For Information Only. Greater Sudbury Development Corporation Quarterly Report - Q2. Recommendation. Presented To: City Council

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1 For Information Only Greater Sudbury Development Corporation Quarterly Report - Q2 Presented To: City Council Presented: Wednesday, Jun 15, 2011 Report Date Friday, Jun 03, 2011 Type: Presentations Recommendation For Information Only Signed By Report Prepared By Helen Mulc Manager of Economic Development Digitally Signed Jun 3, 11 Recommended by the Department Bill Lautenbach General Manager of Growth and Development Digitally Signed Jun 6, 11 Recommended by the C.A.O. Doug Nadorozny Chief Administrative Officer Digitally Signed Jun 6, 11

2 BACKGROUND As per the motion passed by Council on February 20, 2007, the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation (GSDC) will provide quarterly updates on progress with respect to investments in economic development projects, programs and activities. The following is a synopsis of the projects that have received financial support and their expected economic impact for Greater Sudbury. As projects progress and/or are completed, updates will be provided to City Council INVESTMENTS IN PROJECTS (April to June 2011) INVESTMENT IN PROJECTS FOR THE PERIOD (FEBRUARY 20 TH 1. Music and Film in Motion GSDC Investment (Motion Passed) Motion passed on April 13, 2011 That the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation Board of Directors provide financial support to Music and Film in Motion (MFM) in the amount of $55,000 from the Economic Development Project Fund conditional on the project receiving funding support from other partners and with the understanding that MFM will present its reorganization plan to the Community Economic Development Committee in September/October Project Description Industry Development/Outreach: Services and programs offered to the Sudbury based music and film industries. These prepare the industry to fully grasp the opportunities inherent in the external productions coming north, to ensure that as much of that investment as possible stays in Greater Sudbury. This effort also prepares our regionally based producers to get their own productions off the ground, which is significant as they rely even more upon local resources than those productions coming from outside the region. Promoting and Marketing Sudbury and Northern Ontario: MFM focuses on external stakeholders and consults with producers on a regular basis to provide them with information and guidance to attract their productions to Greater Sudbury. We also undertake a number of showcase opportunities for a targeted industry audience to demonstrate the skills and talent available in the region. MFM undertakes a number of trips to conferences across North America to sustain and grow the network of producers. Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards Conference: The annual conference enables MFM to bring together regionally and externally based industry professionals. Over the course of the first three years of our event, the Familiarization Event has secured between $24 and $30 million in future production investment in Greater Sudbury. Total Cost of Project The total cost of the project is $356,000 GSDC April to June /15 1

3 Estimated Economic Impact Between 2010 and 2011, there have been 6-8 productions with an approximate spend of $15 million 300 plus full time equivalent (FTE) positions in the film and television industries from productions MFM has attracted to the region with 20 to 30 new FTEs created in 2010 Builds on and strengthens existing music/film/theatre infrastructure External film productions monopolize hotels, caterers and other local businesses while they are here. External cast and crew spend their per diems at local restaurants and establishments. Hosting film and television productions in our city demonstrates Greater Sudbury is a creative and culturally active community as does hosting the Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards Conference 2. Sportlink GSDC Investment (Motion Passed) Motion passed on May 11, 2011 That the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation Board of Directors provide Year 4 funding support to SportLink Greater Sudbury Sport Council in the amount of $25,000 to support the operation s activities and the organization s continued development from the Economic Development Project Fund, and That the My!Sudbury logo be used on all of its promotional and communications materials. Project Description The project of developing and growing sport will be SportLink s primary business objective for the calendar year This project helps SportLink meet its current mission is to utilize sport as a means for economic and community development by advocating communication and cooperation within our community, facilitating events, leadership and educational opportunities. In 2011, the organization will focus on: Growing the volunteer database within Greater Sudbury Increase the number of trained officials, with a priority to work with OFSAA Track and Field (scheduled for June 2-4, 2011) organizers to help them train and recruit officials for their competition, which will result in a revitalized inventory of officials for future events in the community. Increase the participation rates of sport for all ages within the City of Greater Sudbury Build a sport facility database on the organization s website Increase the awareness of adapted and accessible sports within the City of Greater Sudbury Increase the SideLINES (monthly newsletter) database by 25% by working with our network (coaches, parents and athletes) Continue to liaise with all sport groups to assist in their events, leagues and tournaments Continue to provide a day to day service (networking, resources, advocacy)for our members via , phone or direct contact 2 GSDC April to June /15

