the agricultural research institute of ontario is an ontarian government crown corporation , established in 1962 , by the ario act , to " advocate areas of research for the betterment of agriculture , veterinary medicine and consumer studies " and " increase the production efficiency and marketing of agricultural products by stimulating interest in research " .

it is located adjacent to the university of guelph campus .

agricultural research institute of ontario act , r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13
2 ( 1 ) the agricultural research institute of ontario , a body corporate responsible to the minister , is continued under the name agricultural research institute of ontario in english and institut de recherche agricole de l’ontario in french . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 2 ( 1 ) .
the agricultural research institute of ontario provides advice to the minister on strategic directions for research activities that contribute to prosperous , competitive and sustaina ble agricultural and food sectors and rural communities in ontario . ario is also an advocate for the future of omafra ' s research system .
the agricultural research institute of ontario ( ario ) was created in 1962 and continues its mandate under the agricultural research institute of ontario act . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 as amended ( ario act ) and reports to the minister of agriculture , food and rural affairs ( omafra ) .
increase the production efficiency and marketing of agricultural products by stimulating interest in research .
1 . foot note : kpmg . development of a comprehensive agri - food r & d infrastructure strategy for the agricultural research institute of ontario : background research paper . march 7 , 2008 .
the agricultural research institute of ontario is a corporate body which reports directly to the minister of agriculture , food and rural affairs . it was created in 1962 by the ario act to :
( 6 ) a majority of the members of the research institute constitutes a quorum .
the agricultural research institute of ontario ( ario ) is classified as a board - governed provincial agency reporting to the minister of agriculture , food and rural affairs . ario is focused on ensuring ontario maintains its competitive advantage in agri - food and agri - products research and innovation and concentrates its efforts in these four ways :
established in 1874 , the ontario agricultural college ( oac ) is a founding college of the university of guelph and is canada ' s largest and most renowned agricultural college . oac is a global leader in education , research and service focusing on agriculture , food , the environment and communities .
“research institute” means the agricultural research institute of ontario . ( “institut de recherche” ) r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 1 ; 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 1 ) ; 2009 , c . 33 , sched . 1 , s . 3 ( 1 ) .
12 ( 1 ) there shall be a comptroller for the research institute who is responsible to the director of research .
ongoing discussions with beef farmers of ontario regarding the consolidation of beef research at elora and new liskeard continued throughout 2015 .
( 4 ) the director of research may direct the research institute to exercise its powers under subsection ( 3 ) and the research institute shall comply . 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 6 ) .
( 3 ) an easement or covenant entered into by the research institute may be assigned to any person designated by the director of research .
investments in research and innovation will enhance the sustainability and profitability of ontario ' s agri - food and rural sectors , strengthen ontario ' s economy and create more good jobs for the people of this province .
research stations and infrastructure are an important platform for conducting agri - food research . ario owns 14 research stations and 3 agricultural colleges located across ontario . these facilities provide the capacity for research on a wide variety of agri - food issues . an ario - led reinvestment strategy is currently being implemented to revitalize research infrastructure to support demand - driven research . more about the properties .
a world - wide scan of how other jurisdictions organize and manage agricultural and agri - food research and development infrastructure was completed by kpmg on behalf of ario 1 . this scan concluded that jurisdictions around the world who lead in agricultural research and innovation have these success factors for agri - food and agri - products research and innovation strategic business planning and infrastructure capacity :
advisory body providing strategic direction for research activities that support competitive , sustainable agriculture , food and rural sectors in ontario .
the institute provided the foundation for , and is a key component of , the omafra research advisory network ( oran ) . the network identifies priorities for omafra funded research and guides research program development .
( 5 ) when the term of a member of the research institute expires , he or she continues to be a member until a successor is appointed .
14 lieutenant governor in council may make regulations defining agricultural lands for the purposes of this act . 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 12 ) .
for a full listing of research institutes , centres and groups at the university of guelph , visit the office of research website .
( 2 ) the research institute may take by gift , grant , donation or bequest money for use in research or the conservation , protection or preservation of agricultural lands . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 4 ( 2 ) ; 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 5 ) .
under the ario act , the institute may accept gifts , grants , donations or bequest money for use in research and the director of research holds and administers these funds received
in trust
.
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( 6 ) a sale , lease or other disposition made by the research institute under this act may be for purposes unrelated to the objects of this act if any proceeds or benefits obtained by the research institute as a result are used for those objects . 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 6 ) .
mission : ario ' s mission is to facilitate leadership and investment in research infrastructure that is fundamental to the enhancement of ontario ' s rural and agri - food value chain .
( 5 ) an easement or covenant granted to , entered into with or assigned to or by the research institute shall not be modified or discharged without the written agreement of the director of research or the research institute’s assignee , as applicable , and the owner or subsequent owners of the real property against which the easement or covenant is registered . 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 7 ) .
the director of research of ario is appointed under the ario act to administer the business and affairs of the institute . the director of research is the adm of research & corporate services division . continued training & orientation of ario membersensure ministry staff & ario members are familiar with ario - omafra memorandum of understanding ( mou ) which details all roles & responsibilities as defined in the ario act
advises minister of agriculture , food and rural affairs on strategic directions for research activities . * advocates for future of omafra ' s research system * key component of omafra research advisory network ( oran ) ; identifies priorities for funded research and guides research program development comprised of ario director of research and up to 15 members who reflect ontario ' s agri - tech industry ; a director from agriculture and agri - food canada serves as ex - officio to ario . research and innovation branch of the ministry of agriculture , food and rural affairs provides secretariat support to ario and administers research programs on behalf of ario .
the lric at elora : the livestock research and innovation corporation ( lric ) , representing the primary livestock commodity groups ( beef farmers of ontario , ontario pork , dairy farmers of ontario and the poultry industry council ) have confirmed 20 % support for the capital costs of redevelopment of elora into the livestock research and innovation complex . this has established a new model of shared investment between industry and government that will be used for all future centres under the ario ' s infrastructure strategy and is demonstrated through the dairy industry contribution of $ 5million ( 20 % ) towards the $ 25 million new dairy research facility recently completed .
planning continues on a new facility for the guelph turfgrass institute and the relocation of research plots with detail design underway . a transfer payment between the university of guelph and ario was signed and initial funds transferred .
the agri - food and agri - products industry contributes more than $ 33 billion ( thirty three billion dollars ) to the ontario economy and employs approximately 700 , 000 people . research and innovation are key contributors to the strength of ontario ' s agri - food industry . ontario is a top innovator in agri - food , developing value - added products and providing industry solutions that contribute to a competitive and sustainable agri - food sector .
raise industry and the public ' s awareness ( through outreach events such as canada ' s outdoor farm show ) of ontario ' s agri - food research priorities and strategic partnerships that align with stakeholders ( e . g . industry , aafc , and universities , particularly the uofg ) and that strengthen ontario ' s agri - food research and innovation system .
omafra engaged infrastructure ontario on behalf of ario to acquire additional land to expand the elora research station to support current activities and future development . this acquisition is expected to be completed during the first half of 2016 .
in conclusion , to continue enabling ontario ' s economic growth , ontario needs to focus its agri - food and agri - products research and innovation , on the development of innovative products , safe food and sustainable and efficient production . to do so effectively , ontario ' s agri - food and agri - products sectors must have the appropriate research and innovation infrastructure platforms , with oversight by new governance models that reflect increased industry investment , access , and involvement in partnerships between government , industry and academia .
( 1 . 1 ) the corporations act does not apply to the research institute . 2017 , c . 20 , sched . 7 , s . 76 ( 1 ) .
5 except with the approval of the minister , the research institute shall not incur any liability or make any expenditure that is not provided for in the income for the research institute unless provided for by money appropriated therefor by the legislature or for which funds otherwise have been furnished therefor . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 5 .
in addition , ario is collaborating with omafra , agriculture and agri - food canada ( aafc ) and other innovation partners to leverage opportunities under gf2 , a federal , provincial and territorial agricultural policy framework . gf2 in ontario was announced jointly by canada and omafra on april 2 , 2013 and focuses on innovation , competitiveness and market development initiatives .
in addition , innovative projects are receiving a higher level of government support through ontario ' s gf2 cost - share programs for producers , processors and collaborations and organizations .
ario presented the following recommendations to the former minister of agriculture , food and rural affairs
defining an infrastructure strategy for agri - food and rural research , discovery , adaptation and commercialization in ontario
in 2008 .
( 3 ) the research institute shall include such additional content in the annual report as the minister may require . 2017 , c . 34 , sched . 46 , s . 3 .
currently ario receives industry funding as a condition of previous capital investments to industry by the province under the ontario ethanol growth fund ( oegf ) to be used to support omafra ' s open research programs administered by ario .
( d ) perform such other duties and functions as may be assigned to him or her from time to time by the director of research or by the research institute . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 12 .
ario continues to seek out non - government sources of capital investment from agricultural and agri - food related industry partners . the livestock sectors have agreed to the current model being used to develop the dairy research facility at elora , whereby , industry will provide 20 % ( twenty percent ) of the capital costs of any construction / redevelopment projects .
significant upgrades to the winchester site ( eastern ontario component of a network of integrated field crop sites ) including people , equipment and land ( tiling ) were put in place for the 2015 growing season .
