COMMITTEE FOR BUSINESS INNOVATION, GROWTH AND ATTRACTION TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2017, AT 3:00 P.M. ROOM 530 – 5th FLOOR – ABBOTSFORD CITY HALL AGENDA 1. CALL TO ORDER 2. ADOPTION OF MINUTES .1 Minutes of the Committee For Business Innovation, Growth And Attraction meeting held March 14, 2017 (attached) (p. 2) 3. DELEGATIONS .1 Kim Tamminga, Manager, Marketing and Public Communications, Cascade Aerospace, and Ali Siemens, Operations Manager, Abbotsford International Airshow, regarding an update on Airshow Week - Powerpoint Presentation .2 Suzanne Denbak, President, Cadence Resort Marketing Inc., regarding the Tradex Strategic Plan - Powerpoint Presentation 4. PRESENTATIONS None. 5. BUSINESS OUT OF MINUTES None. 6. REPORTS .1 Verbal Report by the Executive Director, Economic Development regarding an update on Economic Development Department activities - Background Information (attached) (p. 5) 7. NEW BUSINESS None. 8. ADJOURNMENT
Transcript
COMMITTEE FOR BUSINESS INNOVATION, GROWTH AND ATTRACTION
TUESDAY, MAY 16, 2017, AT 3:00 P.M. ROOM 530 – 5th FLOOR – ABBOTSFORD CITY HALL
AGENDA
1. CALL TO ORDER 2. ADOPTION OF MINUTES
.1 Minutes of the Committee For Business Innovation, Growth And Attraction
meeting held March 14, 2017 (attached)
(p. 2) 3. DELEGATIONS
.1 Kim Tamminga, Manager, Marketing and Public Communications, Cascade
Aerospace, and Ali Siemens, Operations Manager, Abbotsford International Airshow, regarding an update on Airshow Week
- Powerpoint Presentation
.2 Suzanne Denbak, President, Cadence Resort Marketing Inc., regarding the
Tradex Strategic Plan
- Powerpoint Presentation
4. PRESENTATIONS
None.
5. BUSINESS OUT OF MINUTES None.
6. REPORTS .1 Verbal Report by the Executive Director, Economic Development regarding an
update on Economic Development Department activities
- Background Information (attached)
(p. 5)
7. NEW BUSINESS None.
8. ADJOURNMENT
Minutes of the Committee for Business Innovation, Growth and Attraction meeting, held March 14, 2017 at 3:00 p.m., in Room 530, Abbotsford City Hall
Committee Members Present: Councillor K. Chahal (Chair); Mayor H. Braun; and Councillors S. Blue; B. Falk; and D. Loewen Staff Present: City Manager – G. Murray (part); Deputy City Manager – J. Rudolph (part); General Manager, Innovation, Strategy and Intergovernmental Relations – K. Treloar; Executive Director, Economic Development – W. Dupley; Economic Development Officer – P. Neufeld; Economic Development Coordinator – K. O’Sullivan; Community and Special Events Coordinator – B. Roberts; and Canada 150 Special Projects Lead - R. Noort Others Present: Councillors P. Ross and R. Siemens; Managing Director, Original Ginger – T. Ostrowercha, Creative Director, Original Ginger - L. Ostrowercha; President, EcoPlan International – W. Trousdale; and Planning Associate, EcoPlan International - P. Siggers Public Present: 2+ 1. CALL TO ORDER The meeting was called to order at 3:00 p.m. 2. ADOPTION OF MINUTES
Moved by Councillor Blue, seconded by Councillor Falk, that the minutes of the Committee for Business Innovation, Growth and Attraction meeting held January 10, 2017, be adopted. BIGA004-2017 CARRIED.
3. PRESENTATIONS None. 4. DELEGATIONS .1 Todd Ostrowercha, Original Ginger, regarding an update on the outcomes from
the recent Ag-Tech Campaign
The Director, Economic Development introduced Todd Ostrowercha, who provided a PowerPoint and high level presentation on the Ag-Tech Campaign, which included a discussion on the layout of the marketing campaign; analytics; and key outcomes.
Moved by Councillor Falk, seconded by Councillor Loewen, that that the delegation by T. Ostrowercha, Managing Director, Original Ginger, regarding an update on the outcomes from the Ag-Tech Campaign, and PowerPoint presentation, be received for information. BIGA005-2017 CARRIED.
DRAFT
Page 2 of 39
Minutes of the Committee for Business Innovation, Growth and Attraction meeting, held Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 3:00 p.m., in Room 530, Abbotsford City Hall Page 2
.2 William Trousdale and Paul Siggers, EcoPlan International, regarding an update
on the draft Strategic Plan, “Elevate Abbotsford”
Committee members received a copy of the draft Economic Development Strategy, 2017-2019, at the beginning of the meeting for their review. W. Trousdale and P. Siggers provided a PowerPoint and high level overview of the document and on the Ag-Tech Campaign, which included a discussion on the layout of the marketing campaign; analytics; and key outcomes.
Moved by Councillor Blue, seconded by Councillor Loewen, that that the delegation by W. Trousdale and P. Siggers, EcoPlan International, regarding an update on the draft strategic plan, and PowerPoint presentation, be received for information. BIGA006-2017 CARRIED.