4 Total Cost of Project Total project cost is $84,900 Estimated Economic Impact Through SportLink s partnership with City staff, several event bid proposals have achieved success in the past two years, including Greater Sudbury s role in hosting four events for the 2010 Ontario Winter Games and our hosting of the 2010 Ontario Summer Games. Economic benefits for the 2010 Summer Games have been indicated at over $5.1 million in direct economic spin offs and spending within the community. The promotion of sports on the local level also results in important economic benefits for the community. For example, with 500 players registered in Lacrosse in Greater Sudbury at $150 per player per season this one organization can generate $75,000 in revenues over one season, and spending on facilities and other resources retains those dollars in the community. SportLink s Annual Games Day event, for instance, provides local sport groups with the opportunity to teach the basic skills of their sport to 500 students over the course of a day. Sports such as gymnastics, dance, martial arts, wrestling, lacrosse, golf, baseball, and tennis are featured, and the event provides an important opportunity for these sport organizations to recruit additional members (thus increasing revenues) while raising their participation rates and promoting goal setting and pride in accomplishments among the City s young people. 3. Northern Ontario Railway Museum and Heritage Centre (NORMHC) GSDC Investment (Motion Passed) Motion passed on June 8, 2011 That the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation Board of Directors provide funding support to the Northern Ontario Railway Museum and Heritage Centre in the amount of $37,357 in addition to the $12,443 already pre-committed from 2003 ($50,000 total) to support the operation s activities and continued development from the Economic Development Project Fund, and that the My!Sudbury logo be used on all of its promotional and communications materials. Project Description NORMHC is seeking to expand its operation through the improvement of its existing infrastructure and exhibits furthering its mandate of creating an innovative iconic centre that preserves the history of Northern Ontario and contributes to the economic vitality of Capreol and the Greater Sudbury. Installation of wrought iron perimeter fencing this will funnel guests through the museum building, thus requiring payment of admission prior to gaining entrance to the rolling stock and other outdoor exhibits. GSDC April to June /15 3

5 Construction of shelter over train exhibits to aid in preservation of a key component of the museum experience against the elements. Acquisition and upgrade of Capreol Fire Hall building to increase access to museum archives and act as research library, house new museum exhibits including railway safety training modules and social history displays such as the W. A. Ramsey family player piano, one of the museum s most recent acquirements and provide increased space for groups and other revenue-generating programming/events The museum has confirmed that a draft agreement is currently being finalized between the City of Greater Sudbury and the NORMHC for use of the Fire Hall that would result in a four- or five-year lease and based on the model established between these partners for use of the Station Master s house at 26 Bloor Street. The City, as landlord will retain ownership of the building and assume associated maintenance costs, while the museum will cover operational costs and overhead expenses such as heat and power. Completion of other enhancements to museum grounds including Garden of Life component including scale model Garden Train, new railroad and mining equipment and a playground structure build to resemble the #6077 engine. Although these components are included as part of a three-year plan, they are also stand-alone components with considerable potential to enhance the museum experience and increase its capacity to generate revenue. Total Cost of Project Total project cost for Year 1 is $341,900 Estimated Economic Impact 3 full time permanent jobs (Admissions Clerk, Cataloguer/Librarian, Business Development Coordinator) and 5 temporary jobs (fence fabrication & installation, design of shelter, design/fabrication of playground structure, transportation of Hot Copper Car) NORMHC currently employs two full-time employees year-round and up to eight seasonal employees during the summer. Based on increasing admissions and visitation, there is potential for other job creation such as additional tour guides, event planner and educational tour programmer Despite limited resources, NORMHC s core of board members and volunteers has worked hard to update and refresh exhibits and museum programming. For example, the development of Gold Panning Days which give visitors the opportunity to experience real gold panning on the Vermillion River, complete with old prospector s tent and beans cooked over an open fire has resulted in participation by groups and families, increased media coverage for the organization and rising attendance numbers at the museum itself over the past several years (paid admissions increased from 1,542 in 2009 to 2,041 in 2010, an increase of 32%). Furthermore, continued work by NORMHC in partnership with Sudbury Tourism and GSDC staff will continue to increase Capreol s exposure to best bet markets as identified in the long-term tourism strategy, Destination Sudbury: 2015 southern Ontario families, northeastern Ontario visitors, seniors groups, student tours, travel media. This project will also assist with the development of new packaging opportunities added components and enable further exploration of programming and cross-marketing opportunities with Science North and Dynamic Earth along the heritage, rail, forestry and mining themes. GSDC April to June /15 4

