Body: Council Type: Agenda Meeting: Regular Date: April 14, 2022 Collection: Council Agendas Municipality: Frontenac County
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Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Thursday, April 14, 2022 –10:00 a.m. County Administrative Building Meeting to be held in Virtual Electronic Format, and live streamed on the County of Frontenac’s YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/PA8ABp1DCEw
AGENDA Page 1.
Call to Order
Adoption of the Agenda a) That the agenda for the April 14, 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 February 10, 2022
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That the minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee meeting held February 10, 2022 be adopted. 5.
Deputations and/or Presentations
Reports to the Community Development Advisory a) Consultant Briefing: Ms. Jeanette Dietrich, Lead Physician for the Rural Kingston Family Health Organization, and Deborah Krause, Kingston Health Science Centre will provide the Committee with a presentation regarding Physician Recruitment. [See Reports to the Community Development Advisory Committee, clause b)]
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b)
2022-041 Community Development Advisory Committee Physician Recruitment This report is for information purposes only.
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c)
2022-038 Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business Survey Results
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Page This report is for information purposes only. 19 - 23
d)
2022-039 Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2022 Be it Resolved That the Community Development Advisory Committee endorses the direction and actions related to Open Farms outlined in Report 2022–039.
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e)
2022-040 Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac APP 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, June 9, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. with format to be determined.
Adjournment
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Minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting February 10, 2022 https://youtu.be/VcA1KaBp-g8 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, February 10, 2022 at 10:00 AM Present Electronically: Betty Hunter, Chair Councillor Alan Revill, Council Liaison Lisa Henderson Deputy Warden Denis Doyle (late 10:11 a.m.) Marlene Spruyt Greg Rodgers Regrets: Wilma Kenny, Vice Chair Ella Vanderburgt Staff Present Electronically: Jannette Amini, Manager of Legislative Services/Clerk (Recording Secretary) Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development Debbi Miller, Community Development Officer Joe Gallivan, Director of Planning and Economic Development 1.
Call to Order
The Chair called the meeting to order at 10:00 a.m. and requested that, in the absence of the Ms. Kenny, Vice-Chair, someone offer to act as Vice-Chair for today’s meeting. Councillor Revill offered to act as Vice-Chair. 2.
Adoption of the Agenda
Moved By: Seconded By:
Councillor Revill Ms. Henderson
That the agenda for the February 10, 2022 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 February 10, 2022
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4.
Adoption of Minutes a)
Minutes of Meeting held December 9, 2021
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Henderson Ms. Spruyt
That the minutes of the Community Development Advisory Committee meeting held December 9, 2021 be adopted. Carried 5.
Deputations and/or Presentations
Reports to the Community Development Advisory a)
2022-009 Community Development Advisory Committee County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan
Moved By: Seconded By:
Deputy Warden Doyle Councillor Henderson
Be it Resolved That Council endorse the direction and actions related the County-wide Community Improvement Plan Engagement Plan as noted in the report. Carried Mr. Allen provided an overview of the report. Regarding questions on how long taxes are deferred and where the funding comes from for a CIP, Mr. Allen responded that it is only County tax dollars that are deferred, and this would be based on the scope of the investment which are scored based on type and size. In terms of how the CIP is funded, past funding came from a partnership between the County and OMAFRA through Provincial Gas Tax funding. Funding for this CIP will come from the County. To the question of if this County wide CIP will void current CIP programs, Mr. Allen noted that there can be multiple layers of programs happening at once and the study will look at how best to move all programs forward.
Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes February 10, 2022
Minutes of Meeting held February 10, 2022
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b)
2022-010 Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac Guide
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Spruyt Councillor Revill
Be It Resolved That the County of Frontenac continue the partnership with Frontenac News to create, develop, design, produce and distribute a Frontenac Guide for residents and visitors in 2022. Carried Mr. Allen provided an overview of the report. c)
2022-011 Community Development Advisory Committee Sharbot Lake Downtown Revitalization Plan Update
Mr. Allen introduced Ms. Barbary who was available to respond to questions. Regarding questions around the Government docks and if they will be re-built, Ms. Barbary noted the numerous workshops that have taken place to identify issues and at this time, this is only conceptual to get the conversation started. Outside of this plan, there are no changes in progress for the government docks which are owned by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries; however, a lot of dialogue is happening and this plan can support greater infrastructure to take this to the next level. d)
2022-012 Community Development Advisory Committee Trail Activation Project
Moved By: Seconded By:
Ms. Spruyt Mr. Rodgers
Be It Resolved That Frontenac County Economic Development move forward with the Trail Activation Project beginning in 2022. Carried Ms. Miller provided an overview of the report Regarding questions around the cost of signage Ms. Miller noted that the intention of the program is that businesses will cover the cost of the signage so there is no budget impact. Regarding questions around any work with local business to install bike racks, Mr. Allen noted that in the past, the County has done some work with businesses to promote cycling infrastructure and have also been working with Ontario By Bike. Staff will work to promote connections between Ontario By Bike and local businesses; however the
Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes February 10, 2022
Minutes of Meeting held February 10, 2022
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County does not have much control over bicycle infrastructure but staff will have these discussions with our partners at the Townships and will pass this information along to businesses. e)
2022-013 Community Development Advisory Committee Community Profile ArcGIS Dashboard
Ms. Miller provided an overview of the report and invited Ms. Hutchinson and Mr. Allen to provide a demonstration of the dashboard. 7.
Communications
Other Business
Next Meeting a)
The next meeting of the Community Development Advisory Committee is schedule for Thursday, April 14, 2022 Adjournment
Moved By: Seconded By:
Councillor Revill Ms. Henderson
That the meeting hereby adjourn at 10:44 a.m. Carried
Community Development Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes February 10, 2022
Minutes of Meeting held February 10, 2022
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Report 2022-041 Committee Information Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Date of meeting:
April 14, 2022
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – Physician Recruitment
Recommendation This report is for information only. Background At their regular meeting on March 16, 2022 County Council was presented with Report 2022-029 Report to Frontenac Townships on Physician Recruitment. This report describes local concerns regarding access to comprehensive primary care within the larger Frontenac Lennox and Addington Ontario Health Team (FLA OHT) region and locally within Frontenac townships. Some key statistics from a 2020 report prepared by the City of Kingston indicate a dire family physician shortage. This is relevant as almost 20,000 patients from Frontenac townships receive their care outside the townships, many in Kingston. Information from the report: •
Kingston has almost 29,000 unattached patients.
•
Out of 295 family physicians listed by the College of Physicians and Surgeons in Kingston, only 139 (47%) are actively practicing comprehensive family medicine. The others are teaching, doing research, sub-specialties, or other activities.
•
Approximately 26% of patients cared for by family physicians in Kingston live outside of Kingston.
•
Twenty-one (21) family physicians in Kingston (with average patient rosters of 1230 patients) plan to retire within the next 3-5 years. If these physicians are not replaced, they would ‘orphan’ a total of 25,830 patients, with 26% or 6,725
2022-041 Community Development Advisory Committee Physician Recruitment
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patients living outside of Kingston. It is likely that many of these are from Frontenac, and we may face thousands of extra patients requiring care in the next few years. In short, there are six (6) available Family Health Organization (FHO) spots in Frontenac and Stone Mills that could be filled if physicians could be recruited. There is a current shortage of family physicians within the region which is expected to become worse with impending retirements. There are two clinics within our region with only one physician with rostered patients which is a highly unstable and unsustainable situation, as a car accident, severe illness, burnout, or retirement could easily lead to these clinics closing. Access to local primary care is important for communities to stay healthy and vibrant. These clinics are also important sources of local employment and provide referrals to support other local businesses including pharmacies and physiotherapy. After receiving Report 2022-029, County Council passed the following motion: Motion #: 45-22
Moved By: Seconded By:
Councillor Revill Councillor Martin
Be It Resolved That the Council of the County of Frontenac receive the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer - Report to Frontenac Townships on Family Physician Recruitment report for information; And Further That Council authorize the Warden and Chief Administrative Officer to investigate options and bring the matter to the attention of the Province of Ontario and the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus. Comment Availability of primary medical care is a key consideration for the attraction of new residents to any given region, especially for couples with school aged children who rely on convenient access to medical advice, vaccinations, check-ups and other support. Individuals who retire to the region may also require regular and convenient access to physicians. As of 2016, the median age for all of Frontenac County is 55 years old, with that increasing to 60 years old in North Frontenac. Economic Development staff were asked to assist with recruitment efforts by providing materials to the local clinics to assist in their efforts. A recruitment flyer has been developed, and the County’s trade show booth supplies will also be provided to the local clinics to support upcoming efforts. A presentation will be provided to the committee to inform them of the situation, to help provide regional context, but staff do not recommend further action until the Warden and Chief Administrative Officer report back on their investigations. Financial Implications The cost for designing and printing the flyer will be taken from the annual marketing budget for Economic Development.
