Body: Council Type: Agenda Meeting: Regular Date: August 13, 2020 Collection: Council Agendas Municipality: Frontenac County
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Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Thursday, August 13, 2020 – 10:00 a.m. Meeting to be held in Virtual Electronic Format and live streamed on the County of Frontenac’s Youtube Channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-AvDbq2OIc 2069 Battersea Road, Glenburnie, ON
AGENDA Page 1.
Call to Order
Adoption of the Agenda a) That the agenda for the August 13, 2020 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 11, 2020
3-8
That the minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee meeting held June 11, 2020 be adopted.
9 - 10
Deputations and/or Presentations
Reports to the Community Development Advisory a) 2020-072 Community Development Advisory Committee K&P Trail Stakeholder Survey Be It Resolved That staff, after consultation with the CDAC, report the results of the K&P Trail Stakeholder Survey to Council in Q1 of 2021 as part of the review of the pilot initiative to extend ATV use on the Frontenac K&P Trail from Craig Road south to the Verona Trailhead at Bellrock Road until November 30, 2020.
11 - 17
b)
2020-073 Community Development Advisory Committee Launch of Visit Frontenac Website and Social Media This report is for information only.
18 - 24
c)
2020-074 Community Development Advisory Committee
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Page Update on COVID-19 Response Initiatives This report is for information only. 25 - 33
d)
2020-075 Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac Ambassador Program, 2019 Annual Report This report is for information only.
Communications a) Link provided by Barrie Gilbert Regarding the Ontario Trail Strategy http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/sport/recreation/A2010_TrailStrategy.pdf
34 - 35
b)
Correspondence from Barrie Gilbert Regarding the K&P Trail Motorized User Issues
Other Business
Next Meeting a) The next regular meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee is scheduled for Thursday, October 8, 2020
Adjournment
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AGENDA ITEM #a)
Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting June 11, 2020 A regular 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 11, 2020 at 10:00 a.m. Present: Betty Hunter, Chair Barrie Gilbert Wilma Kenny, Vice Chair Councillor Alan Revill, Council Liaison Lisa Henderson Greg Rodgers Mary Kloosterman Councillor Denis Doyle Staff Present: Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development Alison Vandervelde, Community Development Officer (Regrets) Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development Megan Rueckwald, Manager of Community Planning Emma Pritchard, Digital Marketing Student Brieanna McEathron, Administrative Clerk (Recording Secretary) 1.
Call to Order
The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:05 a.m. 2.
Adoption of the Agenda
Moved By: Seconded By:
Councillor Revill Councillor Doyle
That the agenda for the June 11, 2020 meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee be adopted. Carried 3.
Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
There were none.
Minutes of Meeting held June 11, 2020
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AGENDA ITEM #a)
Adoption of Minutes a)
Minutes of Meeting held February 13, 2020
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Kenny Ms. Henderson
That the minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee meeting held February 13, 2020 be adopted. Carried 5.
Deputations and/or Presentations
Reports to the Community Development Advisory a)
2020-055 Community Development Advisory Committee Responding to the economic impact of COVID-19 in Frontenac County
This report is for information only. It is intended to spark discussion with respect to potential tactics and programs to support economic recovery and ongoing economic development in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. With respect to Covid-19 in Frontenac County, it was noted that we are doing the best we can to keep businesses going and that this is accomplished through video conferences, surveys and promoting local products. Mr. Rodgers noted that our local tourism group has formed a small adhoc committee which will bring together 5 members with different backgrounds to take a look at Covid19 appropriate business plans. This committee will be creating a multi-vendor business site. It was also noted that he will be creating a new cycle touring business. Councillor Doyle noted that public health is promoting getting outside. He also noted that the province is promoting that businesses start to open their doors with this being said it would be beneficial for CDAC and the County to let people know what the rules are regarding the COVID-19 restrictions. These restrictions are complicated for businesses to navigate. It was noted that the County should pursue a user friendly business directory which will help residents find locally sourced products. With respect to internet access in the County, it was noted that expanding internet access would help local businesses. It was questioned if we are receiving any additional funding for the broadband network. Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes June 11, 2020
Minutes of Meeting held June 11, 2020
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AGENDA ITEM #a)
Mr. Allen noted that the internet broadband project is coming together slowly and once an update is received from EORN both the committee and council will receive an update. Mr. Gilbert entered meeting 10:19 a.m. With respect to businesses receiving the proper safety equipment, it was noted that there is no KFL&A directory but, that the County has shared provincial links for proper PPE, hand sanitizer and facemasks. Ms. Hunter noted that the Community Futures Development Corporation (CFDC) has acquired funding for local businesses and that if anyone on the Community Development Advisory Committee knows of any businesses that need help to reach out to the CFDC. b)
2020-056 Community Development Advisory Committee Online Multi-Vendor Marketplace
This report is for information only. It is intended to update the committee on the progress made on the online multi-vendor marketplace initiative. With respect to the online multi-vendor marketplace, it was noted that the County will help support these businesses by promoting their brand and strengthening the regional brand in the County. Ms. Kloosterman asked that with this new initiative is it possible to take funding from Open Farms and reallocate it to the online multi-vendor market place initiative. Mr. Allen noted that there has been discussion about how operational this website will be at the time of Open Farms. He stated that the benefit of a multi-vendor market place is the requirement of only promoting one location instead of individual businesses. He stated that he has received notice from the CFDC and they have allocated more funding for businesses to get online. This initiative is great for local farmers in the County as well as the rest of the province. People want local grown food and want to ensure their food has gone through the least amount of people. Ms. Hunter noted that selling online will be good for local artisans. Ms. Kloosterman noted that there is a lot of small vendors that don’t have the resources to reach out on a large spectrum and that this will certainly help them. Mr. Gallivan entered the meeting at 10:30 a.m. Ms. Pritchard entered the meeting at 10:30 a.m.
Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes June 11, 2020
Minutes of Meeting held June 11, 2020
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AGENDA ITEM #a)
c)
2020-057 Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2020, Virtual Format
This report is for information only. Mr. Allen noted that public health has made the decision to not have an in person Open Farms 2020. With respect to the timeline of Open Farms 2020, it was noted that Open Farms is going to happen in the second week of September and will be a 4 week campaign. With respect to the cost of the Open Farms videos and promotion, it was noted that the goal is to use the grant funding for the videos instead of in house services. The County is committing to making 1 video and therefore will be coaching the farms to create their own videos. d)
2020-058 Community Development Advisory Committee VisitFrontenac.ca Website Development
This report is for information only. It is intended to solicit comments from the Committee on the transition from the economic development web portal infrontenac.ca to a new regional tourism website visitfrontenac.ca. Councillor Doyle has noted that Frontenac Islands has received bad news from MTO regarding the Wolfe Island Ferry and stated that it will be removed for 3 years commencing on June 22nd. Therefore the Ferry by Foot project will be cancelled until further notice. Mr. Allen noted that he has been in touch with MTO as well as the townships and that at this time the Ferry by Foot project does not make sense to continue. The number of people on the ferry will be limited. The County is working hard to provide information on the Wolfe Island section of the website. With respect to the development of the new website, it was noted that on page 34-36 of the report the County has indicated the businesses that will be staying on the website. e)
2020-059 Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac K&P Trail Marketing Plan
This report is for information only. It is intended to solicit advice from the Committee on the intended marketing plan for the Frontenac K&P Trail. Mr. Gilbert noted that the nearest villages on the trail shoul put up labels for schools and local residents to know about the natural environment. There has been a good response and if the County could pay for the small signs this would be beneficial.
Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes June 11, 2020
Minutes of Meeting held June 11, 2020
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AGENDA ITEM #a)
Councillor Doyle noted that the signs that Mr. Gilbert is referring to are cheap. It was also noted that this could be expanded to the Wolfe Island canal. With respect to the Verona trailhead, it was noted that the County has not yet found sufficient partnership to complete the project. It was also noted that the Verona association has been a great partner and that before the pandemic there was conversations that were taking place. Mr. Allen noted that he has open lines of communication with the Townships and their public work departments. He is aware of the paving project in South Frontenac. Ms. Kenny noted that having local villages do the undertaking of the signs would not be beneficial and recommends it be done by Kingston field naturalists. Ms. Kloosterman stated that she believes if we open up the use of the trail to ATV’s we are not going to be able to take this back. It was also noted that it will soon be the entire trail that is used by ATVs and that this is not beneficial for trail walkers. Councillor Doyle noted that we do not have any requirements to continue this project after the trial. Mr. Gilbert noted that he has put tremendous thought into the affects that ATVs will have on his cycling business and his approach is that he does not have any power if an ATV will have access to the trails. It was noted that he does not see as many ATVs in the summer and that the cyclists that are coming through these parts of the trail are not having issues with ATVs but rather the condition of the trail. With respect to the Trans-Canada grant, it was noted that the County has not yet heard back from Trans-Canada in regards to the allowance of ATVs on the trail. The County did provide a survey to local residents and businesses back in 2017 and there was a lot of support in favour of ATVs having access to the trail head as long as the ATV users were behaving appropriately. The conflicts on the trail go way above motorized vs. not motorized vehicles. With respect to the trail condition, it was noted that the users are not happy with the condition of the trail. With respect to the trial of ATVs on the trail, it was noted that the County will report back to CDAC and Council. Ultimately there will be a survey that goes to businesses and users of the trail. The County has been engaging ATV users to allow for better practices. It was also noted that additional signage should allow for safer trails.
Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes June 11, 2020
Minutes of Meeting held June 11, 2020
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AGENDA ITEM #a)
f)
2020-060 Community Development Advisory Committee One-on-One Digital Support Sessions
This report is for information only. With respect to the one-on-one digital support sessions, it was noted that these sessions are held via video conference. These sessions are held with Chris Morris the digital specialist with Kingston Economic Development and partners with the County Economic Development department. Mr. Allen noted that he spoke with a few businesses and that have found this service very valuable to their business. Although, people are much more comfortable doing these training sessions in person, it has been much easier coordinating these sessions over the internet. It was also noted that internet connection is a concern but going further the County may be able to partner with libraries and other local businesses. Ms. Henderson noted that Mr. Morris was helpful and that the one-on-one session she received was helpful. He provided her with little tweaks for her business website and that the one hour session was invaluable for business owners. 7.
