Calabogie and Area
Business Association (CABA) Strategic Plan
2006 - 2010
Ver 3.2
April 4, 2006
PROPRIETARY NOTICE:
The information contained herein is confidential and/or proprietary to
the Calabogie and Area Business Association (CABA) and will not be reproduced
or disclosed in whole or in part, or used for any purpose whatsoever unless
authorized in writing by the CABA Executive Committee.
Table of Contents
1.1 What Does the Association Do?
1.2 How is the Association Organized?
1.3 Who are the Customers of the
Association?
3 Business Environment Assessment
5 Strategic Operational Plans for
2006 – 2008
5.1 Primary Strategies and
Operational Plans
5.2 Secondary Strategies and
Operational Plans
This strategic plan is for the Calabogie and Area Business Association (CABA).
CABA represents the interests of the Greater Madawaska Township (GMT) and Burnstown business community.
The association is organized of a membership, with dues paid annually.
Members include representatives of any business in the GMT and Burnstown area operating or registered in or near the area. Members are full voting members once they have paid their annual dues. Membership at large may also include non-voting associate members from non-profit organizations.
The association’s activities are planned and managed by an executive, which consists of 9 members, including:
One of the directors may be a non-voting director representing a non-profit organization from the community.
The association serves two groups of people:
The only real guideline that stimulates the activity of CABA is the mission statement, whereby “…the association will develop better business opportunities for all businesses in the GMT and Burnstown area.”
As a result of the structure of CABA, there are a number of constraints that shape its activities:
Over the past 3 years (2003 through 2005), CABA has accomplished the following important activities:
The business environment of the GMT and Burnstown area is primarily focused on recreational and tourist activities, followed by the trades, retail and professional services support to the residents of the area.
This recreational
area is characterized by a picturesque, rugged landscape with well forested
hills and many interspersed small lakes. The major watershed is defined by the
Madawaska River, which links lakes such as Centennial, Black Donald and
Calabogie Lakes and collections of water from hundreds of smaller lakes and
rivers. The forest is a mixture of mostly middle-aged conifer and deciduous
trees, having regenerated following the cutting and fires of the late 1800s to
early 1900s.
The GMT and Burnstown
communities can be described as follows:
The GMT is the largest of the townships in Renfrew County, is sparsely populated ( 2290 in 2001) and made up of small villages ( Dacre, Mt. St. Patrick, Matawatchan, Black Donald, Griffith, Calabogie, Springtown), in a rural setting, vibrant back in the days of logging, saw mills and graphite mine activities. Historically, infrastructure included a railway through Calabogie, from Kingston to Pembroke, and a bank, hotels, rooming houses, eating establishments and general stores in Calabogie. Settlers were enticed to come from countries in Europe such as Ireland to claim free grants of land which were misrepresented as good farmland. Many settlers did not stay. Many residents are descendents of these original settlers. Over time, logging was greatly reduced, mining stopped and the railway was removed. The area soon became a place for summer vacations and now its cottage population is extensive due to the numerous lakes and the Madawaska River system flowing through the area. More recently, a large number of retirees have moved to the area due to the close proximity to Ottawa, the beauty of the Ottawa Valley and the diverse outdoor recreation activities. The township is over 60% crown land. Canoeing, fishing, snowmobiling, hiking, cross country skiing, cliff climbing and, more recently, ATVing, are important activities carried out on the crown land. There are sufficient pubs and restaurants in the area which can accommodate more customers. Accommodation rates show tourist beds are still available. The camping, alpine skiing and golf facilities are key to the economy but 96% of the tax burden is carried by the residents due to the small number of businesses.
A survey of residents reveals a point of view held by some people that the state of the local economy and quality of living are acceptable, and therefore there is no desire to “rock the boat”; they wish the community would just stay the same. However, since change is inevitable, there are only two directions:
The business community feels obliged to become proactive to improve not only individual businesses, but the entire community.