Information Report Community Development Advisory Committee – Physician Recruitment April 14, 2022
2022-041 Community Development Advisory Committee Physician Recruitment
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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. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Rural Kingston Family Health Organization
Information Report Community Development Advisory Committee – Physician Recruitment April 14, 2022
2022-041 Community Development Advisory Committee Physician Recruitment
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Report 2022-038 Committee Information Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Debbi Miller, Community Development Officer
Date of meeting:
April 14, 2021
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – 2021 Annual Business Survey Results
Recommendation This report is for information only. Background In September 2017, Frontenac Ambassadors were surveyed for feedback on the program. Of the approximately 100 members at that time, 46 completed the survey. In September 2018, 45 Ambassadors responded to a similar survey. 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 of 2020 and received 190 responses. The 2020 survey was conducted in January of 2021, soliciting 143 responses. In addition to asking the questions outlined in the 2019 survey, new questions were added specific to the COVID-19 Pandemic. The Annual Business Survey helps to inform Economic Development office of the current climate in Frontenac County and of the programs delivered to support Frontenac businesses.
2022-038 Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business S…
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Discussion The 2021 survey was conducted from mid-January until mid-February of 2022. The original planned date for the survey to launch was delayed as there was a COVID-19 lockdown in place that included schools. The survey was launched once the school restrictions were lifted. The 2021 survey solicited 77 responses from businesses across Frontenac County. The survey was posted on Engage Frontenac, shared through direct emails to businesses, the Ambassador email newsletter, social media, the County website and through partner organizations. Paper copies of the survey were mailed with postage paid return address envelopes to businesses without email. 6 paper surveys were completed and returned. Below are some highlights from respondents to demonstrate the Townships and sectors represented, and the length of time the businesses have been in operation. Both the percentage and the number of respondents (number in bracket) have been included with most questions. There were respondents from each of the Townships across Frontenac. Below is the percentage breakdown and number of respondents by Township. • • • •
North Frontenac – 21.1% (15) South Frontenac – 36.6% (26) Central Frontenac – 29.6% (21) Frontenac Islands – 12.7% (9)
The sectors that responded from across Frontenac are outlined below. The 18.1% of respondents under “other” are from retail, campgrounds, technology and not for profit. • • • • • • • • • • •
Accommodation – 27.8% (20) Construction and/or Trades – 9.7% (7) Arts & Entertainment – 8.3% (6) Professional Services – 8.3% (6) Food Production and/or Processing – 6.9% (5) Agriculture, Forestry or Fishing – 5.6% (4) Recreation & Outdoors – 5.6% (4) Food Services – 4.2% (3) Health & Wellness – 4.2% (3) Mining, Quarrying and/or Aggregates – 1.4% (1) Other – 18.1% (13)
There are several long-standing businesses in the Frontenac community. Below is a summary of the number of years businesses have been in operation. Of the respondents, 63.1% (48) indicated their business has been operation for over eleven years, with 46% (35) indicating their business has been in operation for over 16 years. • •
More than 51 years – 15.8% (12) 26-50 years – 19.7% (15)
Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business Survey Results April 14, 2022
2022-038 Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business S…
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• • • • • • • • •
16-25 years – 10.5% (8) 11-15 years – 17.1% (13) 6-10 years – 7.9% (6) 5 years – 6.6% (5) 4 years – 5.3% (4) 3 years – 5.3% (4) 2 years – 2.6% (2) 1 year – 6.6% (5) Less than 1 year – 2.6% (2)
Business impacts in 2021 Understanding the impact on businesses in 2021 related to the COVID-19 pandemic is important to understand the bigger picture across Frontenac County. While some businesses did endure negative impacts in 2021, other businesses saw positive impacts in 2021 and were able to adapt their business model to meet the changing demands of customers. Changes in products or services both in response to COVID-19 and unrelated is something that continued in 2021. Businesses continued to adapt and look for new business products or services, 27 respondents made changes to their products or services in 2021 in response to COVID19, with 11 businesses making changes unrelated to COVID-19. A couple of highlights to note from specific questions and from reviewing the comments include: •
8.1% (6) indicated they increased the overall physical business space occupied,
•
2.7% (2) indicated they added additional locations, with
•
81.1% (60) indicated there was no change.