Communications
Other Business
Next Meeting The next regular meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee is scheduled for Thursday, August 13, 2020
Adjournment
Moved By: Seconded By:
Councillor Doyle Councillor Revill
That the meeting hereby adjourn at 11:39 a.m. Carried
Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes June 11, 2020
Minutes of Meeting held June 11, 2020
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AGENDA ITEM #a)
Report 2020-072 Committee Recommend Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Prepared by:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Date of meeting:
August 13, 2020
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – K&P Trail Stakeholder Survey
Recommendation Be It Resolved That staff, after consultation with the CDAC, report the results of the K&P Trail Stakeholder Survey, as amended through report 2020-076, to Council in Q1 of 2021 as part of the review of the pilot initiative to extend ATV use on the Frontenac K&P Trail from Craig Road south to the Verona Trailhead at Bellrock Road until November 30, 2020. Background In November 2019, the final connection between Kingston and Sharbot Lake was made on the Frontenac K&P Trail. Immediately, use began to rise as a result of this connection, and during the COVID-19 Pandemic the trail experienced explosive user growth as community members sought out outdoor activities that could be experienced at a safe distance from others. Discussion Staff have brought the draft survey attached to this report to the committee’s attention for input. This survey is meant to be conducted on an ongoing basis, and annually, in order to capture the best possible understanding of trail users and the related economic benefits. While capital trail development continues, staff have also begun to consider programs to engage with trail users in order to create economic opportunities for local businesses.
2020-072 Community Development Advisory Committee K&P Trail Stakeholder …
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AGENDA ITEM #a)
In addition, staff have identified a need to capture the sentiment of a variety of trail stakeholders, from local users to visitors and as well as to the businesses that may wish to benefit from trail activity. As such, staff propose long term online survey be created and activated until November 30, 2020. Strategic Priorities Priority 1.2: Refine and invest in efforts to accelerate economic development — to grow businesses, attract more visits and expand the tax base. The overarching strategic goal for the Frontenac K&P Trail Project is to create economic opportunities for local businesses through the locals and tourists who participate in the Trail experience. Financial Implications There are no financial implications associated with this report. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Matt Mills, Communications Officer K&P Trail Stakeholders including but not limited to:
- Trail users (Motorized and Non Motorized)
- Verona District ATV Club
- Snow Road Snowmobile Club
- L&A Ridgerunners Snowmobile Club
- Kingston Velo Club
Recommend Report to Community Development Advisory Committee K&P Trail Stakeholder Survey August 13, 2020
2020-072 Community Development Advisory Committee K&P Trail Stakeholder …
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AGENDA ITEM #b)
Report 2020-073 Committee Information Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Prepared by:
Alison Vandervelde, Community Development Officer
Date of meeting:
August 13, 2020
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – Launch of Visit Frontenac Website and Social Media
Recommendation This report is for information only. Background At its Regular Meeting held May 20, 2020, County Council approved the revised Economic Development Department’s 2020 Business Plan through Report 2020-050, which included prioritizing tourism as one of four action areas in the team’s COVID-19 response efforts: “Prioritize Tourism: Tourism plays a significant role in the Frontenac economy. In January of 2020, Economic Development staff surveyed businesses and discovered that 59% of businesses benefit directly or indirectly from visitors to our region. Tourism will be one of the last industries to reopen, and the Ontario market will prove very competitive if international borders remain closed and consumers avoid air travel.” That same report outlined proposed changes to the economic development website: “The web portal at infrontenac.ca is a resource for businesses, visitors, and investors in Frontenac County. This site has been live since 2017 and was initially envisioned to fill a gap in online information for economic development purposes. In 2018 the county’s main website was updated with much of the functionality required by the Economic Development team, and this website is now an effective platform to communicate Economic Development information. Since its launch, infrontenac.ca has served a secondary purpose as a place to provide
2020-073 Community Development Advisory Committee Launch of Visit Fronte…
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AGENDA ITEM #b)
information with respect to tourism. With the closure of the Land O’ Lakes Tourism Association in 2018, Frontenac Economic Development has slowly begun to coordinate tourism efforts and market tourism in the region. Evolving infrontenac.ca to a stand-alone tourism website will create a focal point for regional tourism marketing efforts, and a go-to online resource for tourists and tourism providers. Staff will make InFrontenac.ca a tourism centred website, and migrate economic development related content to Frontenac County website.” In Appendix A, implementation tactics included developing “Visit Frontenac” social channels to clarify corporate messages from regional promotion. Comment Website Staff have updated and transitioned priority economic development content to the main county website, www.frontenaccounty.ca within the Business in Frontenac section.
