Economic Development Strategy Phase Two Action Plan Report

Transcription

1 Economic Development Strategy Phase Two Action Plan Report June 18, 2010 Submitted to: Dave Waters Economic Development Officer Municipality of the District of Lunenburg 210 Aberdeen Road Bridgewater, NS B4V 4G8 Submitted by: Andy Cutten, CMC, Partner Halifax Global Inc Prince, 2 nd Floor Halifax, NS B3J 1L3 Telephone: (902) Facsimile: (902) andy.cutten@halifaxglobal.com

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY OVERVIEW AND PURPOSE APPROACH ACTION PLAN...6 Overview... 6 Action 1 Develop District Asset Map... 7 Action 2 Business Retention, Expansion and Attraction... 8 Action 3 Osprey Village... 8 Action 4 Support the Adoption of High-Speed Internet... 9 Action 5 Visitor Information Centre Action 6 German Heritage Fall Event Action 7 Unused Agricultural Land Utilization Plan and Resource Requirements ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT FRAMEWORK CONCLUSION APPENDICES Appendix A Action Item Options Considered Appendix B Detailed Action Items Appendix C Detailed Performance Measurement Framework Appendix D Costing Summary... 63

3 Action Plan Report 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg (MODL) has enjoyed economic growth over the recent past and it is anticipated that the MODL will continue to grow over the foreseeable future. However, it cannot be assumed that this growth will continue, so MODL has undertaken the development of an Economic Development Strategy. Phase One saw the development of a detailed statistical and data oriented review of current economic activity and trends, a targeted consultation of the Municipality s existing business sector and a strategic assessment of potential industry targets and areas of future economic development activity. The report formed the basis upon which the MODL Economic Advisory Committee selected six sectors for focused effort and development of detailed implementation action plans during Phase Two. The Action Plan for MODL was developed through a comprehensive and iterative process over a four-month period with four key steps, including a review of existing planning documents and secondary research to identify effective practices that could serve as models for the District; a review of draft action items with the Project Steering Committee; validation sessions with community stakeholders and the MODL Council to allow for input and feedback; and the development of the final report including the final detailed Action Plan, an action plan for MODL Economic Development, and a performance measurement framework. Over the course of the Phase Two project a total of 41 possible action plan items were considered and the selected few include a balance of four core economic development activities and three projects. Operational Activity Action 1 Develop District Asset Map Action 2 Business Retention, Expansion and Attraction Action 3 Osprey Village Project Based Activity Action 5 Visitor Information Centre Action 6 German Heritage Fall Event Action 7 Unused Agricultural Land Utilization Plan Action 4 Support the Adoption of High-Speed Internet Halifax Global Inc. 1

4 Action Plan Report The development of the asset map is a tool to support the core business retention expansion and attraction activities as well as the development of Osprey Village. Supporting the adoption of high speed internet will require relatively little effort from MODL but it will be important to the development of entrepreneurship and business success in a rural setting. The access to a visitor information centre will provide immediate support to the tourism sector while the German Heritage Fall Event has the possibility of becoming a major destination tourist attraction event on a significant scale. The final project is geared to increasing the utilization of agricultural land in MODL with dual opportunity streams in energy and food production and processing. There is limited capacity within the MODL Economic Development department so the ability to undertake new initiatives is limited with a full-time staff of one economic development officer. There are four options for moving forward: Maintain status quo; The Economic Development Department can handle the existing workload as outlined in the Economic Development Strategy Action Item report but the time frame for completion would be dramatically increase. Project based funding; Service Canada, Co-op students and/or other funding opportunities. Add an additional resource, either Junior Development Officer or Resource Assistant A combination of all three it would allow the Department to meet more of the demands placed upon it at a higher rate of effectiveness. These strategic activities require people in order to get them done and while there are definite possibilities to get funding from various sources to defray part of the implementation expense the remainder will require some budget commitment from MODL or the implementation will be deferred. A number of performance measures have been developed in conjunction with each of the elements of the Action Plan. Successful execution of the implementation steps will have a very positive and long lasting benefit to the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg. Halifax Global Inc. 2

