HomeMy WebLinkAboutApril 15, 2024 - RevisedWaterfront Visionary Advisory Committee
Agenda
April 15, 2024
7:00 pm
Main Committee Room
Hybrid Electronic Meeting
For information related to accessibility requirements please contact:
Committee Coordinator
905.420.4611
clerks@pickering.ca
Members of the public may observe the meeting proceedings by viewing the livestream.
Page
1
1.Indigenous Land Acknowledgment Statement
2.Review and Approval of Agenda
3.Disclosure of Interest
4.Approval of Minutes
4.1 March 18, 2024 Meeting Minutes
5.Delegations/Presentations
5.1 Community Visitor Plan 2024-2027 – *New Item
Azeem Shah, Senior Advisor, Creative Industries & Tourism
Jesse St Amant, Coordinator, Cultural Services,
8
6.New Business
6.1 Frenchman’s Bay, water quality and weed control
6.2 Petticoat Creek Conservation Park
6.3 Tree Planting and other landscape attraction zones on the waterfront
- Adam McGean
7.Other Business
8.Next Meeting – June 17, 2024
9.Adjournment
*REVISED*
Page 1 of 7
Minutes/Meeting Summary
Waterfront Visionary Advisory Committee
March 18, 2024
Hybrid - Electronic Meeting
Main Committee Room
7:00 pm
Attendees: G. MacPherson
A. McGean
A.Small
K. Stott
L. Tidd
A. Bathe, Region of Durham
K. Dunlop, Alkame Dragon Boat Services
S. Stanleigh, Fairport Beach Neighbourhood Association
A. Zeeb, Frenchman’s Bay Yacht Club
J. Kyte, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
C. Mugo, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
Councillor M. Brenner
Councillor M. Nagy
J. Joyce, The MBTW Group
K. Coleman, Manager, Fitness, Courts & Aquatics, Community Services
Department
A. St. Aubin, Senior Manager, Corporate Relations & Projects, Pickering Nuclear
R. Holborn, Director, Engineering Services
A. Mostert, Manager, Landscape & Parks Development (Staff Liaison)
J. Currie, Legislative Coordinator (Recording Secretary)
Absent: N. Bryan, Ontario Power Generation
X. Kane, Pickering West Shore Community Association
Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action
Items/Status
(Include
deadline as
appropriate)
1. Indigenous Land Acknowledgment
A.Mostert read the Indigenous Land Acknowledgment Statement.
2. Review and Approval of Agenda
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-C~of-
P1CKER1NG
Page 2 of 7
Item/ Details & Discussion & Conclusion
Ref # (summary of discussion)
Action
Items/Status
(Include
deadline as
appropriate)
Moved by L. Tidd
That the Agenda for the March 18, 2024, Meeting of the Waterfront
Visionary Advisory Committee be approved.
Carried
3. Disclosure of Interest
No disclosures of interest were noted.
4. Approval of Minutes
Moved by A. Zeeb
That the Minutes of the November 20, 2023, Meeting of the
Waterfront Visionary Advisory Committee be approved.
Carried
5. Delegations/Presentations
5.1 Beachfront Park Revitalization – Jana Joyce, the MBTW
Group
J. Joyce provided an update on the Beachfront Park Revitalization
project and noted that Phase One includes the Waterfront Trail
Reconstruction and Phase Two includes West Beach Area &
Millennium Square. Phase One design drawings are currently
underway, construction is anticipated in 2024-2025 and Phase Two
construction is anticipated to begin in 2026.
J. Joyce provided a response to the seven key comments that
were raised by the Waterfront Visionary Advisory Committee at the
Beachfront Park Revitalization presentation given at the November
2023 WVAC committee meeting.
Discussion with the Committee members ensued regarding:
•appropriate disposal units for fishing lines and lures;
•educational signage in reference to environmental significance
of area;
•use of signage for storytelling of indigenous history;
•the benefits of using PermaTrak for boardwalk material;
•the consideration of safety and the placement of rescue
equipment along the trail;
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Page 3 of 7
Item/ Details & Discussion & Conclusion
Ref # (summary of discussion)
Action
Items/Status
(Include
deadline as
appropriate)
•placement of location markers to identify in the case of
emergencies; and,
•the elevation level of the boardwalk, accounting for the effect of
wave uprush and various weather events. TRCA had requested
that the boardwalk elevation be raised another 0.6m, which
would pose a problem for beach accessibility
5.2 Paddlesport Lease request
K. Colman gave an overview of the considerations given to
selecting a viable location for Waterfront Paddle Sports locations. It
was noted that staff would recommend Rotary Frenchman’s Bay
West Park as the most suitable site to lease for a Waterfront
Paddle Sports location.
Discussion with the Committee Members ensued regarding:
•whether there would be additional washrooms set up closer to
the site;
•that the intent of the City is to find a qualified vendor to run the
Paddlesports rentals through a Request for Proposal (RFP);
•ensuring the safety of the public;
•whether any funds are designated to go back into the
maintenance of the Bay;
•requiring coordination with the other recreational watersports,
such as the Frenchman’s Bay Yacht Club and Alkame Dragon
Boat Services, already utilizing the Bay;
•that any structures required for the operation of the
Paddlesports be temporary;
•that all concerns and necessary stipulations to run the
Paddlesports would be added to the conditions of the contract;
•consultation and considerations are still occurring, and the
Paddlesport lease is projected for 2025.
•requiring a fully developed safety plan in place;
•recommending paddling season should begin no earlier than
May 1 and no later than the end of September, and that cold
water training should be required;
•the increased volume of business would require additional
portable washrooms;
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Page 4 of 7
Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action
Items/Status
(Include
deadline as
appropriate)
•there being power available; and,
•the impact of noise on the community.
5.3 Pickering Nuclear Generating Station Update
A. St. Aubin made a presentation to the Committee providing an
overview of the planned refurbishment of the Pickering Nuclear
Generating Station. A. St. Aubin noted the growing demand for
energy sources and that the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station
could contribute to meeting the increasing needs for electricity and
that refurbishment is scheduled to begin in 2028. A. St. Aubin
highlighted Pickering Nuclear’s commitment to community
engagement.
Discussion with Committee Members ensued regarding:
•the possibility of beautifying the appearance of the Nuclear
Station and incorporating artwork representative of the City of
Pickering;
•upgrading the intake structure at the plant during the
refurbishment to mitigate fish impingement; and,
•inviting the Ontario Power Generation (OPG) environment team
to speak to initiatives being taken by Pickering Nuclear.
6. New Business
6.1 Petticoat Creek Conservation Park
R. Holborn provided members information pertaining to the
discussions the City of Pickering has been having with Toronto and
Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) that had started in April
2023, regarding the acquisition of Petticoat Creek Conservation
Park. R. Holborn noted the significant financial investments that
would be associated with operating the Park, incorporating more
community use, and the subsequent work that would be required.
By Council Resolution #379/24, staff will continue discussion with
TRCA and report back to Council by Q4, 2024.
Discussion with Committee Members ensued regarding:
•holding a special meeting for discussion of the acquisition of
Petticoat Creek Conservation Area, inviting essential
stakeholders, TRCA and consultants KPMG.
6.2 Tree Planting and other landscape attraction zones on the
waterfront – A. McGean – to next meeting -
Agenda topic deferred to June Agenda.
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Page 5 of 7
Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action
Items/Status
(Include
deadline as
appropriate)
6.3 Waterfront Trail connection from West Shore Boulevard to
Marksbury Road – project update
A. Mostert provided an update of the project.The City and TRCA
have initiated discussions regarding the shoreline hazard studies
that would be required between West Shore Boulevard and
Marksbury Road to permit the construction of the trail through this
area. The studies and concept design would proceed in 2024 and
detailed design and construction may proceed in 2025 pending
budget approval. One building lot may be severed off at the north
side, facing West Shore Boulevard.
6.4 Waterfront Trail Reconstruction from Bruce Handscomb
Park to Elvira Court – project update
A. Mostert provided an update of the project, showing the progress
of construction of the trail with a slide deck, noting it is still
projected to open prior to summer.
Discussion with Committee Members ensued regarding:
•the importance of the completion before the Dragon Boat festival
for safety concerns.
6.5 Sandy Beach Road reconstruction – project update
R. Holborn provided an overview of the Sandy Beach Road
reconstruction project, located between Bayly Street and
Montgomery Park Road and noted that design is 90% finalized and
that the City will be applying for the TRCA permit this year.
In consideration of the Elexicon work, the land acquisition, the
design completion, and the TRCA permits and approvals, a tender
is projected to come out by the end of 2024. Construction may
begin in spring of 2025 and take approximately eight months.
Discussion with Committee Members ensued regarding:
•the new design mitigating any opportunity for trucks to use the
shoulder area as a layby;
•the new design providing for more efficient flow, but that there
will not be additional lanes; and,
•if the Durham Region Transit will alter routes.
6.6 Frenchman’s Bay, Water Quality And Weed Control – Staff
Update
A. Mostert provided an update regarding the Parks and Operations
budget which accounts for one cut in early July for the purpose of
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Page 6 of 7
Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action
Items/Status
(Include
deadline as
appropriate)
weed control. He noted that this is less than previous years, which
included two cuts per year.
Discussion with Committee Members ensued regarding:
•that this year may be a higher growing year for weeds in the bay
due to current environmental conditions, (i.e., low water level
and high temperatures);
•concerns that operations in the Bay area may be disrupted due
to excessive weeds;
•looking into alternative methods of weed control;
•the role of the Pickering Harbour Company in maintenance of
the Bay; and,
•that the City retained the service of TRCA to monitor water
quality.
Moved by K. Dunlop
That the Waterfront Visionary Advisory Committee request that
Council reconsider the funding of a second cut of weeds in
Frenchman’s Bay.
Carried
6.7 Waterfront parking and shuttle bus service plans
A. Mostert provided information regarding the shuttle bus service
and that staff have been in discussions with DRT about a proposed
bus schedule.
6.8 Annual Report to Council
A. Mostert invited Committee Members to assist with presenting
the 2024 Annual Report to Council.