There were 4 respondents that noted they increased their full-time staff positions between 2020 and 2021 and seven that decreased; 44 respondents noted their full-time staffing levels did not change. Businesses in Frontenac County have customers from across the globe. The top four areas businesses draw from are Frontenac County, Kingston, Eastern Ontario, and Ottawa. A new question was added in 2021 asking businesses if they sell products and services online. It is interesting to note that 32 businesses sell products or services online, and 41 businesses noted they don’t sell online. Many respondents did add additional comments about the importance of access to reliable internet. Some did continue to invest in their business with equipment. 31 businesses responded that they purchased equipment unrelated to COVID-19, with 9 indicating they purchased equipment related to COVID-19. Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business Survey Results April 14, 2022
2022-038 Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business S…
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Impacts on businesses over the past two years has varied based on sector. Many businesses had a positive outlook early in 2022. Over 50% of respondents indicated that overall business in 2021 was good or very good. The graph below represents the responses received.
Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business Survey Results April 14, 2022
2022-038 Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business S…
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Businesses were also asked to compare how business is now compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic. The response chart below demonstrates that businesses have seen a variety of impacts during pandemic.
As a follow up question, businesses were asked if it is likely that their business may close permanently. A strong majority of businesses felt they were very unlikely to close permanently.
The response percentages were in line with the 2020 survey. In 2020, Very unlikely – 52.14% (73), Unlikely – 26.43% (37), Neither likely no unlikely – 7.86% (11), Likely – 1.43% (2), Very likely – 2.86% (4), Unsure currently – 9.29% (13). Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business Survey Results April 14, 2022
2022-038 Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business S…
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Impact of Eligibility for Financial Assistance When asked about their experience with COVID-19 relief programs, the most common answer from respondents was that they were not eligible for relief programs specified in the survey. In reviewing the comments section for this question there was no justification as to why respondents were not eligible as there were not enough comments in this section to make an assumption. In reviewing the size of each business, 34 respondents indicated they are running the business entirely on their own. From this, we can draw the conclusion many respondents of the survey are operating with minimal staff and therefore may not have met the staffing or size eligibility requirements to apply for business relief programs. Respondents reported that the most helpful COVID-19 relief program was the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB). In total 18 respondents found this program was helpful. The second most helpful program was the Ontario Small Business Support Grant as noted by 17 respondents. Frontenac Ambassador Program Questions specific to the Frontenac Ambassador program were asked in the survey. 51.3% (39) of the respondents are part of the existing network and 48.7% (37) are not part of the existing network. Seven businesses indicated they are interested in learning more about the program. The percentages of Ambassadors were within 3% of the 2020 results. The survey also asked if the Ambassador program had facilitated new connections for their business. The top answers for this question included new connections with businesses in the region, organizations that support businesses and new customers. Some businesses indicated the program has not facilitated new connections for the business. Training Training is an area where support can be provided for businesses. They were asked if they would be interested in learning more about training opportunities for packaging, digital presence, health and safety and had the option to add additional possible opportunities. Businesses expressed interest in digital presence and health and safety. Some additional options that were submitted included marketing and accounting as well as specific requests for health and safety cleaning for tourism. As an outcome from the survey, the Economic Development team will be working to include connections for, or awareness of webinars and sessions offered by partners for some of these training opportunities for businesses. Sustainable Initiatives As Climate Change is such an important part of everything we do, businesses were asked if they would be interested in receiving information about sustainable initiatives. Over half of the respondents were interested in receiving relative information. Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business Survey Results April 14, 2022