The transition of www.inFrontenac.ca to a stand-alone tourism website is now complete and the new site map includes nearly 60 pages of tourism content, organized under five main navigation headings:
Stay
Explore & Do
Local Food
About
Wolfe Island
Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Launch of Visit Frontenac Website and Social Media August 13, 2020
2020-073 Community Development Advisory Committee Launch of Visit Fronte…
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AGENDA ITEM #b)
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development will provide a demonstration of the website during the August 13 CDAC meeting. Of particular note is the Explore & Do section, which highlights a rich collection of opportunities for outdoor recreation in Frontenac:
Beaches
Canoe, Kayak and SUP
Cycling Routes
Fishing
Golf
Provincial Parks
Conservation Areas
Shop
Trails
Working with the Information Systems team, Economic Development staff continue to review and make minor changes to the site to ensure a consistent and positive user experience. For now the website domain will remain www.inFrontenac.ca to take advantage of its established high ranking in search engine results. Frontenac County already owns the domain www.VisitFrontenac.ca and staff have directed it to the homepage. Eventually the tourism site will assume this new domain and www.inFrontenac.ca will redirect to the economic development content on www.FrontenacCounty.ca. Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Launch of Visit Frontenac Website and Social Media August 13, 2020
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AGENDA ITEM #b)
Social Media Staff have secured Visit Frontenac accounts on the three most popular social media platforms:
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/VisitFrontenac
Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/visitfrontenac
Twitter - https://twitter.com/visitfrontenac
Now that the website transition is complete, staff have developed an implementation plan to launch these new platforms in the week of August 10. For the four weeks between August 10 and September 7, the priority will be growing the audience for all three new channels. This will be achieved through a number of activities:
Direct traffic from existing County channels to Visit channels
Post valuable and engaging content on Visit channels o Shop Local video series o Updated website content – articles, lists, routes, etc o Content from the Regional Tourism Organizations that features Frontenac County o Transition User Generated Content campaign and Weekly Roundup Stories to Visit channels (Instagram Specific)
Monitor posts and invite those who react to also like/follow the page (Facebook specific)
Follow and/or Like appropriate accounts through the Visit channels
Announcements via press release and the Ambassador email newsletter
Communication with tourism partners to drive traffic to Visit Frontenac channels instead of existing Frontenac County channels
Open Farms Integration The August 10 launch of the Visit Frontenac social platforms is well timed, as it will allow for several weeks to grow the audience in advance of the Open Farms virtual event. The execution of Open Farms as a virtual event in 2020 will result in a significant volume of social media activity. In the five weeks from September 7 until October 9, the Visit Frontenac social channels will be dominated by Open Farms content. During this period, users will see some duplication of content across existing Frontenac County channels and new Visit Frontenac channels to ensure that awareness of the new Tourism identities is generated. All visitor-targeted content will be posted to Visit Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Launch of Visit Frontenac Website and Social Media August 13, 2020
2020-073 Community Development Advisory Committee Launch of Visit Fronte…
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AGENDA ITEM #b)
Frontenac channels, with a portion of that content being shared back to the Frontenac County channels. This practice will help grow the audience on the new Visit Frontenac channels and will address the overlap in interests as much of the content produced by the Economic Development team is appropriate for both local and visitor audiences. Matt Mills, Frontenac County’s Communications Officer, will oversee the task of choosing and sharing appropriate Visit content on the Frontenac County channels. The New Normal in the Off-Season Historically, social media activity in Frontenac drops off significantly after Open Farms each year. This mirrors the transition to the tourism off-season and coincides with the departure of the Digital Marketing Summer Student. With the impacts of COVID-19, staff expect many tourism operators will be extending their seasons into the fall in order to make up for some of the revenue they lost this spring and summer. It will be important to dedicate sufficient staff time to updating content on www.VisitFrontenac.ca and to leveraging the new Visit Frontenac social channels in the fall and winter in order to attract attention to Frontenac as a year-round destination. As referenced in Report 2020-050, Appendix A, during the “transition” phase (August – December 2020), Economic Development staff will develop a 2021 Destination Marketing Plan. This plan will encompass short term activities, like creating fall/winter content for the website, updating the visual assets across the website and social media to be seasonally appropriate, and creating an implementation plan for Visit Frontenac social channels for fall/winter of 2020/2021. Alignment with Regional Tourism Organizations Frontenac County belongs to two Regional Tourism Organizations (RTOs). Frontenac Islands Township and South Frontenac Township form part of RTO9, South Eastern Ontario (SEO). Central Frontenac Township and North Frontenac Township form part of RTO11, Ontario’s Highlands (OHTO). RTO11 Ontario’s Highlands OHTO launched their To My Home, With Love Campaign on July 13. The campaign encourages a regional audience to engage through social media to share their love of all seven destinations within OHTO. The campaign includes a video for each destination (With Love, to Frontenac County) along with a destination-specific hashtag (#FrontenacLoveLetter). Locals and visitors are invited to post a picture or video to Instagram honouring their favourite part of OHTO for a chance to win a GoPro Hero 8 or one of six local prize packs. The campaign also includes a Post Media digital ad campaign, which started on July 13 and runs until October 12. Ads will be distributed through Post Media on their digital display network and through Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. A sponsored article, Nature is Calling: Answer the call in Frontenac County, will run in the Kingston Whig throughout the duration of the campaign. The article will be shared on the Post Media social pages for the duration of the campaign through three paid partnership posts: Ad 1, Ad 2, Ad 3 and will remain live for a period of 2 years on their website. Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Launch of Visit Frontenac Website and Social Media August 13, 2020
2020-073 Community Development Advisory Committee Launch of Visit Fronte…
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AGENDA ITEM #b)
The Economic Development Team assisted with the coordination of the film shoot for the With Love, to Frontenac County video, and is currently pushing out the OHTO assets through existing Frontenac County social channels. This content will be integrated into the content calendar for the Visit Frontenac social channels. RTO9 South Eastern Ontario SEO is supporting its nine destinations by engaging Alphabet Creative along with public relations firm Beattie Tartan to develop a region-wide approach to themed advertising and PR campaigns. On July 23, the Economic Development team participated in a meeting with staff from SEO, Alphabet and Beattie Tartan to discuss the tourism priorities in Frontenac and how they fit into the big-picture across the region. Early communication from Beattie Tartan indicates they will be acting now to capitalize on long-lead opportunities (“long-lead” refers to media that require significant time from concept to final product, i.e., print magazines) in the themes of Holiday Gift Guides (specifically, made in Canada, made by Black, Indigenous, and people of colour), Snowbirds (winter accommodations and activities), and Indigenous Experiences. Staff will submit Frontenac-specific opportunities that fit into these themes and have another meeting booked for August 20 with SEO and Alphabet to understand and discuss additional components of the regional plan. The new Visit Frontenac channels will be used to share content produced as part of this initiative. Staff have also contributed to SEO’s call for Favourite Places and earlier in the spring, staff reviewed the organization’s blog archive to ensure Frontenac references are up to date and included in listicle articles that SEO shares on social media, like 22 Amazing Golf Courses in South Eastern Ontario and The Sweetest Ice cream Spots in South Eastern Ontario. Moving forward, staff will request SEO direct any referral traffic to Visit Frontenac social channels. Strategic Priorities Priority 1.2: Refine and invest in efforts to accelerate economic development — to grow businesses, attract more visits and expand the tax base. Tourism operators have been among the hardest hit by the impacts of COVID-19, and as reported in 2019/2020 annual business survey, tourism impacts 59% of business in Frontenac. Prioritizing tourism and strengthening the tools we use to promote Frontenac as a visitor destination will support the businesses that depend on visits to our region. Financial Implications There are no financial implications associated with this report.
Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Launch of Visit Frontenac Website and Social Media August 13, 2020
2020-073 Community Development Advisory Committee Launch of Visit Fronte…
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AGENDA ITEM #b)
Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Matt Mills, Communications Officer Information Services Regional Tourism Organizations 9 & 11 Businesses operating in Frontenac County.
Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Launch of Visit Frontenac Website and Social Media August 13, 2020
2020-073 Community Development Advisory Committee Launch of Visit Fronte…
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AGENDA ITEM #c)
Report 2020-074 Committee Information Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Prepared by:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Date of meeting:
August 13, 2020
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – Update on COVID-19 Response Initiatives
Recommendation This report is for information only. Background On March 17, 2020 the Province of Ontario declared a state of emergency with respect to the COVID-19 Pandemic and on March 26, 2020 the County of Frontenac declared a state of emergency within the County of Frontenac in response to the COVID-19 Pandemic. On July 24, 2020, the Provincial Emergency Declaration expired; however th County of Frontenac declared emergency continues. The Economic Development Team immediately responded to the pandemic and related temporary business closures through regular engagement – weekly communications, weekly business videoconferences, an online information hub and multiple one-on-one engagements. The initial response for local businesses was communicated to County Council at its Special Meeting held April 8, 2020 through Report 2020-041. Also, as the economic shutdown connected to the pandemic continued, the Economic Development Team revised its 2020 Business plan to respond to the immediate and long term needs of the local business community. These changes were outlined in Report 2020-050 and adopted by County Council at its regular meeting on May 20, 2020. The Economic Development Team is updating the Community Development Advisory Committee on the progress of the initiatives in response to COVID-19 and providing additional information in the form of survey responses.
2020-074 Community Development Advisory Committee Update on COVID-19 Res…
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AGENDA ITEM #c)
Discussion Business Impact Survey Results Since the start of the COVID 19 Pandemic, staff have issued 3 separate surveys to capture information from the business community and to understand the changing needs of the community. Results from first two surveys informed the changes to the Economic Development business plan outlined in County Council Report 2020-050. A summary of the COVID-19 response plan has been included as Appendix 1 to this report. The third survey was open from July 21 to August 4, 2020. The following trends should be noted:
Many businesses have adapted and discovered new revenue streams and new customers. While 2020 has been difficult, most businesses do not expect to close permanently as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown. o 40% of respondents indicated that their revenue has decreased by 50% or more in July 2020 when compared to July 2019. o Some respondents indicated an increase in revenues (25%)
Even though most businesses have opened, they remain unable to open their business fully (46%) and are incurring new costs related to health and safety (30%) which impacts their bottom line.
One business has closed permanently, and 6 seasonal businesses have decided to remain closed for all of 2020.
Some new customers have brought new challenges with expectations – such as wishing to book for only a few days rather than a full week, not adhering to safety protocols, or different expectations concerning product delivery.
Most customers are adapting and are respectful of safety procedures and protocols.
In addition to financial programs and incentives, business education opportunities remain in high demand concerning e-commerce, marketing, social media and business management.
Businesses remain neutral (34%) or uncomfortable (48%) about welcoming visitors from other parts of Ontario to our region.
As such, continued support from local customers remains a significant priority, even for tourism-based businesses.
Complete results with comments for all three surveys have been included as appendices to this report. Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Update on COVID-19 Response Initiatives August 13, 2020
2020-074 Community Development Advisory Committee Update on COVID-19 Res…
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AGENDA ITEM #c)
Business Communications Staff continue to communicate every week with local businesses through a newsletter distribution. These newsletters keep up-to-date lists of business supports, training, surveys, and relevant government announcements. Below are links to a sample of recent communications.