5 Action Plan Report 2. OVERVIEW AND PURPOSE The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg (MODL) has enjoyed economic growth over the recent past and it is anticipated that the MODL will continue to grow over the foreseeable future. However, it cannot be assumed that this growth will continue, so MODL has undertaken the development of an Economic Development Strategy. Phase One saw the development of a detailed statistical and data oriented review of current economic activity and trends, a targeted consultation of the Municipality s existing business sector and a strategic assessment of potential industry targets and areas of future economic development activity. The report formed the basis upon which the MODL Economic Advisory Committee selected the following six sectors for focused effort and development of detailed implementation action plans during Phase Two. Business retention, expansion & attraction Emerging knowledge-based industries and the creative rural economy; Tourism expansion in a peripheral market; Food production, processing and market development; Energy; and The ageing population. The Action Plan will be implemented in a multi-stakeholder environment, involving Municipal Council, local business owners/operators and the community as a whole. Therefore, the Action Items were developed using a consultative process where business owners/operators, community representatives and Councillors had opportunities to provide input and feedback. The action items are the key deliverable in this phase of the project; however, it is of equal importance that the Municipality s Economic Development Department has the capacity and capability to undertake and deliver the tasks assigned to it. Therefore the current resource allocation for the Department was assessed and balanced against the requirements to deliver the Action Plan. It is often difficult to measure the direct impact of economic development activity and attribute growth to specific activities; therefore, Phase Two also developed a performance measurement framework which will be used to track progress on each Action Item and the MODL economy as a whole. Halifax Global Inc. 3

6 Action Plan Report 3. APPROACH The Action Plans for MODL were developed through a comprehensive and iterative process over a four-month period. The following steps were taken: Step 1 Document review The first step was comprised of a thorough review of planning documents produced over the past 18 months, including: Economic Development Strategy Phase One Final Report; Municipal Strategic Plan; Lunenburg Queens Regional Development Agency Business Plan; and Integrated Community Sustainability Plan consultations. Secondary research was undertaken to fill information gaps and to identify effective practices in particular areas which can serve as models for implementation in the District. Step 2 Draft Strategies and Action Plans Following the document review and confirmation of strategic direction, the Halifax Global team built draft Action Plans for each of the six identified target areas of potential economic activity. These draft Action Plans were reviewed with the project Steering Committee and then revised as appropriate. Step 3 Stakeholder validation On April 20, 2010, a community consultation session was held to validate the selected growth sectors and prioritize suggested action items. Participants in this session included: stakeholder who had been consulting in Phase I, local business leaders, organizations participating in the identified sectors, and MODL Councillors. The feedback received from this session allowed the Halifax Global team to streamline the proposed Action Plans. The next step was to review the streamlined Action Plans with Municipal Council, which was done on May 17, Councillors had the opportunity to review the Action Plans and identify related issues, challenges, benefits and opportunities, during a workshop type session. Step 4 Reporting The final step in the process was to prepare this report, including the final Action Plans, an action plan for MODL Economic Development, and a performance measurement Halifax Global Inc. 4

7 Action Plan Report framework which can be used to measure progress. A summary of the report will be presented to MODL Council in July Halifax Global Inc. 5

8 Action Plan Report 4. ACTION PLAN OVERVIEW The actions that will move the Economic Strategy of the Municipality forward have been developed in consultation with local business owners/operators, Economic Development staff in the Municipality, representatives of the Lunenburg-Queens Regional Development Authority, and Municipal Council. Throughout the development process, ideas and options were reviewed with the project Steering Committee, consisting of Municipal staff and Councillors, to ensure the actions identified would meet the growth objectives of the District. A large number of potential action items were originally identified and reviewed with the Steering Committee. During the stakeholder validation session it became clear that some action items were identified as having a higher priority for the community. The remaining action items may be considered for action when time and resources allow. A full list of all identified action items considered is included in Appendix A. The potential actions were developed on a sector-by-sector basis; however, it became clear that many of the actions which were being considered had impacts in multiple sectors. Therefore, the final list, as it appears in this report, does not attach an action item to a sector. After review the seven priority action items that were identified it was important to recognize how they each interrelate to the current and future functions of the Economic Development Department. It was identified that some action items were directly related to operational activities (day-to-day) and some actions were project based. The following table shows an overview of how each action items relates. Operational Activity Action 1 Develop District Asset Map Action 2 Business Retention, Expansion and Attraction Action 3 Osprey Village Project Based Activity Action 5 Visitor Information Centre Action 6 German Heritage Fall Event Action 7 Unused Agricultural Land Utilization Plan Action 4 Support the Adoption of High-Speed Internet Halifax Global Inc. 6

9 Action Plan Report ACTION 1 DEVELOP DISTRICT ASSET MAP A comprehensive asset mapping initiative will provide a deep understanding of the key networks and cultural attitudes that shape the regional economy; indicate gap areas that require further investment and represent investment opportunities; and provide a baseline by which to judge future progress toward regional prosperity. This project is a primary activity of the MODL Economic Development Department and is incremental to the work already undertaken by the Department Asset mapping is a critical first step in marshalling the resources that a community can leverage to support integrated workforce and economic development initiatives. Many of the activities in subsequent Action item will draw upon the contents of the Asset Map through the identification of strengths, weaknesses and opportunities. The Asset Map is expected to be completed by the end of November 2011; however, the information collected will be used throughout the collection process in order to make progress on other Action items. The impact of the Asset Map will be enjoyed in Business Retention and Expansion; Tourism; Energy; Food Production; Knowledge industries and the Creative Rural Community; and the Ageing Population sectors. The work on the Asset Map began in May 2010 with the identification of information needs and the development of a preliminary business inventory. This work is being conducted by the MODL Economic Development Department with the assistance of a summer co-op student. Next steps will include developing a framework for the full Asset Map and a database structure for easy access and analysis. Halifax Global Inc. 7

