Body: EOLC Type: Agenda Meeting: Regular Date: November 27, 2024 Collection: Council Agendas Municipality: Frontenac County
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EOLC Agenda Strategic Planning for Maximum Impact Wednesday, November 27, 2024 – 9:00 a.m. Kingston City Hall 216 Ontario St, Kingston, ON
Agenda Page 1.
Call to Order/Welcome
Declaration of Conflict of Interest
Adoption of the Agenda 3.1. Agenda of the November 27, 2024 Eastern Ontario Leadership Council Strategic Priority Planning Meeting Recommended Motion “That the agenda of the November 27, 2024 Eastern Ontario Leadership Council Strategic Priority Planning Meeting be adopted as circulated.”
5 - 26
Approval of Minutes 4.1. Minutes of the September 5, 2024 Eastern Ontario Leadership Council Strategic Priority Planning Meeting Recommended Motion “That the minutes of the Strategy Priority Planning meeting of the Eastern Ontario Leadership Council held on September 5, 2025 be approved as presented.” Minutes - September 5, 2024 - EOLC
Page 5.
Strategic Planning - Suzanne Gibson / All
Attached PowerPoint, “EOLC consultation findings for 1on1 interviews 2024 PPT V1" Attached document, “EOLC consultation findings for 1on1 interviews"
Session Goals:
- To report on the status of the EOLC’s strategic planning process.
- To share and reflect on the findings of the one-to-one consultation interviews with key stakeholders.
- To receive and reflect on Working Group status reports to contribute to finalizing a draft strategic plan in January 2025.
- To review, refine and approve a draft proposed mandate statement.
- To discuss and approve the EOLC’s straw man materials and key priorities and to set a clear direction to ensure the plan is focused, impactful, regional, and maximizes the EOLC’s key strengths and assets.
- To discuss the EOLC’s approach to partnership and stakeholder engagement in the next cycle of planning.
- To discuss the EOLC’s approach to communications.
- To finalize the EOLC’s governance and operating model and structure.
- To provide strategic input and advice for developing and rolling out an achievable, focused, and inspired five-year strategic plan for the EOLC.
- To finalize all next steps and related roles to ensure a successful planning process and outcome for EOLC.
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Page TIMING 8:45 – 9:00 am 9:00 to 9:05 am 9:05 – 9:30 am 9:30 – 10:00 am 10:00 – 10:30 am
10:30 – 10:45 am 10:45 – 11:15 pm
11:15 – 12:15 pm 12:15 – 1:00 pm 1:00 – 1:25 pm 1:25 – 1:55 pm
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AGENDA ITEM Arrive Early for Coffee and Light Refreshments Official Business
ROLE/RESPONSIBILITY All
Opening, Goals, Introductions, Review of the Day’s Agenda & Status of the Strategic Planning Process Presentation Regarding the Findings of the One-to-One Consultation Process & Q & A Reports from the Working Groups Workforce Development and Deployment Transportation A total of 15 minutes is designated for each Working Group to report back, present their work to date, and answer questions. Break
Chair, Jeff Leal & Facilitator, Suzanne Gibson
Reports from the Working Groups, Continued Infrastructure Innovation A total of 15 minutes is designated for each Working Group to report back, present their work to date, and answer questions. Weighing in on the Summary of Consultation Findings & Working Group Reports Lunch
Jason St.Pierre, Chair of the Infrastructure Working Group Cyndy Palleske, Chair of the Innovation Working Group
Reviewing and Providing Input into a Straw Man Mandate Statement for EOLC Discussing the EOLC’s Approach to Partnership and Stakeholder Engagement
All with Kathy Wood to present content
Chair, Jeff Leal
Suzanne Gibson & All Craig Desjardins, Chair of the Workforce Development , Deployment and Housing Working Group & Maureen Adams, Chair of the Transportation Working Group
All
All All
All
Page 1:55 – 2:30 pm 2:30 – 2:45 pm 2:45 – 3:15 pm 3:15 to 3:45 pm 3:45 to 4:00 pm
Discussing the EOLC’s Approach to Communications Break Finalizing the EOLC’s Governance and Operating Model and Structure Final Advice for the Development and Roll Out of the Strategic Plan Next Steps and Adjournment
All with Suzanne Gibson facilitating the group All Chair, Jeff Leal, Kathy Wood & Facilitator, Suzanne Gibson
Pre-Reflections Work Please see the attached PowerPoint, “EOLC consultation findings for 1on1 interviews 2024 PPT V1,” which summarizes the advice and feedback from one-on-one consultations. Please also be sure to review the note section within the PowerPoint. Come ready to ask questions and share your thoughts on what stakeholders think the EOLC should do in the next five years. Please note that Appendix A, which includes the consultation package and the questions asked, is attached. 6.