S. Stanleigh, Fairport Beach Neighbourhood Association,
volunteered for the 2024 Annual Report presentation at the May
27, 2024, Council Meeting.
A. Mostert will provide the Report to Committee Members via email
for comment.
7. Other Business
Councillor M. Nagy raised concern that the Waterfront Visionary
Advisory Committee meetings run short of time impeding the ability
to have fulsome discussions in a timely manner.
Moved by G. MacPherson
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Page 7 of 7
Item/
Ref #
Details & Discussion & Conclusion
(summary of discussion)
Action
Items/Status
(Include
deadline as
appropriate)
That the Waterfront Visionary Advisory Committee hold an
additional special meeting on April 15, 2024 at 7pm.
Carried
8. Next Meeting
April 15, 2024
8. Adjournment
Moved by A. McGean
That the meeting be adjourned.
Carried
Meeting Adjourned: 9:33 pm
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pickering.ca
Community Visitor Plan
2024 - 2027
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pickering.ca
Community Visitor Plan
First Visitor/Tourism Plan for the City
Developed by a steering committee that included local
businesses, attractions, residents, regional and city staff.
The process and plan was
facilitated by Central Counties
Tourism:
Chuck Thibeault, Executive Director and;
Lisa John-Mackenzie, Industry Relations
Manager for Durham Region.
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pickering.ca
Steering Committee
Derek Mappin Pickering Casino Resort
Wayne Odegard Pickering Casino Resort
Michèle Bolton Open Studio Art Café
Tina Haramis Frenchman's Bay Yacht Club
Jessica Elliott Cultural Advisory Committee
Michael McFarland Cultural Advisory Committee
Ansonett Palmer Cultural Advisory Committee
Deanna Cheriton Toronto Region Conservation Authority / Petticoat Creek C.A.
Amanda Perricone Toronto Region Conservation Authority / Petticoat Creek C.A.
Lorna Murphy Cushman & Wakefield Asst Services, Pickering Town Centre
Lexi Whalen Land Over Landings
Jim Miller Land Over Landings and Owner, Thistle Ha’ Farm, National Historic Site
Laura Gibbs City of Pickering, Division Head, Culture and Community Programming /
PMV / PHCC
Nicole Hann City of Pickering, Public Affairs & Communications Associate, Office of the
CAO
Laraib Arshad City of Pickering, Economic Development & Strategic Projects
Krystal Roberts City of Pickering, Acting Supervisor, Cultural Services
Jesse St. Amant City of Pickering, Coordinator, Cultural Services
Azeem Shah City of Pickering, Senior Advisor Creative Industries and Tourism
Lisa Mackenzie Region of Durham, Tourism Specialist
Eileen Kennedy Invest Durham, Region of Durham, Film/T.V. Specialist
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pickering.ca
Relationship to Pickering’s
Corporate Strategic Plan
Priority 1:
Champion
Economic
Leadership and
Innovation
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pickering.ca
Vision
The City of Pickering, its businesses, organizations and residents
actively share their pride of the community with visitors year-round,
making it a welcoming destination so that they will return time and again.
Mission
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Integration
CollatYC5'f8tion
Development Resourcing . ~Listening
Key Performance Indicators (KPls) ~Q ~
Sustained Investment..{'\'?):~ -·
DeliverSei;vi ce \\Qt\ • Q • (3'~~ --(l :l~ Effortcoo rd ,na ~~ flt~ ~ 0 o..<9rn
Execution 00 ~ 0 ~ CJ) \Y(S)Cc
Connected e,flf-~ S Buy-in O (t) u'
Pridev. . ~ <&--Growthi r-+
Consensus f?u1ld1n ~v ~Overcoming Challenges ;:,
ChampionsN 'Research / Metrics/ Data
Engagement d'-' CommitmentBuild Experiences
A Bc 001ri tability
Planning
pickering.ca
Tourism in Pickering
Top reasons to visit
Pickering Casino and Resort
Waterfront / Nautical Village
Pickering Town Centre
Parks/Trails
Dinning/Restaurants
Pickering Museum Village
Partnership & City Events
In 2022 the Waterfront & City Centre had
over 450k visits and contributed an
estimate spend of over $40M in the City
Centre, and over $10M at the Waterfront.
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pickering.ca
Who’s Visiting?
The City Centre and Waterfront area research found that the
majority could be categorized as “Family Fun” and “Adventure
Seekers” – Central Counties Tourism Visitor Profile Segment
Waterfront East Area 35% Family Fun
28% Adventure Seekers
Other Visitor Categories include; Passionate Putters, Foodie
Fanatics, Art Lovers (Urbanite-Core), Art Lover (Community
Explorer-Tactical)
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pickering.ca
Adventure Seekers
•This segment skews male, is
family oriented and makes
informed decisions quickly.
•Lives in a middle class suburban
area with an upscale household
income.
•Enjoys the outdoors, watching
sports related events and physical
activities like camping, skiing, zip-
lining, cycling, jet-skiing. Also
enjoys cultural activities such as
festivals, carnivals, concerts and
food.
•Light internet users, this group
does not enjoy technology and are
light social media users.
•Responds to outdoor, radio,
television and lifestyle magazine
advertising.
•Likes to travel taking three to five
out-of-town vacations in a year.
Family Fun
•This group is made up of culturally diverse
young to middle-aged families with school-
aged children living in suburban culturally
diverse areas. They are university educated
with a household income higher than the
market average.
•Family comes first for this group, and they
prefer to spend time with children at family
friendly attractions like zoos, festivals,
amusement parks while also enjoying
outdoor fun & adventure to get away from
daily stress and build family memories.
•As commuters, this group listens to radio,
are heavy internet users and seek out
multicultural connections in advertising.
•They are a highly social group, sharing their
experiences and making recommendations
on multiple social platforms such as
Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.
•Enjoys travelling and taking vacations to
escape their daily routine.
•Usually opt for all-inclusive or spa resorts
for accommodations.
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pickering.ca
Outcomes
Each of these objectives has associated goals and action items and will serve as the roadmap for the 2024-2027
Community Visitor Plan.
This assessment resulted in the identification of five core objectives:
Enhance Welcome Develop Distinguish Support
The committee assessed the challenges and opportunities for ‘visitor readiness’ across five key categories:
Attractions Businesses Infrastructure Customer Service Marketing/Promotion
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pickering.ca- 17 -
ENHANCE
Develop new
visitor products I
experiences
1. Engage tourism
stakeholders to
develop new
tourism products
/ experiences.
2. Develop new
municipally-led
tourism products
/ experiences
3. Solicit more
group tourism
events I
tournaments
WELCOME
Nurture a
welcoming
environment and
pride-of-place
1. Educate on/
communicate
the importance
of the visitor
economy.
2. Nurture pride-of-
place with
Pickering
residents,
business owners
and staff
DEVELOP
Encourage
development of a
visitor-friendly
infrastructure
GOALS
1. Provide
seamless
transport to, from
& within
Pickering
2 . Attract new
accommodation
providers
3 . Provide on-site
visitor facilities
4 . Maintain, support
and grow the
outdoor trail
network
5 . Provide on-site
visitor
information
DISTINGUISH
Establish a unique
presence in the
market
1. Build foundational
marketing assets
2. Implement a
communication
strategy to
differentiate
Pickering
3. Promote
Pickering as
Inclusive,
Diverse,
Equitable,
Accessible
SUPPORT
Source the required
resources for
destination
management
1. Source funds
and advocate for
continued
investment in the
visitor economy
2. Recruit a team to
champion and
implement the
Visitor Plan
3. Elevate the
profile of the
visitor economy
as a municipal
strategic priority
4. Collect visitor
data to monitor
success and
areas for
improvement
pickering.ca
Action Items: Enhance
Develop new products / experiences to attract more visitors
with more reasons to visit and come back.
Goal 1: Engage tourism stakeholders to develop new tourism
products/experiences.
Goal 2: Develop new municipally-led tourism
products/experiences.
Goal 3: Solicit more group tourism events / tournaments.
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pickering.ca
Action Items: Welcome
Nurture a welcoming environment and pride-of-place with residents
and businesses.
Goal 1: Educate on / communicate the importance of the visitor
economy.
Goal 2: Nurture pride-of-place with
Pickering residents and
business owners.
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pickering.ca
Action Items: Develop
Encourage development of a visitor-friendly infrastructure.
Goal 1: Provide seamless transport to, from, and within Pickering.
Goal 2: Attract new accommodation providers.
Goal 3: Provide on-site visitor facilities.
Goal 4: Maintain, support and grow the
outdoor trail network.
Goal 5: Provide on-site visitor information.
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pickering.ca
Action Items: Distinguish
Establish a unique presence in the market for Pickering, attracting visitors to explore all there is to see and do.
Goal 1: Build foundational marketing assets to promote Pickering
as a destination.
Goal 2: Implement a communication strategy
to differentiate Pickering and
promote the unique visitor
experiences.
Goal 3: Promote Pickering as Inclusive,
Diverse, Equitable & Accessible
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pickering.ca
Action Items: Support
Source the required resources to effectively manage Pickering as a visitor destination.
Goal 1: Source funds and advocate for continued investment in
the Visitor Economy.
Goal 2: Recruit a team to champion and implement the Visitor
Plan.
Goal 3: Elevate the profile of the Visitor Economy as a municipal
strategic priority.
Goal 4: Collect visitor data to measure success, understand areas
for improvement, and to inform marketing.
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pickering.ca
MAT
Municipal Accommodation Tax.
MAT is a local tax levied by municipalities on short-term rental
accommodations such as hotels, motels, and short-term home
rentals.
The standard rate amongst major cities across Ontario is 4%
Cities of comparable size have reported the tax can generate
approximately $400,000- $700,000 annually.
MAT funding support will allow for several initiatives in the
Community Visitor Plan and beyond to advance the City’s Tourism
sector.
