economic vision workshop - burlington · bhag/vision examples ... • integration of economic...

Millier Dickinson Blais1 Millier Dickinson Blais1

Economic Vision

Workshop

COW-9-15 File: 101-03

Millier Dickinson Blais2

Burlington Economic Vision 2025

City Council Workshop

Millier Dickinson Blais 2

June 22nd, 2015

Presented by:

Brock Dickinson, Principal, Millier Dickinson Blais

Lyndon Ashton, Senior Consultant, Millier Dickinson Blais

Anita Cassidy, Manager Special Projects ,BEDC

• A enda and Wor lan


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Agenda • Introductions • Economic Vision Background & Context • Agenda and Workplan


• Methodology • Key Learnings and stakeholder inputs (SWOT) • Key Focus Areas • Identified Gaps • Prioritization Activity • BHAG and Vision Identification • Next Steps

City of Burlington Strategic Plan & Economic Vision Process�


Economic Vision Progress to date�

June


BEDC Strategic Plan Integration�

§Community focused strategy with partner ownership�


Burlington’s Economic Vision 2025�

Methodology

§Evidence based

§Understandings based on stakeholder and community input�

§Emphasis placed on limiting and removing bias (MDB)

§Advisory Committee Visioning Workshop

§Advisory Committee Key Strategic Areas Focus Groups

§Focus Groups with developers, realtors and youth

§Ongoing Process with stakeholders


Non-profitOne-on-one

Community Engagement�

Online Survey

§255 Participants

§Available on BEDC website and shared among client-list

One-on-one Interviews

§60 Participants

§Private Sector, Government & Non-profit

Focus Groups

1.2%�5.1%

7.8%

35.7% 8.6%

20.8%

20.8%

Business owner and/or operator

Executive or manager

Resident

Non-profit organization

Other (please specify)

Non-elected government official Elected official


Key Findings Overview: � Key Words to Promote Burlington � SWOT Key learnings


Community Engagement�


Strengths SWOT Analysis Findings�

§Well educated population and highly skilled workforce

§High quality of life with ample cultural and lifestyle amenities festivals, green space, waterfront, safe etc.

§Go Transit and integration with broader regional and inter-regional transit connectivity

“The majority of our staff live in Burlington, Oakville and Hamilton and retention dictates success. Because the quality of life of staff is good here, this supports businesses coming here with talent attraction and retention as a driver.”


Weaknesses SWOT Analysis Findings�

§Burlington needs a strong, long term vision for the city that drives all other elements of planning and corporate activity

§Gridlock, traffic congestion, and poor local transit offerings /connectivity�

§Lack of a strong and vibrant Burlington Brand that differentiates the city from its competitors (no unique selling point)

§An insufficient supply of investment ready lands (not overall inventory)�§An insufficient supply of investment ready lands (not overall inventory)�

§Bureaucratic environment that discourages investment and growth

“We were working with a company that was looking to invest in Burlington and Hamilton. Hamilton guaranteed to have them in the ground in 6 months…Burlington wasn’t even an option anymore”


Opportunities SWOT Analysis Findings�

§Advancing redevelopment, intensification, strategic planning and rezoning�

§Ensuring stronger municipal support structures for business development

§Build off strengths in Health/Life Sciences, High Tech, and Manufacturing

§Establish Mobility Hubs around Go Stations to stimulate mixed-use live/work environments

“Having a clear vision is the biggest opportunity but we need to ensure we align everyone behind it and invest the resources to make it happen”


Threats SWOT Analysis Findings�

§Transit systems are underserviced in key employment districts

§Lack of ELOP and Regional BPE alignment problematic: need one target

§Lack of alignment among all key decision makers at Regional and Provincial levels towards Burlington’s growth targets and aspirations

§Low growth with age distribution older and significant younger population deficit (under 25) deficit (under 25)

§Outmigration of talent and youth problematic for workforce requirements

§Community resistance to intensification and downtown redevelopment

“Not having a clear direction and a disconnect between planning, political leadership and the BEDC…. There seems to be a misalignment among objectives and strategic planning with no clear messaging being sent out to the business community.”


� Develo ment and Intensification of Em lo ent Lands


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Key Strategic Themes: Focus Areas�� Transit and Transportation � Vibrant, Diverse and Growing Community � Development and Intensification of Employment Lands � Diverse and Growing Economy / Investment Attraction � Innovation and Start-up / SME Support � Intergovernmental Alignment and Cooperation � Branding & Promoting Burlington � Improvement of Overall Infrastructure


Goals

1 – Transit & Transportation�

Vision “As we intensify, we deliberately build a broader range of

transportation options (of which transit is one) that makes

movement within both the community and the broader region

easier and more efficient, and that helps attract people and

business to our community.”

Goals

§ Integrated development and intensification of Mobility hubs

§Transit fully integrated in residential and employment land�intensification�

§ Increase in modal split for transit and active commuting


Goals

2 – Vibrant, Diverse, and Growing Community�

Vision “Burlington is a diverse and welcoming community that is

strategic in its economic growth leading to opportunity for

youth. Burlington takes a lead role in being the voice of the

next generation.”