Consideration of By-Laws
Date of the Next Meeting EOLC Monthly Meeting Thursday, December 5, 2024 - 1:00 p.m
Adjournment Recommended Motion “That the November 27, 2024 Eastern Ontario Leadership Council Strategic Priority Planning Meeting be adjourned”.
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Minutes
Eastern Ontario Leadership Council September 5, 2024 - 9 am to 2 pm Peterborough County Courthouse 470 Water Street Peterborough, ON, K9H 3M3
Present: Chair Jeff Leal, Vice-Chair Bonnie Clark, Mayor Doug Elmslie (Kawartha Lakes), Mayor John Beddows (Gananoque), Jason St. Pierre, Jay Amer, Cyndy Palleske, Craig Desjardins, Kathy Wood, Sheridan Graham, Maureen Adams Regrets: Jasbir Raina Others: 1.
Suzanne Gibson, Lauren Wilkson, Sarah McDougall-Perrin
Call to Order/Welcome - Chair Jeff Leal Chair Jeff Leal called the meeting to order at 9:06am. Chair Jeff Leal welcomed attendees and discussed Eastern Ontario’s potential, emphasizing the need for connectivity and collaboration among government sectors. Chair Jeff Leal introduced session facilitator Suzanne Gibson.
Declaration of Conflict of Interest – none
Adoption of the Agenda 3.1 Agenda of the September 5, 2024 Eastern Ontario Leadership Council Strategic Priority Planning Meeting Motion “That the agenda of the September 5, 2024 Eastern Ontario Leadership Council Strategic Priority Planning Meeting be adopted as circulated.” Moved by: Mayor Doug Elmslie Seconded by: Vice-Chair Bonnie Clark Carried 1 of 26
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4.
Approval of Minutes 4.1
Minutes of the June 27, 2024 Eastern Ontario Leadership Council Strategic Planning Meeting
Motion “That the minutes of the Strategy Session meeting of the Eastern Ontario Leadership Council held on June 27, 2024 be approved as presented.” Moved by: Mayor Doug Elmslie Seconded by: Vice-Chair Bonnie Clark Carried 5.
Strategic Planning SESSION NOTES
Session Agenda
4-8
Opening, Goals, Introductions & Review of the Day’s Agenda
9
Strategic Planning Overview and Approval of the Proposed Process Approval of the 10-year Vision Narrative
9-10
Our Current Context, Success Factors and Lessons Learned
11-14
Looking Ahead: A Discussion About EOLC’s Role, Priorities and Operating Model
14-17
Establishing High Level Criteria that the Board will Use to Evaluate, Prioritize and Make Decisions on Project Ideas Brought Forward
17-19
Generating Goals and Providing Direction and Guidelines to Support EOLC Working Groups in Choosing Projects Tracking EOLC’s Progress and Setting Direction to Evaluate the Plan’s Impact Final Advice for the Working Groups and the Smaller Planning Team Next Steps and Adjournment
19-23
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SESSION AGENDA Session Goals:
- To review and approve a strategic planning process that results in the creation of a 5-year plan (2025-2029) for EOLC by the end of January 2025.
- To approve EOLC’s revised 10-year vision in order to provide a longer- term future-facing picture to guide the Council’s efforts.
- To reflect on EOLC’s current context, success factors, and lessons learned in order to inform the Council’s strategy and plan of action for the coming 5 years.
- To agree upon EOLC‘s role, priorities/themes, approach and operating model to ensure the Council is agile, innovative and successful.
- To establish filter and priority setting criteria to support EOLC in selecting and pursuing strategic and highimpact projects and initiatives.
- To set goals and provide direction and guidelines to EOLC Working Groups to shape their project identification and selection process.
- To determine how EOLC should measure, evaluate and communicate the impact of the 2025-2029 strategic plan.
- To finalize all next steps and related roles to ensure a successful planning process and outcome for EOLC. TIMING 8:45 - 9:00 am 9:00 - 9:15 am 9:15 - 9:30 am 9:30 - 9:40 am 9:40 - 10:25 am
AGENDA ITEM Arrive Early for Coffee and Light Refreshments Opening, Goals, Introductions & Review of the Day’s Agenda
ROLE/RESPONSIBILITY All
Chair, Jeff Leal & Facilitator, Suzanne Gibson Strategic Planning Overview and All Approval of the Proposed Process Approval of the 10-year Vision All Narrative Our Current Context, Success All with survey Factors and Lessons Learned findings presented by • A review of EOLC’s past Suzanne Gibson priorities, aspirational goals *The results of the preand projects session survey will be • Wins and areas in which EOLC shared during this fell short in the last cycle of segment to support the planning group’s discussion. See • Factors for success Pre-Reflections work and • EOLC’s unique value the survey link at the end proposition 3 of 26
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Lessons learned and what EOLC should be doing/not doing • Key opportunities: recent input from the Board Break
of this agenda.