10 Action Plan Report ACTION 2 BUSINESS RETENTION, EXPANSION AND ATTRACTION Business retention, expansion and attraction is a core, day-to-day function of the MODL Economic Development Department. Analysis of the Asset Map will guide the Department as it takes on activities in this Action item. Key implementation steps incorporated into this Action include: Analysis of asset map to identify strengths, gaps, opportunities and clusters of similar businesses as well as gaps in infrastructure, labour, and business services. Develop relationships with key businesses to identify gaps and challenges that the business may be facing, and identify potential partners or service providers that can resolve business issues. Incorporate strengths and opportunities into new promotional materials Promote business to business opportunities by helping businesses find partners or suppliers within the District. Identify clusters of similar businesses and businesses by location, which will present the opportunity to move away from anecdotal evidence to actual data. Develop a plan to fill identified gaps, through recruitment of new businesses, expansion of existing businesses, collaborations and partnerships. Business retention, expansion and attraction activities will impact Business Retention and Expansion; Tourism; Energy; Food Production; Knowledge industries and the Creative Rural Community; and the Ageing Population sectors. ACTION 3 OSPREY VILLAGE MODL has made a significant investment in the development of Osprey Village as an economic and employment centre for the District. While many of the Action Plan initiatives will have positive impacts on Osprey Village it will also be critical to promote the site with the objective of increasing occupation and creation of economic infrastructure. These activities are part of the core, day-to-day function of the MODL Economic Development Department and some activities are incremental to work already undertaken by the Department. Key implementation steps within this action item include: Halifax Global Inc. 8

11 Action Plan Report Re-evaluate existing business plan to ensure the best use is made of the facility and all it has to offer. Develop a prospectus for Osprey Village to promote the facility to developers and potential tenants. Continue the physical development of the land to increase opportunities for development. Make use of the Asset Map to identify business and development gaps that can be filled through location in Osprey Village. Partner with other agencies and government departments to promote Osprey Village as a destination of choice for new businesses. This action could have impacts in the following sectors: Tourism; Business Retention and Expansion; Energy; Food Production; and Knowledge Industries and the Creative Rural Economy. ACTION 4 SUPPORT THE ADOPTION OF HIGH-SPEED INTERNET Infrastructure for high-speed internet will be completed and in place sometime in It will be important to support the community in maximizing the opportunities associated with the broadband infrastructure and facilitating adoption of effective practices. This will primarily be a coordinating function and leveraging the application training being offered by the NS Broadband for Rural Nova Scotia Project office. This activity is part of the day-to-day activity of the MODL Economic Development Department and is incremental to their existing activities. Key implementation steps within this action item include: Identify communities that can benefit from access to high-speed internet Promote Building a High-Speed Future workshop to communities Facilitate space for delivery of the workshops Follow up with workshop participants to identify new expansion or growth opportunities Halifax Global Inc. 9

12 Action Plan Report The implementation of this action item will have a significant impact on Tourism; Food Production; and Knowledge Industries and the Creative Rural Economy and will be a cornerstone for the Business Retention and Expansion efforts. ACTION 5 VISITOR INFORMATION CENTRE A temporary Visitor Information Centre (VIC) jointly operated by the MODL and the Town of Bridgewater will be located by exit 12 will be active for the 2010 tourism season. The focus of this action item is to determine the feasibility, need for and location of a permanent VIC. The activities associated with this Action item are already underway and are the responsibility of the Visitor Information Services Committee which is supported by the MODL Economic Development Department. Key implementation steps within this Action Plan include: Identify private sector partners who might be interested in hosting a permanent VIC in their location or would be interested in sharing a new location for a permanent VIC. Develop the business case for the joint operation of a permanent, year-round VIC. Investigate funding opportunities and secure funding for the initiative. Once funding is secure, determine the location and establish the permanent VIC. The Visitor Information Centre will drive business to tourism operators in the district, but will also be able to promote artisans and crafts-people, food producers, and businesses which provide services to the general public, thereby impact many different sectors in the District. The sector most directly impacted will be Tourism; however, the Knowledge Industries and Creative Rural Economy; Food Production; and Business Retention and Expansion sectors will also be impacted by these activities. ACTION 6 GERMAN HERITAGE FALL EVENT MODL is currently a peripheral tourism market as many of the key regional attractions exist in the regions towns and not in the District itself. There is an opportunity to create a destination event within MODL and much interest has been expressed in the creation of a German Heritage Fall Event that would include a number of activities and events such as an Halifax Global Inc. 10