10 the director of research shall have supervision over every program for which funds have been supplied by the research institute . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 10 ; 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 11 ) .
champions will define the infrastructure requirements to support the value - added vision for agri - food research , discovery , adaptation and commercialization in ontario , expecting that they include provincial , federal and other infrastructure capacity .
9 ( 1 ) there shall be a director of research appointed by the minister who shall be the administrator of the business and affairs of the research institute . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 9 ( 1 ) ; 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 8 ) .
6 the accounts of the research institute are subject to audit by the auditor general . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 6 ; 2004 , c . 17 , s . 32 .
the research and innovation branch of the ministry provides secretariat support to ario and administers research programs on behalf of ario . the following staff play a key role :
provide operational and managerial oversight of the 17 agri - food research properties comprised of over 300 buildings , 6 , 500 acres of land and over 40 tenants ( both government and non - government ) to ensure effective and efficient management of the research property portfolio in support of the various research programs .
ario and its members undertake focused activities to generate increased awareness of omafra ' s agricultural , agri - food and agri - products priorities and generate buy - in for the ario ' s infrastructure strategy through increased ario member engagement with agri - food industry stakeholders .
( 1 . 1 ) the not - for - profit corporations act , 2010 does not apply to the research institute . 2017 , c . 20 , sched . 8 , s . 62 ( 2 ) .
4 . 1 ( 1 ) an easement or covenant entered into by the research institute under subclause 3 ( f ) ( i ) may be registered against the real property affected in the appropriate land registry office .
7 ( 1 ) the research institute shall prepare an annual report , provide it to the minister and make it available to the public . 2017 , c . 34 , sched . 46 , s . 3 .
( 8 ) the members of the research institute shall receive such remuneration and expenses as the lieutenant governor in council determines . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 2 ( 4 - 8 ) .
the ontario ministry of agriculture , food and rural affairs ( omafra ) is the provincial lead overseeing ontario ' s thriving agri - food industry . omafra works to advance the government ' s efforts to promote a more competitive and productive agri - food and agri - products sector , and economic growth and opportunities for rural ontario . omafra supports rural and urban communities and a high quality of life for all ontarians . keys to achieving success include strong rural communities , thriving agriculture and food sectors , and , safe food , healthy animals and a healthy environment .
ario provides operational and managerial oversight of the infrastructure portfolio to ensure effective and efficient management of the research property portfolio in support of the various research programs . ario also provides oversight and the effective administration of current omafra open research programs and all financial operations / programs including all aspects of financial consolidation of ario with omafra with respect to these activities .
8 the research institute shall submit to the minister such reports on its financial affairs and the progress of its work as the minister from time to time requires . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 8 .
the risk of loss is low . ario has owned the research properties since 2007 . there are no significant property losses or destruction on record during ario ' s ownership or during the previous ontario government ownership of these properties . leases and occupancy agreements require tenants ( including the uofg ) to carry adequate liability insurance . tenants are required to include ario and the government as additional insureds on their policies . ario as an agency of the government is included in the government of ontario ' s self insurance scheme per ontario government policy . if ario ' s existing resources are insufficient a request for funding for repair of damage would be made to the ministry . lease revenue and capital tp are available to assist with repair of major and uninsured damage when it occurs .
provide operational and managerial oversight of the 17 agri - food research locations comprised of over 300 buildings , 6 , 500 acres and over 40 tenants ( both government and non - government ) to ensure continuing effective and efficient management of the research property portfolio in support of the various research programs .
( 5 ) money received by the research institute under subsection ( 2 ) or ( 3 ) shall be held in trust by the director of research and be used for the purposes of this act in accordance with the terms , if any , on which it was given . 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 6 ) .
advance the ario ' s infrastructure strategy through internal and external communication opportunities and materials that provide progress updates on efforts working with industry stakeholders / partners to modernize research infrastructure that supports ontario ' s agri - food sector ' s competitiveness .
( 4 ) an assignee may enforce the easement or covenant against the owner or subsequent owners of the property as if it were the research institute even if the assignee owns no appurtenant land or real property that would be accommodated or benefited by the easement or covenant .
the ario director of research administers the business and affairs of ario and is appointed to the position by the minister of agriculture , food and rural affairs .
( 6 ) the authority to delegate under subsection ( 4 ) does not apply with respect to the director’s duty to hold in trust money received by the research institute . 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 10 ) .
while continuing the work of managing the research infrastructure portfolio and the administration of omafra ' s open research programs , ario recognizes the importance of continuing with implementation of the ario ' s infrastructure strategy and looks forward to the next phases of development and implementation of the ario ' s infrastructure strategy in the year ahead .
the advice provided to the minister by ario is an important part of setting the direction & resource allocation for agricultural and agri - food related research in the province . ministry staff work closely with and assist ario members in developing recommendations made by ario to the ministry . ario only provides advice to the minister . all decisions on research direction & resource allocation are the responsibility of the ministry & take into account ario recommendations & other stakeholder recommendations / feedback .
ario ' s strategic priorities in supporting the omafra ' s current goals and objectives are described in section d and are summarized under four main categories as : 1 ) strategic advice 2 ) leadership - implementation of the ario ' s infrastructure strategy 3 ) promoting ontario agri - food and agri - products research & innovation 4 ) managerial oversight - of the ario owned research infrastructure .
vineland research and innovations centre ( vric ) at vineland : construction of a new research greenhouse facility was completed in the fall of 2015 . vric is planning a grand opening for june 2016 .
ongoing effective administration and managerial oversight of the current research infrastructure portfolio is provided by the secretariat .
( 2 ) the research institute shall consist of not more than fifteen members appointed by the minister . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 2 ( 2 ) ; 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 2 ) .
7 . 1 the minister shall table the research institute’s annual report in the assembly and shall comply with such directives as may be issued by the management board of cabinet with respect to when to table it . 2017 , c . 34 , sched . 46 , s . 3 .
continue ongoing support to research priority setting by providing advice via participation in omafra research advisory network ( oran ) on new and existing research for the agri - food and agri - products sectors .
continued to support modernization of research program administration through ongoing development of the research management system ( rms ) . focus continued to be on increasing functionality and capacity of rms to capture and retrieve more research results data , and to accelerate knowledge translation and transfer , thereby , increasing adaptation and commercialization opportunities .
ario plays an important role in modernizing the agri - food and agri - products research and innovation system . for example , ario has recommended an approach to the minister that omafra is adopting to modernize the agri - food research and innovation system . omafra has begun implementing some of the various phases of this strategy . the ario ' s infrastructure strategy initiative is the road - map for modernizing research infrastructure and strengthening innovation in ontario by providing state of the art , modern research platforms necessary to support development of new value added products and technological innovation and commercialization according to the following key criteria of the stakeholder - endorsed policy framework :
continue to provide effective and efficient administration of financial operations / programs including all aspects of financial reporting , consolidation with omafra , and administration of open research programs and other transfer payment agreements on behalf of omafra .
under the research and innovation designated program ( canada - ontario gf2 bilateral agreement ) , support is being provided to the agri - technology commercialization centre ( atcc ) , innovation centres ( such as vric , the livestock research and innovation corporation and others ) and the university of guelph ( uofg ) knowledge translation and transfer , highly qualified personnel and commercialization activities through the catalyst centre .
rib provides all secretariat , administrative and managerial support functions for ario . with respect to research programs , enters into research funding agreements with research institutions . the structure of these agreements was developed and continues to be reviewed / modified by the legal services branch of the ministry of the attorney general assigned to support ario .
through focused outreach opportunities for the chair and members , build relationships between ario and industry stakeholders to broaden awareness , engage and seek support for omafra ' s research and innovation priorities and the research infrastructure renewal necessary to maintain and strengthen ontario ' s local , national and global competitiveness in the agriculture and agri - food and agri - product sectors .
4 ( 1 ) all property heretofore or hereafter granted , conveyed , devised or bequeathed for purposes of research to , or to any person in trust for , any institution of the ministry of agriculture , food and rural affairs that is engaged in research is vested in the research institute , subject to any trust affecting the same . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 4 ( 1 ) ; 2009 , c . 33 , sched . 1 , s . 3 ( 2 ) .
ario director of research is appointed by the minister under the ario act and is responsible for the business and affairs of ario . the current ario director of research is the assistant deputy minister , research and corporate services division and chief administrative officer of omafra . omafra ( rib ) provides administrative , operating and managerial support and acts as the ario secretariat . operational decision - making and approvals are made by the ario director of research , or his / her authorized delegate ( s ) . the duties of the director of research are detailed in the ario act , as well as in the mou between ario and omafra .
through focused outreach opportunities for the chair and members , build relationships between ario and industry stakeholders to broaden awareness , engage and seek support for omafra ' s research and innovation priorities and the research infrastructure renewal that is necessary to maintain and strengthen ontario ' s local , national and global competitiveness in the agriculture and agri - food and agri - product sectors .
provide advice on the renewed uof g / omafra partnership agreement and on emerging research centre governance models e . g . livestock research & innovation corporation ( lric ) and the vineland research and innovation centre ( vric ) .