6 SUMMARY OF NON-REPAYABLE INVESTMENTS April to June 2011 The non-repayable investment of $130,000 is expected to leverage approximately $652,800 in additional funding, which is five (5) times the City s initial investment. MOTIONS OF THE GSDC BOARD Motion passed on April 13, 2011 Arts & Culture Grant Sub-Committee That the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation Board of Directors approve the methodology and criteria for administering the Major Arts and Culture Grant Program, as developed in consultation with the Community Economic Development Committee at its March 25, 2011 meeting, and That the following five members of the GSDC Board be appointed to the Arts and Culture Grant Sub-committee: Dave Kilgour, Jim Thompson, Scott Lund, André Dumais, and Jean LeBlanc. Motion passed on May 11, Arts & Culture Grant Fund 2011 distribution That the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation Board of Directors provide support from the 2011 Major Arts and Culture Grant Fund to the applicants listed below and that the My!Sudbury logo be used on all of its promotional and communications materials: Art Gallery of Sudbury $120,000 Sudbury Theatre Centre 60,000 Cinefest/Laugh Out Loud Film Festival Inc. 55,000 Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario 40,000 Sudbury Symphony Orchestra 32,000 Prise de parole 35,000 Le Carrefour francophone de Sudbury 40,000 Theatre Cambrian 27,000 Northern Lights Festival Boreal 25,000 Sudbury Summerfest Foundation 15,000 La Nuit sur l étang 20,000 Galerie du Nouvel-Ontario, centre d artistes 27,000 Total $496,000 GSDC April to June /15 5

7 STATUS OF REPAYABLE CONTRIBUTIONS GSDC Investment (Motion Passed) Artificial Breeding Pools Motion passed on June 11, 2008 That the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation Board of Directors authorize a loan of $10,000 on a previously approved funding commitment of $40,000 to Dr. Gerardo Ulibarri of Laurentian University from the 2008 Economic Development Project Fund, which will allow the development of the automatic Artificial Breeding Pools project to move forward in 2008 while the project awaits confirmation of funding approvals. REPAYMENT STATUS- The proponent is still waiting to receive approval on one application submitted to a senior level of government. GSDC Investment (Motion Passed) Librairie du Nouvel-Ontario Motion passed on September 10, 2008 That the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation Board of Directors support the Librairie du Nouvel-Ontario in the amount of $50,000 from the 2008 Economic Development Grant Fund, and That the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation Board of Directors authorizes a loan of $25,000 from the 2008 Economic Development Grant Fund, and that the Librairie du Nouvel- Ontario returns in Year 2 to discuss the terms of the loan repayment, and further That the My!Sudbury logo be supported and used on all of its communications. REPAYMENT STATUS Librairie du Nouvel-Ontario representatives delivered a presentation to the CED committee in March and requested a one-year deferral of the outstanding loan. Motion passed on April 14, 2010 That the GSDC Board of Directors extend the option to Grand Ciel Bleu Librairie du Nouvel- Ontario to repay the outstanding loan amount of $25,000 in annual payments equal to no less than twenty-five (25) percent of their annual net revenue surplus. GSDC April to June /15 6