July 7, 2020
July 15, 2020
July 22, 2020
July 30, 2020
County staff also hosted weekly video calls until the end of June. As the province moved towards phase 3 of its economic recovery framework, many businesses became busy with safety feature upgrades and managing their day-to-day during the busy summer season. Since June, staff have hosted one videoconference on July 16, 2020 and a second is scheduled for August 20, 2020. Business Videos As part of the “Shop Local” initiatives, staff have been working with local businesses to show how they are welcoming customers safely and respectfully. The staff team have filmed 4 groups of videos, in Sydenham, Sharbot Lake, North Frontenac and on Wolfe Island. To date, 6 videos have been shared on social media and have received significant engagement from our audience. Links to the videos on Facebook and performance information is included below.
Trousdale’s General Store (Posted July 14, 2020) Reach: 9K users, 761 post clicks, 389 reactions, comments & shares
Memory Lane Flowers and Gifts (Posted July 17, 2020) Reach: 6.7K users, 607 post clicks, 458 reactions, comments & shares
Trousdale’s Home Hardware (Posted July 21, 2020) Reach: 4.4K users, 433 post clicks, 218 reactions, comments & shares
The Point Restaurant and Catering (Posted July 28, 2020) Reach: 5.7K users, 502 post clicks, 209 reactions, comments & shares
Sydenham Country Café (Posted July 31, 2020) Reach: 2.3K users, 199 post clicks, 101 reactions, comments & shares
Rockhill B&B and Frontenac Trail Tours (Posted August 5, 2020) Reach: 1.3K users, 56 post clicks, 34 reactions, comments & shares
Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Update on COVID-19 Response Initiatives August 13, 2020
2020-074 Community Development Advisory Committee Update on COVID-19 Res…
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AGENDA ITEM #c)
The following videos will be released over the coming weeks:
Cardinal Café
Opening Minds Innovations
Sharbot Lake Country Inn & Crossings Pub
Haymakers Coffee Co.
Blue Moose B&B
My Old Cher
Serendipity Wolfe Island
Smart’s Marina
Trillium and Maple Woods Handywoman Services
Fernleigh Lodge
Hunter’s Creek Golf and Country Club
Businesses have been grateful for the chance to work with the County and extend their reach. Due to the success of these videos, staff anticipate a second round of videos to be produced later in the year (October & November). These videos have been produced “in-house” with the cooperation of Matt Mills, Communications Officer. This format of video production follows a template that allows for filming multiple locations in a single day and has been an efficient use of staff time and resources to produce, edit and distribute. Online Multi-Vendor Marketplace The online multi-vendor marketplace initiative described in Report 2020-056 has been placed on hold while staff explore additional options. Several reasons have led to this decision:
The initial partner invested in this project was forced to step away for personal reasons,
Staff wished to develop a deeper understanding of online payments, including fraud, liability, fulfillment and customer assurances before taking the project further, and
As announced in June, the Digital Mainstreet’s Digital Transformation grants and the ShopHERE initiative provide local businesses with the opportunities to develop their own capacity for online payments and fulfillment.
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In the meantime, staff are working on improvements to the existing Frontenac business directory and have invested time to improve the search function of this database through the addition of key search terms and better descriptions for each business. In addition, a “Shop Online” category has been added to the directory to help consumers find businesses with online purchase options. Tourism Response Visit Frontenac The COVID-19 response plan includes initiatives aimed to strengthen the Frontenac Tourism presence and brand. Report 2020-073 provides details on the Economic Development website conversion to a tourism-focused site, as well as the launch of the @VisitFrontenac identity on social media platforms. Ontario’s Highlands Ontario’s Highlands has launched a “Love Letter” campaign to encourage locals to show their love for their communities this summer! Individuals can participate by sharing their photos of North or Central Frontenac on Instagram with the hashtag #FrontenacLoveLetter for a chance to win a GoProHero8 or a local prize pack. The campaign is supported through the following assets:
this landing page,
this video,
Sponsored Content: Nature is calling: Answer the call in Frontenac County
Visit the OHTO Industry blog for more information. Southeastern Ontario County staff are also working with Southeastern Ontario to develop a robust campaign of digital and print assets that promote the region. The fall campaign will focus on the following themes:
Holiday Gift Guide – Made in Canada and Made by BIPOC Goal: Highlight Frontenac vendors and encourage people to shop local this year. o Products should be available to purchase online and shops should be willing to guarantee that they will carry the items for the holiday season. o One of a kind items will not work although handmade items with slight differences are ok. o Examples of goods could include: clothing, artwork, children’s toys, skin care products, kitchenware, décor items, sports equipment, jewellery, accessories, tech.
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Snowbirds – Long Lead Goal: Share what our region has to offer to Snowbirds looking for alternative getaways since their plans to go South have been cancelled. Where can they stay? How will they be entertained? Itineraries will be developed for long weekends (3 nights), weeklong and monthlong stays to showcase the region as a viable option for those 65+ who still want to get away from home but stay local. Packages will include:
Winter accommodation options
Winter activity/sports operators
F&B programs offered in the winter (e.g. Countylicious)
Winter/ Holiday markets
Holiday events (e.g. river of lights)
Indigenous Experiences This will be a campaign to support Indigenous businesses across the country and would like to highlight those in our community whenever possible. Visit Kingston Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development is taking part in the Kingston Economic Recovery Team (KERT) working group on Tourism Recovery to discover ways to further connect the Frontenac experience with Tourism initiatives promoted in Kingston. Strategic Priorities Priority 1.2: Refine and invest in efforts to accelerate economic development — to grow businesses, attract more visits and expand the tax base. Local businesses are struggling to recover from the economic shutdown connected to the COVID-19 pandemic, and are looking for support as they adapt to an ongoing state of pandemic readiness. In order to grow businesses, they must feel supported and stabilized during the uncertainty that has emerged from this pandemic situation. Financial Implications There are no financial implications associated with this report.
