Body: Council Type: Agenda Meeting: Regular Date: August 11, 2022 Collection: Council Agendas Municipality: Frontenac County
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Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Thursday, August 11, 2022 –10:00 a.m. Meeting to be held in Virtual Electronic Format, and live streamed on the County of Frontenac’s YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/3CCSXx0yamY
AGENDA Page 1.
Call to Order
Adoption of the Agenda a) That the agenda for the August 11, 2022 meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee be adopted.
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
Adoption of Minutes a) Minutes of Meeting held June 9, 2022
3-6
That the minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee meeting held June 9, 2022 be adopted. 5.
Deputations and/or Presentations
Briefings a) Jannette Amini, Manager of Legislative Services/Clerk, will provide the Community Development Advisory Committee with a briefing on the new Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee mandate
Reports to the Community Development Advisory a) 2022-094 Community Development Advisory Committee Business Support Update
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9 - 12
This report is for information purposes only. 13 - 17
b)
2022-095 Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2022 Update This report is for information purposes only.
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Page 18 - 20
c)
2022-096 Community Development Advisory Committee The Frontenac App Update & Next Steps This report is for information purposes only.
Communications
Other Business
Next Meeting a) The next regular meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee is scheduled for Thursday, October 13, 2022 at 10 a.m.
Adjournment
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Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting June 9, 2022 https://youtu.be/HchNP3lHoLo A meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee was held in virtual electronic format, hosted at the County Administrative Office, 2069 Battersea Road, Glenburnie on Thursday, June 9, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. Present Electronically: Betty Hunter, Chair Lisa Henderson Marlene Spruyt Greg Rodgers Robert Schock Councillor Alan Revill, Council Liaison Regrets: Ella Vanderburgt Warden Denis Doyle Staff Present Electronically: Jannette Amini, Manager of Legislative Service/Clerk (Recording Secretary) Brieanna McEathron, Executive Assistant Debbi Miller, Community Development Officer Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development 1.
Call to Order
The meeting was called to order at 10:00 a.m. 2.
Election of Officers
Ms. Amini conducted the election of the Vice Chair. a)
Election of Vice Chair
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Henderson Ms. Hunter
That Councillor Alan Revill be elected Vice Chair of the Community Development Advisory Committee for 2022. Carried
Minutes of Meeting held June 9, 2022
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Moved By: Seconded By:
Councillor Revill Councillor Rodgers
That nominations for Vice Chair be closed. Carried Councillor Revill accepted the nomination of Vice Chair 3.
Adoption of the Agenda
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Henderson Councillor Revill
That the agenda for the June 9, 2022 meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee be adopted. Carried 4.
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
There were none. 5.
Adoption of Minutes a)
Minutes of Meeting held April 14, 2022
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Henderson Mr. Schock
That the minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee meeting held April 14, 2022 be adopted. Carried 6.
Deputations and/or Presentations a)
Ms. Anne Prichard, Executive Director of Frontenac Business Services, provided a presentation on the Food and Beverage in Frontenac Program. [See Reports to the Community Development Advisory Committee, clause a)]
Regarding questions raised about a comprehensive Business Directory, Ms. Prichard noted that the County partners with the Frontenac News on a business directory and Frontenac Business Services support this and promotes local businesses. It was noted
Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes June 9, 2022
Minutes of Meeting held June 9, 2022
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that a Tourism resource is being considered and it was questioned if this is something that Frontenac Business Services would be interested in participating or contributing to, to which Ms. Prichard advised that they are only 2.5 people but this could be presented to her Board. It was noted that Frontenac News is launching a new publication that speaks to food, tourism and agriculture and this might be another vehicle in getting the word out. It was also noted that mapping services are sometimes more beneficial than a business directory given that a tourist typically knows where they are going to so this would allow them to see what is there. It was also noted how Haliburton County uses strategic directional signage with similar signs for types of business, such as artisan cheese or potters. Ms. Miller noted that way finding is included in the Destination Development Plan, being considered later in the meeting. 7.