Goals

§Define the ideal growth rate for Burlington and the plans to�achieve it�

§Develop downtown as a residential/recreational district

§Create complete (walkable) communities that appeal to young professionals/families


Goals

3 – Development and Intensification of Employment Lands�

Vision “Burlington needs a clear articulated vision for the

development it wants. Once this is established, alignment is

achieved with all regulators in order to unlock barriers, and

build the developments around what the target audience

needs.”

Goals

§Define and align on growth targets for Prosperity Corridor

§ Align OP and zoning to achieve development/intensification�

§ Incentivize development in the prosperity corridor


Goals

4 – Diverse and Growing Economy / Investment Attraction�

Vision “Burlington is a city based on knowledge jobs that incubates

and supports innovation and business growth. Working closely

with businesses of all sizes, Burlington is a very attractive

place for young professionals to locate.”

Goals

§ Increase knowledge based jobs

§Build a reputation as a business friendly city

§Retain and grow existing companies


Goals

5 – Innovation and Start-up / SME Support�

Vision “Burlington has a supportive business ecosystem that helps

start-ups and established businesses grow. This ecosystem

needs to be created by the private sector with support from the

City of Burlington.”

Goals

§Champion an innovation ecosystem in the region

§Engage and leverage private sector

§Create space and clear partner and resource path for start-ups


Goals

6 – Intergovernmental Alignment and Cooperation�

Vision “There is a “one stop shop” approach allowing both residents

and businesses to efficiently access information and services

from all levels of government, matched by high levels of

collaboration and partnership between varied levels of

government.”

Goals

§Align planning vertically through the province, region and�municipality�

§Coordinate with other municipalities to create joint solutions eg�transit, MTO�

§Reduce red tape and bureaucracy


Goals

7 – Branding and Promoting Burlington�

Vision “Burlington is the best mid-sized city to do business, with a

focus on export-oriented, global, and diverse businesses that

excel in a variety of key sectors.”

Goals

§Create a master brand

§Have a central owner and coordinated messaging/planning

§ Invest resources into building Burlington’s image externally


8 – Improvement of Overall Infrastructure�

Vision “Effectively align the Regional Best Planning Estimates (BPE)

and the Employment Lands Operational Plan (ELOP) so that

there is one growth target that Halton Region and Burlington

can be happy with. The key decision makers at regional and

provincial levels all support the growth targets and plan

accordingly for infrastructure investment.”

Goals

§Align on growth targets for residential and employment�intensification�

§Partner to create new infrastructure planning that supports growth targets�


Identified gaps�

What issues haven’t come out of the economic

vision?

§Rural / Agricultural Community

§City revenue and tax assessment growth

§Environment


§ ower o s per person

Dotmocracy Exercise�

Prioritization Activity - Dotmocracy�

What are the focus areas that you are most passionate about?

4 P d t§4 Power dots per person

§Can be used in any combination eg all 4 on one focus area or 1 on 4 focus areas


Defining the goals for the economic vision�


http://www.inc.com/jesse-lipson/the-galvanizing-power-of-a-big-hairy-audacious-goal.html

. , . ,

BHAG/Vision Examples�

• Full employment of the labour force is sustained by 2020�

City-wide (all purpose, 24 hours) Mode Split is: Walking�Cycling 1 5% Transit 10% and Auto 75% by 13.5%, Cycling 1.5%, Transit 10% and Auto 75% by 2020�2020�

•

13 5%

•Expand the current Innovation District to potentially add

space for 15,000 new jobs and 4,000 new residents over

the next 20 years


“

BHAG/Vision Examples�

•A “Branded Markham” in which the city is to be regarded�as one of North America’s top 10 communities by 2020�

•An “Infrastructure Markham” whereby the city is�recognized by site selectors as one of the “top recognized by site selectors as one of the top�33�communities” to do business in Canada by 2020�

•Markham to be regarded as one of the “Top 3 Locations in�Canada” for ICT/Life Science businesses by 2020�

•Markham to be the Canadian headquarters location for�five “Fortune 500” banks, investment companies or�insurers by 2020�


•Is recognized for high quality of life and provides rural, suburban and

Burlington is/has….

•The most connected (broadband) community in Canada •The fastest city in the GTA for development approvals •Is rated the no1 place for young professionals and young families •Is in the top 5 cities in Canada for start up and innovation •Is recognized as the west GTA regional employment zone adding 15,000 new knowledge based jobs and 10 globally recognized companies to the QEW Corridor •Is recognized for high quality of life and provides rural, suburban and vibrant urban living environments •A centre for advanced manufacturing and digital technologies •One of top 5 concentrations in Canada for digital technologies •The municipality with the highest percentage of population completing post secondary studies •Is the city to “Go Global From” with 25% of businesses exporting to /servicing global markets

…..By 2025


Next Steps

Outcomes

• Approval of focus areas

Our vision is….


• Turning our goals into a clear economic vision for the city

• Refinement of focus area action plans with stakeholders

• Integration of Economic Vision into Strategic Plan

• Final Economic Vision presentation September

Next Steps


How to reach us

Brock Dickinson, Principal, [email protected]

1-855 – 367 – 3535 Ext. 231


Lyndon Ashton, Senior Consultant, [email protected]

1-855 – 367 – 3535 Ext. 239

economic vision workshop - burlington · bhag/vision examples ... • integration of economic...

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