5. BUSINESS OUT OF MINUTES None. 6. REPORTS
.1 Economic Development Department Activities
The Executive Director, Economic Development introduced Parul Neufeld, Economic Development Officer, who provided a verbal update on Business Retention and Expansion initiatives including the Farm Crawl which took place, February 16, 2017. The Taste of Abby week is tentatively set to run May 28 to June 2; and the committee was asked for any feedback from the previous year. The 3rd annual province-wide, “My Biz Day”, hosted by Small Business BC, will be taking place in Abbotsford in November, and the Matsqui Centennial Auditorium (MCA) has been tentatively reserved. The Economic Development Officer presented last years’ BizDay video to the committee. The Executive Director, Economic Development provided an update on the Investment Attraction initiatives; Agriculture Technology (Ag-tech) campaign; Hiring Demand report; Think Canada 2017; and the GIS Site Selector tool. The Executive Director, Economic Development provided an overview of Tradex and Tourism and highlighted the Destination BC funding announcement. The new Fraser Valley 2017 “Experience Guides” were distributed to committee members. The Community and Special Events Coordinator provided a verbal update on filming; and thanked the various successful synergies throughout City Hall departments for quick turnaround times for film permits. There was an overview provided of upcoming outdoor community events, “Red, White and You” celebration, and Canada 150. The Special Events Coordinator introduced the Canada 150 Special Projects Lead, R. Noort, to the committee, who provided an overview on the Canada 150 “Roving Exhibit”.
DRAFT
Page 3 of 39
Minutes of the Committee for Business Innovation, Growth and Attraction meeting, held Tuesday, March 14, 2017 at 3:00 p.m., in Room 530, Abbotsford City Hall Page 3
The Executive Director, Economic Development, provided an overview of the City of Abbotsford Economic Development 2016 Year in Review report; and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) staff mission to the Ukraine. Committee members were also updated on the planned incoming FCM study tour coming to Abbotsford from the Ukraine in late May.
Moved by Councillor Loewen, seconded by Mayor Braun, that the verbal update provided by the Executive Director, Economic Development; Economic Development Officer; Economic Development Coordinator; and Canada 150 Special Projects Lead, regarding the Economic Development department activities, be received for information. BIGA007-2017 CARRIED.
7. NEW BUSINESS
.1 Committee Discussion on BC Tax Competiveness
This item was introduced by the City Manager and may be revisited after the May 9, 2017 Provincial Election. The Committee will determine if further discussion is necessary after that time. 8. ADJOURNMENT
Moved by Councillor Falk, seconded by Councillor Blue, that the Business Innovation, Growth and Attraction Committee meeting, be adjourned. (4:46 p.m.)
CARRIED.
Certified Correct: Kelly Chahal Kimberley O’Sullivan Chair Recording Secretary
DRAFT
Page 4 of 39
City of Abbotsford Economic Development (CAED) Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
Business Retention and Expansion Since the last meeting, staff have continued working one-on-one with businesses in Abbotsford. We have followed up with 25 more meetings, addressing concerns such as labour issues and business planning, and marketing toolkits needs. Think Local Think Abbotsford, Taste of Abby – May 28th to June 3rd “Think Local Think Abby, Taste of Abby” campaign is slated to take place from May 28th to June 3rd. This event is our second large BR & E initiative of the last 12 months. The weeklong event will kick off with a community chef’s competition which will include four of Abbotsford’s expert chefs and an all-star panel of expert judges. This years’ event will be held outside Save-on Foods at 32700 South Fraser Way, with the competition kicking off at 1:00 pm. More details on the Taste of Abby week will be shared during the meeting. Business Walks Initiative As part of their BC Ideas Exchange, the Ministry of Jobs, Tourism, Skills Training have postponed their webinar series themed around Business Retention and Expansion until after the Provincial election. Parul has been invited to speak of her experience with the Business Walks program. The Ministry has posted the Business Walks video and report on their The BC Ideas Exchange - Economic Development Success Stories webpage. To date, 25 businesses have been followed-up with. Community Futures Board of Directors Meeting – March 21, 2017 Parul attended the March 21, 2017, Board of Directors meeting. The Board brainstormed ideas upon which to focus efforts in the upcoming year. A&Co Meeting – April 3, 2017 Parul attended the April A &Co meeting, where she networked with young entrepreneurs and business owners of Abbotsford and shared information about the upcoming Taste of Abby week. Building Blocks Marketing Toolkit Presentation – April 5, 2017 Economic Development and Aldo Garza, The Branding Department, presented the Building Blocks Marketing Toolkit on April 5th to member and guests of GrowYourBiz. The presentation was well received and the tool kit was appreciated and recognized as an innovative approach by the small business attendees. Ashton College Site Tour – April 6, 2017 In support of this newly built post-secondary institution in Abbotsford, the Economic Development team visited the Campus Director, Baljit Dhaliwal, and received a site tour of the programs being post-secondary college. Fraser Valley Indo Canadian Business Association Spring Mixer– April 20, 2017 Parul attended the Fraser Valley Indo Canadian Business Association Young Professionals Networking Event hosted by Maan Farms. Parul shared information about the Building Blocks Marketing Toolkit and the upcoming Taste of Abby week.
Page 5 of 39
Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
Agriculture Sector We released our first blog post/newsletter on the Janzen Family Poultry farm which is part of the continuation of the fostering of leads gathered during the efforts of the Abbotsford Ag Tech campaign from earlier this year. This post saw a substantial amount of interaction from the community on both Twitter and LinkedIn. The next AG-tech newsletter will be released in June. Agricultural Committee Meeting – March 13, 2017 Parul attended the March 13, 2017, Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, Agriculture Committee meeting. The Committee discussed the upcoming Agriculture Bus Tour which is slated to take place on June 16, 2017. This year’s topic for the tour will be ‘food security’. Investment Attraction Since the last meeting we have being working with a number of new investment leads and continue to foster our pipeline. Finding the right Industrial space is certain size categories are becoming more challenging with a tight market. Some key mentions since last report include:
• Vitalus expansion: the expanded facility should fully operational by the end of October; they are struggling to find some of their skilled labour especially in the more senior positions. The team has had three meetings with Vitalus to discuss some the challenges they are encountering. The new expansion will result in an addition 30 positions in Abbotsford.