Looking Ahead: A Discussion About EOLC’s Role, Priorities and Operating Model • Confirming EOLC’s 5year priorities/ themes • Moving to Implementation: applying a TRL approach • Project phasing as a way to describe and define EOLC’s work Recommendations on who leads on EOLC themes Establishing High Level Criteria that the Board will Use to Evaluate, Prioritize and Make Decisions on Project Ideas Brought Forward Lunch
All with Kathy Wood to present content
Generating Goals and Providing Direction and Guidelines to Support EOLC Working Groups in Choosing Projects
Smaller team work at rotating work stations *The results of the presession survey will be shared during this segment to support small team discussion. See PreReflections work at the end of this agenda. All with Kathy Wood to present content
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10:25 - 10:40 am 10:40 - 11:30 am
11:30 - 12:00 pm
12:00 - 12:30 pm 12:30 - 1:30 pm
1:30 - 1:45 pm 1:45 - 1:55 pm 1:55 - 2:00 pm
Tracking EOLC’s Progress and Setting Direction to Evaluate the Plan’s Impact Final Advice for the Working Groups and the Smaller Planning Team Next Steps and Adjournment
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All
*The results of the presession survey will be shared during this segment to support the group’s discussion. See Pre-Reflections work at the end of this agenda.
All with Suzanne Gibson facilitating the group
All
All Chair, Jeff Leal, Kathy Wood & Facilitator, Suzanne Gibson
Pre-Reflections Work Please see Appendix A for the EOLC proposed strategic planning process which will result in an approved strategic plan by the end of January 2025. Please come prepared to enhance and approve the recommended process. Additionally, please review the attached PowerPoint (PPT) presentation that outlines:
- Approval of 10-Year Vision for EOLC
- Our Current Context, Success Factor and Lessons Learned • A review of EOLC’s past priorities, aspirational goals and projects • Wins and areas in which EOLC fell short in the last cycle of planning • Factors for success • EOLC’s unique value proposition • Lessons learned and what EOLC should be doing/not doing • Key opportunities: recent input from the Board a. Looking Ahead: A Discussion About EOLC’s Role, Priorities and Operating Model • Confirming EOLC’s 5-year priorities/ themes • Moving to Implementation: applying a TRL approach • Project phasing as a way to describe and define EOLC’s work • Recommendations on who leads on EOLC themes a. Establishing High Level Criteria that the Board Will Use to Evaluate, Prioritize and Make Decisions on Project Ideas Brought Forward b. Generating Goals and Providing Direction and Guidelines to Support EOLC Working Groups in Choosing Projects c. Tracking EOLC’s Progress and Setting Direction to Evaluate the Plan’s Impact d. Final Advice Please review this PPT content and then complete a survey using this link by September 3, 2024 at 12:00 noon so that we can compile additional insights in advance of the September 5, 2024 meeting. These additional ideas and reflections will be shared with the Board at the September session to inform and deepen the planning conversation. Appendix A: Proposed Strategic Planning Process for EOLC Proposed Process for September 2024 to end of January 2025 5 of 26
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1. EOLC Board meets on September 5, 2024 to review and approve the planning process, identify priority areas/themes, set filter and priority setting criteria, agree to EOLC’s operating model, and set guidelines so that EOLC’s Working Groups (WG) can undertake project identification and more detailed planning work based on their priority/theme(s). 2. Pending the Board’s discussion of the operating model on September 5, 2024, Working Groups’ roles are revised and new members are recruited to ensure domain expertise exists, as needed. 3. Working Groups meet between September and early November 2024 to review the Board’s criteria, guidelines and direction and develop a focused short list of project ideas and initiatives that poise EOLC for strategic impact in each of the priority areas. A matrix is created to assess and rank each project against the pre-determined criteria and parameters set by the Board. 4. Up to twelve confidential 1:1 30-minute interviews are undertaken with a rich diversity of EOLC stakeholders to secure their feedback, advice and recommendations. This will be undertaken between September 5 and end of October and a summary of findings and feedback will be presented to EOLC’s Board at a planning day during the last two weeks of November 2024. These interviews will be conducted, collated, and presented to the Board by Suzanne Gibson. The questions and interview participants will be vetted by the small planning team, Chair and Co-Chair. 5. EOLC’s Board will then meet for a planning day during the last two weeks of November 2024 to: o Review, prioritize and commit to appropriate project(s) and initiative(s) that have been submitted by the Working Groups o Confirm desired outcomes for the coming 5-year planning cycle o Scope out and make recommendations regarding partnerships and stakeholder engagement o Finalize EOLC’s operating model and structure including the Working Groups to ensure project initiation and delivery. This includes the idea of crossappointments within Working Groups. o Provide strategic advice and input to Project Manager, Kathy Wood who will draft a 5-year EOLC strategic plan and o Address anything else that emerges and requires input from EOLC’s governing body. 6. Based on the Board’s deliberation at the November 2024 meeting, operational work will commence, EOLC will seek funding and partners, and Working Groups will activate their projects. 6 of 26
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7. Between the end of November 2024 and the beginning of January 2025, Kathy Wood will draft a 5-year plan, which will be reviewed by the small planning team, Working Group Chairs, and the Chair and Vice Chair. 8. EOLC’s Board will meet at the end of January 2025 to review, enhance and approve the 5-year plan. 9. Following the Board’s approval, the plan will be graphically treated and shared with all key stakeholders. It will guide the work of the Working Groups, the Project Manager, and all key collaborations. 10. The Board will receive regular reports on the plan and KPIs will be measured with a dashboard that can be shared broadly with all stakeholders. Annual plans and Working Group efforts will be adjusted year-to-year, given the plan’s status and the outcomes achieved. *Please note that should funding and project opportunities arise over the fall of 2024, all potential opportunities will be reviewed and assessed by the small planning team including Kathy Wood and then brought to the Board of Directors for their review and consideration. EOLC has historically been nimble and agile when opportunities emerge and this approach will continue to be prioritized