Reports to the Community Development Advisory a)
2022-060 Community Development Advisory Committee Food and Beverage in Frontenac Program Update Report
This report was for information purposes only and comments/questions were addressed under the presentation by Ms. Prichard. b)
2022-059 Community Development Advisory Committee Destination Development Plan 5-year Implementation Plan
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Henderson Mr. Rodgers
Be It Resolved That the Council of the County of Frontenac endorse the Frontenac County Destination Development Plan Implementation described in report 2022-059. And Further That staff be directed to include Destination Plan implementation in the Planning & Economic Development Budget and Business Plan 2023- 2027. Carried Ms. Miller provided an overview of the report. In terms of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere, they are still in existence however may no longer enjoy the funding they once received meaning less support they are able to provide in terms of tourism. Staff will explore all potential partnerships. The County still provides the “Made in Frontenac” tags and are promoted on both the County website and social media sites. In terms of a technology platform, the County does not have a technology advisory committee but staff do discuss how data can be collected. This will be part of what the
Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes June 9, 2022
Minutes of Meeting held June 9, 2022
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tourism resource will be working on. We do need to ensure that anything we do has flexibility built in and Mr. Schock offered to participate in these discussions. In terms of the tourism resource, the big cost of this project will be data input and this resource will be responsible to pull all this information together and be the point of contact. There will be a proposal coming to County Council as part of the 2023 budget. Mr. Gallivan provided the Committee with an overview of the County’s budget process. c)
2022-061 Community Development Advisory Committee Sharbot Lake Downtown Revitalization Update
This report was for information purposes only. d)
2022-062 Community Development Advisory Committee County Wide Community Improvement Plan (CIP) Update
This report was for information purposes only; however, Ms. Miller provided a brief overview of the report. 8.
Communications
Other Business
Next Meeting a)
The next regular meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee is scheduled for Thursday, August 11, 2022 at 10 a.m. Adjournment
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Spruyt Ms. Henderson
That the meeting hereby adjourn at 10:51 a.m. Carried
Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes June 9, 2022
Minutes of Meeting held June 9, 2022
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Schedule 2 – Advisory Committee to County Council Committee Name: Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee Establishment of the Committee (i) The County of Frontenac Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee shall be comprised of (?) members appointed by County Council as follows: ▪
(4) members of County Council, one from each member municipality; and
▪
(?) community representatives.
(ii) The members of the County of Frontenac Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee shall hold office from the date of their appointment, at the pleasure of Council, up to the end of the term of Council and who shall be named in Schedule “A” to this By-law; (iii) The County of Frontenac Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee shall adhere to the County’s Procedural By-law No. [insert number of new Procedural By-law] and any amendments thereto, specifically Section 22 – Committees for the conduct of all Meetings. Terms of Reference/Mandate The Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee is responsible for overseeing all regional development, planning, and the Planning Act implications of economic development within the County of Frontenac in accordance with the County’s Official Plan document. The Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee shall also be directed by the Economic Development Charter and County Strategic Plan, as well as the Trails Master Plan. The Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee shall: 1. 2.
Be responsible directly to Council for those items emanating from the Planning & Economic Development Department. Subsequent to the approval of the budget, consider budget proposals and business plans for the Planning & Economic Development Department pertaining to items within the Committee mandate. Receive reports from staff on items within the Committee’s mandate. Receive public delegations on matters affecting general land use planning and economic development in the County of Frontenac and hold public meetings, as required by the Planning Act, with respect to plans of subdivision and condominium. All such public meetings would be held in the Township where a development proposal was located.
Jannette Amini , Manager of Legislative Services/Clerk, will provide the…
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5. 6.
Review and recommend to Council revisions to the Planning and Economic Development Committee’s Terms of Reference/Mandate, as required. Monitor provincial and federal legislation that has an impact on planning matters.
Specific Responsibilities The Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee shall: 1. 2. 3.
Provide direction to staff for the implementation of the planning and development goals and policies as outlined in the County’s Official Plan document. Make recommendations to Council with respect to County Official Plan matters. Review and make recommendations to Council concerning other planning matters of the County, including regional studies affecting planning and/or economic development, special studies, sustainability issues, and planning policy matters. Review and consider reports on the following matters that fall within the mandate of the Committee:
- Subdivision and condominium applications;
- Extensions of draft plan approvals;
- County and Township Official Plan amendments; and
- County and Township Official Plan updates. Make recommendations to Council on matters relating to Community Improvement Plans (CIPs) as a means to support and promote community development in the rural areas. Receive advice from, and work with economic development stakeholders such as Community Development Advisory Committee, Community Futures Development Corporation, Land ‘O Lakes Tourism, Kingston Economic Development Corporation (KEDCO), and Township Economic Development Committees.