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Strategic Priority Implications 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, and broadband and cell services. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Businesses in Frontenac County Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development Matt Mills, Communications Officer Ontario Highlands Tourism Organization (RTO11) Southeastern Ontario (RTO9) Anne Prichard, Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation
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Report 2020-075 Committee Information Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Alison Vandervelde, Community Development Officer
Date of meeting:
August 13, 2020
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – Frontenac Ambassador Program, 2019 Annual Report
Recommendation This Report is for information purposes only. Background Brand recognition was identified as a priority project as part of the Rural Economic Development Program “Advancing Economic Development in the Frontenacs through Collaboration”. The Frontenac Brand Ambassador Program was originally launched in September 2016 as a means to grow recognition for the regional Frontenac brand. In the ensuing three years, the program has grown to 170+ Ambassadors and has evolved to act as a business network for the Frontenac region, and has served as a sounding board for Frontenac County Economic Development Staff. In September 2017, Ambassadors were surveyed for feedback on the program. Of the approximately 100 members at that time, 46 completed the survey. The complete redacted results accompanied Report 2017-125 Frontenac Ambassador Program One Year Review at the October 2017 CDAC meeting. In September 2018, 45 Ambassadors responded to a similar survey. The complete redacted results accompanied Report 2018-121 Frontenac Ambassador Program, Second Year Review at the October 2018 CDAC meeting.
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In the fall of 2019, an expanded survey was developed to assess the value of the Ambassador program and to gain feedback from the broader business community about the overall state of doing business in Frontenac. The survey was open in late December until the end of January and received 190 responses. The complete survey results – including open-ended comments, but excluding information that would identify individuals – are attached as Appendix A. It is important to note that the business environment identified in these survey results was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, no longer reflects the current situation due to the COVID-19 and the related economic shutdown. However, staff feel it is still important for the committee to review the Ambassador program and related business response to establish context for when the committee considers survey responses concerning the impact of COVID-19, as shared in Report 2020-074. This report primarily considers the Ambassador program, and the selected graphs within the report reflect only the sub-section of respondents who self-identified as Ambassadors. Appendix A includes the full business response, regardless of if the business is an Ambassador Program participant. Comment Specific Feedback on the Ambassador Program Overall, Ambassadors indicate the program is valuable, has facilitated new connections for businesses, and has positively impacted businesses in some way.
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When asked to indicate the value of individual initiatives that have arisen from the program, Ambassadors assigned the highest value to:
Frontenac’s social media presence
Frontenac staff response to requests for support
The Frontenac Visitor Guide
Email Newsletter Program
Ambassadors assigned the lowest value and least awareness of:
The Frontenac Five
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The Co-work in Frontenac Initiative
Frontenac’s presence at The Royal Winter Fair
It is not surprising that there is low awareness of the co-work initiative and The Royal Winter Fair project. Both initiatives involved a small number of Ambassadors and by nature they did not involve substantial marketing efforts. While the Frontenac Five initiative ranked low among Ambassadors, staff believe the Frontenac Five content was instrumental for supporting the high-ranking social media presence. As the Frontenac Five requires labour each month, staff will re-evaluate the project in light of these results, and it has been eliminated for 2020 in response to COVID-19 due to its focus on in-person events.
Ambassadors ranked the program’s five priorities as follows:
- Shop Local: Increase resident support of local businesses by developing and executing an innovative shop local campaign.
- Support Businesses: Help local businesses achieve success by connecting them to resources they need.
- Tourism Promotion: Increase tourism by promoting Frontenac as a visitor destination to audiences outside the region. Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Community Development Advisory Committee – Frontenac Ambassador Program, Third Year Review August 13, 2020
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- New Business Attraction: Grow Frontenac’s reputation as a desirable place to do business by leveraging local business success stories
- Improve Communication: Improve the relationship between local municipalities and local businesses by focusing on improved communications. When asked if there are other ways the program could be enhanced, two ideas were suggested a few times each:
- Offer more one-on-one supports to help small business owners expand their skills, for example in the areas of social media, finance, sales, technology, etc.
- Focus on improving collaboration among smaller groups of businesses, driven by industry sector or by geographic location.
Ambassadors as compared to the overall business community Of the 190 responses received, 90 respondents – or 56% of respondents – identified themselves as being members of the Frontenac Ambassador program. An interesting trend appears when those more general questions are filtered to compare Ambassador responses against those who are not yet part of the program. Almost across the board, Ambassadors seem to be more positive about the local business climate than business owners who are not part of the network.
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Ambassadors also feel more positive about doing business in Frontenac today than three years ago, and they feel more positive about the future.
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This positive mindset seemed to extend to business plans as well, with Ambassadors are more likely to invest and grow their business, with plans to expand and/or hire shortly. (Please remember, these responses were before COVID-19).