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Opening, Goals, Introductions & Review of the Day’s Agenda • • • • •
Suzanne welcomed attendees and reviewed the session goals and agenda. Including the pre-work completed with the planning group (PG) who she introduced as Sheridan, Maureen, Craig and Kathy She discussed that the session aimed to draw out ideas and themes, with a focus on setting strategic direction as a governing body, while leveraging the expertise structure of the Working Groups (WG) The group considered what the strategic approach should be and what areas to focus on, and then to work on operating models A dedicated day in November will follow this meeting to further develop priorities and set projects in motions in accordance with the vision – emphasized as being fundable and achievable Suzanne asked the board members If anyone was interested in joining the PG Strategic Planning Overview and Approval of the Proposed Process
• • • • • • • • • •
Suzanne asked for group consensus to proceed with the proposed approach Discussion ensued on the need for recruitment to get WGs and projects started The proposed approach involves in consultation with the working group, speaking to individuals representing a variety of stakeholders to gather feedback from those who know the organization well Suzanne noted that planning is detailed, and the board would be involved to help guide the process Helpful feedback from the survey included that stakeholder interviews, while statistically insignificant, provide valuable feedback from neutral parties that wouldn’t otherwise be obtained There was emphasis on flexibility, stating that as new themes emerge from polling, the organization should remain agile in its approach Jason highlighted the opportunity for the EOLC to share ongoing initiatives across sectors, such as AI and agriculture, and that the strength of the organization is to bring collect ideas together Suzanne noted that in the last process there was a lot of consultations, and suggested that the PG would meet and provide feedback with permission from the broader group Suzanne proposed structuring the November session to include committee input and requestion delagting the task of choosing interview participants to the planning group Kathy discussed involving a mix of external and independent voices and reorganizing participants as necessary – the initial list was provided
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based on people who may be interested in the EOLC and have observations Discussion of not overemphasizing past participants and looking forward to adjusting for future needs and make the organization relevant for all entities The group agreed for each member to submit two names, and Suzanne confirmed agreement on delegating the sorting to the PG
[Cyndy entered at 9:29 am] Approval of the 10-year Vision Narrative • • • • • •
Suzanne discussed the changes that were made to the Vision statement based on the June 27, 2024 meeting feedback as well as the survey feedback that was received on this version presented Suzanne proposed to the group using this version as a “straw man” draft Discussion and consensus to shorten and explain succinctly what the EOLC does - proposed a tagline that clearly defines what the organization does in 10 words or less It was decided that the PG will refine the document, focusing on creating a shorter description and tagline as part of a larger piece Kathy noted that this version of the vision puts emphasis on people and workforce development, which could be an important message if the EOLC wants to prioritize that focus Suzanne encouraged members to email the planning group with additional feedback Our Current Context, Success Factors and Lessons Learned
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Kathy summarized that the projects conceived or worked on were directly related to the aspirational goals previously discussed Kathy pointed out that most projects were managed through the WGs (or EORN) and highlighted that workforce development was agreed on as above the rest, with most of the funding allocated to it as directed by the board Kathy provided examples of key projects like COVID-19 impact projections and the recovery and resilience project requested by the province as an exception to the general rule that came direct to the board Chair Jeff Leal asked about the operationalization of completed work and how much of it was implemented in the field Kathy acknowledged that while some projects were picked up, others didn’t transition into operational programs due to their nature
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Mayor Doug Elmslie highlighted the lack of transportation systems like 4-lane highways and rail connectivity in the northern regions of Eastern Ontario Cyndy discussed the need for the organization to promote its outcomes and demonstrate its regional presence and impact Maureen suggested that rather than the broad group identify projects, its more important to identify priorities, and let the WGs bring forward projects that we can do. The WGs are composed of experts who bring forward project proposals, which are then prioritized by the board Craig emphasized the importance of defining outcomes and capturing relevant data to inform decision-making and communicate value Vice-Chair Bonnie Clark noted that the WG decides on implementation and evaluation of projects success Kathy discussed the commuter project, stating it wasn’t purely a rural project; it was designed to span both rural and urban boundaries. It was challenging, and the commuter pilot was significantly impacted by COVID. Hoping for six different pilot projects, as discussed by the working group, COVID presented a major problem— and didn’t fully expend the allocated funds. The province later asked if the EOLC wanted additional funding for the pilots, but it turned out they couldn’t proceed with the six pilots as initially planned—not for lack of effort, but because employers didn’t have the time to think about these initiatives. Despite extensive marketing efforts to encourage transit use, this was a significant issue The second aspect was the data-intensive nature of the element project, with 99% of the expenditures for data funded provincially. We paid roughly $75,000 in cash out of a total cost of over $2 million. For labor projects, we had to purchase expensive data and run it through AI to improve efficiency. While it was conducted under R&D, the cost would have been prohibitive for commercial use—we obtained the software but didn’t have a way to cover the data cost Kathy noted that if the EOLC wants to be in the innovation game, we need to keep an eye on the IP considerations. It has potential branding opportunities for the EOLC—another way to be innovative. The challenge has been deciding whether we want to be in the game. On the labor market side, we have the software but not the data. There are solutions available, and we don’t necessarily have to buy it; we have relationships with Stats Canada, though we’ve noticed that the census data is outdated Cyndy summarized a strategic idea that the group needs to tackle— what do we do with floating IP? Do we handle it, or do we hand it off?