Composition of the Committee The Council of the County of Frontenac hereby appoints the following individuals to the County of Frontenac Planning and Economic Development Advisory Committee: Council Liaison to Planning and Economic Development ? (?) Representatives from the Community: • Four (4) members of County Council, those being the Mayors of each Township (or their designate): • North Frontenac – • Central Frontenac – • South Frontenac – • Frontenac Islands –
Jannette Amini , Manager of Legislative Services/Clerk, will provide the…
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Report 2022-094 Committee Information Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Debbi Miller, Community Development Officer
Date of meeting:
August 11, 2022
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee - Business Support Update
Recommendation This report is for information purposes only. Background In December of 2020, County Council received the Economic Development Service Delivery Review which recommended that the County shift its resources from direct business support to efforts for investment attraction, particularly as existing partners such as Frontenac Business Services also provide direct business support through advisory services. Since March 2020, Economic Development staff organized virtual round table meetings with businesses from across multiple sectors and throughout the County. Initially, these meetings took place weekly, but eventually became monthly. The intention of these meetings was to connect virtually with businesses in Frontenac County to understand their needs, concerns and any impacts or issues that staff needed to be aware of our could support during COVID-19. These meetings also offered staff an opportunity to share updates and funding opportunities with businesses in a timely fashion. This was complimented by the regular digital newsletter to Ambassadors and website updates on the County website. Prior to the COVID-19 Pandemic, County staff spent significant resources visiting with and supporting local businesses, working to connect these businesses with available supports and to forge connections between businesses across the region. This was done, in part, to partner with businesses in the promotion of the Frontenac Brand, thus
2022-094 Community Development Advisory Committee Business Support Updat…
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creating the Frontenac Ambassador Community, which consists of over 150 businesses from across the region. At its regular meeting on December 9,2021 the Community Development Advisory Committee considered Report 2021-119 which outlined proposed changes to the Ambassador program and the County’s role in providing business supports. These changes were in response to the recommendation made by Blackline for the County to move away from activities focused on direct support. Comment Sector Table Meetings In March and June 2022, Economic Development staff hosted virtual sector table meetings for three sectors including Food and Beverage, Tourism and Agriculture. The agriculture sector table meetings have been a collaborative approach with the City of Kingston Rural Economic Development Department. The virtual sector table meetings are planned to take place three times each year. While the joint-agricultural sector table continues to be well attended, participation has been relatively limited at the Food and Beverage and Tourism sector meetings. With limited attendance, it is difficult to gain the benefits for businesses to learn from each other and support each other with advice or partnerships. Staff will monitor and are considering a return to a more open format – a broad monthly business meeting up, similar to the meetings that took place in 2020 and 2021. Hosting virtual sessions allows businesses from across the region to participate, share updates, ask questions and to network with other businesses. Email Newsletter Communications The economic development team has redesigned its approach to email communication with the business community, moving from a longer, in depth aggregation of various opportunities that was sent once or twice a month to a short, weekly update with relevant and timely information and standard links to webpages with information about funding or learning opportunities. The new format launched in July. Annual Business Event and Awards The week of October 17, Economic Development will be hosting an in person business education and networking event, during small business week. The event will be an opportunity to bring partners and businesses together for an in-person session that will include the following: networking, updates, speaker/s, breakout sessions, engagement throughout the event, and awards for businesses. The exact location in Frontenac County is being confirmed. The intention is the event would be a full day event to maximize the travel required to attend and participate.
Recommend Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Planning and Economic Development – Business Sector Updates August 11, 2022
2022-094 Community Development Advisory Committee Business Support Updat…
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Staff from Economic Development will work with the Townships, Frontenac Business Services and BDC (who leads small business week at a national level) and other partners to support the event. Some highlights that are being planned are outlined below: •
Networking – This will be an opportunity for businesses to meet and reacquaint with business owners and employees. There will be open sessions at various times throughout the day that encourage discussions. Staff are also exploring opportunities that allow for time to go for a walk, try an on-site activity or participate in a game, sport or casual interaction.
•
Economic Development Update – There will be an opportunity for Economic Development to provide an update for businesses on items that are relevant to them and that they may be interested in being involved in. Some examples of updates could include trail signage, the app, Community Improvement Plan next steps, Destination Development Plan, and marketing opportunities.