13 Action Plan Report Oktoberfest, barn decorating contests, preserving demonstration/lessons, art and craft market, and other heritage related activities. The development of this event would be incremental to the work already undertaken by the Tourism Group of the MODL and would be supported by resources from the Economic Development Department. Key implementation steps within this action item include: Identify stakeholders and partners and determine their level of interest in developing this event. Develop event framework and business plan which will include a compelling case for investment from funding partners. Investigate funding opportunities from government departments and event sponsors. Development the event plan what activities will take place, where will they be held, when will they be held, and who is the target audience/participants. Following the event a comprehensive report will be produced and evaluated to determine the level of success and establish plans for continuation. This action item impacts well beyond the Tourism sector and will have positive ramifications for Food Production and Knowledge Industries and the Creative Rural Economy. ACTION 7 UNUSED AGRICULTURAL LAND UTILIZATION PLAN A substantial amount of agricultural land within the District is not being used, which presents an opportunity to increase revenues and build a sustainable tax base by revitalizing these sites and creating new opportunities for related service providers. To opportunities that could be considered are purpose-grown biomass crops or expansion of berry crops. The opportunity to grow biomass as a source of renewable energy is extremely topical at the moment as it links to the stated objective of the Province of Nova Scotia to derive 40% of energy from renewable sources and these purpose grown crops do not involve the clear cutting of existing forest. The expansion of berry production in the District would build on an already existing industry and could create new opportunities for partnership and infrastructure sharing. Halifax Global Inc. 11

14 Action Plan Report The activities under this Action item are project based and incremental to the work already undertaken by the MODL Economic Development Department. Key implementation steps within this action item include: Complete the mapping of the unused agricultural land in MODL Conduct land use analysis to determine the variety of crops that can be grown on the unused land and what the best crops might be. Determine what is feasible for the land through detailed feasibility analysis. Determine which landowners are interested in which opportunities. Build a business plan for the opportunity and assist with the launch of the initiative. The initiatives driven from this Action item include business opportunities for potential suppliers of products and services including harvesting and processing for both existing businesses and the possibility to attract new companies into the district. The Food Production and Energy sectors will see the greatest impact from this action item; however, Business Retention and Expansion and Knowledge Industries and the Creative Rural Economy will also benefit from this activity. Halifax Global Inc. 12

15 Action Plan Report TIMEFRAME AND RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS The Action Plan will be implemented over the next two to three years using a variety of resources, both internal and external. The following schematic shows the time and resources required to implement the Action Items. The chart identifies timing of when resources will be required, but is not meant to depict resource utilization. A detailed chart showing the timeframe for each Action Item task is included in Appendix C. Existing resources Free resources Incremental resources Action item Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S Action 1 - Develop District Asset Map Dave Waters Co-op Student Project Resource Junior Resource External Contractors Action 2 Business Retention, Expansion & Attraction Dave Waters Junior Resource Mayor & Councillors Action 3 Osprey Village Dave Waters LQRDA MODL Engineering External contractors Junior Resource Halifax Global Inc. 13

16 Action Plan Report Action item Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4 Q1 Q2 A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S Action 4 Support adoption of High-Speed Internet Dave Waters Junior Resource Action 5 Visitor Information Centre Dave Waters Hired resources VIC Working Group Action 6 German Heritage Fall Event Dave Waters Event Working Group Event Chair Event Hired Resources Action 7 Unused Agricultural Land Utilization Plan Dave Waters Junior Resource MODL GIS Subject experts Project Resource Halifax Global Inc. 14

17 Action Plan Report 5. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT CAPACITY The Economic Development Department for MODL has a full-time staff of one economic development officer. This limited capacity creates limited opportunity to proactively engage in the development of strategic initiatives. Figure 1, below shows the current time allocation for the Economic Development Department. Figure 1 - Economic Development Department Breakdown Day-to-day Education & Information Projects Long Term Action Items Business Retention, Expansion & Attraction Osprey Village Support the Adoption of High-Speed Internet All District Asset Mapping Permanent Visitor Information Centre German Heritage Fall Event Unused Agricultural Land Utilization Plan Job Functions Internal meetings / focus groups Short-term projects Courthouse Osprey Village Prospectus Kiosk, etc. Office work Conferences Information sessions External meetings Municipal Economic Development Group, etc. Research Project-based work Halifax Global Inc. 15