8 GSDC Investment (Motion Passed) Laugh Out Loud Comedy Festival Motion passed on April 13, 2011 That the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation (GSDC) provide a loan of $85,000, at no interest, to Cinefest Sudbury for the Laugh Out Loud Sudbury Comedy Festival with payment due May 31, Payment will be made directly to the GSDC by the Sudbury Arena on behalf of Cinefest, with proceeds from the sale of tickets to three shows that include Rodney Carrington, Andrea Martin and Colin Mochrie/Brad Sherwood, and That the GSDC be given assurance that the loan amount be secured by Cinefest should the show not proceed as planned or if the required number of tickets are not sold. REPAYMENT STATUS This loan was repaid in full by June 6, 2011 ECONOMIC STRATEGIC PLAN PROGRESS UPDATE Engine #1 The Best Mining and Mining Supply and Services in the World Mining Supply and Services Export Assistance Program (MSSEA) Strategic 'One-on-One' Export Marketing Consultation 3 Sudbury based and 5 Northern Ontario based mining supply and services companies have been engaged in a comprehensive export strategy development initiative with the assistance of an international export development advisor. These companies are participating in the first of two, bi-annual intakes of the One-On-One Export Strategy Development program funded by the Province of Ontario and delivered by Ontario's North Economic Development through the GSDC. In additional to export strategy development, they are engaged in developing an export marketing business plan to assist them in sourcing new revenues from markets outside of Northern Ontario. Greater Sudbury companies participating in this first round of the strategy development include Bestech, Rock-Tech, Symboticware Incorporated and Walden Equipment Limited. Export Marketing Assistance Program This program aims to provide financial assistance to Northern Ontario mining supply and services firms in the form of a non-repayable contribution towards their export marketing costs. Qualified companies can apply for up to $10,000 a year in funding representing 50% of their eligible export marketing expenses. The response to this program has been strong and, to date, has approved $67,840 in assistance for the export marketing efforts of mining supply and services companies. With the company contributions factored in, the leverage is well over $208,000 for a program that has been in existence for only two months. GSDC April to June /15 7

9 Engine #2 A Leader in Advanced Education, Research and Innovation Laurentian School of Architecture Laurentian University has issued the next stage RFP to the 11 long-listed architectural proponents. The review process in underway to select the firm that will design the permanent facility. On May 24 th, the Province of Ontario announced $21 million for project capital and approval for the undergraduate program. Engines #3 One of Best Places to Visit in Ontario Local Tourism Performance and Highlights Hotel occupancy statistics released for March 2011 show the significant impact of the additional room inventory injected into the city within the last several months. Since the opening of new hotels including, most recently, the Towne Place Suites by Marriott property in December 2010, occupancy rates in the first quarter of 2011 show a drop of over 5% when compared to the same period in 2010, with slightly higher decreases in revenue per available room. Greater Sudbury Hotel Occupancy Occupancy Average Daily Rate Revenue Per Available Room March % $ $ % $ $75.48 January 1 March % $ $ % $ $64.86 Despite the year-over-year drop, however, Greater Sudbury has managed to maintain occupancy rates that are slightly higher than those at the provincial level: Ontario occupancy rates were 53.1% for the three months ending March 31, 2011, compared to 54.9% locally. MARKETING AND DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT 2011 National Tourism Week in Greater Sudbury From June 6-13, Greater Sudbury and Sudbury Tourism celebrated National Tourism Week a Canada-wide initiative that highlights the economic and social value of tourism with an exciting line-up of activities to increase awareness among tourism sector players and the general public as to the importance of the tourism sector to Greater Sudbury's economy. GSDC April to June /15 8