The
Business Retention and Expansion Survey conducted by the county for our area in
2004 indicated a number of critical developments required to create the
foundation for effective growth, including a strong requirement to:
·
Improve
the broadband cellular and wireless services in the area.
·
Develop
business to accommodate the rising senior population.
·
Brand
the area to promote tourism.
·
Develop
special events and promotions in the area.
The
County of Renfrew has experienced business shrinkage as well as a decline in
population, overall. The Township of GM has been experiencing a steady increase
in population and residential building starts.
Societal
and business analysts say without ongoing improvement comes apathy. Recently, a
number of tourist based businesses in Calabogie have closed due to lack of
growth and profit. A stale business climate is not only depressing, but
expensive to residential taxpayers, who must bear an increasing tax burden. It
is the opinion of the business community, that the area must compete, attract,
encourage and retain investment from entrepreneurs or fall further backwards.
The
economic outlook for 2006, for businesses that rely on discretionary spending,
(tourism being the mainstay of the community) is not optimistic, and that
follows 2005 which, overall, was not a profitable year. These are challenging
times. Increased energy and housing costs are using larger and larger chunks of
families’ disposable income.
Businesses
not directly reliant on recreation and tourism, our trades and professionals,
find their work source linked to residential starts and most serve customers
outside the township. The leading edge
of the baby boomers (eight million of them) are reaching 60 years of age this
year. They are looking for a retirement home over the next five years. This is
why a real estate agent from outside our area was recently knocking on doors in
Calabogie asking if residents and cottagers wanted to sell their waterfront. The township does have waterfront
properties available which are presently driving the increase in new homes.
However, we cannot make more waterfront, and soon, that bubble will burst. In time, the community will not be
attractive to secondary developments if we are a stagnant community.
Infrastructure is lacking. Without a
“critical mass” of people living and working here, infrastructure, which would
be enjoyed by the entire community, will either never start or simply
fail.
The
current GMT council is starting this year a strategic planning process and will
begin with formulating a vision of where we are going. The township has not been competing with
other rural municipalities. It has not encouraged, solicited, welcomed or
rewarded investment and innovation. It must make taxes competitive. It must
control growth in program spending but also take a fresh look at the best
investment and allocation of the tax dollars. The goal should be to make it
easier to do business here. A larger commercial tax base would offset the
present 96% residential tax base.
The
township’s progressive and energetic economic development committee, made up of
residents who moved here, almost entirely, from outside the township, has
formulated a vision for the area to become Eastern Ontario’s most diverse
four-season destination of choice for outdoor recreation, whilst considering
the residential community currently enjoying the remote and rural nature of our
area.
Burnstown, situated in a
neighbouring township, includes about ten diverse retail businesses, two of
which are artists’ studios and one a restaurant, located just a short walk apart in this quaint historic village in
McNabb/Braeside Township. Since this village is only 15 minutes away from
Calabogie, and half way to Renfrew or Arnprior, tourists and residents in the
Calabogie area frequent these shops. Burnstown aligns itself with the Calabogie
tourist area on one side and the town of Renfrew on the other but it is
actually situated on the edge of an adjacent township.
CABA was a pioneering business association in the GMT community, and as a result, there is no alternative organization that represents the interests of the local business community exclusively. There are town based associations such as the Renfrew and Area Chamber of Commerce and Arnprior Chamber of Commerce which focus primarily on their own towns’ activities but do welcome members from adjacent townships. The Upper Ottawa Valley Chamber of Commerce has a broad geographical area of interest, stretching across the county and representing the rural areas such as Barry’s Bay but CABA is the only association focused on the GMT, which is the largest township in the county.
There is, however, competition to the GMT and Burnstown areas, that must be understood as part of the business environment in which CABA must operate while attempting to achieve its goals.