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As an outcome from the survey, the Economic Development team will work to provide sustainable initiative information for businesses to participate in or learn from. Communication Communication is another way Economic Development can support businesses with information about funding and grants, training opportunities, webinars, and new programs being rolled out. Businesses were asked about communication from County staff. There was a strong response of 74.7% (56) for continuing with regular newsletter communication. Most respondents indicated the newsletter should be sent as needed, with the option of a monthly newsletter following close second. Economic Development staff will continue to provide at minimum a monthly newsletter to Ambassadors, with more frequent newsletters based on relevant content. A review of newsletter content will align with a strategic approach to communicating with businesses. Benefits to business growth Businesses were asked about the top three benefits to growing their business in Frontenac. The following themes received the highest response: • • • • • •
Lifestyle – 37 respondents Supportive Residents – 35 respondents Low cost of living and doing business – 22 respondents Supportive business community – 19 respondents Reliable internet access – 16 respondents Supportive organizations and agencies – 15 respondents
The top 6 benefits for business growth are consistent with the 2020 business survey responses. Challenges to business growth Businesses were asked about the top three challenges to growing their business. The following were responses received. • • • • • •
Insufficient internet access – 32 respondents Securing and retaining staff – 24 respondents Cost of utilities – 17 respondents Regulations that are burdensome and/or unnecessary – 15 respondents Expensive internet – 13 respondents Lack of community support – 13 respondents
The top two challenges identified insufficient internet access and securing and retaining staff were consistent with 2020 responses.
Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business Survey Results April 14, 2022
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Future of doing business in Frontenac Understanding how businesses feel about the future of business in Frontenac is important to understand. Below are the respondents’ answers. Most respondents indicated they were positive or very positive, with 26 respondents being neutral.
In summary the survey responses across the board from businesses have not changed dramatically from 2020 to 2021. The Economic Development will continue to share information with businesses, to support programs, build awareness and provide regional marketing. Economic Development Goals In previous survey’s, businesses have been asked to score the goals for the Ambassador program that were developed collectively in 2017 to ensure they are still accurate. The 2021 survey did not include a question around Ambassador goals in 2021. The priorities for Ambassadors will be included in the engagement process as the priorities for Economic Development are established with the work of the Regional Community Improvement Plan. Future Business Survey The annual business survey provides information for the Economic Development team to help inform projects and priorities for the work in the department. The survey will continue to be an annual survey that is conducted and open for all businesses in Frontenac County. The survey will take place in the first quarter of 2023 with results being compiled and reported on by the second quarter of 2023. The plan for survey distribution for 2022 will be the same as the 2021 survey. The survey will be posted on Engage Frontenac and shared through the County of Frontenac
Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business Survey Results April 14, 2022
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channels including, but not limited to the website, social media, email newsletter, email and direct mail to businesses without email. The last couple of surveys were expanded to include questions related to COVID-19 and tourism. It is anticipated that COVID-19 questions may not be asked in future surveys based on the reopening of the province. The survey will be reviewed to include questions that are current to the business climate in Frontenac County to help inform work that is taking place or is being considered or planned in the future. Financial Implications There are no financial implications associated with this report. 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. Organizations, Departments and Individuals Consulted and/or Affected Businesses in Frontenac County
Information Report to Community Development Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Business Survey Results April 14, 2022
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Report 2022-039 Committee Recommend Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Date of meeting:
April 14, 2022
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee - Open Farms 2022
Recommendation Be it Resolved That the Community Development Advisory Committee endorses the direction and actions related to Open Farms outlined in Report 2022–039 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 COVID-19 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 in-person on farm component was ticketed for the three farms that participated to ensure 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 the Township of South Frontenac.