• The team had a great construction stage tour at the new Structure Craft (www.structurecraft.ca) facility currently being built on Foy St. Staff have worked with this company for two years to help them to find the right location to move their business from Delta to Abbotsford. This exciting company is building in an unconventional style and it will be the first industrial building of its kind in North America (more common building style in Europe). The official opening of their location will be on August 31st and they will be inviting Mayor, council and media to their ribbon cutting event. The company have already hired some Abbotsford people as their crews work around the world on projects. They will need an additional 40 staff; predominately engineers and carpenters.
• Commonwealth Supplies from Burnaby, we located and an appropriate unit which we toured with the agent but they are continuing to search.
• Following the Elevate Forum an exciting connection was made which had led to significant partnership and new investment. This new initiative will take ACI Foods in Abbotsford to the next level, expanding their operations into nutraceuticals and more R&D. More details will be emerging shortly.
• Staff have also worked with a new bar/nightclub franchise chain looking to come into Canada. They are in the early stages of reviewing the Canadian marketplace.
• At the Fraser Valley Business showcase event a business moved from India to Abbotsford, the availability of Abbotsford information available online was a major factor in his decision-making on location.
Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
• We are also working with two doctors from the Cannon practice in order to explore potential locations (vacant land that can be developed and built to suit) in order to set up an urgent care facility. This new facility would greatly assist in taking the pressure off our ER department with not so critical cases such as stitches, x-rays etc. This has proven to be a successful model in the USA and the initiative now has the support from Fraser Health to proceed.
Think Canada 2017 Think Canada has been postponed to March 20-22, 2018 in Toronto. We will keep the committee informed of any new developments. The Think Canada team has provided a new lead to the office which the team will be working. The details provided are as follows: Enolgas: For more than 50 years Enolgas has been synonymous with reliability, quality and safety. It has always been a point of reference for qualified customers who are careful to protect, through their choices, the value of Made in Italy products. Enolgas Bonomi's production is characterized by numerous patents - both Italian and international - and 3 specific divisions:
• Brass valves • Steel valves • System
A wide range of products and services that will meet any requirement of the market: from standard products for the feasibility study and the subsequent creation of new products. Website: http://www.enolgas.com/ $40 million turnover with 150 employees HQ in ITALY; subsidiary in Brazil, USA and Germany AND NOW: Toronto and Montreal. They are looking at a third location in BC, but are only in the research phase. Hiring Demand – Quarter 1, 2017 The City of Abbotsford Economic Development has a license with Vicinity Jobs network to access their Hiring Demand Analysis reports. With businesses in Abbotsford having challenges finding skilled labour, the statistical information that this software provides promises to be extremely helpful in informing workforce development needs, employers and educators. Analysis completed on these reports indicates a positive outlook for Abbotsford given these indicators of recent job postings. Some highlights of our findings have been bulleted below for your information.
Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
Some highlights from Quarter 1, 2017:
• Q1 2016 saw Abbotsford at 1,659 job postings; Q1 2017 we are at 1,971 – a gain of 312 postings over the same quarter last year.
• Abbotsford is second only to Langley in the South Fraser Region for number of first quarter postings at 1,971, with Chilliwack a distant third with 801 postings.
• Fraser Health is the top employer in the Fraser Valley, South Fraser and Abbotsford.
• While the retail trade sector was the top hiring industry the past 12 months in the Fraser Valley and Abbotsford, the share was higher in Abbotsford (32.4% vs. 31.8%).
• In the most recent quarter, the share of full-time postings was very slightly lower in Abbotsford (43.6% of all postings) than the average in the South Fraser region (44.3%).
Tourism Strong Events Drive Hotel Occupancy As we see with each monthly event update sent out from the City, Abbotsford plays host to a great number of events. One of the impacts some of these events have is the economic activity they drive for our local hotel partners. Recent examples of this include the ‘I Love the 90’s’ tour that was held at Abbotsford Centre on April 22nd which saw hotel occupancy reach 99.1% for the night, and the Provincial Club Volleyball Championships that were held at Tradex over the course of three different weekends (April 28-30; May 5-6; May 12-14). These volleyball weekends always draw a lot of overnight visitors and this year was no exception with hotels experiencing occupancy of 95%. With the upcoming Run for Water at the end of May, and 5km Foam Fest the first weekend in June, busy event weekends show no sign of slowing down!
Page 8 of 39
Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
Eat, Play Love Abby On May 16th & 18th, Tourism Abbotsford is hosting dozens of front-line tourism industry staff on a local tourism Familiarization (FAM) tour. Staff from local hotels, restaurants, retail shops and farm-tour partners have been invited to a fun-filled day of touring and experiencing some of the best that Abbotsford has to offer. The day will help empower some of the front-line tourism personnel who will be interacting and servicing visitors throughout the summer, as well as provide an opportunity for some great networking. These FAM days will also act as the official launch for our Eat, Play, Love Abby campaign. This campaign is an evolution of the “107 Days of Summer” and will provide visitors a more engaging way of discovering what there is to do in Abbotsford. Media FAM On May 17th we are hosting 15 media from Metro Vancouver on our Spring Fam. The FAM will start in Historic Downtown providing the media/bloggers an opportunity to see for themselves some of the growth and revival of the area. Their visit to Abbotsford will end with a long table dinner at Maan Farms with the meal featuring fresh product from some of our great agri-tourism partners. Tourism Week – May 28 – June 3 National Tourism Week in Canada aligns tourism organizations, businesses and other partners from across the country around a common vision: a tourism sector recognized for its many contributions. To celebrate Tourism Week here in Abbotsford we are approaching things a little differently this year. Rather than focus on the economic value of tourism, we will be highlighting the value that tourism provides through the opportunities for connection and sharing of cultures. We will highlight Abbotsford's role through the eyes/voices of 5 local influencers who interact with people from all over the world. Tradex Telus Fibre Installation After the recent upgrades to our Wi-Fi equipment, we are now working with Telus to install their new PureFibre network in to Tradex. This new fibre connectivity will give us speeds of up to 150Mbps, allowing us to provide a faster service to our clients while reducing our current monthly bill. Additionally, the upgrade provides greater flexibility for clients in deploying technology for their event, and improves the building’s ability to host different types of events in the future. Business Plan Development Suzanne D. of Cadence Strategies is working on development of a 5-Year Business Plan for Tradex. Suzanne kicked things off with a workshop with the Tradex senior management team on April 12th, followed by a session with the TAS board on April 21st. Suzanne will continue with meetings in the coming weeks with some senior city staff, stakeholders, partners and industry professionals. Suzanne will present an update on the project to the BIGA committee.
