Appearing before the city's economic development committee to discuss its Agenda for Prosperity, released earlier this month, Florida challenged the common thinking that counter work in franchise outlets is somehow worthless.
Florida – director of the Prosperity Institute at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management – said this city could become a leader in rethinking the role of jobs in the hospitality, food and business services sectors.
In fact, he said, government, business, labour and academic leaders should consider holding a "service summit" to map just such a plan.
"The service economy has to be a centrepiece of our strategy going forward," he said, because so many service jobs are being created.
"Why not say, from a research and development standpoint, from an innovation standpoint, from a job security standpoint, from a flexible work environment standpoint: How do we make our service sector thrive?