18 Action Plan Report One on One Clients After reviewing the many requirements and possible opportunities of the Economic Development Department it was evident that the existing structure of the department and requests do not match. It was felt that changes either subtle or significant would need to be undertaken to create a balance between work requirements and staff resources. One way to show this is to look at the differences in time to complete the seven action items, with and without a junior resource and/or project resource. The measurement looks at time and/or effectiveness. Asset Map With Junior Resource and/or Project Resource Without Junior Resource Completion Dates December 2011 December 2013 Months to complete Business Retention, Expansion & Attraction Ongoing Greater Coverage and Effectiveness Ongoing Limited Coverage and Effectiveness Osprey Village Ongoing Greater Coverage and Effectiveness Ongoing Limited Coverage and Effectiveness Support Adoption of High- Speed Internet Ongoing Greater Coverage and Effectiveness Ongoing Limited Coverage and Effectiveness Visitor Information Centre May 2012 May 2012 German Heritage Fall Event Ongoing Ongoing Unused Agricultural Land Completion date September 2012 May 2014 Months to complete Halifax Global Inc. 16

19 Action Plan Report There are four options for moving forward: Maintain status quo; The Economic Development Department can complete the day-to-day activities identified in the Action Items; however, without additional resources the time frame for completion of large projects would dramatically increase (as shown above)and the effectiveness would be seriously in question. As well, the existing short-term project demands on the department would need to be reduced during large project execution. Project based funding; Service Canada, Co-op students and/or other funding opportunities. This option would see a much quicker turn around but would be funding and quality of applicant dependent. Add an additional resource, either: Junior Development Officer - there is little question that this option may be the most effective in order of workload and productivity; however, it may be the least realistic as it relates to budget. Junior Resource (50%) although not as effective as a Junior Development Officer it would have a dramatic effect on the day-to-day function of the department and allow for increased productivity and effectiveness. This option, although difficult from a budgeting perspective, may be a more logical option moving forward. A combination This option may produce the highest degree of productive and effectiveness for the department, with a combination of perhaps a Junior Resource (half-time) and project-based funding. It would allow the Department to meet more of the demands placed upon it at a higher rate of effectiveness. Halifax Global Inc. 17

20 Action Plan Report 6. PERFORMANCE MEASUREMENT FRAMEWORK A framework for performance measurement has been developed to track the progress of MODL Economic Development against the identified Action Items either individually for each action item or in total... The detailed Performance Measurement Framework is included in Appendix D. Measurement Number of uses of Asset Map Number of business opportunities identified and resolved Number of "gaps" identified by MODL that were subsequently met Growth in Osprey Village Growth in MODL Reduction in unused agricultural land inventory Job creation generated by land renewal Number of visitors to German Fall Heritage Event Revenue and economic impact of German Fall Heritage Event Number of visitors to VIC Inquiries into locating in Osprey Village Number of opportunities from Building a High-Speed Future workshops Employment growth Description Determine number of opportunities to drive economic development by using the new asset map Indicator of increase in commercial tax base Indicator of effectiveness of business relationship meetings, asset map evaluation, and business recruitment efforts Identification of opportunity should be evidenced by growth of business in Osprey Village The culmination of all action plan activities should result in an overall increase in the commercial tax base Measures the success of the new initiatives Measure of the number of new jobs created directly or indirectly through the initiative Measures event draw and participation Measures incremental dollars coming into the District Measures traffic to the VIC and impact of location Measures the impact of new prospectus and external promotion activities Measures interest in building Internet based opportunities Measures the number of new jobs created during the designated period Halifax Global Inc. 18

21 Action Plan Report 7. CONCLUSION Over the course of the Phase Two project a total of forty-one possible action plan items were considered and the selected few include a balance of four core economic development activities and three projects. The first action item, the development of the asset map, is a tool to support the core business retention expansion and attraction activities as well as the development of Osprey Village. The access to critical and current information will enrich the development initiatives and accelerate business expansion and attraction success rates over an infinite period of time. The focus on BRE&A and Osprey Village supported by analysis of the information gleaned from the asset map are expected to increase tax assessment growth in Osprey Village by an average of $2 million a year over the next five years with a total growth in the commercial tax base of $16 million over the same time frame. Supporting the adoption of high speed internet will require relatively little effort from MODL but it will be important to the development of entrepreneurship and business success in a rural setting. Two of the projects selected support tourism in the MODL. The access to a visitor information centre will provide immediate support to the sector while the German Heritage Fall Event has the possibility of becoming a major destination tourist attraction event on a significant scale. The final project is geared to increasing the utilization of agricultural land in the MODL with dual opportunity streams in energy and food production and processing. There is limited capacity within the MODL Economic Development department so the ability to undertake new initiatives is limited. These strategic activities require people in order to get them done and while there are definite possibilities to get funding from various sources to defray part of the implementation expense the remainder will require some budget commitment from the MODL or the implementation will be deferred. A number of performance measures have been developed in conjunction with each of the elements of the Action Plan. Successful execution of the implementation steps will have a very positive and long lasting benefit to the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg. Halifax Global Inc. 19