Page 9 of 39
Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
CAEM In partnership with Tourism Chilliwack, we are excited to be hosting the 2018 Canadian Association of Exhibition Management (CAEM) Western Summit. The summit will attract between 100 and 125 event professionals from across Western Canada, including many show producers/managers looking for venues and communities to host their events. This is a great opportunity for us to showcase Abbotsford and the many community assets like Tradex to the event industry pros. The event will provide the opportunity to network and connect with Vancouver, meeting event planners, and showcase Abbotsford as a great addition to delegate itineraries. Rant & Raise with Rick Mercer On Thursday, June 22nd, The Rant and Raise with Rick Mercer is happening at Tradex. During this fundraiser for Matthew’s House and the Fraser Valley Child Development Centre, Rick will share stories from his travels across Canada. Along with Rick’s presentation, there will be a Wine and Appetizer reception and an art demonstration by artist Linda Klippenstein. VIP ticket holders and high level sponsors will have the opportunity to take part in a Meet & Greet with Rick after the show. Social Media CAED We have been invited, by the British Columbia Economic Development Association (BCEDA), to participate in a webinar discussing social media in economic development. BCEDA feel that Abbotsford is a good example of how economic developers are utilizing the different social media tools. We feel extremely honoured to be asked to present amongst our peers on this topic. The Marketing Director from GIS Planning Inc is our fellow presenter. Since the last BIGA meeting our Twitter growth has averaged 1.18 new followers and Instagram increased by 0.6 new followers per day! Our Facebook page saw a total reach of 244 and 39 likes in the month of April alone. AbbyCan150 Twitter and Instagram increased by approximately 50% since the last BIGA meeting. As we approach July 1 we will see more interest from the community with the increase in the number of events happening around the city and with the introduction of the Roving Exhibit. The Facebook page is averaging a reach amount of 170 per week and during the month of April each post averaged an engagement of 17 interactions. Film Sector There have been ten filming applications completed so far this year; economic impact to date is $119,917. We recently had a request for some GV shots of Abbotsford from a filming company out of London, England. There also are three productions currently working their magic in Abbotsford: a WorkSafeBC documentary and two movies of the week. There are nine more pending applications in the queue so we look forward to another busy season working with our film scouts.
Page 10 of 39
Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
Film Appreciation Evening – May 4, 2017 On Thursday May 4, the Economic Development Team hosted a Film Appreciation "Night at the Movies" evening. Over 70 folks attended to learn from Film Industry Leaders about resources available, how to register their businesses & homes, the filming process and recent successes in Abbotsford. Executive Members from Creative BC and MPPIA were on hand as well as Sandi Copper, (the newly appointed) BC Film Commissioner. All were very impressed with the open dialogue and the City of Abbotsford's commitment to improved communication towards filming in our community. We received the following email from Creative BC: “A note to say thank you so much for the fabulous event on Thursday and for including us in the process. It was a huge success and I know from speaking with our team from Creative BC, as well as the MPPIA folks that everyone felt it was really was a great evening. It could most certainly be used as a template for other communities to use as well, and we should definitely share the story of the success at the next Community Affairs meeting! We also really appreciate you setting up the pre-meeting with the downtown BIA meeting as well. It was good to get a sense of how things are going, and hope they also felt it was beneficial connection. – Marnie Orr, Creative BC” And the following email from MPPIA: I would like to express my sincere thank you for the kind reception I received at your event last week. I really enjoyed meeting you, Wendy, Kim and Parul, and also appreciated the chance to meet acting Deputy Mayor Falk and other attendees. It was also interesting to renew contact with Rico who I have dealt with in business for a long time, but have not seen for several years in person. From what I know of him, if I was filming in a community, he would be one person I would trust to treat the community with respect. It is a great industry that we have with many hard workers such as you and others in Abbotsford, and people like Marnie Orr, a tireless worker for CreativeBC and Leslie Wootten who is also a key resource for our industry. Please pass on my thanks to Wendy for her very able hosting as I do not have her email to do so myself. I did enjoy the movie (including hotdog, drink and popcorn of course!) and look forward to getting together again in the near future. In the meantime, if there is anything I can do in either my capacity representing Cool Air Rentals, or in my role as Secretary of MPPIA, I would be pleased to try and help. - George Paterson. Outdoor Community and Special Events This spring and summer there is so much to do and see through our many exciting community events happening in our community. June and September are the busiest months for outdoor events, and this is a great opportunity for our community to get outside and enjoy our great City. Here is a highlight reel! The Royal Canadian Family Circus The Royal Canadian Family Circus is coming to Abbotsford from May 19-22. The Big Top Tent will be set up in the Sevenoaks Mall parking lot with performances from all around the world. Thanks to the building permits department, for their work in approving the Big Top Tent.
Page 11 of 39
Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
The JDRF TELUS Walk to Cure Diabetes The JDRF TELUS Walk to Cure Diabetes is returning to Mill Lake this year on June 11. A great fundraiser to help kids with diabetes. Walk with us to turn Type One into Type None.