[Mayor John Beddows entered at 10:01 am]
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Kathy highlighted that she wrote the last point on slide 19 specifically for a reason (“The Board was active; CAOs and other senior staff actively supported operations; additional expertise added via Working Group members”). Now, it’s a big question mark because a lot has happened since we finished those projects Jay discussed that part of it is we need clarity. All organizations seek funding. We need to differentiate EOLCs funding efforts from other organizations. We don’t want to compete for funding but should have our own projects that might not fit into this. We need to clarification so that ministers and senior staff don’t think we are all the same group, and ensure we communicate effectively Mayor John Beddows noted there is risk in being a “trusted partner.” Asked - what does trust mean, and how does it shape or limit our actions? Are we seen as clients or patrons? This dependency on trust can impact our outcomes and options. The Planning Group should consider this point Kathy shared an example – the province asked the EOLC to undertake the labor market AI projects. The Working Group had been discussing AI but hadn’t proposed building anything at that time. The province asked if we wanted to do it, which led to a conversation about whether we were becoming a contractor for the province. We didn’t want that, so we went back with a plan saying what we wanted to do and asked if they would fund it Value proposition Kathy reminded the group that for a value proposition to be effective, it must be defined by the recipient or client, not the creator and the value must be meaningful to them in a unique way The EOLC has undertaken various projects and assignments, leveraging collaboration for greater impact - our collaborative approach allows us to combine expertise and resources in ways that would be challenging individually We can build our brand and position ourselves uniquely. This collective effort can achieve what individual economic development officers might not have the capacity to do Discussion ensued about ensuring our efforts align with the vision and focusing on not being too broad and not being spread too thin Discussion that other EO organizations focus is on marketing and should leverage existing efforts on this front Cyndy suggested defining the EOLC’s role clearly to avoid duplication and support existing efforts Mayor John Beddows highlighted the lack of coherence among regional advocacy efforts and suggested that the EOLC could provide a forum for mayors and other groups to coordinate and avoid overlapping efforts
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Suzanne proposed leaving these discussions with the Planning Group to consider how to structure collaboration with other groups, both formally and informally
[Break from 10:30 – 10:45 am] Looking Ahead: A Discussion About EOLC’s Role, Priorities and Operating Model • •
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Discussion ensued about whether we have a separate innovation committee, or if innovation is embedded in all groups Further discussion around transportation with a focus on regional and cross-border issues rather than global. Discussed that ports in Montreal are at capacity, affecting access to global markets and that we don’t do a lot of deliberate investment in one level of value added for current agricultural products going out, which would be attractive for business at scale in Eastern Ontario Discussion on securing Innovation, there are centres to engage with, dynamic groups, innovation clusters, etc., across the region The group discussed the six themes which reflect the new themes of infrastructure and workforce housing including further discussion on consideration of how to finance these and incorporate innovation, and it was noted that the current themes have been structured to cover many topics except waste management Mayor John Beddows emphasized that waste management is a predisposition to economic development. The need for regional coherence in waste management is crucial when we talk about building 1 million homes, bringing in people and the businesses that employ them, yet we don’t have available landfill Cyndy suggested an action to be taken away is to figure out what projects are going on, if there is a gap, and if we full the gap or if we lend support Mayor John Beddows emphasized that workforce housing is a subset of the broader ‘cost of living’ issue. Affordability in housing and daycare are linked to folks choosing family size and solutions should focus on reducing overall living costs and increasing earning capacity – or focus on how do we reduce the hourly wage of salary that’s consumed by just living? Available to provide more information on this point as needed Kathy outlined two options for integrating AI which the board will decide o Focus on specific sectors like agriculture due to its resilience and export potential o A broader interest in using AI to enhance productivity across various sectors Chair Jeff Leal noted that practical application of AI should be centred in Eastern Ontario 12 of 26