10 The Launch of Tourism Week and the Sudbury Discoveries Contest took place on June 7th with a media conference, V.I.P. Challenge and Sudbury Discoveries media familiarization tour. As part of this kick-off event, local media were invited to join Greater Sudbury Familiarization (FAM) Tour incorporating the Sudbury Discoveries destinations, attractions and other partners. Sudbury Tourism Invite the World Gala The annual Invite the World! Gala took place on June 9 th in the Atlas Copco Theatre at Dynamic Earth, with tradeshow displays provided by Nickel partners and a presentation of awards in the theatre. This annual celebration and awards ceremony provides a forum for recognition of past and current event organizers along with networking opportunities for Sudbury Tourism Partners to promote the attractions, venues and services the city has to offer the organizers of meetings, conventions, arts, cultural and sporting events. Awards were presented as follows: Sporting Events: Sudbury & District Kennel Club Dog Show Arts, Culture & Heritage Event: Northern Lights Festival Boreal Meetings/Conventions: 2010 Northern Ontario Music & Film Awards and Conference New Events: Theatre Cambrian Dinner Theatre Festival Sudbury Tourism Partnership Chair s Award: 2010 Ontario Summer Games Sudbury Tourism Partnership With the most recent addition of Frank s Delicatessen, the Sudbury Tourism Partnership rose to 114 partners and tourism related organizations from the public and private sector Summer Family Package Sales Sudbury Tourism partners will offer the Summer Family Package, presenting visitors with a chance to visit northern Ontario s most popular attractions in a cost-effective manner, bundling passes to Science North and Dynamic Earth with accommodations in one of 14 partner hotels and other value-added components, such as restaurant coupons. With package sales already over $8,000 since April, and the additional boost of cooperative marketing efforts in collaboration with Science North and Ontario s North partners and the Northern Awareness Campaign of RTO13A, Tourism anticipates a successful summer season. Downtown Visitor Information Centre As part of Market Square operations, Tourism staff and summer students will be providing visitor services at the Downtown Visitor Information Centre, located within the Market itself, during market days in June, July and August This important access point provides outreach and promotional opportunities for tourism stakeholders, including dining, accommodations, retail and attractions partners, to engage visitors and residents in Greater Sudbury, with the overarching objective of increasing visitor length of stay and visitor spending within the community. GSDC April to June /15 9

11 Regional Tourism Organization (RTO) The Northern Ontario Tourism Awareness Campaign is progressing well, with Sudbury Tourism continuing its role as coordinator of the project. The Legendary campaign is designed to drive traffic to a micro-site developed on at facebook.com/ontariosnorth, and provides an exciting new platform for the promotion of northern Ontario and Greater Sudbury attractions and experiences to visitors, with a particular focus on provincial families and retired roamers. Sudbury Tourism continues to participate in RTO 13 planning meetings, and looks forward to leveraging the entire program in order to increase awareness of northern Ontario as a travel destination for consumers across the province. MEETINGS, CONVENTIONS AND SPORTS TOURISM: Event Highlights Events that took place in the first quarter of 2011: Northern Ontario Music & Film Awards Conference Greater Sudbury Earth Day Festival Sudbury Rocks!!! Marathon La Brunante Greater Sudbury Celtic Festival & Highland Games LOL Sudbury Comedy Festival Chelmsford Lions Club Western Days Canadian Association of Science Centre Conference Special Olympics Provincial Floor Hockey Championships Downtown Rotary Blues for Food National Aboriginal Day St. Jean Baptiste Highlights of the quarter also include the 2011 Ontario Federation of School Athletics Associations (OFSAA) Track & Field Championships, which took place June 2-4, 2011 at the Laurentian Community Track Complex. With over 2,400 athletes and their coaches, families and friends in attendance, the event presents significant economic benefits for the community and is an excellent showcasing of Greater Sudbury s ability to host successful sport tournaments and related events. Engines #4 A Regional Centre for Health Service Expertise in northern Ontario Three new family physicians were attracted to Greater Sudbury. This increased the total to 34 new future family physicians since the start of the recruitment program in Based on the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care physician/patient ratio these 34 family physicians will provide access to primary healthcare for approx 47,000 citizens of Greater Sudbury. GSDC April to June /15 10