Some of the tourism related businesses in the Calabogie and Burnstown area are members of the Renfrew and Area Chamber of Commerce and display their brochures in the Renfrew office. The staff officer is very supportive and, for example, has offered CABA a table at the annual newcomers’ evening event where CABA can promote what its members offer to new residents from the town of Renfrew ( for example skiing, restaurants, golf).
Residents and busnesses in
the CABA area shop and use the services in the Renfrew and Arnprior area
extensively. Box stores, brand name grocery stores, banks, dry cleaners,
dentists and hospitals are located in these two towns which are both 30 minutes
away from Calabogie and even further away from other parts of the GMT. Residents and businesses in the Griffith
area shop and use Denbigh, Eganville. Cloyne and Renfrew, for example.
CABA, and its membership, is focused on the development and successful delivery of business in two areas:
Competition for recreational and tourist activities includes the other communities in the broader area that compete with the GMT and Burnstown area. Competition for retail and services (including trades) include the other communities in the broader area where entrepreneurs choose to locate their businesses to have access to larger populations.
The Calabogie area draws tourists from any region outside the GMT and Burnstown area, but specifically from the larger population centers such as the greater Ottawa area, greater Kingston area, greater Belleville area, even the greater Toronto area. Some international tourists stay at the time share units.
Areas in the region that compete with the GMT for recreation and tourism, and which deliver customer service to the expectations of today’s modern traveler include:
Other areas where people may choose to establish a retail or professional services business other than the GMT or Burnstown areas include:
The mission of CABA is to:
“To promote and
develop better business opportunities for all businesses in the Township of
Greater Madawaska and Burnstown area.”
As an association, CABA strives to achieve the following vision:
“The greater
Calabogie area will become a premier tourist and recreation destination in
eastern Ontario ,with high quality retail and professional services, and
significant employment opportunities, for the residents of the local
community.”
Key values that CABA will promote through its actions and initiatives include:
A strategic plan must implement strategies that strive towards specific objectives that will in turn result in the realization of the mission and the vision. Objectives are most effective when they are measurable.
CABA strives to influence two sets of objectives; the first set are entirely under the influence and control of CABA, while the second set of objectives must be achieved in cooperation and collaboration with the GMT Economic Development Committee.
CABA’s primary objectives are to:
(It should be noted that, while these are the measurable outcomes of a successful association, it is the actual implementation of the specific strategies in the areas of assignment of tasks, promoting CABA and member businesses, representing the interests of businesses to local government bodies and supporting community development activities which will allow CABA to meet its primary objectives. See page 11, section 5.1 for the detailed strategies.)
CABA’s secondary objectives, which must be achieved in collaboration with the GMT Economic Development Committee, are to:
This section outlines the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT Analysis) of CABA as it relates to its ability to meet its objectives.
The strengths of CABA include:
The weaknesses of CABA include:
The opportunities for CABA include the opportunities to:
· E.g. Assist the township in the realization of selected recommendations in its Sir Sanford Fleming Eco and Adventure Tourism Report, 2005, which was the result of a partnership of CABA (the initiator), the Township of GM, OVTA and Calabogie Peaks Resort.
E.g. Assist the county in meeting the tourism objectives in its soon to be developed five year economic development master plan.
E.g. Collaboration
with the GMT Economic Development Committee to synchronize the strategic plans
of both CABA and the GMT.
The threats to the success of CABA include:
In order to achieve the objectives of CABA, to capitalize on opportunities, while addressing threats, the association has established a number of strategies for the near term. These strategies are organized into two groups, primary and secondary, to align with the primary and secondary objectives.
The primary strategies of CABA, working towards the primary objectives in this plan, include:
The secondary strategies of CABA, working towards the secondary objectives in this plan, in partnership with the GMT Economic Development Committee and other GMT committees, include:
This section defines specific tactics and plans under each strategy for the next three years of CABA operations.
This section outlines strategies and operational plans that CABA shall implement to achieve its primary objectives.