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Mayor John Beddows highlighted that education should be a subset in workforce development from primary on, noting that is school isn’t good enough, then people won’t want to live here Kathy discussed the importance of innovation or lack thereof in each priority, reminding the group that we have an innovation committee— should it support other groups, or remain a separate entity? The group agreed to keeping the Innovation WG distinct Mayor John Beddows discussed that we don’t have a holistic view of EO’s economic activity—we need to understand the macroeconomic landscape, including industry, agriculture, nodes, and interactions like transportation and connectivity – this is crucial for enabling future workforce development Suzanne suggested we identify opportunities and create momentum, we can use innovation to explore future state projects Kathy gave an example - around 2005-2007, EOWC did a rural policy project, mapping territorial capital like infrastructure, highways, and ports and while it’s outdated, it was a starting point to understand what exists Cyndy noted some themes are missing—small business, tourism and culture, sustainable economic development, climate, and regional collaboration, which is a key aspect of our work Suzanne stated collaboration should be embedded in the groups. Jay discussed that agriculture might need attention – referring to the March 2 strategy, it felt like a catch-all. Workforce housing and healthcare workforce are issues. Agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and food processing are roles that need clarity, and the PG can decide if that’s its own group. When you think of AI in agriculture, farmers are down to less people because of automation and there is a role for this group within this realm, but haven’t pinpointed it yet Mayor John Beddows confirmed this thought and that’s why he mentioned that second-stage processing is crucial; it’s a major driver in EO, but doesn’t drive as much as urban Chair Jeff Leal noted a big challenge is that while EV is a major investment, agriculture might get overlooked - PG to consider this point Kathy discussed that there have been multiple perspectives at the BOD about how much EOLC should engage in specific projects—whether to produce reports, strategies, or build something. Provincial funding often expects sharing results widely. Craig and Jason proposed a framework to determine how far EOLC should go or when to hand off a project. We discussed using a framework from the tech sector—tech readiness levels Discussed slide 34 which shows examples of how others approach project phases, from early stages to studies, etc.
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Discussed slide 35 which looks at project phases—how EOLC determines its involvement, potential funding, and staging projects at various points – we would ask WGs to think about projects under any of the themes from this lens, and then share conceptualization at the board Discussed slide 36, noting that as we work through this, consider capacity and keep in mind various ways EOLC can innovate— governance, WG structure, policy, business model, etc. We’ve never run a program directly with users but focused on foundational support Question: Where should EOLC projects start and end? Is there a boundary we won’t cross? Craig noted this framework addresses capacity issues, helping EOLC decide where it fits—facilitation, coordination, referral, etc. and is a tool for strategic thinking Sheridan highlighted this process aligns with Lean Six Sigma, but we need to add analysis at the end, regardless of where we conclude General agreement on this approach Establishing High Level Criteria that the Board will Use to Evaluate, Prioritize and Make Decisions on Project Ideas Brought Forward
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Kathy noted that moving forward, we should consider financial in discussions. Digital infrastructure remains with EORN. The Innovation Group should continue and support other WGs. Some people serve on multiple WGs, allowing for cross-sharing of information For the infrastructure group, Jason St. Pierre was proposed as the Chair Jay noted that he was concerned that the scope may be too broad and time-consuming Suzanne confirmed this approach guides us to November – we can refine and prioritize as needed, and even if each group does not play an active role, they are here to tap – broader groups can pull in specific expertise Mayor John Beddows suggested framing around cost of living to capture broader issues, rather than narrowly focusing on single effects like workforce housing. If you do gap analysis, you can focus on low-hanging fruit, but if you focus on Workforce housing, you have a single line of operation – we need to enable housing across all sectors of all functions, including seasonal Kathy noted that Workforce deployment includes various issues, around lack of understanding around labor supply. There are conversations around daycare / lack thereof / remote work and effect of remote work – adding housing considerations could cover some elements Suggestion that the group write down WG members to be added to each theme 14 of 26
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Suzanne discussed criteria to guide WG decisions, seeking endorsement for these criteria Overarching piece of advice – if we finalize a value proposition, its an internal document that will say these criteria aligns to the value proposition Kathy pointed out concern about criteria that states we don’t take on projects that don’t align with provincial or federal priorities – asked should we limit ourselves this way and never consider a project that’s not on the provincial or federal radar? Mayor John Beddows stated we should use our collective influence to shape priorities, not just align with external agendas Kathy discussed past examples, like digital permitting, which show value in innovative approaches – MMAH did not think of this, and we might miss out on innovative projects if we abide by this criteria in entirety Mayor Doug Elmslie highlighted that even aligning with government priorities doesn’t guarantee support – stating we should be open to good ideas but recognize that not all get backing or partnership Vice-chair Bonnie Clark noted we need to push boundaries and advocate for our region’s needs, even if it means going against the grain Mayor John Beddows suggested that the PG massage the 3rd last bullet on slide 40 (“Some evidence that the project idea might align with provincial or federal priorities and interest”), change the language as not a key driver – noted that some projects go forward because municipal service corporations have standoff partnership to deliver capital and handle the effort Discussion that any advocacy by EOLC needs to be data-driven and supported by evidence, and highlighting past success in engaging ministry staff, working directly with directors and administrative teams in past workforce projects
[Break from 12:00-12:30 pm] [Sarah entered at 12:30 pm] Generating Goals and Providing Direction and Guidelines to Support EOLC Working Groups in Choosing Projects Themes Innovation
Aspirational goals, guidelines and top advice • Incremental innovation / innovative solutions • Do we generate profit from out work and reinvest in what we are doing?