( 3 ) the minister shall appoint from the persons appointed under subsection ( 2 ) a chair and a vice - chair of the research institute . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 2 ( 3 ) ; 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 3 ) .
continue to look for opportunities for achieving operational efficiencies to support a world class integrated network of research platforms / facilities .
sponsor the creation of new partnerships across governments , with universities , research institutions and the private sector , where appropriate .
ario is consolidated for financial reporting purposes with omafra due to its close relationship , the ario ' s reliance on omafra for research program funding and administrative support , and due to the
financial materiality
of ario resulting from the transfer of 17 agri - food research properties that had an approximate $ 60 million ( sixty million dollars ) book value in 2007 at the time of the transfer of the properties from the then ontario realty corporation to ario . ario is required to provide a three - year financial outlook to omafra for financial consolidation purposes .
( g ) to develop and maintain programs for the conservation , protection or preservation of agricultural lands . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 9 ( 2 ) ; 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 9 ) ; 2009 , c . 33 , sched . 1 , s . 3 ( 3 , 4 ) .
implementation of the infrastructure strategy has been a catalyst for new , industry - influenced governance models that support the strong research and innovation capacity and boost ontario ' s economy . the vineland research and innovation centre ( vric ) at vineland and more recently , the livestock research and innovation centre ( lric ) at elora have demonstrated industry ' s increased commitment to supporting the agri - food innovation system in partnership with governments and the research community . these two centres and the proposed remaining centres ( bioeconomy , food and health , and field crop production ) will continue to drive the modernization of relationships between innovation partners - governments , industry and the research community , and lead to necessary operating efficiencies across ario and non - ario infrastructure .
provide effective and efficient administration and managerial oversight of current omafra open research programs ( currently new directions , food safety , germplasm reinvestment , proof of principle etc . )
raise awareness to industry , government and the public ( e . g . at stakeholder annual meetings , conferences ) of the contributions that ontario ' s agriculture sector ( agri - food and agri - products research , innovation and knowledge transfer ) makes to the province ( in areas such as the economy ; health ; environmental protection ; social good and job creation ) .
provide effective and efficient administration and managerial oversight of all financial operations / programs including all aspects of financial consolidation of ario with omafra .
( 2 ) any easement or covenant registered against real property under subsection ( 1 ) runs with the real property and such easement or covenant , whether positive or negative in nature , may be enforced by the research institute against the owner or subsequent owners of the real property even if it owns no appurtenant land or real property that would be accommodated or benefited by the easement or covenant .
in addition to
increasing consumption of local food
and
open for business
, the omafra ' s current strategic priority that most directly aligns with the ongoing work of ario is
increasing the competitiveness and productivity of ontario ' s agri - food and agri - product businesses through market focused innovation
. for more information on ario ' s on - going work see the attached appendices .
( 4 ) the director of research may delegate any of his or her duties , responsibilities or powers under this act to an employee or officer of the ministry of agriculture , food and rural affairs . 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 10 ) .
research and innovation : creates new opportunities for the agri - food sector , supports enhancement of the public good by providing safe and healthy food and supports the sustainability of agriculture and the environment .
continued effective administration of omafra ' s open research programs ( new directions and food safety including additional specific calls related to bee pollinator health and climate change ) and other research programs ( e . g . plant germplasm royalty reinvestment ) by research and innovation branch ( rib ) staff ( ario secretariat ) . total annual expenditures of approximately $ 3 million ( three million dollars ) .
continue to provide effective and efficient administration of current omafra open research programs ( e . g . new directions ; food safety , germplasm reinvestment )
agri - food produces substantial economic returns . the greatest returns come from enhancing the value of food products and processes through research , innovation and knowledge transfer
a key role of ario is to provide strategic advice to the minister on agri - food and rural research . the current focus is on the ario ' s infrastructure strategy , the partnership including ongoing research themes and priorities , and the emerging governance models under the ario ' s infrastructure strategy ( e . g . lric ) and on the strategic direction of agri - food research in the province .
risk option : accept rationale : industry has helped to establish a precedent by committing to contributing 20 % of the cost of the new elora dairy research facility now under construction . industry contribution will be one of the determinants in future decisions on which projects to support .
( 7 ) the director of research may appoint persons to advisory committees to assist him or her in the discharge of his or her duties . 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 10 ) .
inability to effectively & efficiently operate & manage the infrastructure portfolio . all of the ario owned properties are operated & managed under agreements with third parties . the university of guelph operates & manages all of the properties except the vineland research station which is operated & managed by vric .
all ario business decisions are the sole responsibility of the director of research for ario . the ario director of research is currently an omafra assistant deputy minister ( minister ' s appointment ) . ario has no staff and all secretariat functions are provided by omafra through the rib . funding for programs and properties administered by ario is provided largely through omafra and the government ' s budget process .
11 the director of research shall prepare and submit to the minister an estimate of all expenditures required during the next ensuing year . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 11 .
legal review of all agreements before they are finalized to ensure liabilities are minimized where possible . standardization of agreements where possible
governments around the world , including here in ontario , are faced with a sharply increased focus on public governance , transparency and accountability and value for money when delivering services and programs to citizens and businesses . new partnership models joining industry with governments and academia are key to the long - term success of the agri - food and agri - products industry , and are necessary for sustained economic prosperity and growth .
continue to advise the minister on research priorities and issues related to the agri - food and agri - products sectors .
academic institutions such as universities with an interest in agriculture , agri - food , and / or rural research priorities ( e . g . u of g and trent university ) ;
inherent government liability in ario agreements ( e . g . leases , research funding etc . ) allowing exposure to legal actions
13 subject to the approval of the minister , the research institute may purchase or arrange for the use of any invention or any interest therein , or any rights in respect thereof , or any secret or other information as to any invention , and apply for , purchase or otherwise acquire , any patents , interest in patents , licences or other rights conferring any exclusive or non - exclusive or limited right to make , use or sell any invention or inventions and to use , exercise , develop , dispose of , assign or grant licences in respect of or otherwise turn to account the property rights or information so acquired , and possess , exercise and enjoy all the rights , powers and privileges that the owner of any invention or any rights in respect thereof or the owner of a patent or invention or of any rights thereunder may possess , exercise and enjoy . r . s . o . 1990 , c . a . 13 , s . 13 .
working with the turfgrass industry and the university of guelph to develop detailed plans and begin implementation of relocating from the guelph research statiocontinue to refine , develop and implement investments in the three remaining centres ( enhanced field crops ; bioeconomy ; food for health ) .
revenues from ario ' s property portfolio ( tenants ) are used to partially offset the cost of ownership and maintenance of the portfolio .
construction of the new dairy research facility at elora which began in the summer of 2013 was completed with a grand opening and open house held in may 2015 . the barn was commissioned and the dairy herd moved in the fall 2015 and is now fully operational .
risk option : accept rationale : ario provides advice on research needs and resource allocation & is only 1 component of the decision making process . all decision making authority rests with the ministry . ario is only one part of the advice informing priority setting & resource allocation .
effective and cost efficient management of ario infrastructure / property portfolio achieved by the ario secretariat and the uofg ( on behalf of ario ) .
ario secretariat ( research and innovation branch ) is governed by omafra emergency and business continuity planning which is considered adequate for ario purposes .
scientists at our research centres work on projects to benefit canadian farmers , industry and canadians . we also maintain biological collections and resources .
providing administrative and managerial oversight of open competitive research programs ( e . g . new directions , food safety ) , and the 17 ario owned research properties with over 6 , 500 acres , 300 + buildings with a book value of approximately $ 83 million ( eighty - three million dollars ) ( including capital projects under construction ) , and over 40 tenants that include government , not for profits , industry and private .
establish and enhance working relationships among key partners and stakeholders ( e . g . lric , vric , agri technology commercialization centre [ atcc ] ) to strengthen strategic partnerships to leverage communications / research / promotional opportunities to advance agri - food and agri - product research and innovation .
continue implementation of the infrastructure strategy leading to a modern , integrated agri - food and agri - products research and innovation system with industry - influenced governance models and infrastructure capacity , some owned by government and some by industry . upcoming activities related to the infrastructure component of the innovation strategy includes :
quorum for meetings is defined by the ario act as 50 % of the appointed members the ario act allows members to continue to serve past the end of their term until they are replaced . appointments are at the sole discretion of the minister . ensure appropriate advertising of open positions through the pas system .
implement plans to ensure cross - training of staff occurs when needed . annual review of branch plans will pinpoint any required improvements in documentation for ario purposes .