In order to optimize the ability of the association to achieve its objectives, a core strategy will be to continually increase the effective and efficient administration of the association and member services. A number of specific tactics are outlined to implement this strategy beginning in 2006.
Assign CABA executive roles as functional leaders of core CABA activities on an annual basis. Sample functional categories to assign leaders to include:
(a) CABA Administration,
(b) Business,
(c) Recreation,
(d) Tourism,
(c) Community,
(d) Government Liaison and Media Relations, and
(e) CABA Executive and Director Training.
By having members of the CABA Executive (any of them) assigned to these specific areas, it will ensure more effective distribution of activities to CABA executive members, thereby spreading committee workload.
A survey of the CABA membership will be conducted each year. This survey will be used to obtain feedback on the performance of the association, to identify issues that CABA should be addressing through future programs and projects, and to obtain input from the membership on the strength of their businesses over the past year.
Personally have a one on one discussion with each member to determine their area of interest and follow up on a regular basis.
Ask the members what benefits they would like to have and contact other business associations and Chambers of Commerce for the benefits they provide and appropriate sources, where applicable.
In order to be effective in the community, to ensure continual community support, and to encourage CABA membership to enhance business promotion, CABA must promote itself and its membership within the local community.
CABA will continue its program of participation in the Madawaska Highlander Newspaper, to use this media as a method for promoting the association, for announcing events, for recognizing accomplishments, and for recognizing the success of CABA members publicly.
CABA will also increase the use of Renfrew and Arnprior newspapers to promote itself.
CABA will update the CABA Directory in the Highlander to include an emphasis on Trades and to increase the visual impact of the insert.
CABA will host a booth at the Newcomer’s Night in Renfrew in the late fall of 2006, in cooperation with the Renfrew and County Chamber of Commerce.CABA will partner with the township to create a newcomers’ package for GMT.
CABA will annually improve the design and content of the CABA web site.
CABA will adopt a County Road to both support the community and to promote itself within the community.
CABA will create a strategy to update, expand and maintain the banners on hydro poles within the Calabogie area.
CABA currently has a limited business awards program. This program will be expanded in time for the 2007 annual meeting to increase the breadth of recognition of CABA membership in defined categories on an annual basis.
CABA will define and develop a membership identity package, which is expected to include at a minimum (a) store or vehicle decals indicating CABA membership, and (b) continuing support for the definition and publication of business directories for the community.
In cooperation with local businesses, CABA will create and collect data from visitors, eg. for CABA awards and the value of their experience and to identify areas for improvement
A key component to effectively serving the needs of the membership includes ensuring that membership interests are reflected in the planning and operation of local government. CABA therefore must continually participate in positive ways with the local government community.
CABA will establish a government liaison role, whereby a designate will attend all township committee/council meetings to at least be informed of ongoing government activity, and to share this information with CABA. One executive member will also attend monthly Ottawa Valley Economic Development Committee Meetings (run by Renfrew County).
Any government achieves its mandate through the planning and expenditure of funds. To ensure that the interests of the business community are reflected in the operations of the local government, CABA must participate in the shaping of the Township budget on an annual basis, providing input.
CABA will therefore become more knowledgeable about council business, study their budget and submit an annual paper from CABA to reflect the interests of CABA businesses in budget development and execution.
CABA will participate in this newly formed organization.
A CABA representative will be sent to general OVTA meetings and report back to membership.
The business community must support the general community to achieve its objectives, and to ensure there is a viable and attractive community within which to conduct businesses.
CABA will create an annual community event participation plan, and staff support to these events from the CABA membership, ensuring that volunteers are clearly identifiable as CABA’s members.
CABA will define and implement a CABA Volunteer Identity Package, so that when CABA members are volunteering at community events, they are clearly identified as CABA support in their role. Identity media might include buttons and caps, or other means of effectively identifying a CABA volunteer at a community event. This is necessary, as most people in the community will recognize volunteers as individuals (we know each other), but will not realize that the volunteer is acting on behalf of CABA, and that CABA is supporting the event.