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Comments Jay: • Agree with idea of innovation centres / hub,
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o Access for data ($) Who has what? o Study map it o Market it AI – aggregates innovation (Needs analysis supporting SME’s / gap analysis) links to hub / specialist centre o Agriculture Broader access to AI > workforce challenges Supporting agritech Eastern Ontario College (critical mass, practical applications) GIS Airports – regional innovative hub (Ptbo) Municipal innovation Shares best practices/services/policies New approaches/techniques Problem/need based solutions Post secondary institutions o Anticipate opportunities / college curriculum Embrace political discomfort and label failure Review and recommend planned efficiency in government Change in management Job swapping - cross training – workforce Best practice / efficiency sharing > hub o Specialist centre o Tie all innovation sharing in and research institutions / academia EORN – Cyber – cell and broadband Road building innovation – life extension o Post secondary financial Sustainability – financial o Environmental events predictive analytics Emergency preparedness o Innovation sharing HR public transportation Innovation forum
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look at a regional innovation centre that can get funding Cyndy: • Agreed – pinning sustainable economic development as one of the topics – key theme the EOLC should address • Regional collaboration – how it is going to work for that topic • Pins: Tourism and culture and sustainable economic development (broad comment not just for innovation)
Workforce development and deployment (incl. workforce housing)
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o “Speed dating” innovators o Post-secondary, SME, Municipalities, etc. Talent retention o Quality of life promotion – succession and progression o Selling our recreation and lifestyle Skills development / skilled labour in key sectors o Health care o Tech o How are we leveraging secondary from a training capacity? Links to PSE – collaboration o Education – proximity location / academically demanding (STEM) School taxes Urban vs. rural challenges Youth retention – programs - invest to retain Workforce incentives – how to make our community affordable o Housing supplies o Education o Support for newcomers Language Spousal support to get jobs Family doctors Providing childcare Targeting high demand occupations (family drs, millwrights, etc.) o Collaboration to stop poaching o Supply management and equity Sub regional collaboration to address workforce supply o Talent pools o Mobile workforce tie to workforce housing Workback data – demand but also supply o Back to PSE Newcomers – agriculture tie to aging farmers workforce Workforce housing – PSE – change rules
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Transportation
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Advanced manufacturing tech – 3D tech Securing – communal > Water / wastewater – provincial process change o New tools CSC Newcomers o PSE reps – faculty and students o Key sector reps – home builders, healthcare, etc. o Chamber of Commerce o Province – ministry staff o Immigrant and youth services agencies o CMCH Federal Government needs to revamp infrastructure investment o Peterborough is the busiest smaller airport with no air control Adopt “best practices” overall Anticipate needs Drive economic function > Access to global markets (capacity – rail lines removed that would now be helpful) o Airports o Rail o Port Connectivity between rail and ports Capacity (6 lane 401 & Hwy 7, 4 lane Hwy 17) Rural transit (point to point) o Urban to rural employees Funding of municipal commercial transportation infrastructure Construction methods (best practices for sustainability) / (paved shoulders) o Data driven o Cost o Lifecycle Local “uber” or “share ride” (why drive) o Would include businesses Grocery stores Pharmacy Point system
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Mayor John Beddows: • Discussed corresponding decline in gas tax – revenue stream that we are highly dependent on. What’s going to replace it? • And to that point, its not reciprocated – if you look at weight of EV, let alone EV transport, that has lot of wear and tear
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• Infrastructure (incl. digital infrastructure)
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Transportation in Eastern Ontario should NOT impede investment o Major deterrent currently and lack of rail access Impacts to gas tax o Bicycle/active transportation o EV vehicles Communal & wastewater & portable water / environmental infrastructure “Roads & bridges” and large culverts Digital infrastructure – broadband, cell o Broadband and cell gaps still exist (EORN to continue their work) IT & Data infrastructure (including AI) o “Harmonization” Transportations – ports, rail, airport (freight) o Pedestrian/Cycling o Passenger o Freight Workforce transportation Serviced land Energy/Electricity Landfill capacity Continues waste LD Streamlined water and wastewater approval process (including adoption) and removal of parallel provincial processes Funding / financing for municipal infrastructure Emphasis on thinking long term o “Shovel worthy” vs. “shovel ready” Financial model for cost-sharing Moving people > European model (live here / work there) o Remote workers Improved via performance Education on availability to digital infra and the adoption and uptake on that Gap analysis of healthcare infrastructure Seamless rural-urban transportation