22 Action Plan Report APPENDICES Appendix A Action Item Options Considered Appendix B Detailed Action Items Appendix C Detailed Performance Measurement Framework Appendix D Costing Summary Halifax Global Inc. 20

23 APPENDIX A ACTION ITEM OPTIONS CONSIDERED Business Retention & Expansion LQRDA BR&E program participation & enhancement Christmas Tree Growers Co-op support Foreign direct investment ID regional marketing opportunities Ambassador program Incubator site Renewable Energy Policy changes future development Wind energy wind farms, self generation, FIT Energy conservation South shore conference Manufacture of wind turbine components CEDIFs Food processing Farmers market at Osprey Village Buy local campaign Review of co-op opportunities Knowledge Industries and the Creative Rural Economy Rural incubation program Build creative network Events link to tourism Creativity rally Encourage NSCC to meet education needs Halifax Global Inc. 21

24 Entrepreneurship workshop Tourism Branding MODL as destination Ad campaigns Promotional signage Focus on HRM Package creation Expand on success of tourism web presence Ageing population Alternative housing options Centre school Transportation service Older citizens entrepreneurship Employment and volunteerism Knowledge transfer to newcomers and youth Information sharing website Participation in decision making process Halifax Global Inc. 22

25 APPENDIX B DETAILED ACTION ITEMS Action 1 Develop District Asset Map Asset mapping is a critical first step in marshalling the resources that a community can leverage to support integrated workforce and economic development initiatives. Asset mapping can be undertaken at different levels, depending on the availability of time and resources and on the ambition of the regional leadership team. At its most basic level, the asset mapping process will provide leaders with an inventory of key resources that can be utilized in a development effort. A more comprehensive asset mapping initiative will provide a deep understanding of the key networks and cultural attitudes that shape the regional economy, indicate gap areas that require further investment, and provide a baseline by which to judge future progress toward regional prosperity. Such an effort requires significant research to assess the impact of regional assets human, financial, institutional, and natural among others on the innovation and productivity that ultimately drive the prosperity of local citizens. 1 Asset mapping, as a process for communities, is a relatively new idea that has been gaining popularity in small, rural communities in North America for the past ten years. The most wellknown instance in Atlantic Canada is the Halifax-Moncton Growth Corridor Asset Map which was completed in This Asset Map identified the businesses, human resources, infrastructure, and sectoral resources that could be found along the Corridor in an effort to bolster business retention, expansion and attraction to the area. Other communities in Canada have successfully used asset mapping to enhance their economic growth. The La Loche Clearwater Region and community of Pinehouse in Saskatchewan undertook an asset mapping process which included infrastructure, social/quality of life, economic, natural and human capital, government and services available in the region. The communities anticipated the following results from the process: To enable communities to present businesses and entrepreneurs who recognize opportunities in the area with an information sheet on the assets available to assist them in bringing their opportunities to fruition. Act as a starting point for strategic planning, community development and 1 Asset Mapping Roadmap: A Guide to Assessing Regional Development Resources, Council on Competitiveness, Halifax Global Inc. 23

26 organizational development. To provide a deeper understanding of potential linkages and act as a catalyst for partnerships. To provide a vehicle where people can explore opportunities that may be available in their community. To be used to attract new residents to the community. To provide another way for the community to advertise itself to the outside world. 2 In the case of MODL, the asset map will provide the District with the information and knowledge they need to see growth in the six identified sectors. It is important to note that a significant number of suppliers and customers for businesses in the District may reside within the boundaries of one of the three four other municipal units in the region; therefore, taking a regional approach to the Asset Map would provide the most useful information. The impact of the asset mapping would be enhanced if neighbouring municipalities would also participate and efforts should be undertaken to gather the support and participation of those municipal units in this activity. The actions associated with making use of the Asset Map are detailed in Action 2 Business Retention and Expansion. This action could have impacts in the following sectors: Tourism; Business Retention and Expansion; Energy; Food Production; the Ageing Population; and Knowledge Industries and the Creative Rural Economy. 2 Community Futures Saskatchewan, Community Futures Beaver River, Developing an Asset Map for the La Loche Clearwater Region and the community of Pinehouse. Online: Halifax Global Inc. 24