As a minimum, the one single community event that will receive full CABA support, and be used as a fund raising activity for CABA, will be the Calabogie Canada Day activities. CABA will extend its participation in Canada Day, with a focus on this event as the single annual community based fundraising activity that the association conducts.
CABA will promote and support the addition of a highway community board to promote local events for each month.
CABA will continue to liaise with the Health Unit to obtain the results of regular water testing, and will share the results with CABA and the township.
This section outlines strategies and operational plans that will be executed in collaboration with the GMT Economic Development Committee or other GMT Committees. The depth of our research will be determined by the level of funding including government grants available. CABA will be actively encouraging council to work towards a more vibrant and vital business community which leads to more services for the residential community. CABA also looks forward to being part of the proposed strategic planning process for the township of GM.
The continual improvement of the effectiveness of the business community cannot be understood without measurement of objectives, followed by annual tracking of performance against those measures. A key strategy is to define, implement, and follow through with measurement systems for key performance indicators.
A measurement system will be defined and implemented to measure the strength of the core business activity in the sectors within GMT, which at the highest level include Retail, Professional Services (including Trades), Recreation, and Tourism.
Measurement systems could include a series of anonymous questions about business strength in the annual CABA membership survey. Other measures may also be introduced pending a solid understanding of the source, quality, and continual availability of measurement data.
A measurement system will be defined and implemented to measure the volume and intensity of recreational activity being conducted with the GMT. Metrics for this measurement will need to be defined, and can include such metrics as (a) daily participant data from recreational venues, or (b) daily visitor traffic into known recreational area.
A measurement system will be defined and implemented to measure the volume and intensity of tourism activity being conducted with the GMT and Burnstown areas. Metrics for this measurement will need to be defined, and can include such metrics as (a) traffic flow into and out of the area, (b) occupancy rates at Hotel/Motel/B&B facilities, or (c) attendance data from tourist venues.
A survey will be created with the residents of GMT as the target population. This survey will at a minimum seek community input on their satisfaction with the numbers and types of retail, professional services, and trades businesses that are available to them in the community. These business sectors are primarily targeted at the local residential (as opposed to recreational and tourism sectors which have larger portions of their client base from outside the community). The results of this survey will be used to measure community satisfaction with the business offering in the area, and to clearly identify new businesses that should be encouraged or attracted to meet community needs.
It is expected that the survey will be repeated every 5 years, to track progress in satisfying the communities’ needs, and to effectively capture emerging or changing trends. Future versions of the survey will include a brief synopsis of performance during the last period, to clearly demonstrate that the GMT and CABA are working to meet the needs of the residential community for effective business sectors.
The community requires funds in order to accomplish projects towards its goals. Historically, provincial and federal support for the designated area of eastern Ontario has been weak. This deficiency has been recognized by our Warden and our members of parliament (provincial and federal) and they are working to improve this situation. CABA membership fees provide only a minimum level of base funding for CABA participation in initiatives, which therefore requires additional means to raise funds. Historically, various community fund raising events have been conducted towards this requirement, however, these events are time consuming and over burden the same small set of volunteers. A new strategy will now be implemented to conduct only one annual CABA fund raising activity in the community each year, and to focus on the successful obtainment of government grants to support community and economic development.
CABA has partnered with the Township to create the GMT Economic Development Grants Sub-committee. This sub-committee will become the focus for developing and obtaining new grants. This will result in persistent participation in the Economic Development Committee and the Grants Sub-committee of the Township.
On an annual basis the CABA Executive will survey its membership to identify issues of importance. These inputs will be combined with additional inputs from the other not for profit organizations in the community to create the annual update to the CABA Strategic Plan (this document). The Strategic Plan, combined with other inputs, will define an annual list of projects for which CABA would like to seek grant funding support. This list will be brought forward as the consolidated CABA input to the Grants Sub-Committee on an annual basis, after which funds will be sought for some of the desired initiatives. At this time, it is expected that Barnett Park and Trail Development will continue to be top priorities.