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pickering.ca- 24 -
pickering.ca
Jesse St. Amant
Coordinator, Cultural Services
Community Services Department
T.905.420.4660 ext. 3607
jstamant@pickering.ca
Azeem Shah
Senior Advisor, Creative Industries & Tourism
Economic Development and Strategic
Projects Department
T.905.420.4660 ext. 1158
ashah@pickering.ca
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COMMUNITY VISITOR PLAN
2024 – 2027
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-~~f-
PlCKERlNG
2
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge that the City of
Pickering resides on land within the
Treaty and traditional territory of the
Mississaugas of Scugog Island First
Nation and Williams Treaties signatories
of the Mississauga and Chippewa
Nations. Pickering is also home to many
Indigenous persons and communities
who represent other diverse, distinct, and
autonomous Indigenous nations. This
acknowledgement reminds us of our
responsibilities to our relationships with
the First Peoples of Canada, and to the
ancestral lands on which we learn,
share, work, and live.
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3
Forward
A Message from Central Counties Tourism
It was an absolute pleasure to facilitate the development and finalization of this
incredible plan. I came into the process with high hopes and was not
disappointed. The City of Pickering has long recognized the value of the visitor
economy and has been working with Central Counties Tourism for years to help grow
their capacity to welcome and engage visitors. The working group that formed the
backbone of the planning process was one of the most well-versed of any community
we have worked with, understanding the principles of destination development and the
current needs within the municipality to take the visitor economy to the next level.
The end result is a community visitor plan that is unique to Pickering – layered with
goals and objectives built on each other to incrementally move the needle closer to
achieving “tourism success” for the municipality. Our promise to the City of Pickering is
that we will be your partner each and every year as you develop and implement the
actions and tactics to deliver on the goals and objectives. With each success, Pickering
becomes a more vibrant community, attracting new visitors, residents and businesses.
The City of Pickering should be proud of what they have already achieved in terms of
growing the visitor economy and excited about the successes that lie ahead as this plan
gets implemented.
Best regards,
Chuck Thibeault, Executive Director
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4
Contents
Executive Summary 6
Vision and Mission 9
Introduction 10
The Planning Process 11
Tourism in Pickering 12
The Plan – Objectives and Goals 14
The Plan – Action Items 16
Objective One: Enhance 16
Objective Two: Welcome 18
Objective Three: Develop 19
Objective Four: Distinguish 21
Objective Five: Support 23
Acknowledgements 28
Glossary 29
Resources 31
Appendix 32
I – Why Tourism?
II – Tourism Organizations
III – Pickering Tourism Assets
IV – Visitation Data
V – Visitor Market Profiles
VI – Visitor Readiness – Gap Analysis
VII – Community Survey Results
VIII – Committee Engagement
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5
FRENCHMAN’S BAY
- 30 -
--
6
Executive Summary
The City of Pickering is ideally located. It is about 40km from downtown Toronto along
the northern shore of Lake Ontario and is easily accessible to visitors from the major
401 and 407 highways, GO trains/buses, the Waterfront Trail and by boat at
Frenchman’s Bay. This provides easy access to the over 7 million people living to the
west and an incredible opportunity to be the overnight location for people travelling from
the east to visit the GTA including downtown Toronto.
Currently, the Bay, along with the Waterfront Trail, and Beachfront & Alex Robertson’s
Parks offers a scenic escape for over 100k visitors (traveling 40+km one-way) per year
who enjoy a variety of activities including boating, biking, hiking, picnics, summ er
concerts in Millenium Square, as well as shopping and dining options in the charming
Nautical Village.
A short distance away is Durham Live, Pickering’s new premium entertainment district
and home of the Pickering Casino Resort which has a 275-room hotel, multiple
restaurants, state-of-the-art concert theatres, and a large gaming facility. The area
promises to be a major entertainment hub with future growth that includes a first -of-its-
kind in Canada Porsche Experience Centre.
The city centre area, which welcomed over 340K visitors in 2022, is home to the
Pickering Town Centre, a destination shopping mall, and this area, along with the
waterfront, and north Pickering, make up the majority of the city’s main attractions.
North Pickering, which encompasses the Seaton Community is being developed as one
of the Canada’s largest residential and commercial areas. It also serves as an entry
point to the Seaton Hiking Trail, which runs along beautiful West Duffin’s Creek through
the community of Whitevale and neighbours the Rouge National Urban
Park. Greenwood is another area under development with a new 44,000 sq. ft. Heritage
and Community Centre, located on the current site of the Pickering Museum Village,
anticipated to launch in 2026.
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7
With the current number of attractions and abundant development, Pickering is poised
to see significant growth in visitors, helping business success throughout the city and
growing both the vibrancy of the community and community pride.
This 2024-2027 Community Visitor Plan is the first such plan for the City of Pickering. It
will serve to guide the City of Pickering staff, along with local tourism stakeholders and
regional partners in welcoming more visitors to enjoy all that Pickering has to offer. This
plan was developed by a steering committee with representatives from local
businesses, attractions, outdoor assets, residents, and city staff. This committee
assessed the challenges and opportunities for ‘visitor readiness’ across five key
categories: attractions, businesses, infrastructure, customer service, and
marketing/promotion. The work of the steering committee resulted in the identification of
five core objectives for 2024-2027: Enhance, Welcome, Develop, Distinguish, Support.
Each of these objectives has associated goals and action items and will serve as the
roadmap for the 2024-2027 Community Visitor Plan.
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ENHANCE
Develop new
visitor products I
experiences
1. Engage tourism
stakeholders to
develop new
tourism products
/ experiences.
2. Develop new
municipally-led
tourism products
/ experiences
3. Solicit more
group tourism
events/
tournaments
WELCOME
Nurture a
welcoming
environment and
pride-of-place
1. Educate on/
communicate
the importance
of the visitor
economy.
2. Nurture pride-of-
place with
Pickering
residents,
business owners
and staff
DEVELOP
Encourage
development of a
visitor-friendly
infrastructure
GOALS
1. Provide
seamless
transport to, from
& within
Pickering
2 . Attract new
accommodation
providers
3. Provide on-site
visitor facilities
4. Maintain , support
and grow the
outdoor trail
network
5. Provide on-site
visitor
information
DISTINGUISH
Establish a unique
presence in the
market
1. Build foundational
marketing assets
2. Implement a
communication
strategy to
differentiate
Pickering
3. Promote
Pickering as
Inclusive ,
Diverse,
Equitable,
Accessible
SUPPORT
Source the required
resources for
destination
management
1. Source funds
and advocate for
continued
investment in the
visitor economy
2. Recruit a team to
champion and
implement the
Visitor Plan
3. Elevate the
profile of the
visitor economy
as a municipal
strategic priority
4. Collect visitor
data to monitor
success and
areas for
improvement
8
PICKERING MUSEUM VILLAGE
- 33 -
9
Vision
The City of Pickering, its businesses, organizations and residents actively share their
pride of the community with visitors year-round, making it a welcoming destination so
that they will return time and again.
Mission
- 34 -
Integration
Colla6R5ration
Development Resourcing . ~Listening
Key Performance Indicators (KPls) ~Q ~
Sustained lnvestment.,l"\~~ -·
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ampionsN 'Research / Metrics/ Data
Engagement &' CommitmentBuild Experiences
A €cOLrri tability
Planning
10
Introduction
The visitor economy has a significant contribution to the health of businesses across
Canada, Ontario, Central Counties and Durham Region. In 2022 tourists contributed
$83B in spending across Canada and across the Central Counties (York, Durham and
Headwaters regions), there were 13 million (M) overnight visits and a total of $3 billion
(B) in spending. In 2019, pre-pandemic, the tourism industry in Ontario generated
revenue of over $38B and in the 14 key cities and towns across Durham Region, 6.4M
visitors were welcomed and contributed an estimated $692M in spending (see Appendix
I). These numbers reinforce the importance of the visitor economy and the importance
of this plan.
This three-year (2024-2027) Community Visitor Plan outlines the City of Pickering’s
objectives, goals, and action items to achieve its ‘Vision’. With this plan, Pickering joins
its neighbouring municipalities, along with its regional, provincial, and federal partners in
taking a proactive role in supporting the visitor economy (see Appendix II).
This plan was developed by a steering committee comprised of a diverse group of
representatives from Pickering’s tourism-related businesses and organizations, along
with local residents, City of Pickering staff and representatives from the Region of
Durham. The process was facilitated by Central Counties Tourism.
FRENCHMAN’S BAY
- 35 -
11
The Planning Process
This plan was developed with feedback from four facilitated sessions and surveys with
the steering committee, as well as a community survey.
The four facilitated sessions were interactive with clear objectives to support the
development of the plan.
Session One: The group discussed the value of the visitor economy as an economic
driver, job creator and contributor to the residents’ quality of life and identified key
tourism assets attracting people visit Pickering and started to define ‘Success’ for
Pickering.
Session Two: The group ranked the tourism assets and reviewed the current visitor
landscape in Pickering including: attractions, businesses, infrastructure, customer
service, and marketing/promotion.
Session Three: The group identified and evaluated Pickering’s tourism readiness to
understand the challenges and opportunities that exist to achieve ‘Success’ and
reviewed the results of the community tourism plan survey.
Session Four: Finally, the group aligned the final ‘Vision’ for success and the
objectives, goals and actions items for the Pickering Community Visitor Plan.
- 36 -
12
Tourism in Pickering
Tourism Assets
Pickering has a number of businesses, attractions and events that drive visitation.
According to research collected, the top reasons people visit Pickering are for the
Casino, Waterfront / Nautical Village, Pickering Town Centre shopping, parks/trails,
dining/restaurants and cultural sites, such as Pickering Museum Village. Events were
also highlighted as one of the top drivers of visitation including Pickering Casino
Concerts, Winter Nights City Lights, Winter Wonderland at Millenium Square, and the
Waterfront Concert Series, among many others (see Appendix III).
It was noted that Pickering is well-poised for future growth in visitation having a number
of visitor assets in development including the new Heritage & Community Centre,
waterfront enhancements, and further development of the Durham Live Entertainment
District (new Porsche Experience Centre).