( 7 ) the vice - chair shall , in the absence or disability of the chair , possess and exercise the powers and duties of the chair .
the ario ' s infrastructure strategy is based on principles that include : i . a shared financial commitment with industry on all research infrastructure capital construction projects ii . an increased level of industry participation in priority setting and overall governance
level of funding from non - omafra sources that goes toward investment in infrastructure .
challenging regions across the province to develop concepts for regionally / sector - championed and supported centres for agri - food research , discovery , adaptation and commercialization .
this statement of investment policy expresses the investment objectives and constraints of the ario . in addition to providing a framework for general direction of the portfolio , it provides a basis upon which to periodically review and evaluate portfolio performance relative to appropriate asset class benchmarks .
a director from agriculture and agri - food canada serves as ex - officio to ario . he or she gives ario a federal perspective about research activities across canada .
ario is classified as a board - governed provincial agency under the agencies and appointments directive ( aad ) , with a mandate to , among other things , provide strategic advice to the minister on agri - food research and related issues and interests , manage and hold funds ( ario manages open , competitive research funds and other trust funds ) and to acquire , maintain and dispose of real property in the manner described in the ario act .
tenants and delivery agents are carefully screened to ensure that they are compatible with ario ' s mandate and direction . sublet agreements require director of research approvalall new leases / licences / operating agreements contain a clause that states that if assessments / pils increase as a result of the tenant / occupant ' s activities they are liable for the increase . approval of new buildings to consider operating budget impacts including pils . in the case of a tenant owned building on ario property a land use agreement will be completed to spell out responsibilities & cost allocation .
continue to provide advice on the renewed the partnership including ongoing research themes and priorities , and the emerging governance models under the innovation strategy ( e . g . lric ) .
the long - term funding agreement and relationship between omafra and the uofg ( the partnership agreement ) is the primary vehicle for delivering omafra ' s agri - food and agri - products innovation agenda and the supporting the ario ' s infrastructure strategy put forward by ario . the agreement provides the research and innovation capacity to help attract and retain investment by government and industry for both discovery and applied scientific research . the uofg as the primary user of the ario properties has an active role in the new agri - food and agri - products research and innovation centres emerging under the ario ' s infrastructure strategy and supported through gf2 .
ario is an operational services agency of the government and as such has a memorandum of understanding ( mou ) with omafra . the mou outlines the roles and responsibilities of both parties and how the ario act and the various government policies and directives apply to the relationship between ario and omafra .
ario shall engage the services of a professional investment firm for investment advice through a competitive process .
resources to meet ario ' s goals and objectives are being provided through transfer payment funding from omafra as well as through secretariat services provided by the research and innovation branch ( rib ) of omafra . ario also receives some revenues from leasing land and buildings within its property portfolio . funding for major capital projects ( implementation of the ario ' s infrastructure strategy ) is requested and approved annually as a key component of omafra ' s prrt : program review , renewal and transformation process .
performance target : - average 20 % of capital investment to come from non - provincial government sources .
instruments offered by the five major chartered banks , namely , royal bank , td canada trust , bank of montreal , canadian imperial bank of commerce and bank of nova scotia including gics , term deposits and bankers acceptances ( note : investments can be greater than the $ 60 , 000 cdic limit ) .
the portfolio should be diversified , within constraints of ario investment policy , to reduce risk to capital .
funds are invested with a
conservative
strategy as required by the financial administration act to safeguard form capital losses of public funds . investment management firm ( rbc as of april 2015 ) fees are based on the value of investments , so the firm has incentive to maximize value and returns and avoid losses .
centres will share in the direction of effort and results , providing regionally - championed , sector - oriented solutions .
infrastructure committee : committee membership currently includes members from ario and secretariat staff . the committee reviews proposals related to the properties , addresses operational issues affecting the ario infrastructure portfolio , and makes recommendations that are then presented to ario as a whole for discussion and ratification . recommendations are then made to the director of research for decision .
focus of the 2015 - 16 programs continued to be the completion of a number of existing large renovation projects . in addition , animal and human safety , regulatory and equipment failure issues were addressed on a case by case basis . over 70 projects were undertaken during the year including numerous physical infrastructure upgrades at ridgetown , huron , alfred , winchester and vineland .
the decision to consolidate ario with omafra for the purposes of financial reporting and budgeting and the very significantly increased focus on agency governance , transparency and accountability have greatly impacted financial and operational reporting activities of the secretariat resulting in a need for additional resources .
( b ) acquire property or any interest therein by purchase , lease or otherwise and may dispose of all or any part of such property or interest therein by sale , lease or otherwise . 1994 , c . 27 , s . 5 ( 6 ) .
risk option : mitigate rationale : rib is focusing on developing succession plans . rib is in the process of implementing a pilot kms .
executive committee : provides long term strategic leadership to the ario including coordination of any other ario committee activities and , strategic advice to omafra .
the cost to administer the programs within ario ( including the proportionate cost of salaries and benefits for omafra staff that spend varying portions of their time on ario issues ) are paid from omafra ' s budget within the allocation assigned to the rib . the current estimate cost to provide the ario secretariat functions is approximately $ 1 . 3 million ( one million three hundred thousand dollars ) ( part of rib budget ) .
the ario comptroller ( currently manager , corporate controllership in omafra ) shall have responsibility to ensure the statement of investment policy is adhered to .
ario is comprised of up to 15 members appointed by the minister for omafra and this membership has been maintained at a level between seven and nine for many years . members of ario are recognized as leaders in the agriculture , food and rural sectors . they have been drawn from a broad cross section of commodity and business interests and geographic areas . members do not represent any particular organization but hold their position in their own right .
funding for the necessary staffing and operating resources required to support the administration of ario have been , and will continue to be , provided through rib budget allocations within omafra . these costs are estimated at approximately $ 1 . 3 million ( one million three hundred thousand dollars ) annually . . ario has no staff of its own and rib provides all secretariat functions for ario . the actual cost of ario member per diems and travel related costs is relatively insignificant and is approximately $ 50k / yr of the $ 1 . 3 million ( one million three hundred thousand dollars ) total .
provide liquidity , with a portion of the portfolio available to adequately meet short - term ( up to 1 year ) individual program and capital reinvestment cash flow requirements . investments may include treasury bills , government of canada / provincial bonds or coupons , and bankers acceptance paper maturing within one year .
ario provides advice to the ministry on program resource requirements and allocation . decisions on allocations are the responsibility of ministry . program : continue to identify allocation needs through the annual results - based planning ( rbp ) process , leverage additional funds from other levels of government ( gf2 ) , industry partners , & academia . infrastructure : continue to identify capital allocation needs through the annual results - based planning process , leverage additional funds from other levels of government , industry partners & academia . as part of 2014 - 15 prrt ( rbp ) process $ 15 million re profiled to fiscal 2018 and 2019
greater utilization of infrastructure across both ario portfolio and non - ario infrastructure , e . g . industry , government and academia achieve improved access and collaboration
the investment advisor shall prepare and provide a detailed monthly statement showing the composition of the portfolio at month end and shall report all transactions during the month .
note : on the day subsection 4 ( 1 ) of the not - for - profit corporations act , 2010 comes into force , subsection 2 ( 1 . 1 ) of the act is repealed . ( see : 2017 , c . 20 , sched . 7 , s . 76 ( 2 ) )
note : on the day subsection 4 ( 1 ) of the not - for - profit corporations act , 2010 comes into force , section 2 of the act is amended by adding the following subsection : ( see : 2017 , c . 20 , sched . 8 , s . 62 ( 2 ) )
( 4 ) an appointment under subsection ( 2 ) shall be for a term of not more than three years but any person is eligible for reappointment .
the risk is low given the uofg ' s experience in managing the same properties for many years . the licence agreement between ario , uofg & the ministry & the management agreement between ario & vric details all roles and responsibilities of each party for operation , management and maintenance of the properties . the uofg & vric submit an annual prioritized capital plan that details need property maintenance & repairs . decisions on funding are the responsibility of ario . there is a very good working relationship between ario , uofg , vric and the ministry . notice requirements in the licence agreement and management agreement provide ario adequate time to contract a replacement property manager if required . ario secretariat ( research and innovation branch ) is governed by omafra emergency and business continuity planning which is considered adequate for ario purposes .
need for an integrated research and development models , e . g . from producer to processor to consumer ; or from basic , to strategic , to applied , to demonstration , to scale - up , to financing and commercialization . also means that different scientific disciplines are integrated into the overall model as appropriate
a comprehensive portfolio review and performance evaluation shall occur annually including performance of the portfolio , as well as updates on the current and future economic outlook and investment strategy .
below is a report on achievements in accordance with the current performance measures framework outlined in the ario mou and includes the current focus of the ario ' s innovation strategy .
in december 2012 , agriculture and agri - food canada ( aafc ) announced the federal - only agri - innovation program . this program includes the industry - led research and development agri - science cluster and agri - science project initiatives . the agri - science initiatives will mobilize scientific expertise across industry , academia and government .
continue to advise the minister and omafra senior management regarding the implementation and strategic positioning of the ario ' s infrastructure strategy including both new investments and opportunities to achieve operational efficiencies .
note : on the day subsection 4 ( 1 ) of the not - for - profit corporations act , 2010 comes into force , subsection 2 ( 1 ) of the act is amended by striking out “body corporate” and substituting “body corporate without share capital” . ( see : 2017 , c . 20 , sched . 8 , s . 62 ( 1 ) )
ensure safety of capital over a 1 to 3 year time horizon by investing in high quality fixed income securities , including government bonds and / or professionally - managed pension level bond portfolios .
given the role and decision making structure of ario , overall risk ( operational , financial , political etc ) is very low ; however , the ability to maintain financial commitments for the multi year nature of capital infrastructure construction projects can be impacted by changes in government and changes in government funding priorities , neither of which can be predicted with confidence over such a time frame . this risk is mitigated by the fact that the ario ' s infrastructure strategy is now well underway and that significant funds for future phases have been transferred to ario and have been committed to individual projects .
other transfer payment initiatives administered by ario on behalf of omafra are developed in consultation with ario ' s assigned legal support and omafra ' s bpfmb ensuring compliance with transfer payment and accountability directives where appropriate .
the infrastructure renewal ( program - related ) portion of the program supports projects addressing animal care , including health , safety and well - being , program needs and priorities as well as some dedicated equipment replacements .


