They don't actually use the term coworking, and I'm glad they don't. Others including media do call them coworking, but without an actively engaging community, they are just a business centre.
There isn't much community there at all. There are some people that go there with some regularity, but from what I understand one can't use the space for more than 40hrs/mo (that's not a lot to run a business!) and with that low frequency and high turnover it is hard to really get to know your coworkers, much like a cafe. They aren't coworking, they are work space with services, much like an executive suite or business centre.
I had a personal connection with one of their senior managers who was developing the space though he didn't tell me until they were ready to launch, and the space is an 8min walk from our door. A little too close for comfort both personally and in terms of business. When they were about to open they approached us under the guise of wanting to collaborate, but offered nothing that they could do to bring traffic into our space and all what we could do to bring traffic into their space. Our members could hold meetings there, our members could get a discount there, our members could host events there, etc. And I blatantly asked what they could do to bring us traffic, and they were dumbfounded and almost insulted that I would ask such a thing. I actually asked them not to open their space but rather offer some loans or bursaries that the other coworking facilities can access to develop their own spaces, call it sponsorship if they want, but invest in us rather than take away from us, but they weren't open to that idea t all. So much for collaboration.
Over all I've made peace with their existence here. We can change on the fly, innovate around them, do far more for our members on a personal level, and offer an independent space without blasting advertising in their faces every time they enter the space, everywhere they look, and every time they log on to the internet. If people want a coworking experience, they come find the real coworking spaces in Toronto. If people want a fancy workspace without commitment, they can consider going there.
I know that CSI has a relationship with them that seems to work, so maybe Eli or someone else can chime in about that. To my knowledge they (the bank or the business centre) don't work with any other coworking spaces here in Toronto.
r.
____________________
rachel young
rac...@camaraderie.caFind us in person:
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102 Adelaide St E 2nd Floor
Toronto, ON M5C 1K9
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