Mill Lake Cruise-in Car Show Mill Lake Cruise-in Car Show is a family fun event taking place at Mill Lake on July 8. Cars from many different communities will be attending and proceeds from this year’s event will be going to FV Health Care Foundation.
BC Wakeboard Championships BC Wakeboard Championships are on July 14-16 at Albert Dyck Park. Experts from all over the province will compete in Abby.
Valley Gran Fondo Valley Gran Fondo is back for the 5th year on July 23. It’s a mass cycling event that raises money for Youth Cycling. This event has many cyclists on the roads, so we’re working closely with the engineering department to ensure everyone’s safety.
Page 12 of 39
Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
Cinema Under The Stars Cinema Under The Stars will be at Rotary Stadium on August 25. This exciting event brings over 1000 people in our community together for an outdoor movie showing.
Nagar Kirtan Procession Nagar Kirtan Procession is making its way through the streets in West Abbotsford on September 3. Thousands of people line the streets and participate in the parade. Festivities following the parade at the temple include martial arts demos, food, singing, and socializing.
Please see below the list of upcoming Community Outdoor Events – see you there! May Abbotsford Farm & Country Market
Saturdays Apr-Dec Montrose Ave
Saturdays 9:00am - 1:00pm
Blue Jay Run for Water May 18/2017 Blue Jay Elementary Neighbourhood 10:30-11:15am
Royal Canadian Circus May 19-22/2017 7oaks Mall / 32900 South Fraser Way 12:00 - 9:00 pm
Bradner May Days May 21/2017 Bradner Elementary 8:00 am - 8:00 pm
Page 13 of 39
Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
BC Girls Rugby Championship May 25-27/2017 AEP 9:00 am - 5:00 pm Sumas Mtn Trail Run May 27/2017 Sumas Regional Park 5:00 am - 2:00 pm Escape Velocity Ride May 27-28/2017 Lefeuvre / huntingdon rd area 7:00am - 4:00pm Ride for Life May 28/2017 UFV Lot 10 9:00am - 2:00pm Taste of Abby Chef's Competition May 28/2017 West Oaks Mall Parking Lot 1:00 - 4:00 pm Run for Water May 28/2017 Mill Lake - Bevan Park 9:00am - 5:00pm BCSS Rugby May 31- June 3/2017 AEP 9:00am-4:00pm June Walk for CAWS June 3/2017 Mill Lake Park 12pm-4pm Foam Fest June 3/2017 AEP 8:00 am - 5:00 pm Walk for Life June 3/2017 Mill Lake Park 10am-4pm Aboriginal Arts & Culture Day June 4/2017 Mill Lake Park 1-4pm Gutsey Walk June 4/2017 Mill Lake Park 9am-1pm
Police Run June 10/2017 Civic Square, Trethewey St, Clearbrook Park 7:00am - 12:00pm
Tour de Fox Cycling June 10/2017 Various Roads, see route maps 5am-4pm
Walk for ALS June 10/2017 Mill Lake - Bevan 10:00 am - 2:00pm
MS Bike Tour June 10-11/2017 Mt Lehman, Peardonville, Huntington, Lefeuvre area
9am-5pm (Sat) 9am-2pm(Sun)
Gurmat Center Society Sports Day June 11/2017 Kalgidhar Park TBD JDRF Walk June 11/2017 Mill Lake 11am-5pm Fibromyalgia Walk June 12/2017 Abbotsford City Hall 10:00am Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery Fishing Day June 17/2017 Fraser Valley Trout Hatchery 8am-1pm
Tug n Tow June 17/2017 Abbotsford Regional Hospital Staff Parking Lot 9:30am - 1:30pm
Walk for Down Syndrome June 17/2017 Mill Lake 10am-2pm Celebrating Dads June 18/2017 Mill Lake Park (Waterpark) 11:30am - 2:30pm Kabbadi June 18/2017 AEP 10am-7pm Aboriginal Day June 21/2017 Civic Plaza 4-8pm Mayor's Breakfast June 28/2017 Tradex 7am-9am United Soccer June 23-25/2017 AEP 8:00am - 8:00pm World Refugee Day June 24/2017 Mill Lake Bevan Ave 10am-4pm Youth Mela June 24-25/2017 AEP 4pm-7pm MEC Valley Century Ride June 25/2017 Birchrood Dairy 8:00am - 1:00pm FV Child and Development Centre BBQ June 30/2017 Mill Lake (waterpark) 11am-2pm July Canada Day Family Activities and Fireworks July 01/2017 AEP 1:00-10:00pm Canada Day Parade July 01/2017 South Fraser Way 11:00am- 12:30pm Canada Day Run July 01/2017 Mill Lake Park 9:00am-11:00am Karaoke in the Park July 02/2017 Mill Lake 1pm-5pm Jam in Jubilee July 06-27/2017 Jubilee Park 6:00-10:00pm Mill Lake Cruise-In Car Show July 8/2017 Mill Lake Park
July 7 2:00pm- July 8 3:00pm
Berry Beat July 08/ 2017 Downtown Abbotsford 9am-9pm Abbotsford Runway Race July 09/2017 Tradex 7:00am - 12:00pm Ride for Kids July 12/2017 Various Roads 9:00am-2:00pm BC Wakeboarding Championships July 15/2017 Albert Dyck Park 10:00am-3:00pm FV Pride Festival July 15/2017 Jubilee Park 8:00am-5:00pm Vibrant Health BBQ July 21/2017 Mill Lake Park 2:00pm- 5:00pm Whalers Swim Meet July 21-23/2017 Centennial Pool at Mill Lake 8am-4pm The Reach Market July 22/2017 MCA, The Reach 8am-2pm
Page 14 of 39
Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