27 Lead Dave Waters Junior Resource May 2011 / Assistance Long Term May 2010 (underway) November weeks 18.5 months+ The first stages of data collection for this project are underway with a co-op student that has been hired for the summer of Tasks a. Preliminary business inventory The first step in the Asset Map has begun this summer with a preliminary business inventory. A co-op student has been hired to undertake this work. May 2010 August weeks 4 months People Summer co-op student Process - Identifiy information and data required - Collect lists of businesses in the District - Compile separate lists into one complete list - Begin validation of list information - Review availability of asset map tools and systems from other jurisdictions b. Evaluate costing and obtain external funding or budget from MODL Financial commitment to undertake the project August 2010 March weeks 8 months People Dave Waters Process - Prepare business case for the need and identify potential funders. - Prepare and submit funding proposal Halifax Global Inc. 25

28 Collaboration / Partners Who Contribution Risks What is the risk What is the impact What are the solutions c. Obtain human resource Potential funder could be ACOA, Service Canada, Agriculture and Agri- Food Canada Assume that MODL could attract $.50 on the dollar No funders identified Without dedicated funding the project will not get completed in a timely manner - Self fund from MODL budget - Delay project until funding is approved - Seek alternate sources of funding - Partner with other agencies to present a better funding proposal Need additional resource to collect and analyze the information and data April 2011 April week 1 month People Process Total Cost Risks What is the risk What is the impact What are the possible solutions Dave Waters Advertise, interview and hire minimal No appropriate resources are available to hire from the immediate area The start of the project will be delayed until appropriate resources are in place to execute the work - Extend the search to other communities in the area - Contract an external resources to conduct the work d. Create the asset map framework and database structure To identify the information that will be collected and develop a computerized database application which will be used to hold and analyze the information. May 2011 July weeks 2 months Halifax Global Inc. 26

29 People - External contractors - Project Resource Process - Develop Asset Map framework and establish scope of asset mapping initiative (how wide and how deep) - Determine the best database system to be used for the database, keeping in mind how the information is to be used and shared - Develop the database to hold and analyze the information - Develop standard queries and reports Collaboration / Partners Who Contribution Risks What is the risk What is the impact What are the possible solutions e. Create the asset map Other MODL departments Time and information Database development takes longer than expected The information is not entered into the system as it is collected, meaning the subsequent steps are delayed - Clearly establish asset map framework expectations at the start of the project - Assign dedicated resource to the database development process To build the asset map of built, natural, economic, social and service assets in the District. May 2011 October weeks 6 months People Project Resource Process - Identify sources of business information for the region - Identify sources of economic data and information and extract District specific information from those sources - Identify sources of information for other assets in the District - Ask about specific needs not currently being met - Collect the information and compile it into a system for easy analysis. - Verify accuracy of information Halifax Global Inc. 27

30 Collaboration / Partners Who Contribution Risks What is the risk What is the impact What are the possible solutions Other MODL departments Time and information Research and verification takes longer than expected to complete The project does not complete on time putting a strain on the project budget and timelines. - Clearly establish research parameters at the start of the project - Establish working relationships with information providers to ensure timely access to data f. Develop and implement a usage and maintenance plan The usage and maintenance plan will detail who has access to the information in the asset map, how they gain access to the information, how frequently the information is updated, and what resources are used for updating. November 2011 November weeks 1 month People - Dave Waters - Project resource - External contractors Process - Identify who will need/want access to information in the asset map - Establish a access plan which details who can have access to what information and how (this may include making all or part of the asset map available on the website) - Establish a plan for updating the information in the asset map, based on when certain pieces of data are released, or when information becomes available publicly - Set an update schedule, including resources for conducting the work Halifax Global Inc. 28

31 Risks 1 What is the risk Development of information delivery mechanisms takes longer than expected What is the impact The project does not complete on time putting a strain on the project budget and timelines. What are the possible solutions - Determine information delivery requirements at the outset of the project to ensure website compatibility - Work closely with MODL IT 2 What is the risk Maintenance of the asset map takes more time than expected What is the impact What are the possible solutions The information is not kept up-to-date thereby lessening its usefulness Establish priority information items to be updated on a regular schedule Halifax Global Inc. 29

32 Action 2 Business Retention, Expansion and Attraction The Economic Asset Map will form the basis of business retention and expansion activities for MODL Economic Development. An analysis of the asset map will identify strengths, gaps, clusters and opportunities for the District and response will be developed that will lead to strategic growth. This action could have impacts in the following sectors: Tourism; Business Retention and Expansion; Energy; Food Production; the Ageing Population; and Knowledge Industries and the Creative Rural Economy. Lead Tasks Dave Waters September 2010 Ongoing 35 weeks 20 months + a. Analysis of asset map Assess the asset map to identify strengths, gaps, opportunities and clusters of similar businesses as well as gaps in infrastructure, labour, education, etc. September 2010 Ongoing 7 weeks 20 months + People - Dave Waters - Junior resource May 2011 Process Analyze the asset map to identify the following: - Strengths what are the key attractors for business in the District; what are the key assets that can be used to promote the District to new businesses? - Gaps what is missing, either from a community or from the District as a whole? - Opportunities where are the opportunities for future developments, to fill gaps or to take advantage of clusters or strengths? - Clusters are there clusters of businesses that work in the same sector and could benefit from closer collaboration on shared Halifax Global Inc. 30