blacklane gmbh is a startup company based in berlin which provides a chauffeur portal connecting people to professional chauffeurs via their mobile app , website and hotline .

the company offers a prebooking service at a fixed rate and does n’t own its own fleet , but works with local chauffeur companies in each of its cities .

blacklane

blacklane , new york city : address , phone number , blacklane reviews : 3 . 5 / 5
blacklane connects passengers with spare capacities of licensed professional drivers who carry full insurance .
glassdoor gives you an inside look at what it ' s like to work at blacklane , including salaries , reviews , office photos , and more . this is the blacklane company profile . all content is posted anonymously by employees working at blacklane .
my daughter ( 18 y . o . ) is studying in london this summer and i booked blacklane pass and blacklane car service to get her from heathrow to westminste
let us introduce another member of team blacklane – gesa miczaika our global corporate strategist . here she tells us of her favorite blacklane city , losing bets , and more…
have peace of mind knowing that all blacklane drivers are licensed , insured and regulated .
enjoy the unparalleled comfort of blacklane’s stylish first class fleet , available in select cities .
china’s highest quality airline to use blacklane exclusively at all seven u . s . destinations
massive congratulations to chauffeur service portal blacklane on being named the fastest growing startup in germany .
operators and chauffeurs partnered with blacklane may choose when , where and how often they wish to designate excess fleet inventory or downtime to blacklane . they are in control 24 / 7 .
in lakewood , calif . , credits about 20 % of his overall business to blacklane .
never miss a story from blacklane engineering , when you sign up for medium . learn more
blacklane is your global professional driver . we give you an affordable and reliable service in 50 countries around the world . blacklane guarantees low , fixed and all - inclusive rates with licensed and insured drivers , confirmed at the moment you book . blacklane never charges . . .
they can pre - booked blacklane cars with professional drivers at fixed prices in over 50 countries .
german automaker daimler is investing more than $ 10 million in chauffeur service start - up blacklane .
christian was right on time for the pickup and was super friendly and very professional . this was our first time using blacklane , and what a great experience ! we will use blacklane again . –
low rates . experienced drivers . no waiting . @ blacklane is lufthansa’s limo service of choice . urltoken
this monday , blacklane will open our doors to you – virtually . for the coming weeks , our team will take turns telling you about our careers , passions , personal goals and the team at blacklane .
drivers have special software from them where they receive potential job from blacklane then they have to click accept or decline . they offering for this job very low payment . example : customer pay to blacklane $ 100 . 00 , then blacklane offer this company to driver for $ 20 . 00 . just . . .
blacklane : have you heard the exciting news ? we’re already working on one of our new year’s resolutions : to be more social… so , we’ve enabled social login for new users in the blacklane app ! you : sounds great , but what does that mean ? blacklane : new users can now easily create a blacklane account , and later log in , with their facebook account . just tap the “continue with facebook” button . you : thanks , i’ll try it out now . ttyl blacklane : we look forward to driving you soon
adam parken , director of communications and public relations , and carsten kahner , blacklane’s director of affiliate management .
blacklane moves into corporate events planning while uber may be going for the business travel market with its tiered service approach , blacklane debuted a corporate meetings and event service feb . 24 across all 50 countries it serves .
blacklane brings unprecedented affordability to the professional driver experience , while preserving the five - star service you expect .
this is the summary of our testing practice that we have at blacklane gmbh by the end of 2015 .
blacklane : get 20 % off the first two luxury airport transfers . book by 11 / 10 / 2017
blacklane offers a variety of service classes so you can choose the right vehicle to fit your needs . in every blacklane city , you can count on high - quality vehicles with professional and experienced drivers behind the wheel .
“i’m very delighted to take the next step in blacklane’s development with partners who share our values and goals , and stand for innovation and quality worldwide , ” says jens wohltorf , ceo and co - founder of blacklane .
hainan airlines has begun offering complimentary us airport transfers to select business class passengers , using professional driver service blacklane .
about blacklane blacklane connects passengers with the spare capacities of licensed , regulated and insured professional drivers and limousine companies . corporate and individual customers can book and schedule rides in over 50 countries , 180 cities and 400 airports worldwide . blacklane guarantees low and all - inclusive fixed rates at the time of the booking with a unique pricing and dispatching algorithm .
a favorite for business professionals and frequent travelers , blacklane’s business class vehicles are available in all of our cities worldwide .
this release includes a few tweaks and bug fixes . * * blacklane’s professional drivers get you where you need to go , safely and efficiently . were you happy with your blacklane booking experience ? please take a minute to review our app !
when demand outstrips supply – like during a snowstorm or a heavy travel weekend – and the sale price exceeds the fare , blacklane takes the hit . unlike uber , blacklane transfers the burden of market volatility from passengers to itself . or , put another way , uber profits when passengers are clamoring for more rides than drivers can provide . blacklane profits when drivers are scrambling over each other for fares . a blacklane spokesman says it’s “very rare” that the company loses money on ride auctions .
berlin ( ap ) — german automaker daimler is investing more than $ 10 million in chauffeur service start - up blacklane .
jose a lopez is a chauffeur in the miami and fort lauderdale district . he’s been working for blacklane since 2014 , driving a black 2014 chrysler 300 . here he tells us about some of his rides as well as his experience working with blacklane .
blacklane delivers reliable ground transportation services that travel agents can now book online on their amadeus terminals without switching to a different platform .
exclusively for kdd14 participants you can use the black - car service from blacklane for easy arrival to or departure from the airport during the kdd14 . blacklane offers each participant an exclusive 50 % off voucher to experience the amenities of a private driver first hand .
t amount of money with blacklane as so far i used to book all my transfers with them . i have already started today cancelling
daimler ' s investment is part of blacklane ' s second round of financing . the startup will be valued at just below eur60 million after the round , according to the person familiar with the situation . private equity fund alstin will remain blacklane ' s largest shareholder .
not only our customers for rating and sharing their blacklane experiences , but also our drivers for consistently delivering such high - quality service .
london — global professional chauffeured service blacklane is debuting its corporate meetings and event service feb . 24 across all 50 countries it serves .
the key to integrating with other travel companies is our flexible api . this links blacklane directly to partners’ websites and booking tools . our partners’ customers then receive the blacklane product they desire , bundled with other travel products and in the format and interface of our partners’ choosing .
to combat this in milan and elsewhere , blacklane simply adds more and more drivers–again , labor advocates might say “scabs”–until collusion is near impossible .
there are no hidden surprises with blacklane . your affordable , all - inclusive rate covers all taxes , tolls , fees , and gratuities .
blacklane has a reputation of being a challenging and innovative player that respects regulations wherever we operate . knowing this , the german member of parliament
blacklane is available in over 250 cities around the world . make sure to check if we’re in the city you’re next traveling to here !
mission : blacklane‘s mission is to empower travelers to schedule professional drivers with unprecedented convenience . we promise a consistently exceptional experience around the world .