Coastal Cruisers Show July 22/2017 Hougen Park TBD Valley GranFondo July 23/2017 Various roadways 7am-5pm Western Canadian Water Ski Championships July 27-30/2017 Albert Dyck Park 8:30am-5pm August Agrifair August 4-6/2017 AEP 10am-11pm Red, White and YOU August 10/2017 Mill Lake 5:00-10:00pm Abbotsford International Airshow August 11-13/2017
Abbotsford International Airport
Fri: 3:30-10:30pm, Sat/Sun: 9am-6pm
MSA Outdoor Basketball Tournament August 11-13/2017
MSA Outdoor Basketball Courts 9:00am-9:00pm
ADBA Car Show August 19/2017 Historic Downtown Abbotsford 7:00am-2:30pm
Hougen Park Show n Shine August 20/2017 Hougen Park 8:00am-2:00pm Youth Mela August 20/2017 AEP 8:00am-8:00pm Victoria Cross Commemorative August 24/2017 Thunderbird Memorial Square 5:00-8:00pm Communitas BBQ August 25/2017 Mill Lake 4:00-6:00pm Cinema Under the Stars August 25/2017 Rotary Stadium 3:00pm-12:00am Victory Walk a Thon August 26/2017 Mill Lake Park 8am-1pm September
Nagar Kirtan Procession September 3/2017 Gurdwara Sahib Kalgidhar Darbar 11am-5pm
Lok Virsa September 10/2017 Rotary Stadium 11am-7pm Mt. Lehman Fall Fair September 16/2017 Mt. Lehman 8:00am-4:00pm Walk Run Ride September 16/2017 McDonald Park 9am-1pm Terry Fox Run September 17/2017 Tradex 10am-1pm McMillan Playground Opening September 23/2017 McMillan Elementary 11:00am-2:00pm Kidney Walk September 24/2017 Mill Lake Park 7am-3pm St James Event September 24/2017 St. James Catholic Church TBD MEI Terry Fox Run September 28/2017 Clearbrook Park Trail 10:00am-12:00pm Ride for India September 30/2017 McDonald Park TBD
Canada 150 Events Location: Abbotsford Exhibition Park Date/ Time: June 30 6-9pm. July 1, 11am-10:30pm Event details: A birthday this big deserves a whole weekend celebration! Please join us on June 30th at Abbotsford Exhibition Park to see some amazing local talent featuring Abbotsford Youth Orchestra, Pacific Mennonite Children’s Choir, Valley Festival Singers, MEI Marching Band, Sionnaine (pronounced Shannon) Irish Dance Academy, Skipping Sensations and Circus Performers. Grab a bite to eat from Fraser Valley Food Trucks on site. On July 1st join our community at the Canada Parade on South Fraser Way in front of 7oaks shopping centre beginning at 11:00am. From there, head down to Abbotsford Exhibition Park for our family festival with fun for everyone. Between 1-5:00pm enjoy the play zones including activities for everyone, face painting, hayrides, animals and more! From 1-10pm check out the entertainment on the main stage, the Food Truck Festival, and much more. And then at 10pm be sure to catch the exciting fireworks show! Mainstage Entertainment lineup includes May Day Youth Choir, Her Brothers, Saint Soldier, Thistle Dew, Sister Says and The Ballantynes.
Page 15 of 39
Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
Red, White & YOU Celebration Location: Mill Lake – Bevan Park Date/ Time: August 10, 2017 5-10pm Join us at our big Canada 150 celebration at Mill Lake Park on August 10th . Check out the community booths and activities, Food Trucks, entertainment on the Main Stage, and an exciting Symphony Under the Stars performance with Calvin Dyck and the Vancouver Island Symphony followed by an epic Light Show. It’s a once in a lifetime event, and hope to see you there! Le Canada en fête – Celebrate Canada! Roving Exhibit On display May 9! The Roving Exhibit tells nine (9) community stories. The stories were captured through community collaboration:
• Kris Foulds from The Reach • Christina Reid from MSA Museum • Sharanjit Sandhra from the Centre for Indo Canadian Studies • Cyril Holbrow from Clayburn Village • Stan Morgan from Matsqui First Nations • Darlene McDonald from SD34 • Richard Thiessen from The Mennonite Heritage Society • Helen Singer from MSA Museum • City Staff
The stories captured are Abbotsford Lumber Company and Mill Lake, Gur Sikh Temple, Trethewey House, Clayburn Village, First Nations, Great Northern Railway, Mennonite Heritage, South Poplar Schoolhouse and the Abbotsford International Airport. Organizations to date scheduled a turn to display the Roving Exhibit are The Reach , FVRL, UFV Convocation, The Airshow, MSA Museum and the Abbotsford Arts Council. We anticipate many more! Events “EDAC on the Hill” – April 11-12, 2017 The Economic Developers Association of Canada held its third annual “EDAC the Hill” initiative. Wendy Dupley in her capacity as EDAC Board Secretary attended. Wendy was also the organizing committee chair for this initiative. EDAC’s Hill Day advocacy initiative was focused on three key fundamentals:
• raising awareness of EDAC and its mission among key policy-makers and policy-influencers,
• communicating the valuable role and impact of economic developers in Canada, and • Prospecting for opportunities to collaborate in ways that advance the interests of
members and the communities they serve.