12 Engines #5 A Thriving Sustainable Arts Community Arts and Culture Grant Program The process for allocation of the 2011 Arts and Culture Grants is complete. A subcommittee of the GSDC board managed the review and allocation of Major Arts and Culture Grants. In total $496,000 was allocated to twelve Arts and Culture based organizations including galleries, theatre companies and festivals. Meetings of the Community Arts and Culture Grant Panel have taken place and allocations are also complete. Cultural Mapping Project The Cultural Mapping Project has been completed. One of the key outcomes of the project is a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) map of cultural entities in Greater Sudbury. Elements featured on the map include galleries, craft industries, distinctive landmarks, events and festivals. A web presence has been created to ensure maximum community involvement and to coincide with Culture Days (culturedays.ca). Consistent with best practices in Municipal Cultural Planning in Ontario, the project has included both the systems and the mapping partnerships and collaborations that are necessary to moving the city towards the creation of a Municipal Cultural Plan. Film and Television In April, Greater Sudbury hosted the eighth annual Northern Ontario Music and Film Awards (NOMFA) and the annual NOMFA Conference organized by Music and Film in Motion (MFM). Since the first Awards Program launched in 2003 MFM has had the opportunity to present 84 awards to Northern artists, additionally more than 1900 audience members have joined us to celebrate the industry s achievements. This grassroots industry conference features three days of music and film panels led by music and film industry professionals from industry centers across Canada and the North, music and film showcases, mentorship sessions and networking opportunities. In 2009 The Perspectives Program was created with the goal of further developing Francophone and Aboriginal music and film/tv industries in the North. The program saw the addition of Francophone and Aboriginal specific panels as well as the greater inclusion of both communities across Conference programming REGIONAL BUSINESS CENTRE Staff handled 1870 general business inquiries and conducted 111 one-on-one client consultations. In total, 100 businesses were registered with the assistance of the Regional Business Centre. Staff tracked 92 outreach activities this quarter, of which 80% were involving general client and networking outreach activities, and the remaining 20% were youth related activities. GSDC April to June /15 11

13 Economic Impact Staff tracked 30 start-ups, 5 expansion and 65 new jobs created. 8 clients (five were young entrepreneurs) have been approved for over $270,000 in funding. Four clients were successful recipients of NOHFC funding specifically. Youth Business The Summer Company applications program started in May As final approvals are still pending, staff anticipates all 14 recommended youth will be approved for the program for The awards granted for the start-ups of these summer businesses is $21,000, with the expectation of another $21,000 to be granted when they have successfully completed the program. The 13 th Annual FedNor Business Plan Challenge was held on June 2 nd at Tom Davies Square. Eight schools were in attendance with 85 students and 60 plans. Seminars and Outreach The monthly start-up and business planning seminars continued this quarter. In total, 6 seminars were held and they attracted over 50 participants. Topics such as Starting a Small Business, Business Planning and Commercial Insurance were offered. GREATER SUDBURY AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (GSA) The Greater Sudbury Airport's (GSA) focus in 2011 will be on two of its most important strategic initiatives; expanding Scheduled Commercial Air Service and Land Development. Porter Airlines increased service on April 27th, 2011 by adding an evening round trip flight to/from its Billy Bishop City Centre Airport. Providing same day service to Toronto is our ultimate goal and based on our discussions with Porter to date we anticipate an early morning business flight will be added to their schedule in The estimated 3.3 M Threshold 30 Land Development Expansion project has been tendered with a closing date of May 25, This project is expected to be completed by year end and will facilitate new business growth at the airport. Based on our most recent history of new building construction we estimate that more than 30,000 sq. ft. of new hangar space will be constructed by 2013, diversifying the types of jobs and services provided at the GSA. PROJECTS AND INITIATIVES Market Square The 2011 Market Square season is from June 4 until October 30. The outdoor farmers market provides an outlet for farmers and growers to retail their product. The indoor market is comprised of artisans, crafters, and culinary vendors. In 2011, staff expects to host 34 full time vendors with 90% occupancy similar to that of the previous year. New this season, Market Square will work with Sudbury Tourism to introduce Market Discoveries. Starting in July, Market Square vendors will be conducting vendor demonstrations and workshops every Saturday. Watch for the Market Discoveries to be officially launched this July. GSDC April to June /15 12