“we want to offer flexible and innovative mobility services to our customers , ” klaus entenmann , ceo of daimler financial services ag , said in a statement regarding the blacklane announcement . “our investment in blacklane as a global professional driver service is an important part of this strategy . ”
- a few design improvements to bring you a better app experience . - minor bug fixes . * * blacklane’s professional drivers get you where you need to go , safely and efficiently . were you happy with your blacklane booking experience ? please take a minute to review our app !
this release comes packed with helpful new features : ● take control of your ride and add or edit your flight number , special requests or pickup sign text with the new edit booking feature . ● an intro to blacklane for new users . * * blacklane’s professional drivers get you where you need to go , safely and efficiently . were you happy with your blacklane booking experience ? please take a minute to review our app !
business travellers visiting major cities in asia - pacific can now book english - speaking , commercially licensed and insured drivers through professional driver service blacklane .
for limousine operators , blacklane can provide a complementary option to use idle or excess fleet vehicles that fit in with a company’s daily operations flow .
on this european trip i used blacklane in paris , berlin , dresden , and zürich . in each case booking was easy , the quote reasonable
filmed on november 21 , 2014 interview with dr . jens wohltorf , co - founder and ceo of blacklane at phocuswright conference 2014 , los angeles
this week threats from taxi drivers against blacklane and our driver partners in france escalated from blocking our drivers to slashing tires and damaging our cars .
blacklane closes the missing link in the travel chain by letting you book rides between airports , train stations , hotels and your home and office .
i applied through other source . the process took 1 + week . i interviewed at blacklane ( berlin ( germany ) ) in june 2015 .
berlin – global professional driver service blacklane has raised the largest investment in its history , the company said aug . 1 . daimler ag , through subsidiary daimler mobility services gmbh , led the two - digit million euro series c round . existing investors ri digital ventures , b - to - v and alstin also joined the round . daimler already invested in blacklane in 2013 , becoming its first strategic partner . blacklane will use the money to :
the transfer with blacklane months in advance - they would do nothing to provide the service agreed upon . thes said there was nothing they could do .
my day at the office ends around 8 p . m . then i go home , see my family and most often i then continue working on blacklane . my two sons are a little bit older than the blacklane child , hence it requires most of my attention right now ( laughs ) .
i work as a key account manager for the asia - pacific region and am in charge of developing blacklane’s business relations in the corporate travel market .
stuttgart / berlin . daimler ag is continuing to increase its stake in the professional driver service portal blacklane . during the recently completed financing round , blacklane received an eight - digit amount that it will use to further expand its global business . the parties agreed to keep the details of the transaction confidential .
veranda prestige averages about 10 - 15 blacklane runs per week , and estimates his company has provided about 1 , 400 to 1 , 500 rides via blacklane since he signed up with them about two years ago . an ideal situation avina described is when a chauffeur has to drive a client from lax south to newport beach . instead of dead - heading back to los angeles county , the chauffeur can pick up an orange county blacklane client on the way .
blacklane’s expansion comes as the pacific asia travel association ( pata ) forecasts the number of inbound visitors to asia - pacific will reach 657 million in 2020 .
blacklane , a berlin - based taxi app operating in 186 cities across 50 countries , is betting on an alternative to price rationing : reverse dutch auctions .
once blacklane receives a reservation request , available affiliated blacklane chauffeurs “bid” on the ride , with the rate rising every few minutes until a chauffeur deems it profitable and accepts it via the app . that explains why blacklane requires at least a one - hour minimum lead time for reservations . it’s not just about finding the right vehicle and getting it to clients in time ; it also allows chauffeurs to choose to accept the rides at locally flexible rates in real time .
get to know your coworkers ! once a month , everyone at blacklane is randomly sorted into small groups and given a budget to go out for lunch .
blacklane has approximately 200 employees and is represented in over 200 cities and 400 airports in more than 50 countries worldwide . daimler has invested in blacklane since 2013 . the global market for professional ride services is currently estimated to have a volume of about $ 30 billion per year and is rapidly growing and evolving .
berlin – 16 april 2018 – thai airways international has added blacklane to its royal orchid plus customer loyalty program . its three million members can now earn two…
- rate your finished ride directly on the home screen . - enjoy a better app experience thanks to a few design improvements . * * blacklane’s professional drivers get you where you need to go , safely and efficiently . were you happy with your blacklane booking experience ? please take a minute to review our app !
there are no hidden surprises with blacklane . your affordable all - inclusive rate — confirmed before you book — includes all taxes , tolls , fees and gratuities .
blacklane is great , especially for fresh starters where you get to learn and grow at every opportunity . i always feel like my opinions and thoughts are heard .
terrible service again from blacklane this time in dubai . an hour before pickup i received a call from the outsourced driver that the car had broken down and would a later pickup be ok . not ideal for an airport run . he tried his best but could not get another car for us . i did not hear from blacklane themselves . shocking . i was let down in new york by blacklane earlier this year and had decided to give them another chance . never again !
blacklane is a berlin - based global professional driver services company . it offers limousines and other high - end cars for airport and other medium - length journeys .
what makes blacklane different ? in a word : quality . your professional driver greets you and helps you on your way , promptly and safely , every time .
blacklane provides professional ground transportation in over 250 cities in more than 50 countries around the world . through us , partners are connected to a new global client base .
blacklane’s business vans and suvs are available in most cities and offer more space . it ' s the perfect choice when traveling with a larger party or excess luggage .
because of the api’s flexibility , though , it can do so much more . here is one example showing how to turn a few texts into several blacklane rides :
blacklane on twitter :
we are a finalist in the british travel awards ' best holiday add - on provider category . 👍 # votebta17 # travel urltoken urltoken
most blacklane rides are booked in advance , so accept the ones that best fit your schedule . you are notified as soon as there is a new offer available in your city . taking a passenger to the airport ? why not see if blacklane has a passenger for you to pick up from the airport after your scheduled drop off ?
bangkok , 10 march 2015 : blacklane’s global professional driver service will soon be available in all amadeus channels , as the first provider in the amadeus taxi & transfer application .
chauffeur checks as part of its vetting process , blacklane keeps a database of all federal , state and regional - level rules and regulations that apply to limousine companies . every chauffeur partnering with blacklane , whether independent or employed by a limousine company , must submit documents verifying driver and vehicle licenses and insurance coverages . the blacklane team cross - checks those documents and conducts background checks on applicants . it interviews prospective chauffeurs and puts them through a multi - step training program based on its global standards for chauffeured service .
there are no hidden surprises with blacklane . your affordable , all - inclusive rate — confirmed before you book — includes all taxes , tolls , fees , and gratuities .
fantastic service ! used blacklane in prague and berlin , from and to airport , voytech and fait where on time , and drove like the pros they are in prague .
at blacklane , we value consistently high quality , and we want to reward the drivers that appreciate it as much as we do . you have the chance to work towards
when traveling abroad you always worry about the services you pay for . you don’t have to worry with blacklane . our driver was on time and above all , professional .
blacklane ' s multilingual staff can manage the entire ground transportation process . services include booking vehicles , modifying reservations , on - site coordination and real - time service control .
what’s new in our latest update ? - we’ve updated our ride status notifications to make them clearer . - you can now manage your notifications from the profile screen . * * blacklane’s professional drivers get you where you need to go , safely and efficiently . were you happy with your blacklane booking experience ? please take a minute to review our app !
our developers fine - tuned the app and gave it a bit of a facelift . you’ll also notice a new - and - improved way to navigate the app . * * blacklane’s professional drivers get you where you need to go , safely and efficiently . were you happy with your blacklane booking experience ? please take a minute to review our app !
something pretty big was happening at blacklane for the second half of 2013 . you might not have been aware of it , but the team was busy as bees in the office . take a look at the weekly blog posts since august and you might start getting an idea of what it was . that’s right ! blacklane launched 100 cities in 100 days !
blacklane allows users to book self - employed chauffeurs for a fixed price . the service primarily targets business travelers , whereas rivals such as uber have focused on a broader customer base .
blacklane rides , by contrast , are always the same price and include tip , tolls and an hour of waiting time . the company is also competitive with on - demand taxi apps . my ride from fort greene to newark international with ubert was $ 87 . 55 . the trip home with blacklane ( in a lincoln towncar ) was $ 90 . 90 .
the summer holiday season is once again upon us , and blacklane has some tips in this three - part blog series on how to help ensure peace of mind when you travel .
blacklane allows users to book self - employed chauffeurs for a fixed price . the service primarily targets business travelers , whereas rivals such as uber have focused on a broader customer base .
service details blacklane can handle events that involve thousands of people , such as financial roadshows , sales meetings , government meetings , trade shows , conferences , holiday parties and sporting events .
as a strong advocate of diversity in the workplace — especially in tech - related professions — blacklane reached out to the rails girls and now supports two of their teams during their three - month rails girls summer of code program . “working from a desk at blacklane gives us the opportunity to consult with ruby experts whenever we get stuck , ” says maren heltsche , one of the two coders . “it’s a great enrichment to our work that we are integrated in blacklane’s team because writing a really good piece of code requires a high level of cooperation and fruitful exchange between co - workers . in addition , people are very nice so it ' s a real pleasure to be here ! ” read more about the rails girls at blacklane .
blacklane’s ceo , jens wohltorf , and travel distribution manager , aysan alkan , attended amadeus’ 23rd merchandising , digital & travel intelligence conference last week in baveno , italy , just outside milan .
also , drivers were skeptical that we would compete with them or disrupt their business . therefore , we established true partnerships from day one that would grow their business along with blacklane’s . this meant no minimum or maximum number of rides . we also gave transparency on ride prices and pick - up and drop - off locations . plus , we provided a personal contact at blacklane .
in addition to the asia - pacific expansion , blacklane now also partners with asia miles , enabling members to earn miles on rides at a rate of 2 asia miles to us $ 1 .
groundspan will connect to the blacklane network so that users can search and book drivers in 250 cities and 500 airports around the world . groundspan connects to agencies via concur , sabre and travelport .
has anyone used blacklane limo service in paris ? if so , could you describe their service ? we are arriving at cdg and would like to use a driver to take us to dijon .