Liaison with County Chambers of Commerce may provide additional opportunities for grant partnerships or joint projects.
A successful business sector must have the right types of businesses for the marketplace, and must continually develop more of the right types of businesses to grow the market. CABA, in collaboration with GMT Economic Development Committee, must also encourage local development of business, and encourage residents of the community to share its enthusiasm for the development and successful operation of the business community. CABA will be looking to council to support this initative with specific deliverables.
(It should be noted that tourism is the number one industry in the area. Eco and adventure tourism opportunities abound because of the natural beauty and available crown land and its proximity to urban centers. In this regard, we must foster respect for the ecosystem’s integrity while producing economic gains.)
It was previously described under the Measurement strategy, that a regular community survey is needed to identify the number and types of businesses that the community desires, as one planning aid towards effective business development.
The results of the community survey will be published, so that interested entrepreneurs can obtain a free understanding of the types of businesses that “might” succeed in the area.
CABA will support the definition and introduction of a new business development program. At a minimum this program will be focused on providing the necessary information to potential entrepreneurs on government programs and resources available for new business development. This program may also include mentorship services, matching potential entrepreneurs with experienced members of the CABA business community and a designated Economic Development Liaison Officer for GMT (perhaps the county Economic Development Officer who is assigned to GMT), to obtain coaching and advice. This program may also include facilitation of student based seasonal business programs to encourage the youth of the community to start businesses and generate economic activity.
A Business Development Resource Centre will be established in two formats; (a) a virtual resource centre on the web site, with links to information sites, and (b) a live resource centre in the Township Office or the local library, clearly labeled as the GMT Business Development Resource area. These resource centre components will provide government based information concerning advice and assistance in new business development, especially for small businesses.
In achieving its aim, CABA must continually promote the GMT and Burnstown Areas in whatever way it can. Part of this is accomplished through participation in the Madawaska Highlander Newspaper as already discussed elsewhere in this plan, however, additional programs must be established to continually support this strategy.
CABA will define and offer a service to the membership to assist with the facilitation of “packaging” or “linking” services, whereby businesses wish to conduct some marketing activity, but would benefit from sharing the advertising campaign with other related businesses to offer a bigger “package” to the customer. Collaborate marketing programs might occur across retail “The Shops of CABA”, services “The Trades of CABA”, or Tourism “CABA Experience Packages”, combining the offering of multiple businesses into more attractive marketing activities with shared funding.
CABA will host industry specific brain storming sessions.
Collaborative marketing with the assistance of OVTA will be encouraged.
Recreation is a core business area within GMT whereby day visitors, and overnight visitors, join with local residents to recreate. CABA must participate in the development of this sector by helping to facilitate the development of local recreational opportunities.
There is a growing trend towards hiking and exploring based on Geocache routes. CABA will participate in this growth by establishing Geocache capability along trails and at historic sites in the community. CABA will participate in the Economic Development Committee’s trails development initiative.
CABA will continue to offer its support to the planning and implementation of programs to improve Barnett Park as a specific recreational location within the community and perhaps our ‘town square’.
Specific recreational events have the potential to increase both recreational activity (through the participant) and tourism activity (through the participant and their family or friends). These events should leverage the natural attractiveness of the area and use the resources of the area in a responsible manner, without having to necessarily develop infrastructure for recreational facilities. Example recreational events might include non-motorized bike races, x-Country running races, geocache festival. CABA will actively participate with the township’s
Recreation Committee to encourage new events.
Similar to recreation, CABA has a role in helping to define and facilitate the definition of tourism opportunities in the region.
CABA will support the definition of tourism routes through the region, with clear indication of tourist sites and locations of interest across these routes. This initiative may benefit from collaboration with adjacent communities in the region, to create larger routes of interest across multiple townships, thereby drawing tourists from larger population centres.