2012 /CNW/ - This weekend, almost 200 emerging leaders will converge on the IBM campus in Markham to find ways to address the region's transportation challenges.

"With a commute time amongst the worst in North America, our transportation system is not working, and we do not have to accept it the way that it is," said Andrew Graham, a rising leader in the financial services industry and volunteer co-chair of CivicAction's Emerging Leaders Network.

Hosted by CivicAction's Emerging Leaders Network, ELNstudio will include sessions by Bruce McCuaig, President and Chief Executive Officer of Metrolinx and John Longbottom, Canadian Smarter Cities Strategy Leader of IBM. It brings together almost 200 managers and early executives from different sectors who have expressed an interest in improving the region's transportation system.

"ELNstudio is an important opportunity to address our toughest transportation challenges," said event co-chair Lianne Hannaway, "And we're building on a track record of success. Previous ELNstudio events helped kick start projects like Toronto Homecoming and Project Neutral which have made a real impact on the city-region."

"This is collective leadership at work," said CivicAction CEO Mitzie Hunter. "Together, city-builders from different sectors and industries can strike partnerships that lead to new solutions."

Six transportation themes will be addressed at ELNstudio, including public-private partnerships and amplifying the impact of CivicAction's "What would you do with 32?" regional transportation campaign. Participants will develop and activate new partnerships, projects, and campaigns.

ELNstudio also caps off a week of celebrations for CivicAction's ten year anniversary. ELN co-chair Andrew Graham is one of the ten individuals recognized among the Faces of CivicAction, which recognizes outstanding leadership among the thousands of individuals who have been involved with the work of the organization for the last decade.

CivicAction is pleased to acknowledge the support of ELNstudio 2012 sponsors IBM (presenting partner), KPMG, Ryerson University, Metrolinx, NATIONAL Public Relations, FedEx, Hatch Mott MacDonald, Knightsbridge, Toronto Homecoming, Drop the Fish Design, Inkblot Media, Greening Canada Fund, and PwC.

For more information, please visit www.elnonline.ca/elnstudio. More information, including interviews with one of the Faces of CivicAction, is available from the media contact.

About CivicAction
For the past 10 years, the Greater Toronto CivicAction Alliance (CivicAction) has brought together senior and rising leaders from all sectors to tackle some of our region's toughest social, economic and environmental challenges. CivicAction sets a non-partisan agenda, builds strategic partnerships, and launches campaigns, programs and organizations that transform our region. CivicAction is led by a Board of Directors and a 75-leader Steering Committee. For 2012-2013, CivicAction has three areas of focus: accelerating regional transportation; enhancing the region's economic performance; and fostering inclusion and resilience. For more visit: www.civicaction.ca, @CivicActionGTA

SOURCE CivicAction