- 37 -
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Pickering Community Tourism Plan Roadmap
STEP ONE
Preparation
STEP TWO
Building the Plan
Meeting 1 Meeting 2 Meeting 3 Meeting 4
Introductions Consensus on w ha t Consensus of r an kings for Review and validate
Form the cross-tou rism success looks Cha llenges success definitio n
sector Steering like
Committee Define t ourism Consensus of a sset Identify opportunities Review and discuss draft
ranki ngs feedback
Review existing
Strategic Plans Introduction to tourism I de ntify tourism ma rkets Refine our definition of Review and validate
planning: "What d oes -current and potential tourism success assets, market s,
tourism success look concern s, a nd
like?" opportunit ies
I den t ify tourism assets Identify to urism con cerns Prioritize actions to deliver Review and validate
on the agreed-upon prior itized actions t hat
definitio n of tourism form the backbone of the
success plan
I ..... . . ,.
NIU#Hb ► Su rvey-Rank Assets and S urve y-Rank Markets and Rank Opportunit ies Review Fi na l Draft Plan
Define tourism success Concerns Review draft p la n
Kick-off Months 1-4
APRIL MAY JUNE SEPTEMBER OCTOBER
TIMELINES
STEP THREE STEP FOUR
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13
Visitation
Geo-fencing research was completed for 2022 for the areas of Pickering Waterfront
East, West, and the City Centre. The research showed that within these areas there
were over 450k visits, which contributed to an estimated visitor spend of over $40M in
the City Centre area and over $10M at the waterfront (See Appendix IV).
For those visiting the Waterfront East area, it was found that the majority could be
categorized in the Central Counties Tourism (CCT) visitor profile segments as ‘Family
Fun’ (35%) and ‘Adventure Seekers’ (28%) and this was consistent with the Waterfront
West and City Centre areas. These two segments have high potential for growth and
could be key target markets to increase visitation (See Appendix V).
Visitor Readiness - Gap Analysis
The steering committee was asked to assess Pickering’s visitor readiness and identify
the challenges across the key tourism asset categories: Attractions, Businesses,
Infrastructure, Customer Service, and Promotion.
Opportunities were then identified to address the challenges and this formed the basis
to develop the objectives and action items for the plan. The opportunities were
organized into five key pillars: Enhance, Welcome, Develop, Distinguish, and Support
(See Appendix VI).
- 38 -
14
PICKERING MUSEUM VILLAGE
- 39 -
15
The Plan- Objectives and Goals
OBJECTIVE ONE: ENHANCE
Develop new visitor products / experiences to attract more visitors with more
reasons to visit and come back.
Goal 1: Engage tourism stakeholders to develop new tourism products /
experiences.
Goal 2: Develop new municipally-led tourism products / experiences.
Goal 3: Solicit more group tourism events / tournaments.
OBJECTIVE TWO: WELCOME
Nurture a welcoming environment and pride-of-place with residents and
businesses.
Goal 1: Educate on / communicate the importance of the visitor economy.
Goal 2: Nurture pride-of-place with Pickering residents and business owners.
OBJECTIVE THREE: DEVELOP
Encourage development of a visitor-friendly infrastructure.
Goal 1: Provide seamless transport to, from, and within Pickering.
Goal 2: Attract new accommodation providers.
Goal 3: Provide on-site visitor facilities.
Goal 4: Maintain, support and grow the outdoor trail network.
Goal 5: Provide on-site visitor information.
- 40 -
16
OBJECTIVE FOUR: DISTINGUISH
Establish a unique presence in the market for Pickering, attracting visitors to
explore all there is to see and do.
Goal 1: Build foundational marketing assets to promote Pickering as a
destination.
Goal 2: Implement a communication plan to differentiate Pickering and promote
the unique visitor experiences.
Goal 3: Promote Pickering as Inclusive, Diverse, Equitable & Accessible (IDEA).
OBJECTIVE FIVE: SUPPORT
Source the required resources to effectively manage Pickering as a visitor
destination.
Goal 1: Source funds and advocate for continued investment in the visitor
economy.
Goal 2: Recruit a team to champion and implement the Community Visitor Plan.
Goal 3: Elevate the profile of the visitor economy as a municipal strategic priority.
Goal 4: Collect visitor data to measure success, understand areas for
improvement, and to inform marketing.
PICKERING CASINO RESORT
- 41 -
The Plan- Action Items
OBJECTIVE ONE: ENHANCE
Develop new products / experiences to attract more visitors with more reasons to
visit and come back.
ACTION TIMING RESOURCES COST*
$-low,
$$-mid,
$$$-high
DEPARTMENT
RESPONSIBLE
Goal 1: Engage tourism stakeholders to develop new tourism products/experiences.
1.1.1. Host networking events to
encourage collaboration
among businesses /
organizations for product
development
1-2 per
year
City of Pickering
Central
Counties
$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
Support:
Community
Services
1.1.2. Collaborate across
municipalities to provide
regional tourism experiences
e.g. participate in municipal
leadership meetings and
networking
2024-
2027
City of Pickering
Durham
Tourism,
Central
Counties
$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
Support:
Community
Services
1.1.3. Engage businesses to develop
new tourism products
/experiences /events e.g.
multi-stakeholder routes /
“trails”, IDEA events, multi-
faceted creative industries
events
2024-
2027
City of Pickering
Central
Counties
$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Community
Services
(*Estimated Cost $-low=Under $10,000, $$-mid=$10,000 to $50,000, $$$-high=Over $50,000)
- 42 -
18
Goal 2: Develop new municipally-led tourism products / experiences.
1.2.1. Continue to host festivals /
events that are unique to
Pickering e.g. Fall Fling &
Winter Wonderland
2-4 per
year
City of Pickering $$$ Lead: Community
Services
1.2.2. Support development of new
waterfront / Nautical Village
experiences e.g. lifejacket
rentals & kayak launches
2024-
2025
City of Pickering $$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Community
Services
1.2.3. Develop new municipal
tourism routes / “trails” through
collaborations / partnerships
e.g. Indigenous Art Trail, Film
Set Locations Tour
2024-
2025
City of Pickering
Invest Durham
DEI
$$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Office of the
CAO
1.2.4. Develop and/or partner to
create infrastructure to support
shoulder season experiences
e.g outdoor skating & event
spaces.
2024-
2027
City of Pickering $$$ Lead: City
Development &
Operations
Support:
Community
Services
Goal 3: Solicit more group tourism events / tournaments.
1.3.1. Collaborate with local and
regional stakeholders to bid-on
/ host more sport tourism
events (align with the
Recreation & Parks – 10 Year
Plan)
2024-
2027
City of Pickering
Durham
Tourism
$$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
Community
Services &
Operations
1.3.2. Invite more visiting school
groups from neighbouring
schoolboards to existing
attractions e.g. Pickering
Museum Village, and
Claremont Nature Centre etc.
2024-
2027
City of Pickering $ Lead: Community
Services
- 43 -
19
OBJECTIVE TWO: WELCOME
Nurture a welcoming environment and pride-of-place with
residents and businesses.
ACTION TIMING RESOURCES COST DEPARTMENT
RESPONSIBLE
Goal 1: Educate on / communicate the importance of the visitor economy.
2.1.1 Promote and communicate the
importance of the visitor
economy with residents, staff,
and council etc. e.g. & tourism
campaign, share success
stories of local businesses
2024 -
2025
City of Pickering $ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
2.1.2. Roll-out a tourism ambassador
training program for front line
workers, seniors, high school
volunteers / school clubs etc.
2024-
2027
City of Pickering
Central
Counties
Tourism
$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Community
Services
Goal 2: Nurture pride-of-place with Pickering residents and business owners.
2.2.1. Implement programs to
encourage business owners
and front-line employees to
explore Pickering
e.g. Host industry
familiarization (fam) tours
and/or implement a reciprocal
admissions program for local
attractions.
2024 City of Pickering $$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
Support:
Community
Services
- 44 -
20
2.2.2. Develop and push out email
communications to the
resident database to promote
all that is happening in
Pickering.
2024 City of Pickering $ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Office of the
CAO
Support:
Community
Services
OBJECTIVE THREE: DEVELOP
Encourage development of a visitor-friendly infrastructure.
ACTION TIMING RESOURCES COST DEPARTMENT
RESPONSIBLE
Goal 1: Provide seamless transport to, from, and within Pickering.
3.1.1. Improve transportation
infrastructure by advocating
across municipal departments
and with developers e.g.
busing, walking paths
Explore opportunities to
coordinate transportation
across the region/ province.
2024-
2027
City of Pickering
Roads Dept.
Durham Region
Developers
$$$ Lead:
Engineering
Services
3.1.2. Explore / promote
transportation alternatives for
events/ peak visitor times e.g.
public transit, alt
transportation rentals e.g.
trolley, bus, bike, scooter
2024-
2027
City of Pickering
$$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Community
Services
Support: City
Development
(Sustainability)
- 45 -
21
3.1.3. Explore new parking solutions
e.g. support event organizers
with parking options, shuttles
(Go, DRT), active
transportation, by-law
allowance for street parking
etc.
2024-
2027
City of Pickering
Durham Region
$$ Lead:
Engineering
Services
Support:
Economic
Development and
Strategic
Projects,
Community
Services &
Operations
3.1.4. Implement a way-finding
strategy to promote road-side
and online navigation e.g.
signage, Google Maps, short
message service (SMS) App
etc.
2024-
2027
City of Pickering
Central
Counties
$$ Lead:
Operations
Support:
Economic
Development and
Strategic
Projects,
Corporate
Communications,
Community
Services &
Region of
Durham
Goal 2: Attract new accommodation providers.
3.2.1. Encourage development of
more visitor accommodation
options e.g. publicize hotel
and visitation data to show
business opportunity
2024-
2027
City of Pickering
Central
Counties
$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
Goal 3: Provide on-site visitor facilities.