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Mayor John Beddows: • Looking at resurgence of flues, disease, Lyme, avian, West Nile, etc. – as a region we require quality of life, but this speaks to health care, ag, quality of life, cost of life, etc. If you own a horse farm, it effects you, if you work in ag, it effects you, and so on Cyndy: • In addition to the above point, it is about climate as well
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Reduced red tape (EAS) / Fast track process Communal process expedited (including urban areas) Holistic planning (regional) “Blank Slate” (Across municipalities) o (Economies of scale in infrastructure) Overcome budget information disclosure problem (sasktel) Protection of natural capital Climate and invasive species
[Jason left at 12:53pm] Tracking EOLC’s Progress and Setting Direction to Evaluate the Plan’s Impact • • • • •
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Cyndy discussed supporting data-driven analytics, especially reaching out to EDOs and smaller offices that are providing loans to small businesses Kathy mentioned a past project by the Ontario Association comparing support, with assistance from CFCC Cyndy shared that Community Futures is undergoing another effectiveness review of the CF program, which is expanding its regional focus Chair Jeff Leal expressed interest in understanding the profiles of these businesses Kathy emphasized the need to avoid overextending budgets and resources, which will be addressed in the work plan. She discussed that the BOD needs to assess whether collective efforts are benefiting the Eastern Ontario economy / moving the needle for the economy and aligning with the priorities we are setting Kathy introduced the dashboard as a tool to measure the impact of efforts and provide regular updates on projects and priorities - work plans will outline specific tasks for the EOLC, but from a BOD perspective, the dashboard will track impact metrics, and give regular reports on the priority and projects we agree to, helping to determine if initiatives are achieving desired outcomes Kathy noted the importance of having baseline data and setting targets to measure progress and discussed challenges in proving causality versus correlation when attributing impact to efforts and being delicate
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if taking credit. We want to take credit and there is a lot of credit to be shared, so we need to know if we are trending up or down – indicators are a static value plus directional standard It was suggested that WGs should focus on identifying 2-3 (not too many) key indicators to track over the next few years to assess impact Discussion ensued about the need for creative data use, citing examples like OpenTable and U-Haul using their data to tell impactful stories about their operations (opened data up to the public) and emphasized the power of data storytelling as an effective marketing tool for the region It was requested that the WGs distill down information and make recommendations not just on projects and initiatives but also what are the indicators that do that
Final Advice for the Working Groups and the Smaller Planning Team •
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Jay suggested leveraging existing data sources, and other organizations that have data on Eastern Ontario companies, exports, job statistics, and demographics – highlighted GIS planning as a resource that provides live data, noting that Ontario’s government has bought in, so Eastern Ontario is feeding in Vice-Chair Bonnie Clark mentioned that the Rural Housing Information System (RHIS) previously conducted by the EOWC will be relevant in WG discussions Cyndy recommended that the first step should be to analyze the existing “laundry list” of data and identify the types of data needed Discussion ensued about how this analysis will help in pinpointing real priorities by identifying gaps and determining what additional data needs to be sourced, and also see the real priorities The overarching advice is to utilize existing resources, ensure collaboration, and prioritize refining data to make informed decisions for strategic planning and advocacy Next Steps and Adjournment
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The group agreed to begin with distilling all the information discussed so far to clarify key points and priorities Once the distillation is complete, the chairs of the WGs and committees will review the results to identify who needs to be on their teams – this step is not about choosing specific projects yet but rather about structuring the WGs with the right people and skills
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Noted that the WGs haven’t met in some time, so it will be crucial to realign them with the new mandate and refreshed agenda – the aim is to structure and filter these groups effectively based on the distilled priorities It’s possible that the WGs may refine their focus by prioritizing specific areas (e.g., priorities #x, y, z) rather than addressing a broad list of potential projects
Correspondence
Date of the Next Meeting Thursday, October 3, 2024 Virtual (Note: A calendar invite has been sent for the first Thursday of each month. The Chair may cancel depending on the workload.)
Adjournment Motion “That the September 5, 2024 Eastern Ontario Leadership Council Strategic Priority be adjourned at 1:58.” Moved by: Mayor Doug Elmslie Seconded by: Vice-Chair Bonnie Clark Carried
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