event planners can reserve rides in multiple cities and countries for traveling groups . organizers can make special requests , such as buses , shuttles and long distance rides in combination with blacklane’s standard vehicles .
blacklane recently introduced a lower - priced “economy class” in cities such as london , new york , and paris . wohltorf said the new budget services has been “very promising” and the company may expand it . according to bloomberg , a blacklane trip from laguardia to the midtown manhattan costs around $ 60 , which makes the service competitive with regular taxis , uber and other ride - sharing services .
los angeles operator louis avina uses blacklane for about 20 % of his overall client business to fill in schedule voids and make sure his three fleet vehicles are always on the move and making money .
i travel internationally for business , and i’m often in a different city each day , with multiple appointments . blacklane has changed my work life , and the way that my department conducts travel . i’ve never had a missed ride , never had a questionable car , never had anything but fantastic service . i’ve recommended it to many of my colleagues , who are now using blacklane , as well .
blacklane has taken a more solid approach to near - demand transportation by combining a real - time independent contractor model with app - based reservations , duty - of - care standards , and professional chauffeurs .
many years ago , i made an oath to myself to only work on projects that truly inspire me and with people i like . therefore , i put such great emphasis on the culture at blacklane .
lyes arrived in los angeles , california , four years ago as an investor . now he is the proud owner of a professional driver company and has earned himself recognition as blacklane’s driver of the month !
lufthansa is now working in cooperation with blacklane to make your ground travel experience match the quality of your flight . this exciting match is a natural fit : they handle the sky , we handle the ground .
for many of us , today is dedicated to all - things mom . in celebration of mother’s day , we pay tribute to our blacklane colleagues who balance both a busy family life and a busy career .
how we pay people to launder our feline diarrhea - stained sheets is the $ 64 , 000 question for america’s 21st century gig economy . for better or worse , blacklane seems to have found one more answer .
accelerate global expansion , especially in the asia - pacific and middle east regions . blacklane will add dozens of new cities this year . today , the company serves over 200 cities and 400 airports in 50 countries .
blacklane recently added another 64 cities across the asia - pacific region to bring us past 250 cities worldwide . with the growth of business travel in the region , it’s essential for us to have this strong footprint .
“given that we want to serve global travelers wherever they arrive , we want to close white spaces in the asia pacific and middle east regions , ” wohltorf said . he added that blacklane is in talks with airlines and online travel agencies in these regions . blacklane is currently available in more than 200 cities and 400 airports in 50 countries and has partnerships with popular reservations websites such as expedia and urltoken and various travel companies .
a blacklane chauffeur service aims to achieve the very highest possible standards possible for all its passengers . whether you’re stepping out of lax in california on business or you need to be dropped off at bangkok international airport after a holiday in thailand , blacklane will get you there relaxed , recharged and ready with an airport transfer taxi service . traveling from airports to your hotel with family or colleagues ? a blacklane business van can be shared by up to five people together , with plenty of room for luggage . for those after that little bit extra , consider our first class service for the epitome of style and comfort - a great idea for special occasions .
this happens in about 10 % of the cities in which blacklane starts operating , usually in markets with small limousine markets . are there other common denominators that can predict collusion ? wohltorf smiled and spoke with obvious care .
our technology connects passengers and drivers seamlessly via the blacklane app and portal . accept a ride and you will have all necessary details at hand , e . g . passengers’ details , location , pickup and dropoff times .
do you know who’s driving you ? all blacklane drivers are licensed and insured professionals . we partner only with established professional driver companies around the world to ensure driver and vehicle quality , regulatory approval and consistently high standards .
the booking of blacklane’s limousine service is easy and requires just a few seconds . you can reserve your airport transfer in a city of your choice using the accessible blacklane website , or use the smartphone app for apple and android devices . the necessary steps are simple : just provide the pickup and destination data and select your shuttle’s vehicle class . after you’ve confirmed the calculated fare and payment details , you will receive an email of confirmation shortly afterwards . blacklane prides itself on transparency , which is why you won’t receive any hidden fees when you book with us and the price you see is the price you pay - a great way to kick off your journey .
earlier this month , the company began service in las vegas . blacklane partners exclusively with locally licensed and insured professional drivers . customers receive full duty of care , all - inclusive fixed pricing , and 24 / 7 customer service .
amadeus is making blacklane’s driver services available across all its channels as part of the amadeus taxi & transfer solution . blacklane , which provides pre - booked rides at fixed prices is said to be the first fully integrated provider in the system and the partnership will enable the bookings of transfers in the same way as flights and hotel accommodation . agents will be able to access the content by june followed by a solution for airline websites towards the end of the year .
think big . in only a few years , blacklane grew into a company with massive global reach . every position in the company has that same capacity for growth . we support ambition , and every team has resources for continued education .
think about the recent changes in the mobility industry ? to find out what those drivers think , blacklane asked all partners across 50 countries about challenges they see and how the working relationship with app - based mobility providers has affected them .
in january , blacklane secured its highest funding round yet at $ 45 million , bringing its total to $ 85 million and allowing the berlin - based private car company to expand service to the middle east and invest in tech upgrades .
if you’ve just stepped off a plane , tired and aching from a long flight , there can be no better antidote to your ailments than a blacklane airport transfer direct to your destination . blacklane transfers are available in hundreds of cities and airports across the world , and for those who don’t look forward to deciphering foreign public transport maps or haggling with local taxi companies , blacklane offers a service that will take you to your destination directly from the airport . wherever you go in 2018 , our professional drivers can track your flight and adjust for any delays outside of your control . they’re hand - picked and locally knowledgeable , so feel free to ask them for tips or advice on what to do during your stay .
the system works because , unlike gig economy start - ups , blacklane isn’t “creating part - time jobs that are the equivalent of walmart greeters on wheels , ” as jon liss recently charged of uber . blacklane works with established , professional livery companies and aims to soak up their excess capacity by letting drivers sell their free time . if a driver is headed to jfk anyway to pick up a client , the company lets him pick up a few extra bucks on the way .
of course , auctions are tempting to rig . just as some uber and lyft drivers can game the system by creating artificial shortages , so too have blacklane drivers sometimes colluded – labor advocates might say “organized” – to pump up auction prices .
the german car maker will invest around 10 million euros ( $ 14 million ) in the berlin - based startup blacklane , according to a person close to the financial industry . daimler didn ' t immediately respond to a request for comment .
“we have a program to help our partners grow their business that follows our standards , ” said carsten kahner , blacklane’s director of affiliate management . “our main goal is to establish long - lasting relationships and we want them to have consistency . ”
in addition to booking directly on our website and apps , you can find us through business and leisure travel partners . travel companies offer blacklane to their customers due to our high quality across 50 countries and more than 400 airports around the world .
i am the english copywriter for the company . i write all of blacklane’s internal and external newsletters , i manage our social media and review sites , i write and edit text for most departments , as well as text updates for our mobile apps .
while news of the buyout of uber by rival didi in china dominated the ride - sharing conversation last week , in keeping with its long - standing strategy and diversification in mobility services , daimler made its biggest bet yet in blacklane . the berlin - based ride - sharing service and uber competitor that connects professional drivers in high - end vehicles with travelers via a smartphone app and travel websites , received funding of more than 10 million euros ( $ 11 million ) , blacklane ceo jens wohltorf told bloomberg .
this update makes booking even easier ! here’s how : select your phone’s current location instead of having to type it in . after booking a ride , you can now immediately book a return ride without having to re - enter everything a second time . keep things simple and use your favorite password manager to autofill your password . * * blacklane’s professional drivers get you where you need to go , safely and efficiently . were you happy with your blacklane booking experience ? please take a minute to review our app !
part of what makes the auction system viable is timing : rides must be ordered an hour in advance . in new markets , 70 % to 80 % of blacklane’s passengers are heading to or from an airport . corporate clients form the core of its business .
blacklane now handles events that involve thousands of people , such as financial roadshows , sales meetings , government meetings , trade shows , conferences , holiday parties and sporting events . event planners may reserve rides in multiple cities and countries for traveling groups . organizers may make special requests , such as buses , shuttles and long distance rides in combination with blacklane’s standard vehicles . a multi - lingual staff can manage the ground transportation process . services include booking vehicles , modifying reservations , on - site coordination and real - time service control .
blacklane’s compensation split varies by city and season , said adam parken , the director of communications and public relations . “for example , drivers are more willing to accept rides at lower rates in off - peak times , while they have higher rates during peak season . ”
blacklane is now available in porto . this is our second city in portugal , joining the capital and largest city , lisbon . the bustling hub of porto , known for port wine and eye - catching bridges , is often hailed as the best destination in europe .
in the summer and fall of 2012 , we added a few employees to help with customer service and signing up new drivers in berlin and other german cities . by the end of 2012 , blacklane was available in 15 cities in germany and preparing for international expansion .
we used blacklane to pick us up from rome fumicino airport and then used them several times in london , once to pick us up from heathrow and take us to kings cross station , again to pick us up from kings cross station and take us . . .
but you haven’t used my service yet , but iam offering for you to try . weather you use us or not we wish all the best with your future travels . just incase your confused iam not a blacklane member or partner i run a luxury . . .
i called the blacklane customer hotline and - after being put on hold for 10 minutes - i was told
the driver pushed the emergency button
and that there would be no van . when i asked what should be done , i was told take a taxi .
i wanted transportation from liberty cruise port in bayonne to nyc after our cruise . i had taxi prices for the four of us and wanted a comparison . i went on the blacklane site and looked on the drop down menu for the port . the price . . .