2022-039 Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2022
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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 As staff noted in Report 2022-118, the there were various considerations to be discussed with stakeholders before a commitment to 2022 Open Farms was made. The Economic Development staff met with past Open Farms stakeholders on February 16, 2022 to discuss this year’s event. The meeting offered an opportunity for the stakeholders to share successes from previous events, their needs, and areas for review and changes. The meeting included farms from Frontenac County and staff from the Township of South Frontenac, the City of Kingston, and Frontenac County. All organizations involved in the meeting - or that shared comments as a follow up to the meeting - are supportive of the early plans for 2022 Open Farms. South Frontenac Township, the City of Kingston and Tourism Kingston have confirmed their interest as partners in Open Farms 2022. Open Farms continues to be seen as a suitable event for the region by stakeholders, and participants. The purpose of the event to bring people to the farm continues to be the focus of the event. Additional events not held on a farm will maintain the focus of connection to farm and food to increase awareness and educate consumers. 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. Recommend Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2022 April 14, 2022
2022-039 Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2022
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Ticketed On-Farm Experiences This year’s event will involve ticketed experiences hosted by participating farms in Frontenac County and the City of Kingston. The three farms that participated in Open Farms 2021 noted that the ticketing system was very positive and allowed for an enhanced experience for the participants as the numbers on farms were controlled. County staff will coordinate the ticketing system for all farms and will offer a central location to access the tickets. This will ensure that all those participating will have a positive event and the farm also has an opportunity to showcase their product, farm, and the overall experience in a positive way. The on-farm experience and programming are being coordinated by the farm operators. Farms will determine if they want to participate in one or two days, how many participants they can accommodate with each visit, what the programming or farm experience involves and if there is a cost associated. Community Hub In 2021, the concept of a community hub was introduced. This was essentially an enhanced farmers market, and the coordination of this event was led by the Program, Events & Education Coordinator from South Frontenac. This style of venue provides the opportunity for smaller farmers and the makers of products from locally sourced ingredients to sell their products or connect with Open Farms participants. The community hub is also ideal for farms who wish to participate but are not prepared to invite the public onto their farms. In 2019, the Community Hub role was essentially played by the Frontenac Plowing Match, where a vendor village accompanied the plowing activities. In 2022 it will be helpful to have a few open, spaces or hubs for visitors to congregate, purchase products or eat between ticketed on-farm experiences. Discussions are underway with the Frontenac Plowing Match, South Frontenac Township and the Homegrown in Frontenac Festival to coordinate efforts with the farm experiences. Local Food Culinary Event On March 14th and March 28th, Frontenac County co-hosted an agricultural sector group meeting with the City of Kingston. This group, primarily consisting of farmers, discussed many of the challenges and issues for their businesses. This group indicated a strong desire to create a food event as part of the awareness around local food producers and small-scale farms in the region. This event could be hosted in alignment with Open Farms, and would include farmers, restaurants, chefs, culinary students and could be positioned to raise awareness for local food systems. The City of Kingston has expressed interest in coordinating such an event, and preliminary planning efforts are underway. Bus Tour Experience Recommend Report to Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2022 April 14, 2022
2022-039 Community Development Advisory Committee Open Farms 2022
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Offering a bus tour of selected farm locations and food experiences may be something farms or other partners might explore. This might be an option for involving farms on Wolfe Island, or to allow those with transportation barriers to participate in the overall event. Unfortunately, the County Economic Development Team does not have the capacity to plan bus tours in addition to the overall event coordination, however if several farms or one of our partners coordinates a tour, it can be promoted as part of the event. Event Responsibilities As County staff resources are limited, the scope of the event needs to continue to be about around farms, agriculture, and food. It is anticipated that the County’s role will be 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.
Economic Impact Based on the 2021 figures reported by participating farms, vendors and visitors to the community hub, County staff along with Kathryn Wood of Pivotal Momentum put together a high-level economic impact analysis for the 2021 event. Over the course of two days, a local impact of approximately $150,341.40 was attributed to Open Farms. A similar analysis of the 2019 event attributes approximately $210,588.53 of local economic impact for Open Farms. That event featured 10 locations, 9 of which were “Farm Visits” and the other consisting of a vendor village at the Frontenac Plowing Match. The 9 farms reported on average 800 to 1200 visits at each location. It is anticipated that the local economic impact of this year’s event would be fall somewhere within the range of $150,000 - $200,000. If a culinary event is included as part of Open Farms, local economic benefits could increase by another $50,000 $100,000. COVID-19 COVID-19 will still need to be considered during the planning process for the 2022 Open Farms event in order to ensure the event can adapt and consider guidelines and safety of operators and participants. For all in-person components, an event plan will be developed that includes a description of the site and visitor services, protocols to ensure the health and safety of attendees, and efforts to ensure accessibility. All participating farms will be required to use timed entry and/or preregistration to manage visitors, and associated events such as community hubs or culinary experiences will be encouraged to track site capacity and/or employ the use of ticketing as well.