•
Workshops and Roundtables – Hosting sessions where businesses could participate in breakout rooms to discuss experiences their business has to offer to open the dialogue with other businesses to expand the offerings for visitors. Another session that is being considered is Planning 101 that would offer a short, plain language presentation, followed by a question-and-answer time about planning.
•
Business Awards – Hosting awards to recognize various businesses. The awards would be done through a nomination process by other businesses in advance of the event. There would be a selection committee formed to review nominations. The awards ceremony would take place during the business event and would highlight a maximum of 5 businesses that were recipients. The physical award would be an item made by an artist or artisan in Frontenac County. The intention is that the Business Awards would become an annual award.
•
Guest Speaker – The speaker will be determined. It will be important to ensure the speaker will be impactful and of interest to all types of businesses.
•
Business highlights – Opportunities for businesses to showcase their product will be offered. Some examples of these opportunities could be certain products are used for breaks and meals or an activity or demonstration could be a showcased. Time, location, and space will all be considered as the event is planned.
•
Marketing materials – There will be an opportunity for businesses to bring marketing materials for their business to share and distribute to other businesses for them to display at their location.
•
Engagement – Throughout the event there will be passive ways of asking businesses for input. The use of question boards with dots and/or sticky notes will be utilized throughout the event.
Recommend Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Planning and Economic Development – Business Sector Updates August 11, 2022
2022-094 Community Development Advisory Committee Business Support Updat…
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Familiarization Tour Continuing to support businesses and work with them to raise awareness and highlight the work they are doing and to make connections with others is important to Economic Development. Hosting a Familiarization Tour is a new way to make these connections and to continue to highlight the work happening in Frontenac County. There are many new businesses and new owners of existing businesses across Frontenac. In the spring of 2023, Economic Development is exploring the possibility of doing a Familiarization Tour (FAM Tour) for businesses. This could be for business owners, operators, or front-line staff. Businesses would sign up to participate to be a location that is visited to showcase what they have to offer. Typically, many of the locations are ones that others can promote to residents and visitors as something to do when staying or visiting the region. Considering the size of Frontenac County, the tour (or tours) will need to be carefully planned to maximize the number of businesses that are able to be showcased. Additional research will be done with an event outlined for the Familiarization Tour and a report will come back to the committee for consideration. Financial Implications Funds to support Ambassador networking events are part of the annual economic development budget and business plan. Staff will work with partners and local businesses to determine venue and other funding support. Funding for speakers and workshops can be accessed from regional partners in tourism and economic development. Strategic Priority Implications Priority 3.1: Work with the townships, other municipalities, and levels of government on broad infrastructure issues - ranging from environmental concerns to regional transportation strategies for residential, social and economic purposes, and access to funding. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Anne Prichard, Frontenac Business Services Louise Fragnito, Township of South Frontenac Claire Dodds, Township of South Frontenac Cindy Deachman, Township of Central Frontenac Matt Walker, Township of North Frontenac Brooke Hawley, Township of North Frontenac Darlene Plumley, Township of Frontenac Islands
Recommend Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Planning and Economic Development – Business Sector Updates August 11, 2022
2022-094 Community Development Advisory Committee Business Support Updat…
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Report 2022-095 Committee Information Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Debbi Miller, Community Development Officer
Date of meeting:
August 11, 2022
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee - Open Farms 2022 Update
Recommendation This report is for information purposes only. Background Open Farms began as part of the Advancing Economic Development in Frontenac County project to fulfill the request from South Frontenac Township to support its food and beverage sector. Since then, it has evolved to a regional initiative that included operators from all four Frontenac Townships as well as partnerships with the Township of South Frontenac, Tourism Kingston, and the City of Kingston. Open Farms has been held on farms in Frontenac County for four (4) years. The first two years, 2018 and 2019, were held successfully in-person on farms. In 2019, some participating farms reported being overwhelmed with approximately 1,200 visitors to their site during the one-day event. The events in 2020 and 2021 were adapted because of the COVID-19 Pandemic and the public health guidelines and restrictions that were in place. Open Farms 2020 was a virtual event and Open Farms 2021 was a combination of virtual and in-person. The inperson farm component required advanced tickets for the three farms that participated to ensure that numbers were manageable and met public health guidelines. A Community Hub in Centennial Park in Harrowsmith was added in 2021 and was an opportunity to bring various groups together in one place. This hub was primarily coordinated by staff from the Township of South Frontenac.