“a car in motion is making revenue , ” said avina , who started his company in late 2013 . “if it’s sitting in a warehouse , it just looks pretty and there’s no money coming in . in blacklane’s reverse auction process , jobs come up for bids on a daily basis . if i’m looking to forecast the week ahead , if i can pick up four , five , six jobs from blacklane , and get them at a fair price , then i’d rather have a percentage of that than 0 % of $ 1 , 000 . ”
the company – which also won dutch event – was joined in the final by packlink ( spain ) , uplike ( france ) , blacklane ( germany ) , yplan ( the uk ) , freespee ( sweden ) and festicket from the uk , which won the wildcard vote .
two hours before pickup i received a notice from blacklane that the was on its way . however , 15 minutes before the agreed upon time , i still heard nothing from the driver . texts did not receive a response and a call to the driver mobile number provided went unanswered
lastly , and most importantly , we trained drivers online instead of in person . in the new method , we spent months designing a training course that drivers could take as often as needed and share with new colleagues until they were proficient with blacklane’s high - quality standard approach .
we used blacklane to provide car service from vancouver airport to whistler ski resort and also for the reverse trip . the drivers were excellent both times , as well as being extremely polite and courteous . i would highly recommend them , and will try to use their . . .
tnw and adyen hosted the german awards event last week at the company’s office in berlin . the five finalists were blacklane , foodpanda , delivery hero , gini and minubo . the evening featured presentations with stories about the startups’ successes and a panel discussion on how tech can fuel growth .
“it was a fancy event and a very good presentation , ” said daniel barth , head of dach ( germany , austria and switzerland ) on blacklane’s affiliate management team . “the demonstration of how a mercedes - benz e - class can be completely directed by smartphone was impressive . ”
the next step was adding more efficiency throughout the launch steps . for instance , we eliminated paper contracts in favor of electronic agreements . we no longer walked through contracts face - to - face , saving driver and blacklane time . then we could easily archive them on our systems .
i ' ve booked the blacklane transfer a night before departing from buenos aires . the main reason for deciding for this particular service the ease of use - option of booking online and paying with a credit card . additionally , there is also a mobile app available to . . .
but you haven’t used my service yet , but iam offering for you to try . weather you use us or not we wish all the best with your future travels . just incase your confused iam not a blacklane member or partner i run a luxury transportation car company best ady genik
blacklane works with a vast network of local professional drivers from around the world to offer you the most competitive rates . our high - quality fleet of vehicles can be booked for hourly or one - way journeys in more than 50 countries , 250 cities , and at over 500 airports .
we have had flawless service ! download the app . we were suffering with transportation in uzes desperate . . . having to manage taxis language etc . blacklane drivers meet us at marseille airport on time with signage , at the paris train station which was a mad house . . . .
after rolling out blacklane in milan , co - founders jens wohltorf and frank steuer were startled to see every ride was selling for the maximum price , at great loss to the company . they called one driver and asked what was going on . his reply ? “uh , no idea . ”
blacklane customers can book limousines in 130 cities including new york , hong kong and paris via a website , app or phone . the company , which has around 70 employees and was founded in 2011 , doesn ' t provide the chauffeur services itself but passes bookings on to local limousine operators .
blacklane enlists a network of private drivers but unlike uber and lyft they’re required to be licensed chauffeurs . travelers can reserve a trip for a set price from one hour to months in advance and choose between various levels of service and vehicles , including business class , business van and first class .
here’s how it works : when you book a ride from fort greene to newark international airport with blacklane , the fare is always $ 90 . 90 , no matter if it’s a sunny tuesday afternoon or rainy thanksgiving eve . after you book , blacklane sends out an offer to its drivers to buy that ride for $ 30 . ( the company refuses to release hard numbers , calling its algorithm its “secret sauce . ” ) if no one wants the ride at $ 30 after a few minutes , the price bumps up to $ 35 and so on , until a driver buys the fare .
in our latest update , we redesigned the blacklane home screen to bring you a better user experience . you now have a full overview of your upcoming ride , including your driver’s name , status and contact info , plus you can book new rides and rate past ones , all in one place .
also , the culture of blacklane is amazing . it is of utmost importance to maintain it . in addition , our investors and business partners are great — it is really pleasant to work with them because we are working for the same goal . as i said before , i just love what i do .
there ' s no hassle with blacklane : easy - to - use app , clear offers , no preferred partners , no registration fees , no journey forms to fill out , no need to carry cash . all you need to do is deliver a great customer experience and we will take care of the rest .
blacklane has decided to try something new now that 2014 is well on its way . so that you too can get to your appointments relaxed and on time , we have created the “power business week” ! during power business week , we foot 30 % * of the fare on all rides booked during that week .
it’s 6am , and i’ve an early flight from gatwick . but the car is already outside the house , and i’m not panicking . it’s a smartly presented mercedes e - class , and i settle in for the ride . the car has been booked by the company i’m flying to berlin to visit – blacklane .
“with blacklane , i supplement my work and fill in voids during the days , weeks , and months ahead , ” avina told lct . “i can better forecast my work . i partner with them because they are flexible . you take what you want . they are not an on - demand service like uber . ”
nhim and the others take a regular taxi ! ! aside from nit wanting to seperate we wanted tonall stay together . i suggested he call for a larger vechicle , as to deperate and pay another car in addition to blacklane was twice the price , but he couldn’t , get a car . all of us had to take
had tried to find on the net anyone who had used this service prior to going to dubai and found several other travellers in the same boat with no result . have just left dubai and am pleased to say that blacklane showed up as booked to the al maha resort and transported us to the airport at a reasonable rate .
tl ; dr : beautiful onboarding screens , streamlined booking process , improved flight number field . from : blacklane headquarters to : everyone subject : my beloved , you are the css to my html . you are my methods ; i am nothing without you . as a token of my love , please accept the following gifts : - brand - new onboarding screens - optional information integrated into the checkout screen when booking , making it easier to see your complete ride booking - an improved field for entering your flight number if you were in java , you’d be the object of my affection . all i ask in return is for you to tap update . love , blacklane
i am one of the two founders and managing directors of blacklane . i mainly take care of the technology and our products , as well as company building and management functions . right now , this is about growing the company until the child has grown up . in year number four , we are just at pre - school stage .
digital economy , said in a press release , “we were very satisfied with blacklane as our event partner . we planned our event far in advance and committed to provide our guests extraordinary service . to make their transfers as comfortable and convenient as possible , we chose high - class business vans between the dinner and after - show party .
blacklane has expanded its u . s . presence in recent years along with its connection to the national chauffeured transportation industry . pictured ( l to r ) at the 2015 international lct show in las vegas are : carsten kahner , director of affiliate management ; hector santillan , affiliate manager / americas ; and christian berndt , head of affiliate management / americas .
going global blacklane ( urltoken ) now reaches 190 cities worldwide , and added the las vegas market to its metro roster in february . the service is not an instant demand ground transportation app per se , such as uber or lyft , but it can get a vehicle to a client in about an hour to an hour and a half depending on local availability .
klaus entenmann , chairman of daimler financial services , said , “we want to offer flexible and innovative mobility services to our customers . our investment in blacklane as a global professional driver service is an important part of this strategy . in recent years , we at daimler financial services developed our mobility services and platforms , in which we invested close to €500 million . ”
blacklane was born in 2011 to close the first and last miles of travelers’ journeys : rides to and from the airport . i was a frequent business traveler who knew all too well the challenges of finding local professional driver services . booking rides , knowing the rates in advance , and invoicing were all cumbersome processes that wasted time before , during and after rides .
all - in rates for clients are fixed and include taxes , fees and gratuities . the reservation - formatted app does not allow users to see how many vehicles are in the vicinity , as with the uber app . and although a client also cannot see a vehicle headed to a pick - up location , blacklane sends clients text updates about pending pick - ups and chauffeur information .
on its website announcing the investment , daimler said “the parties agreed to keep the details of the transaction confidential . wohltorf declined to add details but noted that the company will use the new influx of funds to expand its service in the middle east and asia and develop new partnerships . existing blacklane investors ri digital ventures , b - to - v and alstin also joined the recent funding round .
named germany ' s fastest growing tech startup by the european tech5 awards , this professional driver app operates in more than 180 cities in 50 countries . blacklane uses reverse dutch auctions : a fixed ride fare for passengers is auctioned to the drivers , rising until the first driver agrees to buy it . founded by jens wohltorf and frank steuer in 2011 , it has raised $ 22 . 5 million .