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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 Community Development Advisory Committee Frontenac County Council and Staff 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
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Report 2022-040 Committee Information Report To:
Chair and Members of the Community Development Advisory Committee
From:
Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development
Date of meeting:
April 14, 2022
Re:
Community Development Advisory Committee – ‘Explore Frontenac’ mobile application
Recommendation This report is for information 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. This activation work would begin with installation of “pay-to-play” signs along the Cataraqui and K&P Trails. This initiative was detailed to the Community Development Advisory Committee in Report 2022-012. This report also 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. Comment After working with the County GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Team to explore various possibilities of leveraging the County’s mapping system to create an application, it was determined that it would be difficult to create a user-friendly experience without some compromise. The support and attention of the GIS Team was invaluable in this process, but it was determined that a search for existing mobile platforms that could be leveraged for this purpose should be made.
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During this search, staff discovered the ‘468 Insider Application’, a place-based economic development and tourism platform available through the Economic Developers Council of Ontario. Staff have connected with 468 Communications, the application company that offers this incentive-based application platform that can be adapted around a theme or region to encourage exploration and visits to local businesses through the collection and redemption of points. The mobile app created using this platform will allow the County to upload the Trans Canada Trail network in Frontenac, consisting of the K&P, Cataraqui and Tay-Havelock Trails and share the locations of businesses and organizations on a map. Trail users can collect points for visiting these locations, and they can also be offered ways to redeem those points, such as free coffee with a sandwich, or 20% off an overnight stay. The County can also identify locations along the trails for point collection, such as bridges, former stations or even kilometer markers, to incentivize and encourage exploration of the trails. Advantages of pursuing the application approach include:
- Businesses can manage their own identity and profile on the application and determine if they are able to be seen, their details, and incentives for redeeming points. There is no cost to businesses to participate.
- The application will provide feedback on point collection and redemption, which will help inform trail use in the region. It will also make it possible for staff to report on participation and the effectiveness of the program.
- The cost for the application is within the range of designing and printing paper passports and creating physical stamps for businesses.
- If success is realized with County Rail Trails, it will be possible to scale the application to include other tourism itineraries or routes, essentially becoming a digital guide to Frontenac County. The intention of the program continues to include the initial passport options but has expanded to allow additional itineraries and expanded use of the application to be included with a phased approach. • Raise awareness for the trails ands itineraries in Frontenac County. • Disperse trail users around the region by encouraging visits. • Raise awareness for businesses in Frontenac County. • Encourage trail users to visit Frontenac County businesses and support businesses while they are exploring the trails and itineraries. • Encourage residents and visitors to return to businesses for future visits. • Give the businesses an opportunity to offer a discount or value add to the users. • Use an organic approach on social media to raise awareness of the program by requesting trail users tag Frontenac County. Economic Development will offer contests along the trails to encourage app users to return to redeem points. Some suggestions of these contests could include collection Information Report Community Development Advisory Committee – Explore Frontenac Mobile Application April 14, 2022
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points at each trailhead, kilometre marker along the trail, bridge, or historic rail station locations to earn points. Once a certain number of points are earned, the user could redeem them for Frontenac County merchandise. The set up of the app and buy-in from businesses in Frontenac County will take time to build, but the potential return on investment that is able to be realized will benefit the businesses. The initial agreement with for use of the application platform will be for three (3) years to allow time for set up, marketing and promotion and increased usage across the County. Some examples of other Tourism based locations using this platform include: • • •
Campbell River Collection Taste Comox Valley Dryden Trailblazer
Financial Implications The cost for the application is $3,600 per year for 2022, 2023 and 2024 for up to 40 businesses. The cost for this application will be covered as part of the K&P Trail Activation Program, and already budgeted each of these years. 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 Guide 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 and included the following recommendations to support the guide. Recommendation 2, Focus on activities that support investment attraction to the region, Recommendation 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 Information Report Community Development Advisory Committee – Explore Frontenac Mobile Application April 14, 2022
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Community Development Advisory Committee Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority Frontenac County Businesses
Information Report Community Development Advisory Committee – Explore Frontenac Mobile Application April 14, 2022
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