2022-095 Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2022 Update
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Outcomes from the 2021 Open Farms event are shared in Report 2022-118. The 2021 event started a partnership-based approach that allowed for the program to expand, but still relied heavily on County staff for centralized leadership and coordination. The 2020 Economic Development Service Delivery Review recommends that the County Economic Development team should start playing more of a regional coordination role and be less involved in project execution at the Township or community level. As such, it will be important for the County to consider its role in coordinating this event going forward, and to ensure that Open Farms continues to contribute to the Economic Development goals of Frontenac County and the larger community. Comment The Economic Development staff have been working with farms and partners on Open Farms 2022. For this year’s event Frontenac County has partnered with the Township of South Frontenac, The City of Kingston, Tourism Kingston. There are also additional event partners that are involved including Homegrown at Open Farms, the Frontenac Plowing Match, the Wolfe Island Plowing Match, and several Farmers Markets. Open Farms continues to be seen as an important regional event by farms, partners, and participants. The goal of connecting people who eat to the land and the people who work that land continues to be the focus of the event. In addition to on-farm experiences, other opportunities are available for consumers to connect with local food businesses and farmers, along with entertainment or farming demonstrations, such as the Homegrown at Open Farms festival, the Frontenac Plowing Match and at Farmer’s Markets. 2022 Event Goals The core goals of Open Farms remain the same as they have been since 2018. A few adjustments have been made to reflect the event’s growth and evolution:
- Educate consumers about small scale agriculture.
- Increase awareness of farms and restaurants that serve local food.
- Provide the opportunity for producers to connect directly with consumers.
- Provide the opportunity for producers to start new long-term relationships with customers, restaurants, and other producers.
- Grow our region’s reputation as a local food destination, to: a. Create interest among visitors. b. Attract new agricultural operations and food and beverage businesses. c. Drive new opportunities for culinary and agri-tourism product development. Experiences The 2022 approach to Open Farms is to facilitate in-person, ticketed experiences, hosted by local farms in Frontenac County and the City of Kingston. Each farm can Information Report Community Development Advisory Committee – Open Farms 2022 Update August 11, 2022
2022-095 Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2022 Update
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determine how many experiences they offer, the price of their experience and what their maximum capacity is. Ticket sales are being facilitated by the City of Kingston through their online recreation program ticketing system. Tickets will be on sale from August 10 through until September 6, 2022. Ticketing the event ensures that farms are able to showcase their products and facilities in a positive, controlled, fashion without fear of being overrun. The on-farm experience and programming are being coordinated by the farm operators. Farms determined if they are participating in one or two days, how many participants they can accommodate with each visit, what the programming or farm experience involves and what the associated costs are. The farms and agricultural operations that are participating in 2022 are: •
•
• • •
• •
•
Back Forty Artisan Cheese will be hosting Tours & Tasting on Saturday. Participants will be able to see, learn, and ask questions about each step of the traditional craft of cheese making followed by a chance to sample a set of cheeses. On Sunday, Back Forty will host an intimate farm-to-table dinner for 22 guests featuring a six course meal from their garden, pasture raised meat, handmade bread and delicious cheeses. Woodland Priestess will be hosting three tours titled “An introduction to Permaculture” on Saturday consisting of a tour of how she uses the principles of Permaculture and Indigenous gardening techniques. On Sunday, tours titled “Introduction to plant spirit medicine” will be offered to share knowledge of mindbody and soul healing of the plants. Long Road Eco Farm will be hosting tours to share various aspects of the farm operation, with the opportunity to follow the tour with a self guided trail walk. There will be a food truck on site. Perry Farms at Food Less Travelled, will bring livestock to the store in Verona on Saturday. They will have cattle, calves, bulls, donkeys and some pigs. They are offering roping demos on site. Fat Chance Farmstead will be hosting multiple tours of the farm on both Saturday and Sunday. Participants will have an opportunity to learn the process of harvesting, cleaning and milling grain into flour. There will be a tour of the vegetable and strawberry fields. There is also an opportunity to learn about the equipment required to successfully grow high quality organic food. Kingston & Area Community Training Farm will be hosting a drop in event on Saturday on site to learn more about the training farm. Kitchen Table Seed House will be hosting on Saturday a field tour, tomato tasting, demonstration of tomato seed cleaning and then an introduction to plant breeding at their site. A wonderful educational experience with opportunities to ask questions and deepen each participants knowledge of seeds. Wolfe Island Hopyard, will be hosting an open event on Saturday at the Hopyard. The event will include a shuttle from the Wolfe Island Ferry dock to the Hopyard site, tickets for beer sampling and a reusable glass. The experience on the farm will include the happenings that take place during harvest season. There will be local brewers to offer samples of product made with the Wolfe Island Hopyard Hops. The event will include music, tours, education, a food truck on