3.3.1. Advocate for a new purpose-
built event space for larger
events
2026 City of Pickering $$$ Lead: Community
Services
Support:
Operations,
- 46 -
22
Engineering
Services & City
Development
3.3.2. Improve availability of
washroom facilities for visitors
e.g. Build year-round facilities
(portable or permanent) in key
visitor areas and / or open
existing facilities year-round.
2024-
2027
City of Pickering $$$ Lead: Operations
& Engineering
Services
Goal 4: Maintain, support and grow the outdoor trail network.
3.4.1 Support current trail strategies
including winter maintenance /
grooming
2024-
2027
City of Pickering
Durham Region
TRCA
$ Lead: Operations
Support:
Engineering
Services
3.4.2. Improve trail connectivity to
the core commerce areas e.g.
signage / apps
2024-
2027
City of Pickering
TRCA
$$ Lead:
Engineering
Services
Support:
Operations
Goal 5: Provide on-site visitor information.
3.5.1. Implement a solution to
provide on-site visitor
information e.g. Partner with
others (e.g. Casino, Go-
transit, Town Centre, TRCA) to
implement self-serve
information kiosks in central
locations and/or procure a
mobile tourism trailer
2025 City of Pickering
Businesses
$$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
Support:
Corporate
Communications
- 47 -
23
OBJECTIVE FOUR: DISTINGUISH
Establish a unique presence in the market for Pickering,
attracting visitors to explore all there is to see and do.
ACTION TIMING RESOURCES COST DEPARTMENT
RESPONSIBLE
Goal 1: Build foundational marketing assets to promote Pickering as a destination.
4.1.1. Build a dedicated Tourism
Website to house visitor
information (event listings,
business & attraction
information etc.)
2025-
2026
City of Pickering $$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
Support:
Community
Services
4.1.2 Explore the opportunity to add
and manage dedicated social
media channels and digital
information e.g. Facebook,
Instagram, Google etc.
2025-
2026
City of Pickering $ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Community
Services
Support:
Corporate
Communications
4.1.3 Advocate for Tourism
Promotions on current digital
signage, and investigate
installing digital signage in
Pickering that is dedicated to
Tourism
2024-
2026
City of Pickering $$$ Lead: Corporate
Communications
& Community
Services
4.1.4 Collect visitor contact
information at events / online
to build visitor contact
database
2024-
2027
City of Pickering $$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Community
Services
- 48 -
24
Goal 2: Implement a communication strategy to differentiate Pickering and promote
the unique visitor experiences.
4.2.1. Implement a paid-media
communications strategy
(social media, print, PR,
influencers) to promote
unique experiences e.g.
businesses, waterfront /
Nautical Village, Casino,
Pickering Museum Village.
Ongoing City of Pickering
Central
Counties
Durham
Tourism
$$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Office of the
CAO
Support:
Community
Services
4.2.2. Develop and promote
bundled/ package
experiences that feature
attractions and businesses
together (trip ideas- places to
eat, stay, and play)
2024-
2027
City of Pickering
Businesses
$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
4.2.3. Produce and distribute visitor
content/ trip ideas for regular
distribution to visitor contact
database.
2025-
2026
City of Pickering $ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic
Projects,
Community
Services
Support: Office
of the CAO
Goal 3: Promote Pickering as Inclusive, Diverse, Equitable & Accessible (IDEA).
4.3.1. Implement marketing that
represents the diversity of
visitors to Pickering (age,
financial status, abilities,
cultures etc.)
Ongoing City of Pickering $ Lead: Corporate
Communications
Support:
Economic
Development
and Strategic
Projects & Office
of the CAO
- 49 -
25
4.3.2. Spotlight businesses, events,
attractions, and individuals
etc. that represent the IDEA
community in Pickering. e.g.
Indigenous Artists,
LGBTQ2S+ business owners
etc.
Quarterly City of Pickering $ Lead: Office of
the CAO
Support:
Economic
Development
and Strategic
Projects &
Community
Services
OBJECTIVE FIVE: SUPPORT
Source the required resources to effectively manage
Pickering as a visitor destination.
ACTION TIMING RESOURCES COST DEPARTMENT
RESPONSIBLE
Goal 1: Source funds and advocate for continued investment in the Visitor Economy.
5.1.1. Advocate for a municipal
budget to support tourism
development
2024 City of Pickering $ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Community
Services
5.1.2 Continue to apply for grants to
support municipal tourism
initiatives
Ongoing City of Pickering $ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Community
Services
5.1.3 Provide tourism stakeholders
with channels to source
information about grant
opportunities and “grant
Ongoing City of Pickering
Central
Counties
$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
- 50 -
26
writing” training e.g. CCT,
TIAO
& Community
Services
5.1.4. Explore the feasibility of a
Municipal Accommodation Tax
(MAT)
2025 City of Pickering
$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic
Projects,
Corporate
Services &
Finance
5.1.5 Explore ideas to raise funding
for tourism e.g. Tourism
Investment Expo
2027 City of Pickering $$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Community
Services
Goal 2: Recruit a team to champion and implement the Visitor Plan.
5.2.1. Hire dedicated tourism staff to
implement against the Visitor
Plan e.g. Canada Summer
Jobs, college internships and
co-op programs
2025-
2026
City of Pickering $$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
5.2.2. Recruit a Tourism Panel to
guide implementation of the
Visitor Plan
2024-
2025
City of Pickering $ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
Support:
Community
Services
5.2.3. Recruit volunteers and
manage a volunteer /
ambassador program
2024 City of Pickering $ Lead: Community
Services
Support:
Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
- 51 -
27
Goal 3: Elevate the profile of the Visitor Economy as a municipal strategic priority.
5.3.1. Allocate a representative to
provide the ‘voice of the visitor
economy’ on other
committees e.g. Advisory
Committees, Planning,
Transportation etc.
2024 City of Pickering
Durham Region
$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
5.3.2. Schedule annual updates to
staff leaders and council to
communicate progress
against the Visitor Plan and
the importance of the visitor
economy. Also consider a
familiarization trip.
Ongoing City of Pickering $ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Community
Services
Goal 4: Collect visitor data to measure success, understand areas for improvement,
and to inform marketing.
5.4.1. Measure visitation by
geofencing high-traffic visitor
areas to track year-over-year
results
2024 City of Pickering
Central
Counties
$ Lead: Community
Services
5.4.2. Engage events and
businesses to track their
visitor postal codes for
analysis.
2024 City of
Pickering,
Central
Counties
Businesses
$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Community
Services
5.4.3. Roll-out visitor surveys to
understand satisfaction and
areas for improvement.
1-2 per
year
City of Pickering
Central
Counties
$ Lead: Economic
Development and
Strategic Projects
& Community
Services
- 52 -
FRENCHMAN’S BAY MARINA
- 53 -
29
Acknowledgements
Thank you to the individuals who made up the steering committee and devoted their
time to support the development of this Community Visitor Plan for the City of Pickering.
Steering Committee
Wayne Odegard Pickering Casino Resort
Derek Mappin Pickering Casino Resort
Michèle Bolton Open Studio Art Café
Tina Haramis Frenchman's Bay Yacht Club
Jessica Elliott Cultural Advisory Committee
Michael McFarland Cultural Advisory Committee
Ansonett Palmer Cultural Advisory Committee
Deanna Cheriton Toronto Region Conservation Authority / Petticoat Creek C.A.
Amanda Perricone Toronto Region Conservation Authority / Petticoat Creek C.A.
Lorna Murphy Cushman & Wakefield Asst Services, Pickering Town Centre
Lexi Whalen Land Over Landings
Jim Miller Land Over Landings and Owner, Thistle Ha’ Farm, National Historic Site
Laura Gibbs City of Pickering, Division Head, Culture and Community Programming /
PMV / PHCC
Nicole Hann City of Pickering, Public Affairs & Communications Associate, Office of
the CAO
Laraib Arshad City of Pickering, Economic Development & Strategic Projects
Krystal Roberts City of Pickering, Acting Supervisor, Cultural Services
Jesse St. Amant City of Pickering, Coordinator, Cultural Services
Azeem Shah City of Pickering, Senior Advisor Creative Industries and Tourism
Lisa Mackenzie Region of Durham, Tourism Specialist
Eileen Kennedy Invest Durham, Region of Durham, Film/T.V. Specialist
The development of this plan was facilitated with Central Counties Tourism ’s Chuck
Thibeault, Executive Director and Lisa John-Mackenzie, Industry Relations Manager for
Durham Region.
- 54 -
30
Glossary
Tourist or Visitor - The term “Tourist” or “Visitor” can have various meanings and the
terms may be interchanged, but for the purposes of this report, we use the following
definitions. Destination Canada defines a “Visitor” as a traveler taking a trip outside
his/her usual environment, for less than a year, for any purpose (business, leisure or
other personal purpose) other than to be employed.1 To measure visitation the
province of Ontario defines a “Visitor” as someone who takes an overnight out -of-town
trip, or an out-of-town same-day trip of 40 kilometers or more away from their home.2
Visitors could include such groups as bus tours, sports teams, or individuals visiting
friends and relatives etc.
Index- Index numbers are a way of expressing the difference between two
measurements by designating one number as the "base", giving it the value 100 and
then expressing the second number as a percentage of the first. Example: If the
population of a town increased from 20,000 in 1988 to 21,000 in 1991, the population in
1991 was 105% of the population in 1988. Therefore, on a 1988 = 100 base, the
population index for the town was 105 in 1991.
(https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-533-x/using-utiliser/4072258-eng.htm)
Example: An index for visitation is how your audience compares to the average of the
area being studied, the benchmark. An index of 110 means that there is a 10% higher
concentration of that specific variable within your audience than the average. An index
of 100 is the average for the area
Inbound Tourism Spend / Expenditure- The tourism expenditure of a non-resident
visitor within the economy of reference.
Unique Visitors- The average number of individuals visiting the analyzed domain,
within the country and time period analyzed. A user who arrived at a site once or a
number of times is a single unique visitor to that domain.