Page 16 of 39
Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
It’s clear during the 2017 campaign that this deliberate and methodical approach to building relationships and advancing the cause of economic development is paying a dividend. EDAC now enjoys greater access to officeholders, is being more frequently engaged in meaningful discussion of policy and priorities. EDAC’s 2017 Hill Day plan was designed to build on the successes of previous years, but also to provide a more focused and streamlined approach. With the ‘prospecting phase’ now complete and a wide array of relationships established, the work turned to development of the most promising opportunities and investigation of the most important policy developments. Some of the high points that emerged from our meetings:
a) Budget 2017 signals a transition in federal investment from ‘hard hats and construction’ to a multi-year commitment to ‘innovation and research’, intended to enhance Canada’s economic productivity. The Budget outlines the plan for single-point access to innovation assistance, and for industry-led, pan-Canadian innovation networks. These initiatives will offer EDOs new tools and opportunities to engage. EDAC are seeking to engage the leaders of these initiatives for the EDAC conference at Niagara in September, in order to share plans in greater detail as implementation take shape.
b) EDAC’s strategic partners increasingly recognize the value in sharing plans and intentions with the people who practice economic development with ‘boots on the ground’. This is useful to them as they make decisions about programming, and as they seek to maximize the accessibility of programs to EDO clients and communities.
c) The federal government is placing a much greater emphasis on cluster-mapping as an analysis and policy development tool. Understanding how clustering will be applied in detail to economic policy will be important for EDOs, especially those outside the largest urban centres. Many EDAC members have expressed the need to have innovation policy create opportunities in all regions of Canada, and this has been conveyed in our ‘on the hill’ discussions. EDAC is seeking additional contact between the cluster-mapping team and our members, to ensure that Canadian communities and economic assets are part of the inventory contained in this new analytic tool.
EDAC is aware that EDOs are challenged to keep pace with a complex and rapidly changing operating environment. EDAC’s growing connections with Canadian policy-makers, combined with insights on emerging Canadian programs and priorities, and our deep knowledge of Canadian communities is unique. The organization adds value by helping economic developers understand the landscape and prepare for ‘what happens next’. During the 2017 ‘hill’ initiative in order to expand the reach of participation, to include more of the membership, EDAC added two webinar panels on Carbon Pricing; locally these were attended virtually by staff and representation from UFV. A full report on this year’s initiative will be issued shortly to membership and is attached for more information. Consulting Canadians on a possible Canada-China free trade agreement - request for Stakeholder Participation As a result of the EDAC on the Hill meetings in Ottawa, specifically with Global Affairs Canada, EDAC members as stakeholders are being asked to participate in the following consultation:
Page 17 of 39
Report to Business, Innovation, Growth and Attraction (BIGA) – May 16, 2017
The Government of Canada launched public consultations on a possible Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Canada and China. Public consultations seek the views of Canadians to help define Canada’s interests, including where such an agreement could provide opportunities to create prosperity for Canadians. Consultations will also seek views on related issues and concerns that are relevant when considering a possible FTA with China. Global Affairs Canada is requesting EDAC members and their stakeholders' views. To participate or share visit the Canada-China FTA Consultations Webpage at http://www.international.gc.ca/trade-commerce/consultations/china-chine/index.aspx?lang=eng 10th Annual Chamber of Commerce Business Showcase – April 19, 2017 The 10th Annual Fraser Valley Chambers of Commerce Business Showcase, held April 19, 2017, from 3:00pm-7:00pm, at the Quality Hotel in Abbotsford. One of the Fraser Valley’s most inclusive networking events of the year, it provided an opportunity to liaise with over 60 local exhibitors. FCM Ukraine Delegation - May 27 – June 1, 2017 The team are working with FCM on the final touches to the program related to incoming delegation. More details can be shared during the meeting. Airshow Week and Airshow As a first this year, we have a working group putting together a week of events to build up to this year’s Abbotsford Airshow. A presentation on the plans will be provided to the committee by Kim Tamminga (Cascade Aerospace) and Ali Siemens (Abbotsford Airshow). Other Community Innovation Partnership Advisory Group With Economic Development strategy document now completed and the high-level document released on the CAED website, the team is looking forward to moving forward with forming an industry innovation advisory group. Please see the attached DRAFT terms of reference for the proposed BIGA working group, “Community Innovation Partnership Advisory”; which is attached for committee input and feedback. The Community Innovation Partnership Advisory working group aligns with the Economic Development Strategy, strategic direction 4.1 under Pillar 2 – Elevating Through Innovation. We hope to start the recruiting to the new advisory group during the Summer months and are aiming for its first meeting in September, 2017. “Fire Station 101” – Chad Renando Following on from our February 16, 2017 visit from Chad Renando, the Community Manager from Ipswich’s innovation hub, Fire Station 101. Fire Station 101 is purely funded by Ipswich City municipal government. Ipswich is located about 30 minutes outside of Brisbane, QLD, Australia, the City has been nominated twice as a Top 7 ICF community. Please see the attached blog link, entitled supplied for information, “Five observations for regional innovation hubs from a North American Innovation Tour” https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/five-observations-regional-innovation-hubs-from-north-chad-renando
Every day, EDAC members are deeply engaged in strengthening our economy and creating opportunities for Canadians and their communities.
EDAC is committed to communicating the role and impact of its members from coast to coast to coast.
Informing federal policy-makers is a strategic priority for EDAC. By connecting economic development practitioners with federal policy-makers we can help to create a more effective operating environment for members and the communities they serve.
Page 27 of 39
Why go to Parliament Hill?
• Maintains awareness of EDAC, its mission, and the collective impact of its members
• Monitor a constantly changing policy and program environment
• Scan for emerging collaboration opportunities
• Contribute to ongoing policy and priority development processes
• Give voice to the evolving needs of our members and the communities we serve
Page 28 of 39
Why is Advocacy important?
• Builds awareness of our profession and our shared priorities among Canada's most important decision makers
• Helps EDAC to anticipate emerging priorities and programs, to keep members well informed
• An opportunity for members, through EDAC, to shape the national economic development agenda
• Connects feedback from practitioners with program development processes
• Brings attention to our collective community and professional priorities at the federal level
Page 29 of 39
Fundamentals
EDAC’s Hill Day advocacy initiative is focused on three key fundamentals:
• Raising awareness of EDAC and its mission among key policy-makers and policy-influencers,
• Communicating the valuable role and impact of economic developers in Canada, and
• Prospecting for opportunities to collaborate in ways that advance the interests of our members and the communities they serve.