14 Regional Economic Development Planning Sudbury Pilot Initiative Staff is working with the Ministry of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry to facilitate the development of the Regional Economic Development Planning Sudbury Implementation Committee that has been charged with the task of developing a proposed model and implementation plan for regional economic planning within the policy framework of the Growth Plan for Northern Ontario. In addition, staff, along with implementation committee members will participate in the Think North II Summits (June 13-16th) being held in Thunder Bay and Sudbury. The Summits are expected to be an opportunity for northerners to be actively engaged in shaping the framework for regional economic planning. Delegates will hear from six national and international leaders who will share their experiences and insights. Industrial Land Infrastructure Assessment A list of criteria has been refined to assist with prioritizing the industrial areas being studied. The matrix will assist staff in submitting recommendation to Council with respect to the chronology of which sites should be addressed in the short, medium and long term. This, combined with utilizing the new cost-sharing policy, and analysis to determine the City s share versus the benefitting landowners share for each component of the proposed upgrades (water, wastewater and roads) will further confirm an implementation plan. A review of potential funding mechanisms available to the municipality was completed to determine the means by which the City pays for its share. The results of the criteria matrix, determination of the City s share versus the benefitting landowners share, and the means available to the municipality for covering its share will be presented to Council at the June 29 th meeting. Local immigration partnership (LIP) The partnership with CMA-Ontario (Certified Management Accountants of Ontario) has continued and the Project Coordinator has made presentations at their Internationally Trained Professional (IEP) Centre and bi-annual Connections conference in June. Through the development of this relationship, the Sudbury LIP has secured access to highly qualified individuals that may be able to fulfill staffing shortages for local employers. Further partnerships are being developed with ALLIES in establishing an Immigrant Employment Council (IEC). The Sudbury LIP has secured a commitment from a national corporation in providing mentors for this project. COMMUNITY PORTAL ipad/iphone App Mysudbury is finalizing details on the launch of the new bilingual mysudbury ipad/iphone App. The App is free to download and will provide the user access to information about Greater Sudbury. Links on the App include mysudbury.ca, events, community services, jobs, volunteer, video, maps, photographs, social, FAQ, news, government and immigration. The development of the App was made possible via Phase III funding received by the Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration. Mysudbury worked with Cambrian College in the development of the App. The app is expected to launch mid-june GSDC April to June /15 13

15 My Job Board For the reporting period ending May 31, 2011, 157 employers and 723 job seekers are registered with My Job Board. There are a total of 419 jobs posted receiving 28,873 views. With the recent announcement of the new TSYS Financial Services Support Center opening in Greater Sudbury, mysudbury provided information regarding My Job Board to the Human Resources Director. They have since signed up to use the online job feature and expect positions will be posted soon. Web Support Connect the Creek Mysudbury designed and is hosting the new website Connect the Creek: Junction Creek Waterway Park. The website is intended to provide the user with access to information about how the group intends to connect various creeks and paths (walking and bicycle) within the City of Greater Sudbury. The ultimate goal is to market a new city attraction. GSDC April to June /15 14

16 Newcomers The mysudbury team coordinated the development of two online videos and a commercial to promote Greater Sudbury to newcomers. The site navigation video will guide the user through the functionality of the Newcomers website. In addition, the second video will provide the user with a general profile of Greater Sudbury. The video is called Meet Sudbury and it will take the user on an online guided tour of the city and will highlight various qualities we have to offer residents and visitors. Mycommunity - Social Planning Council of Sudbury Greater Sudbury Guide to Immigration and Settlement Services Social Planning Council of Greater Sudbury has completed the 2011/2012 Greater Sudbury Guide to Immigration and Settlement Services. The purpose of the guide is to complement information contained within and can assist a newcomer in their transition to Greater Sudbury. The free guide is available online and the printed version will be distributed as a resource tool to local service providers, Citizen Service Centres, etc. in July GSDC April to June /15 15