- 55 -
31
TRIEM Model- The Tourism Regional Economic Impact Model (TREIM) is a data
analysis simulation tool that helps organizations and people who are interested in
tourism to learn more about the economic impact of tourism in Ontario. The model is
capable of simulating tourism-related economic impacts from 2010 to 2025, such as:
economic impact of specific tourism events, impacts on the supply side by tourism
industry sector, impacts by type of capital project for the chosen region .
https://www.ontario.ca/page/tourism-regional-economic-impact-model
Central Counties (RTO6) -This is the geographic area that makes up the Ontario
government Regional Tourism Organization Six (RTO6). Central Counties or RTO6
includes all of Durham Region, York Region, and the Headwaters area.
https://www.ontario.ca/document/tourism-regions/region-6-york-durham-and-
headwaters
FSA- A forward sortation area (FSA) is a way to designate a geographical unit based on
the first three characters in a Canadian postal code. All postal codes that start with the
same three characters—for example, K1A—are together considered an FSA.
Geo-fencing- Geofencing can provide an understanding of your customers through
mobility data. By creating specific geofences (a virtual geographic boundary around a
particular area), you will be provided an accurate estimate of the number of people that
entered the area within your specified timeframe, where they came from, the average
number of times locals vs non-locals visited, and important information about the
behaviors of your predominant visitors. The numbers are determined based on cell
phone data collected from people above the age of 15 that have their location services
enabled which is then filtered through a weighted statistical model with proper sample
size. Geofence data captures the number of unique visitors, the number of trips made
by those visitors, the distance they travelled from their Common Evening Location (aka
their home), and provides an analysis of these cell phone holders over a specific time
period.
- 56 -
32
Resources
1. https://www.destinationcanada.com/en/glossary
2. www.ontario.ca/page/tourism-regional-economic-impact-model
3. Tourism Industry Association of Canada, Tourism Jobs Matter, 2018
https://tiac-aitc.ca/_Library/Travel_Economy_Series_/JOBS_-
_TIAC_Travel_Economy_Series_EN.pdf
4. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Federal Tourism Growth
Strategy, 2019.
https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/134.nsf/vwapj/Tourism_Strategy_eng_v8.pdf/$file/Tourism_
Strategy_eng_v8.pdf
5. Destination Canada -Research Division. Tourism Fact Sheet, 2020/2019.
https://www.destinationcanada.com/en/research#tourismincanada
6. https://www.destinationcanada.com/sites/default/files/archive/1792-
Quarterly%20Tourism%20Snapshot%20-
%20Q4%202022/DC_Quarterly_Tourism_Snapshot_Q4_EN.pdf
7. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230526/dq230526b-eng.htm
8. Tourism Industry Association of Ontario, Quick Facts, 2019.
https://www.tiaontario.ca/cpages/tourismquickfacts
9. Tourism Industry Association of Canada, Tourism Jobs Matter, 2018,
https://tiac-aitc.ca/_Library/Travel_Economy_Series_/JOBS_-
_TIAC_Travel_Economy_Series_EN.pdf
10. Downtowns of Durham 2019 Visitation Research, Conducted by Central Counties
Tourism on behalf of Durham Tourism.
11. Tourism Industry Association of Ontario: Travel and Destination Analytics Ontario, 2018
https://www.tiaontario.ca/articles/travel-and-destination-analytics-ontario
12. Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism, and Culture Industries,
http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/tourism/tourism.shtml
13. Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism, and Culture Industries, Regional Tourism Profiles -
RTO6, 2021. http://www.mtc.gov.on.ca/en/regions/regions6.shtml
- 57 -
33
Appendix I
Why Tourism?
The tourism industry is critical to Canada, contributing significantly to the economy and
job creation. The Tourism Industry Association of Canada [TIAC] describes the tourism
workforce as “the backbone of the travel economy. Our ability to provide hospita lity to all
visitors to Canada, and its impact on the visitor experience, keeps businesses
thriving.”3
The 2019 Federal Tourism Growth Strategy: Creating Middle Class Jobs recognizes
that every community has something to offer as a destination within the Canadian
cultural landscape for visitors to explore.4 Tourism is one of the only sectors that
employs Canadians in every area of the country. This includes every province, territory,
and electoral riding.
In 2019, pre-pandemic, tourism was Canada's number one service export, totaling 2%
of total exports, generating $105 billion in revenue, and employing 1 in 11 Canadians
with 2.1 million jobs.5
While the industry was the first and hardest hit sector during the Covid-19 pandemic
(2020-2022), results from Canada’s National Travel Survey indicate that the industry is
now recovering. (see National Tourism Indicators Graph below) As reported in
Destination Canada’s fall 2022 Tourism Outlook6, domestic tourism spending in 2022
reached 92% of the 2019 pre-pandemic levels, with expectations for a full recovery in
2023. This 2022 domestic spending included Canadian residents who spent $69.0
billion at home and international travelers to Canada, who spent $14 billion. (US-$7.4B,
overseas-$6.6B) This international spend was an increase of $3.8 billion, over the
$10.0 billion spent in 2021. Despite this increase, this is still only 61.2% of what these
international visitors spent in Canada during 2019, before the pandemic.
The fourth quarter of 2022 showed the strongest signs of recovery, with Canadian
residents taking 60.9 million domestic trips, up by 9.2 million from the fourth quarter
of 2021, and reaching 97.4% of the same quarter in 2019.7 Domestic travel
expenditures by Canadian residents were $14.5 billion in the fourth quarter of 2022,
up 30.8% from the fourth quarter of 2021 ($11.1 billion).
- 58 -
34
Quick Facts about Tourism in Canada
Tourism in Ontario
The Tourism industry in Ontario has a huge impact on the economy with job creation
and contribution to the provincial GDP. In 2019, pre-pandemic, the tourism industry in
Ontario generated revenue of over $38B (up 11.4% from 2018), which represents 4.3%
of GDP.8 This industry generated $13.3 billion in tax revenues and employed more than
396,000 people in over 200,000 businesses. In addition, tourism employs the most
significant percentage of young people in Ontario (23%) aged 15-24 and grows year-
round jobs in our communities.9
Tourism in Central Counties and Durham Region
In 2022, there were 13 million domestic overnight visits (from 60+km away) to Central
Counties (RTO6). Ten million of these overnight visits originated from Ontario, with the
remaining 3 million from the rest of Canada. Together they contributed an estima ted $3
billion in visitor spend to the region.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/230526/dq230526b-eng.htm
- 59 -
2022 Tourism Spend Number of Trips in
in Canada Canada-Q4 2022
◊
$69B
Canadians
~
$38B
Tourism
Receipts
+ ◊
$14B 60.9M
US & lnt'I Canadians
• Up $10 B from 2021 • Up by 9.2 M from Q4 2021
• 61.2 % of 2019 • 97.4% of Q4 2019
2019 Tourism Spend in Ontario
~ $ ll
$39.8B $36.8B $13.3B
Spending
on Tourism
To Provincial
GDP
Total Tax
Revenue
35
In a 2019 study of fourteen cities and towns in the Durham Region, the number of
tourists (from 40+ km away) totaled 6.4 million, with 94% originating from Ontario.10
According to the Tourism Regional Economic Impact Model (TREIM), these Ontario
tourists contributed approximately $692 million in visitor spend to Durham Region.
The Tourism Industry Association of Ontario [TIAO] and Global Payments Canada
released a Travel and Destination Analytics Report in October 2019.11 The report
highlights findings for the 2018 inbound visitor spending trends in Ontario:
• Toronto, Niagara, and Central Counties accounted for 78.9 percent of inbound
spending in Ontario.
• Inbound spend made up 2.3% versus domestic spend at 97.7%. For Central
Counties region, this inbound spend came primarily from the United States [U.S.]
(49.5%) and China (36.4%).
- 60 -
36
Appendix II
Tourism Organizations
Many organizations play critical support roles in Ontario’s tourism industry.12 Each of
them has varying responsibilities and areas of focus to attract and service visitors and
maximize the economic benefits to communities. At a local municipal level, there is a
need to help coordinate and develop tourism experiences and products within the
business community that can be positioned in the market at a regional, provincial, and
national level.
Regional Tourism Organization 6 -Central Counties Tourism
Central Counties Tourism [CCT] is one of 13 Regional Tourism Organizations province-
wide, funded by the Ontario Ministry of Heritage, Sport, Tourism, and Culture
Industries.13 Central Counties, encompasses the regions of Durham, York, and
Headwaters and coordinates, aligns and invests in product development, workforce
development, strategic marketing, and investment attraction.
Region of Durham -Durham Tourism and Sport Durham
Durham Tourism is part of the Regional Municipality of Durham, Economic
Development Division, Invest Durham. As the Destination Management Organization
[DMO] for the Region, their objective is to develop and promote Durham Region to
visitors with an emphasis on the areas of sports tourism under the brand Sport Durham.
The Region supports eight municipalities in the following ways:
• Promotes Durham Region as a destination via trade and consumer/trade shows.
• Assists provincial tour operators by providing destination information.
• Coordinates familiarization tours for travel trade operators and media writers.
Municipal Tourism – The City of Pickering
The City of Pickering has staff resourcing devoted to destination development for the
city with a focus on supporting tourism operators, hosting events, marketing, advocating
for enhanced visitor readiness, and collaborating with regional tourism partners.
- 61 -
37
Local Tourism Businesses
Local tourism-based businesses, attractions, and events collectively make up the
tourism assets for the City of Pickering and are the key drivers of the visitor economy.
Pickering has many unique visitor sites and experiences, which can be promoted to
enhance the residents’ pride of place. The Pickering Casino, Pickering Town Centre,
Pickering Museum Village, and Nautical Village businesses, among others, are all
notable tourism development partners.
Partners in Tourism
The products and offerings of local businesses are the foundation of the tourism
economy. The hierarchy of partners works vertically through alignment, strategic
marketing, investment attraction, themed product development, and funding
opportunities.
