SUGGESTIONS:

• Relationship with Council as collective body (inclusive of Chair, not with individuals)
• Success with Council relations to date via NPCA
• How to build on economic development steps and expand opportunities (not wholesale
change)
• 2-3 concrete examples of NPCA working with particular Niagara community to resolve
issues.

OVERARCHING THEME: Building new and strengthening current relationships within

Niagara Region and surrounding municipalities (Hamilton) and regions in order to drive
prosperity and achieve Regional Council’s priorities.

BRING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES TO ENHANCE PROSPERITY IN THE

NIAGARA REGION

• Capitalize and personally involve myself and the economic development team on
opportunities for growth and expansion from foreign investors.

o i.e. for instance, pursuit of a branch of the Bank of China potentially locating in
Niagara.

• Important that as staff act on Council’s Strategic Plan that we strategically engage private
sector to find ways to bring forward efficiencies, investment, and reduction of risk for the
organization.

ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

• Build on Council’s low tax increase and incentive programs (Economic Gateway
Incentives) and proactively raise awareness among the private sector in other
jurisdictions of the unique transportation and low cost landscape of doing business in
Niagara

• Strengthen partnerships with CAOs and Mayors of the LAMs to ensure there is united
focus that economic development in Niagara is good for all of Niagara (example of
GE) – Region, St. Catharines, Niagara Falls and City of Welland working together to
attract manufacturing giant.

• Eliminate barriers and red tape for local businesses so that they are able to expand and be
Niagara’s ambassadors to the corporate world. If local businesses aren’t happy with their
ability to do business with the Region (procurement, bridge, etc.), or there is red tape
(public works/planning), that message will spread.

o i.e. Shift NPCA culture from enforcement body to compliance partner

IMPLEMENT NIAGARA REGION’S STRATEGIC PLAN

• Leveraging strengths of local municipalities

• Secure consensus from Council on timelines, and budgets for strategic plan projects and
provide annual opportunities to review plan with Council. Assessment and alignment are
crucial to success.

• Establish ‘one window’ approach with Regional Council, LAMs, and CAOs on
significant projects to clearly outline goals and a plan to achieve objectives with all
relevant stakeholders and partners.

MEASURE SUCCESS

• Encouraged by the system of performance measurement and performance indicators

the Regional Chair has brought to the Niagara Region and the Departments.

• Measure success by:

o Benchmark against our peers of similar size

o Benchmark against Strategic Plan and the outlined timelines
o Regular reporting and updates to Chair & Council on moving the dials and
relevance of data inputs that feed into them

• Critical to frequently assess measurement and evaluate what is/is not working, revise as
needed.

• Ensure that staff are providing real time updates to Regional Council on particular
successes of Strategic priorities (vs. general updates on entire plan)

BUILD AND MAINTAIN RELATIONSHIPS AMONG THE CHAIR, COUNCIL,

SENIOR STAFF AND MUNICIPALITIES WITHIN THE REGION

• CHAIR - Respected wishes of Chair & Regional Council for ABCs to bring back a 0%
budget in 2015-2016 budget process; the NPCA delivered on that request.

• COUNCIL - Joint provincial advocacy with Regional Council & NPCA in 2015 & 2016
at the Association of Ontario Municipalities Conference on wetlands designation issues.

• SENIOR STAFF – Build trust and confidence with senior staff, supporting them by
providing the opportunity for them offer their independent and creative expertise and
solutions to Council.

• MUNICIPALITIES – Build consensus on Regional priorities and support local

municipalities with staff resources and partnerships to ensure their ongoing success.
Review strategic plan with local municipalities to examine areas of alignment for future
partnerships. Eliminate waste and duplication of services by improving collaboration
with local municipalities as possible.