33 Risks What is the risk What is the impact What are the possible solutions resources, processes, etc.? Analysis may take longer than expected Timelines for future items get extended b. Develop relationships with key businesses Ensure resource allocation is sufficient to allow for timely analysis Retaining business in the District will be achieved through close relationship between MODL Economic Development and the business owner/operator. The asset map can be used to identify those key businesses, identify gaps and challenges that the business may be facing, and identify potential partners or service providers that can resolve business issues. September 2010 Ongoing 7 weeks 20 months + People - Dave Waters - Mayor - Councillors Process - Analyze the asset map to identify location of key businesses - Establish a schedule of business meetings where there are two business visits each month, and each business is visited twice a year. - Use meetings to identify further gaps in infrastructure, business partners and business services - Ensure follow-up with issues raised during business meetings Collaboration / Partners Who Contribution Risks LQRDA Time & resources What is the risk Meetings create a level of expectation among business owners/operators that the issues they raise will be resolved. What is the impact If issues are not resolved, to the satisfaction of the business owner/operator the reputation of MODL Economic Development and the entire Municipality will be affected What are the - Establish a follow-up process where issues raised by business Halifax Global Inc. 31

34 possible solutions owners/operators are documented and confirmed after the meeting. - Maintain regular communication with the business regarding the issue to let them know it is still being worked on - If the issue cannot be resolved, let them know that, and why. c. Incorporate strengths and opportunities into new promotional materials Using the outcomes of the asset map analysis, develop new promotional material for the District and its properties and include the strengths and clusters identified November 2010 January weeks 3 months People Dave Waters Junior resource May 2011 Process - Identify information documents which can be updated - Make updates to documents as appropriate d. Promote business-to-business opportunities The availability of the asset map will facilitate the opportunity for businesses to find suppliers and partners within MODL. This will apply to all sectors including Food Processing, Tourism, Energy and the artisans and crafts people throughout the District. September 2010 Ongoing 8 weeks 20 months + People - Dave Waters - Junior Resource May 2011 Process - Use existing contacts with business, such as Business Town Hall meetings, to educate business owners/operators about new businesses, business services, etc. - Connect businesses to one another through the Asset Map. - Use information gathered in business relationship meetings to identify potential business partners and service providers from within the District and to identify common issues among businesses from different sectors. e. Cluster analysis MODL will be able to utilize the asset map to identify clusters of similar Halifax Global Inc. 32

35 businesses and businesses by location, which will present the opportunity to move away from anecdotal evidence to actual data. One area that may see real benefits is the creative sector, where there is a lot of anecdotal information about artisans throughout the district, but no real information about where they are located. November 2011 January weeks 3 months People - Dave Waters - Junior Resource Process - Using the clusters identified in the analysis stage, develop targeted approaches to growing those clusters or developing solutions to problems unique to the cluster. - Work with the cluster to develop a growth plan for the cluster, could include joint marketing, shared sales resources, shared sales space, etc. f. Filling in the gaps Develop a plan to fill identified gaps, through recruitment of new businesses, expansion of existing businesses, collaborations and partnerships. November 2010 Ongoing 6 weeks 17 months + People - Dave Waters - Junior resource Process - Identify gaps in service offerings, business-to-business partnerships, from the Asset Map and from business relationship meetings. - Identify possible service providers from the Asset Map - Identify companies that do not operate in the District that could establish an operation and fill a gap - Promote Osprey Village as a potential location for new businesses to locate Halifax Global Inc. 33

36 Halifax Global Inc. 34

37 Action 3 Osprey Village Promote the Osprey Village facility and increase occupation. This action could have impacts in the following sectors: Tourism; Business Retention and Expansion; Energy; Food Production; and Knowledge Industries and the Creative Rural Economy. Lead Dave Waters June 2010 Ongoing 29 weeks 22 months + Tasks a. Develop Osprey Village prospectus s To promote the facility to prospective developers and tenants June 2010 July weeks 3 months People Dave Waters Process Include a rendering of the development that will allow the Economic Development Department to demonstrate to businesses the benefits of locating in Osprey Village Total Cost $5,000 Collaboration / Partners Who Contribution Risks What is the risk What is the impact What are the solutions LQRDA Time and resources Partners do not provide support as agreed Materials are not developed in the necessary timeframe Work closely with partners to ensure timelines are met. Halifax Global Inc. 35