- 62 -
lll"II DESTINATION
W CANADA Federa
Province of Ontario
.... , CENTRAL COUNTIES
I f TOURJSM Regional Tourism Organization
(RTO)
~Durham
QT Tourism
-~o/-
PJ(KERJNG
Destination Management Organization
(DMO)
Municipal Tourism / Local Economic Development
Local Tourism Businesses / Organizations
38
Tourism Partner Tools and Resources
Current Tools and Resources
Tourism Support Partner
To
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Destination Canada
Promotes Canada’s market-ready
products and experiences
internationally.
✔
✔
✔
✔
Destination Ontario (DeON)
Promotes Ontario’s market-ready
products and experiences domestically
and internationally. DeON is an agency
of the Ministry of Heritage, Sport,
Tourism, and Culture Industries.
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Tourism Industry Association of
Ontario [TIAO]
Advocates tourism policy, regulation,
education, and economics of tourism.
✔
✔
✔
Regional Tourism Organization
Central Counties Tourism-RTO6
Tourism product development,
workforce development, industry
equipping, and marketing in York,
Durham and Headwaters regions.
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
Durham Tourism/Sport Durham -
Region of Durham
Promotes Durham as a destination for
domestic leisure, sport/group travel
throughout the eight municipalities.
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
✔
The City of Pickering- Economic
Development
Promotes Pickering as a destination -
the unique experiences, products,
community and tourism assets.
✔
✔
✔
- 63 -
39
Appendix III
Pickering Tourism Assets
Tourism is the business of attracting and serving the needs of visitors who are travelling
for leisure or business. It is essential to understand the primary attractors that draw
visitors to a destination to understand the visitor needs and destination development
requirements. Marketing will draw visitors to a destination once; great amenities,
outstanding customer service, and a welcoming community will bring them back!
With input from the steering committee, an audit of Pickering’s key tourism assets was
completed and these assets were ranked according to their "Tourism Strength" which
includes:
• how attractive the asset is to visitors? i.e. the number of visitors it attracts
• how much it contributes to the visitor economy? i.e. the spending it generates
• how unique the asset is to the Pickering community?
• how easily the asset can be promoted to tourists?
1. Attractions
Tourist attractions may draw visitors for either natural beauty, unique constructed
experiences (cultural/ historic), or engaging entertainment. Inherently, it is the ‘things to
see and do’ within a destination, that attract people. The lead attractions ca n actually
generate the travel demand, and be synonymous with ‘a destination’.
Pickering has a number of engaging visitor attractions that span across several
categories and will continue to grow this over the next few years, with new attractions
being built e.g. New Heritage and Community Centre (planned for 2026)
1) Casino
2) Waterfront
3) Arts, Culture, Heritage
4) Concerts and Shows
- 64 -
40
5) Golf
6) Sporting Facilities
7) Kids and Family Activities
8) Entertainment/ Nightlife
9) Sports (Spectator)
2. Tourism Businesses
Tourism businesses can be defined as those that help fulfill visitors’ needs, including
accommodations, food and beverage, transportation, meeting and event venues,
agritourism locations, specialty retail and services. Types of tourism businesses
include: hotels, motels, campgrounds, bed and breakfast properties, service stations,
car rental and boat charter services, transportation services (air, rail & ground),
restaurants, craft breweries, and more.
Pickering offers a variety of dining and shopping choices, with a destination mall, many
restaurants, boutique retail shops, and markets.
1) Event Venues
2) Shopping Tourism
3) Specialty Food and Beverage
4) Unique Accommodation
5) Agri-tourism
3. Infrastructure
Tourism Infrastructure includes roads, bike lanes, public transit, parking areas,
wastewater and garbage disposal facilities, water and power services, access to cellular
service, availability of fuels such as diesel, natural gas, propane, and gasoline, lo cation
and distance signage, and police and emergency services. The availability and quality
of services and amenities available to travelers will affect a community’s ability to attract
visitors.
The City of Pickering has a strong network of infrastructure to support the visitor
economy including a good transportation system with access by car, bus, rail, and boat.
- 65 -
41
It is a main stop for GO Transit (buses and trains), is home to the Frenchman’s Bay
Yacht Club and is situated in close proximity to the Toronto Person International Airport.
Pickering also provides many public parking options, parks with picnic areas (including
the Rouge National Urban Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America), dog
parks, and trails.
4. Customer Service
Customer Service includes welcoming tourists and providing them with great hospitality
by anticipating their needs and providing superior customer service, as well as being an
ambassador for the city. Visitors have high expectations of the quality of personal
service they receive from tourist attractions, businesses and the municipality. Providing
an excellent visitor experience can help establish the reputation of a destination, such
as Pickering, as being welcoming, inclusive, diverse, accessible, and an overall great
experience.
Today each of the tourism stakeholders provides superior customer service to directly
their patrons, but there are no formalized destination management customer service
efforts e.g. Tourism Ambassador Training. Pickering does not currently have a tourism
information office and limited information is available online.
5. Marketing/Promotion
Tourism promotion involves activities to attract and lengthen the stay of visitors. This
may include managing and increasing exposure of owned media (website and social
media pages). A paid media strategy can help drive traffic to desired social pages and
websites. This may include co-operative advertising, attendance at travel shows,
magazine articles, brochures, maps, commercial and promotional signs, travel guides,
advertising (print, digital, radio or television) and tourism information centers. Promotion
can also include increasing earned media, such as word-of-mouth marketing, publicity
through various media outlets/ influencers and visitor reviews and ratings.
The City of Pickering currently provides and manages visitor content on the City of
Pickering website. Communication is currently pushed out through the City of Pickering
social media channels and a resident email list is housed in the recreation database.
- 66 -
42
Tourism Asset Inventory
Included is an inventory of some of the tourism assets Pickering currently offers to
residents and visitors.
ATTRACTIONS NATURAL ATTRACTIONS
• Pickering Casino/ Hotel/ Events
Space/ Concerts (The Arena)
• Nautical Village
• Yacht Clubs / Marina
• Golf Clubs
• Claremont Nature Ctr
• Splash Pad
• Recreation / Sports (Soccer Dome,
Chestnut Hills Development)
• Pickering Playing Fields (Driving
Range, Mini Putt etc)
• Farms- Hy Hope
• Shopping- Pickering Town Centre
• Restaurants (PORT, Chuuk, etc.)
• VIP Cineplex Movies
• Future Porsche Experience Centre
• Waterfront (Frenchman's Bay,
West Park, Waterfront Trail)
• Trails (Seaton, Greenbelt Cycling,
Conservation Lands, Trans-
Canada Trail)
• Parks (Rouge Nat'l, Beachpark,
Millenium Square, Petticoat Creek,
Enchanted Trail- Kijimba Kind)
• Wildlife (Bird watching, Salmon)
• Tourism "Trails" (Anne and Maud
Walking Trail)
• Future Durham Meadow-way
• Whitevale
ARTS AND CULTURE
• Library Makers Space
• Crock-a – Doodle
• "Trails"- Haunted, Anne & Maud
• Theatre- Herongate
• Concerts- Durham Live
• Music- Open Studio
• PMV
• Future Heritage & Community
Centre
• Public Art
- 67 -
43
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
• Pickering Museum Village
• Dragonboat Racing
• OPG Events
• Music/ Waterfront Concerts
• Food Truck Festival
• Farmers Markets
• Open studio Music
• Annual Parades
• RibFest
• Artfest
• JamFest
• The Pic Casino Events
• The Arena Concerts
ACTIVITIES
• Dining
• Watersports / Boating
• Skate boarding
• Lawn Boling
• Shopping
• Golf
• Outdoor Activities (cycling, hiking)
• Visiting Friends
OTHER
• Illuminated Bridge
• Classic Cars
• Film Sets
• Bakeries
• Gelato at Bellagios
• Coffee Roaster
• The Pie Guy
• Big M Burgers
• C'est What Brewery
• Sports (Hockey, pickle ball)
• Air BnB
• Pacific Food Mkt
• Access to TO
• Go Station
• Weddings
- 68 -
44
Appendix IV
Visitation Data- City of Pickering
Research is important to understand the impact of tourism as a key economic driver and
to inform business decisions and strategies. Tracking visitation numbers, understanding
visitor profiles (demographics and psychographics) and monitoring trends can help gain
insights into how many visitors are coming and who they are. Visitor research provides
insight to support with the following:
• Identifying and validating the visitors / customers based on empirical data
• Maximizing Return on Investment (ROI) by targeting the right markets
• Increasing visitation by aligning products/services with customers/visitors
• Demonstrating the value and economic impact of tourism within a
municipality/area
Research Process
Central Counties Tourism (RTO6) conducted a geo-fence data analysis for select areas
in the City of Pickering using mobile phone data. The analysis included core visitor
destination areas including the Pickering City Centre and Waterfront East and West.
(see map below) Please note that the data excludes drive -through traffic and those who
live or work in the selected areas.
- 69 -
45
Pickering City
Centre
Waterfront West
- 70 -
46
Waterfront East
- 71 -
47
Economic Impact from Visitation
(Sample area in the City of Pickering (2022)
In 2022, of the total unique visitors to the three studied areas in Pickering, 12% were
“tourists” (from 40+km away). The total number of visits by these tourists were as
follows: the Waterfront West (34,555), Waterfront East (79,912) and Pickering City
Centre (343,636) for a total of 458,107.
Using the Ministry’s Tourism Regional Economic Impact Model (TREIM), it is estimated
that this visitation to Waterfront West contributed $4M, Waterfront East contributed
$10.3 M, and Pickering City Centre contributed $43M, in visitor spend for Durham
Region.