Information Report Community Development Advisory Committee – Open Farms 2022 Update August 11, 2022
2022-095 Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2022 Update
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site. This will be an opportunity to leave more about hops and grow your love of local. Farms are creating unique experiences; many farms will have product available on site to purchase. Community Hubs and additional programs In 2021, a “community hub” functioned as the central Open Farms experience. This allowed for more control in the face of changing public health protocols. These experiences resembled a vendor village or larger farmer’s market. A surprise benefit of this approach was allowing for farms who are not able to host visitors to have a presence at the event. With this benefit in mind, hubs will be available on both days of Open Farms this year. The South Frontenac Museum on Hwy #38 in Hartington will be open on Saturday, September 10 and will be highlighting yesterday’s agricultural practices that allowed farming in Frontenac County to flourish to this day. This will be a drop in event and is not ticketed. Homegrown with Open Farms will be taking place on Saturday, September 10 at 3005 Forest Road in Harrowsmith. This site will be hosting farms that are not able to bring visitors to their site. They are also acting as a community hub with handmade vendors, local beer and liquor, live music and entertainment for kids and adults in the field. This event is a ticketed for $5.00 per vehicle and tickets can be purchased with the other farm experiences at OpenFarms.ca. The Frontenac Plowing Match event will be taking place on Sunday, September 11 at a farm located at 3118 Sunbury Road, just east of Sunbury. The event will be coorganized by the Program, Events & Education Coordinator from South Frontenac, and the Frontenac County Plowmen’s Association. This event is not ticketed and is open to the public as a drop in event. The hub is a place to leave about local food topics and issues with the centrepiece of the community hub – the vendor’s market. Visitors will be able to shop, try new products, and connect with producers and artisans. There will be educational booths. Live music and the Otter Creek Food truck to round out the celebration of local agriculture. Tourism Kingston will be hosting farm-to-table dining experiences during the weekend. This will continue to highlight the local food at specific restaurants in Kingston. More information will be posted on the Tourism Kingston website as it becomes available. For the complete list of farms and community activities happening during Open Farms visit www.OpenFarms.ca
Information Report Community Development Advisory Committee – Open Farms 2022 Update August 11, 2022
2022-095 Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2022 Update
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Responsibilities As County staff resources are limited, the scope of the event continues to be about around farms, agriculture, and food. The County’s role is to:
- Aggregate and coordinate the list of experiences hosted at www.openfarms.ca
- Work with participating farms to coordinate ticketing for experiences.
- Collaborate with partners to host related events and opportunities for education and local food promotion in addition to the on-farm experiences.
- Lead the overall marketing and promotion of Open Farms. The City of Kingston, Tourism Kingston and South Frontenac will all be supporting the event with various marketing opportunities through their digital channels, print, online and signage. Financial Implications The County of Frontenac’s operating budget for Open Farms 2022 is $8,000. Strategic Priorities At its meeting on June 19, 2019, County Council approved Frontenac County Strategic Plan 2019-2022. This project is aligned with the intent of the priorities listed below. Priority 1.2: Refine and invest in efforts to accelerate economic development — to grow businesses, attract more visits and expand the tax base. Priority 3: Champion and coordinate collaborative efforts Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected South Frontenac Township Tourism Kingston City of Kingston Frontenac Federation of Agriculture National Farmers’ Union Local 316 Frontenac Farmers’ Market The Market at Wolfe Island Commons Sharbot Lake Farmers’ Market Frontenac County Plowmen’s Association KFL&A Public Health Regional Tourism Organization 9 Ontario Ministry of Food and Rural Affairs
Information Report Community Development Advisory Committee – Open Farms 2022 Update August 11, 2022
2022-095 Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2022 Update
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Report 2022-096 Committee Information Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Ava Waugh, Digital Marketing Intern
Date of meeting:
August 11, 2022
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – The Frontenac App Update & Next Steps
Recommendation This report is for information purposes only. Background As part of the 2022-2026 Business Plan for the Planning and Economic Development Department, a trail activation program was identified to connect regional trail users to more businesses and communities located along these trails. Report 2022-012 detailed the introduction of a “passport,” a physical document that would encourage trail users to collect stamps by visiting businesses along these trails. During the development process and consultation with stakeholders, the desire for this passport to work as a mobile application appeared. This new direction was shared with the Community Development Advisory Committee in Report 2022-040 at its regular meeting on April 14, 2022. On June 28, 2022 the Frontenac App was launched using ‘468 Insider’ mobile application, a place-based economic development and tourism platform available through the Economic Developers Council of Ontario. Comment Current Engagement The reach of the Frontenac App can be measured using the following criteria. This information comes as of August 2, 2022, over one month after the launch of the app on June 28, 2022.