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Ambassadors also appear to be more aware of the various support services available:
Future direction for the Ambassador Program After more than three years growing the Ambassador program, staff recognize that there is significant value in announcing each new Ambassador on social media. These posts receive quite a bit of engagement, which equates to new awareness for the business and means that Frontenac County followers enjoy learning – and telling their friends – about new businesses in the region. Businesses in Frontenac have valued certain aspects of the Ambassador program, primarily:
Additional promotion and reach
Face-to-face interactions with municipal staff
Connections with other local businesses
Access to information concerning funding and other business opportunities
In 2020, and directly as a result of COVID-19, staff have directed Economic Development resources to strengthen the County’s efforts to improve upon the most valuable aspects of the Ambassador program. Through the Ambassador program in 2020, the County has been able to provide local businesses with the following:
Weekly communications advising of funding support, policy changes, training opportunities and other valuable information as the COVID-19 situation evolves.
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Virtual face-to-face networking and experience sharing between businesses facilitated on a weekly, and now monthly basis.
Shop local campaigns featuring local businesses, including a video series and the Frontenac Family promotional campaign.
Regular surveys to capture business sentiment, and to ensure the economic development department understands the current business climate in Frontenac. Staff have completed 3 surveys since the start of the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Frontenac Economic Development staff do make themselves available to any local business who requests a meeting (Ambassador or not), however, Ambassadors remain significantly more engaged in the program with unsolicited “check-ins” from the team. Strategic Priority Implications 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, and broadband and cell services. Financial Implications There are no financial implications associated with this report. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Members of Community Development Advisory Committee County Council & staff Township of Frontenac Islands Township of South Frontenac Township of Central Frontenac Township of North Frontenac Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation Residents of the County of Frontenac Local Businesses
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K&P Trail Motorized User Issues Dear CDAC Members: In a conversation with Mayor Doyle, I was encouraged to expand on the concerns that I raised at our last meeting. There are potential impacts for wildlife on motorized trails, so I agreed to respond with this memo to our committee. In addition, there are potential impacts for trail maintenance and all the various people that enjoy a trail through wild country, such as it remains in Eastern Ontario. These are hikers, joggers, moms and dads out pushing strollers, nature lovers, birders, mountain bikers, international visitors on a trek of a lifetime and many local citizens seeking solitude and quiet in a noisy motorized world. Some background I write of my concerns from a background involving 40 years of being a faculty member in the Dept. of Fisheries and Wildlife at Utah State University. My research involved the impacts of humans on wildlife, habitats and natural ecosystems in Alberta, British Columbia, as well as National Parks in Montana, California and Alaska. I also wrote a chapter for a book that reviewed the effects of ORVs on wildlife and their habitat. In July 2019, I gave testimony before a congressional sub-committee in Washington, DC regarding the impacts of people on bears. As a CDAC member representing community interests I believe I need to look more broadly than economic development initiatives, especially stewardship and sustainability dimensions of projects. Other CDAC members have broad experience and lengthy tenure representing their public’s interests. But all of us have a mandate to be widely informed about issues like trail use, both acceptable and unacceptable to our public. Impacts of motorized vehicles on people, wildlife and the natural habitat require a level of monitoring of opinions and often requires an environmental impact assessment (EIS). The issues of importance, in my opinion, relate to consideration of all users of the trail. This is consistent with our county planning documents. Since sustainable development (assuming that is not an oxymoron) is a county principle. We are obligated to get outside our customary “economic development” silo and think in a broader systems context; one that engages the public we serve (and who funded the KP Trail with their taxes). In addition to the impacts of motorized access, there are the real and potential impacts on native wildlife. I will approach these issues separately. A. Potential negative impacts on wildlife In regard to species of native wildlife that will be impacted by motorized trail users, I have some recent, interesting facts to report. I was astonished to see such a marvelous list of wild animals from camera “traps” provided by a friend in the Kingston Field Naturalists organization. His cameras were set up within 10 km. of Kingston in Frontenac County. The list included wild turkeys, coyotes, raccoons, least weasels, fishers, white-tailed deer, and a black bear. I have been told that moose are also moving south in our county. So, the question for our committee is be aware and understand the negative impacts of ORV disturbance to these native animals
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and what analyses we need to assess the impact. I can assure CDAC that “no impact” will not be predicted. There is a plethora of studies concluding avoidance of trails when motorized use is certain. Do we then need a study before we decide to revoke or temporarily suspend use of certain segments of the KP Trail? Should we place a temporary closure on trail use by motorized users until we have adequate science-based assessment of the human and wildlife effects? B. Assessing opinions of current and future trail users Permitting motorized use of the KP Trail caters to one class of stakeholder to the detriment of an array of users seeking solitude and quiet recreation along a wild corridor of nature. Much of the northern landscape is Crown land and lakes that provide dispersed motorized recreation. The KP Trail is easily accessed by walking, cycling or short car trips for many local people and villagers. Is it not reasonable to survey opinions of citizens by providing an opportunity for them to express their values before proceeding to tolerate motorized use? If I can provide any additional information to members, please respond. I would appreciate any CDAC member offering any corrections to my understanding of our role, the process to have these issues considered before forwarding advice to County Council, and finally any comments or suggestions about issues that I have failed to address. I believe that we have not met our obligations to our citizenry if we fail to go beyond considerations of the economic development silo. Barrie Gilbert PhD
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