Page 30 of 39
Executive Testimonials
“It’s clear that this deliberate and methodical approach to building relationships and advancing the cause of economic development is paying a dividend through our EDAC on the Hill initiative. EDAC enjoys greater access to stakeholders, is more frequently engaged in meaningful discussion of policy and priorities, and partners look to EDAC as a platform to engage economic development practitioners, coast to coast to coast.
The bottom line is this: EDAC knows that its members are challenged to keep pace with a complex and rapidly changing operating environment. EDAC’s growing connections with Canadian policy-makers, combined with insights on emerging Canadian programs and priorities, and deep knowledge of Canadian communities is unique. By helping economic developers understand and prepare for ‘what happens next’, EDAC is making a real difference for everyone.”
- David Emerson, Ec.D. (F), EDAC President (Saint John, NB)
Page 31 of 39
On the Hill Benefits EDAC Members
Communicating the role and impact of Canada’s economic developers builds recognition for the work of EDAC members, from coast to coast to coast, and strengthens the case for public investment in our profession and its work.
Connecting with federal government and non-government partners creates opportunities for collaboration, new insights, and new initiatives.
Dialogue with federal government and non-government partners helps to inform the policy-making process, and brings the voice of our members to discussions and decision-making.
Page 32 of 39
Executive Testimonials
“EDAC on the Hill 2017 provided the opportunity for our organization to build upon previous years’ work. A targeted, focused and strategic approach to developing key relationships and building partnerships where it makes sense and aligns with our priorities. As the 2017 activities were reviewed, it was clearly evident that this year’s approach was the right one… the engagement, support and positivity experienced during our ‘Hill’ meetings far exceeded expectations and demonstrated that the time invested during the ‘awareness-building’ phase was well-spent.
With direction and support of our board, this year’s Hill Days also evolved with a new added dimension, an Ottawa held Policy Lab on Carbon Pricing that utilized technology to enable to our members in their communities across the country to participate via webinar. The attendance both in person and via the web was really encouraging considering this was an EDAC ‘first’.”
- Wendy Dupley, EDAC Secretary, On the Hill Committee Chair (Abbotsford, AB)
Page 33 of 39
Message to Policy Makers
• EDAC is a useful partner in creating economic opportunities, in all regions of Canada
• EDAC has a prominent national role and voice
• EDAC is seeking insights on government policies, priorities, and emerging initiatives
• EDAC is seeking opportunities for engagement and collaboration
Page 34 of 39
Key Meetings 2017 included:
• Global Affairs Canada
• Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM)
• Canadian Chamber of Commerce
• Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
• Ministry of Indigenous and Northern Affairs
• Ministry of Employment, Workforce Development and Labour
• Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency (CanNor)
• Transport Canada
Page 35 of 39
Opportunities/Next Steps
Some of the high points that emerged from our meetings, and how EDAC can respond:
1. Budget 2017 signals a transition in federal investment from ‘hard hats and construction’ to a multi-year commitment to ‘innovation and research’, intended to enhance Canada’s economic productivity. The Budget outlines the plan for single-point access to innovation assistance, and for industry-led, pan-Canadian innovation networks. These initiatives will offer EDOs new tools and opportunities to engage. Our delegates have been seeking to engage the leadership of these initiatives at the EDAC conference in Niagara Falls in September, to share plans in greater detail as implementation plans take shape.
Page 36 of 39
Opportunities/Next Steps cont’d
2. EDAC’s strategic partners increasingly recognize the value in sharing plans and intentions with the people who practice economic development with ‘boots on the ground’. This is useful to them as they make decisions about programming, and as they seek to maximize the accessibility of programs to EDO clients and communities. This interest has been anticipated, and included as a priority in the three-year EDAC Strategic Plan, approved in 2016.
3. The federal government is placing a much greater emphasis on cluster-mapping as an analysis and policy development tool. Understanding how clustering will be applied in detail to economic policy will be important for practitioners, especially those outside the largest urban centres. Many EDAC members have expressed the need to have innovation policy create opportunities in all regions of Canada, and this has been conveyed in our discussions. EDAC is seeking additional contact between the cluster-mapping team and our members, to ensure that Canadian communities and economic assets are part of the inventory contained in this new analytic tool.
Page 37 of 39
Role for Members
In the past two years, we vowed to engage EDAC members more directly during future ‘EDAC On the Hill’ advocacy days.
We are proud to say that for our 2017 advocacy days included a Panel Series/Webinar on Carbon Pricing in Canada. The webinar option allowed members from coast to coast to coast to tune in to our professional development portion of the Hill events.
We also provided additional benefit by accrediting the Panel/Webinar. Those working towards the Ec.D. earned points by attending the Carbon Pricing session. Specifically, attending the in-person Panels was worth five (5) points and the Webinar worth two (2) points.
We continue to strive to build on successes in Ottawa!
Page 38 of 39
No Images? Click here
Consulting Canadians on a possible
Canada-China free trade agreement As a result of our EDAC on the Hill meetings in Ottawa, specifically with Global Affairs Canada, EDAC members as stakeholders are being asked to participate in the following consultation:
The Government of Canada launched public consultations on a possible Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Canada and China. Public consultations seek the views of Canadians to help define Canada’s interests, including where such an agreement
could provide opportunities to create prosperity for Canadians. Consultations will also seek views on related issues and concerns that are relevant when considering a possible FTA with China.
Global Affairs Canada is requesting EDAC members and their stakeholders' views. To participate or share visit the Canada-China FTA Consultations Webpage.
