1. STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR Economic development
THE GOLD RIVER
EXPERIENCE
Kathy

2. USING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING TOOLKIT
Kathy -
This is the introductory web page in the Toolkit.
Steps outlined here with an brief overview are:
I want to dive right in but………
Can I complete the process by myself?
How long will this take?
Do I have to complete every step?
What other support do you offer?

3. USING THE STRATEGIC PLANNING TOOLKIT
The Strategic Planning Toolkit enabled us to:
Focus our efforts on community values;
Create a Strategic Plan that is ‘right-sized’
for the community;
Concentrated our work on ease of implementation;
and
Set out a clear path for the community.
Geoff
The tool kit was a great resource. It clarified a number of areas for the Project Team and Municipal Council.
Connected the community vision to the strategic plan.
Built a collaborative plan.
Created a plan with goals that were specific, measurable, achievable, relevant to the community and their vision, and time based (ease of implementation).
Created flexibility linked to anticipated growth, available budget and human resources.

4. PLANNING PROCESS FROM TOOLKIT
VISION – COMMUNITY VALUES
COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
DEVELOP STRATEGIC AREAS
NEXT STEPS –
CREATE GOALS
IMPLEMENTATION STAGE
PLANNING
PROCESS
FROM TOOLKIT
Geoff –
The steps in the planning process are logical, sequenced and begin and conclude with community values.
In general terms – this process is how we interpreted the Toolkit actions for Gold River.
Gold River

5. GOLD RIVER PERSONALIZED TOOLKIT
Approval & Project Team appointment by Council (including hiring consultant)
Draft Economic Development Strategy
Community Meeting and Input
Project Team Planning Meeting
Final Economic Development Strategy
Literature Review
Presentation to Council
Stakeholder Engagement
Geoff -
Here in more detail is how we personalized the Toolkit to Gold River.
Revise/Adopt by Council
Project Team Strategy Planning Session
Implement
Gold River

6. THE COMMUNITY IS PROVIDING DIRECTION
Geoff -
Through a variety of tools in community consultation it was the community members who pointed the way.
Gold River

7. COMMUNITY CONSULTATION
On line Survey
One on One Meetings
and
Business Sector and
Community Focus Groups
Geoff –
How did we connect with the community?
Survey Monkey for On-line surveys. Kept the survey simple with just eight questions.
We didn’t have age of respondents or length of residency in Gold River. Something to consider for next time.
Organizing one on one meetings – with suggested contacts from project team input. Time consuming but certainly very important. Some local business owners and others in the community did not want their opinions aired in public.
Take time to set up the Focus Groups – be organized, arrange hospitality (coffee/water/comfortable setting etc). Take pictures of the focus groups and other public meetings.
Confirm attendance (if possible) and follow up with non-attendees. Make sure they provide their comments by or (at the very least) go to the On-line Survey.
Preferable to use a tag team approach for the focus groups – one person to lead and one to maintain flipcharts to record comments.

8. Official Community Plan Relevant documents Previous strategies and
LITERATURE REVIEW
Official Community Plan
Relevant documents
Previous strategies
and
Community Vision
Gedoff –
Literature review is an important step…. Both in the preparation stage and during the Strategic Planning process.
Relevant Documents may be suggested by the Project Team or Municipal staff.
Community Vision – is detailed in the next slide.

9. VISION - COMMUNITY VALUES
A clear and concise statement that communicates
the overall desired future of a community and reflects
the community’s values. The vision can also be used
to articulate the community’s overall economic goals *
Geoff –
Quoted directly from the Strategic Planning Toolkit.
*Strategic Planning Toolkit
Gold River

10. Strategic Assessment Areas
GOLD RIVER
Strategic Assessment Areas
Governance
Image
Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E)
Business Attraction
Downtown
Waterfront
Partnerships
Kathy -
Example from the Gold River Strategy
Gold River

11. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTION STEPS
GOLD RIVER
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS
IMPLEMENTATION OF ACTION STEPS
Steps to Success
Resources Required
Cost
Human Resources Required
Timelines
Kathy -
This process was used for Gold River and is taken from the Toolkit (with minor adaptation).
Next slide is a screen shot of a page from the Strategy to demonstrate what the Action Steps looked like.

12. Kathy –
Notice –
Action Item
Background detail
Clearly delineated steps
Resources Required
Funding Sources
Timelines
Not shown in this example is ‘Evaluation’ – showing what success looks like.

13. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
GOLD RIVER
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
NEXT STEPS
1. Prioritized goals and their implementation will be approved by Council annually and carried out on a project by project basis utilizing appropriate contractors. 2. Contractors would provide working support and professional guidance to the Economic Development Committee. 3. Action items identified and prioritized will be over-seen by the Economic Development Committee and results reported back to Council.
Kathy -
Simple overall “next Steps’ from the Gold River Strategy.

14. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY
LESSONS LEARNED
It doesn’t need to be a ‘Mega Strategy’. Fit the plan to the community.
Take Pictures
Communicate often – with the Project Team and the Community. Respond quickly to questions or comments.
Don’t skimp during the community consultation stage. (Take as long as it needs to do the job properly)
Geoff and Kathy –
Lessons learned –
It doesn’t need to be a ‘Mega Strategy’. Fit the plan to the community.
Take Pictures – can’t emphasize this enough. It’s easy to forget.
Communicate often – with the Project Team and the Community. Respond quickly to questions or comments.
Don’t skimp during the community consultation stage. (Take as long as it needs to do the job properly)
Take Pictures – well we can emphasize this again. It’s great for a record for Council and for the final report and other Power Point Presentations.

15. STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR Economic development
Thank you
Kathy Lachman – FLNRORD
&
Geoff Millar - G. MILLAR & Associates
Geoff and Kathy –
Thank you