2022-096 Community Development Advisory Committee The Frontenac App Upda…
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• • • • • •
Number of registered users, is defined as those who have downloaded the app and created an account to be able to collect and redeem points: 150 registered users App launches, is defined as the number of times the Frontenac App has been opened: 263 launches by registered users Unregistered users, is defined as those who have downloaded the app but have not created an account: 1039 launches by unregistered users Page views, is defined as the number of times an individual views a location’s page: 1922 page views Point collections, are defined as the number of times all users have collected points at all locations to date: 69 points collections Point redemptions, are defined as the number of times a user has redeemed points at a location to date: 7 point redemptions.
At this time there are 19 businesses registered with the app, with 11 more at various stages of the onboarding process. Promotion The Frontenac App has been promoted across social media platforms Twitter, Instagram, & Facebook. Businesses were reached out to individually through email and over the phone, as well as in person visits. A weekly newsletter to Frontenac Ambassadors also included a memo on the Frontenac App. The App was promoted in person at the Verona Trailhead Ribbon Cutting ceremony in Verona, Ontario on June 28, 2022, and at the Lakes and Trails Festival in Sydenham, Ontario on July 16, 2022. Various marketing materials were also employed to encourage the use of the app. Showcasing screenshots of the app and a QR code leading to the information page on the VisitFrontenac.ca, the marketing materials helped inform and encourage the use of the app. Business cards were distributed to businesses, hotels, visitor centres, individuals, etc. A poster was used at the Ribbon Cutting ceremony and Lakes and Trails Festival, and tent cards were distributed to businesses for display within their physical location. Future Engagement It is recommended that contests be held on social media to encourage user engagement with local businesses along the K&P Trail. The goals of the contests are as follows:
Increase awareness of the app through additional posting across social media channels, attracting new users Encourage further engagement by incentivizing point collection and redemption, motivating existing users
Information Report Community Development Advisory Committee – The Frontenac App Update & Next Steps August 11, 2022
2022-096 Community Development Advisory Committee The Frontenac App Upda…
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Foster connections with local business owners and community members in Frontenac County Increase usage of the K&P Trail
Winners will be rewarded with Frontenac County merchandise, differing depending on the time of year. More information on the Frontenac App is available on the Visit Frontenac website. This webpage details how the app works, and links to both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store for download to mobile devices. Financial Implications The 468 Insider application has a cost of $3600.00 plus HST per year for up to 40 locations. The Trail Activation Program includes a marketing budget which supports the development and promotion of the Frontenac App. Strategic Priorities At its meeting on June 19, 2019, County Council approved Frontenac County Strategic Plan 2019-2022. This project is aligned with the intent of the priorities listed below. Priority 1.2: Refine and invest in efforts to accelerate economic development — to grow businesses, attract more visits and expand the tax base. Priority 3.2: Play a leadership role on communications to promote shared messaging for all regional initiatives such as economic development, tourism, and lifestyle opportunities. The Frontenac App aligns with the “Trips and Trails” pillar of the Economic Development Charter for the Frontenacs. The Blackline Service Delivery Review was completed in November 2020. The Frontenac App is in alignment with two of the four core recommendations: 2. Focus on activities that support investment attraction to the region. 4. Elevate marketing the trail. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected David Millard, Information Services, Frontenac County Matt Mills, Communications Officer, Frontenac County Economic Developers Council of Ontario Community Development Advisory Committee Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority Frontenac County Businesses
Information Report Community Development Advisory Committee – The Frontenac App Update & Next Steps August 11, 2022
2022-096 Community Development Advisory Committee The Frontenac App Upda…
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