- 72 -
Average Average TREIM $ # of % of number of number of
Pick e ring 2 022 G e o-Fence D ata # of Local~ % of Tourists % of Tota l Weekend Visits per Visits p er Visitor
(0-40km) Locals (40+km) Tourists Count Visits Visitor Visitor Spend in
/Locals) /Tou rists) Durham
Uni qu e Visi tors 38,287 90 .00% 4,2S4 10.00% 42,S41
Pick e ring Tota l Visits 438 9SO 92.70% 34 SSS 7.30% 473 SOS 39.8S% 11 .4 6 8 .12 $4,043,976 W a t e rfro nt WEST Weekend Visits 17S 380 92.94% 13 329 7 .06% 188 709
Weekdavs Visits 263 S70 92.SSO/o 2 1 226 7.4S% 284 796
Pickering Uniaue Visitors 8S 801 88.99% 10 618 11.01% 96 419
Tota l Visits 1 07S 8S3 93.09% 79 912 6 .91% 1 1SS 76S Wate rfront Weekend Visits 383 700 92.94% 29 1S8 7 .06% 412 8S8 3S.72% 12.S4 7 .S3 $10,304, 10S
EAST Weekdavs Visits 692 1S2 93.17% SO 7SS 6.83% 742 907
Uni a ue Visitors 333 82S 87.SOO/o 47 682 12.SOO/o 381 S07
Pick e ri n g City Tota l Visits S 876 849 94.48% 343 636 5 .52% 6 220 48S 32.74% 17.60 7.21 $42,902,328 Ce ntre Weekend Visits 1 906 618 93.62% 129 93S 6.38% 2 036 SS3
Weekdavs Visits 3 970 231 94.89% 213 699 5.11% 4 183 930
48
Appendix V
Visitor Market Profiles
Central Counties Tourism (RTO6) has identified six visitor profiles that were created
using extensive research using numeric data, mobile data geofencing, postal code audit
and Prizm segmentation profiles. Each profile was matched against Central Counties
Tourism stakeholder businesses and organizations. This information allows tourism
businesses to better target and market to their ideal consumer. (For full descriptions,
visit https://centralcounties.ca/wp-content/uploads/CCT_Visitor_Profiles_B2B.pdf)
The six visitor profiles include:
Passionate Putters Foodie Fanatics
Adventure Seekers Art Lovers – Urbanite (Core)
Family Fun Seekers Art Lovers – Community Explorer (Tactical)
- 73 -
m FOODIE FANATICS
C ART LOVERS •
URBANITES
C ART LOVERS •
COMMUNITY EXPLORERS
49
Key Findings - Pickering Waterfront East Visitation 2022
Based on an analysis of the “tourists” (from 40 to 100 km away) who visited the
Pickering Waterfront East in 2022, the most highly represented segments in the
population were ‘Family Fun’ (35%), Adventure Seekers (28%) and ‘Passionate Putters’
/ ‘Art lovers’ (tactical) both represented 9%. While there is an opportunity to attract more
visitors within each of these segments, the easiest to attract (i.e., lowest hanging fruit)
are likely the ‘Adventure Seekers’. This segment has the highest concentration (Index*)
of the Waterfront East tourists, followed by the ‘Family Fun’ segment.
Though this sample is for Waterfront East, both the ‘Adventure Seekers’ and ‘Family
Fun’ segments have the highest potential within the other two locations as well, and
should be Pickering’s primary target markets to increase its visitation.
*Index is the ratio of the segments within your tourists vs segments of residents that live
40-100 km, and it is calculated by dividing the ‘%’ by ‘Base %’.
- 74 -
Pi ckering W aterfront East 2022 -V isitors CEL: Unique visitors
Benchmark: Pi ckering W ate rfront East (40-100 KM ) . -• ' ' . -• .. -' ' ' ' . -. -
Adventure Seekers 2.079 27.88 564 781 14.48 0.37 193
Art Lovers -Urbanites (Core) 330 4.43 145,302 3.72 0 .23 119
Art Lovers -Community Explorers (Tactical) 645 8 .66 320,673 8.22 0 .20 105
FamllY-Fun 2 .626 35.21 1 277 338 32.74 0.21 108
Foodie Fanatics 282 3.78 325,982 8.36 0 .09 45
Passionate Putters 668 8.96 509,525 13.06 0 .13 69
Pi cke rin g W aterfront West 2022 -Vis itors CEL: Uni que vis itors
Adventure Seekers
Art Lovers -Urbanites (Core) 123 4.42 126,779 3.39 0.10 131
Art Lovers -Comm unity Ex ~lorers (Ta ctical) 231 8.32 322,484 8.61 0.07 97
Fa IY-un 864 31 .10 1,230,627 32 .88 0 .07 95
Foodie Fanatics 80 2 .87 314,189 8 .39 0 .03 34
Passionate Putters 456 16.42 508,188 13.58 0.09 121
50
Locals
Based on an analysis of the locals who visited the Pickering Waterfront East in 2022,
the most highly represented segments in the population of locals were ‘Family Fun’
(31%) and ‘Passionate Putters’ (21%). The best opportunity to attract more locals is by
targeting ‘Adventure Seekers’ as this group was more highly represented than they are
in the average population.
- 75 -
Name
Adventure Seekers
Art Lovers -Urbanites (Core)
Art Lovers -Community Explorers (Tactical)
Family Fun
Foodie Fanatics
Passionate Putters
I
:::? I
I . I
.-----" I
~ I
I I .
Pic ke ring City Centre 2022 -Visitors CEL: Unique visitors
Benchmark: Pic kering aty Centre_FromGeofence -40-100 km
Count %3ase Count Base% % Pen Index
9,067 31.01 559,861 14.51 1.62 214
1,3 47 4.61 149,779 3.88 0.90 119
1,666 5.70 314,857 8.16 0.53 70
7,122 24.35 12 60,829 32.69 0.56 75
2,053 7.02 322 ,847 8.37 0.64 84
3,136 10.72 497 ,402 12.89 0.63 83
•
CENTRAL
~ 'I' COUNTIES
1 t TOURJSM
I I ~
I I ~
I I
I I
I I ~
I I ...
I I
51
Appendix VI
Visitor Readiness- Gap Analysis
CHALLENGES OPPORTUNITIES
ENHANCE
• Need more reasons to visit
• Little business engagement /
collaboration
• Collaborate with businesses and
across municipalities to build new
experiences e.g. Networking events
• Work with businesses to build out new
visitor experiences/ “trails”
• Not enough Festivals / Events
• Need more year-round activities
• Leverage existing assets and build on
them e.g. waterfront, trails
• Host unique festivals /events
(Consider IDEA Events)
• Embrace winter tourism
• Limited Group Tourism- Need to re-
engage group travel
• Leverage sporting facilities to attract
sport tourism events
• Explore opportunity to elevate
Education Tourism
WELCOME
• Limited understanding of the Value of
Tourism
• Implement programs/promotions to
share the importance of the visitor
economy with residents/ staff/ council
• Lack of knowledge among residents
of what the city offers
• Residents are not advocates of
Tourism
• Improve resident sentiment
• Engage locals to become visitor-
friendly Ambassadors of Pickering
DEVELOP
• Insufficient Parking
• Limited Public Transport
• No Wayfinding signage
• Advocate for transportation
improvements
• Look for creative solutions for parking
issues
• Lead wayfinding strategy
- 76 -
52
• Few accommodation choices
(especially N. Pickering)
• Need public washrooms
• No capacity to host large events
• Build and present a business case to
attract accommodation development
• Explore the opportunity to develop a
dedicated event space
• Explore possibility to attract
commercial presence in North
Pickering
• Many visitors come to use trails, but
investment in trails is limited
• No tourism office to provide
information to visitors who are coming
• Develop ways to fund investment in
trails and encourage trail users to
patronize commercial areas.
• Provide easy access to visitor
information to encourage longer visits
DISTINGUISH
• Lack of readily available visitor
information (online and on-site)
• No visitor contact information for
direct messaging
• Make up-to-date visitor information
available
• Implement push and pull
communication strategy
• Limited promotion of bundled
experiences
• Lack of awareness of what Pickering
offers & what makes it unique
• Implement marketing (paid and
earned media) to differentiate
Pickering in the market
• Highlight tourism assets (businesses,
attractions)
• Pickering is not overtly promoting its
support in embracing the movement
for inclusion, diversity, equity, and
accessibility (IDEA)
• Showcase Pickering’s IDEA efforts to
visitors e.g. reference the diverse
demographic of visitors
• Spotlight IDEA individuals in
businesses and IDEA events in
Pickering
SUPPORT
• Limited $ investment in Tourism for
municipality and businesses need
seed funding
• Advocate for a municipal budget
• Explore opportunities for new funding
sources e.g. MAT, Events, Grants
• Communicate the economic impact of
the visitor economy across all staff
departments and council
• No dedicated municipal staff to focus
solely on tourism
• Engage dedicated staff and
community members to help drive the
- 77 -
53
needs of the visitor economy forward
and execute on Pickering’s Visitor
Plan
• Tourism is not currently a key priority
for the municipality
• The value of tourism is often not
understood by staff, leadership &
council
• Elevate Tourism as one of the
municipal strategic pillars
• Educate about the value of the visitor
economy
• Today there is a limited understanding
of visitor insights to measure success
and inform development and
marketing. i.e. visitation,
demographics, psychographics, and
visitor satisfaction
• Conduct and commission research to
understand today’s baseline and track
visitation growth and areas for
improvement over time. Use
geofencing, postal code analysis and
surveys.
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54
Appendix VII
Community Tourism Survey
Residents, local business owners, and visitors were invited to provide feedback on the
current tourism industry, local features and amenities found in the City of Pickering
during a community tourism plan (CTP) survey on Let’s Talk Pickering from June 1,
2023 – September 6, 2023. The survey was promoted on our social media channels,
on our website and through a media release. The survey was also available to be
completed from our Destination Pickering booth at multiple summer events, and on the
Let’s Talk Pickering webpage.
893 individuals visited the Let’s Talk Pickering page, 723 individuals viewed the project
or tools page, and 311 actively engaged and participated in the survey.
The full results of the survey can be found in the Project Report – Community Tourism
Plan.
- 79 -
Project Report
01 June 2023 - 06 September 2023
Let's Talk Pickering
Community Tourism Plan
Highlights
TOTAL VISITS
893
MAX VISITORS PER
DAY
135
NEW
REGISTRATI
ONS
1
ENGAGED
VISITORS
311
INFORMED
VISITORS
432
AWARE
VISITORS
723
Aware Participants 723
Aware Actions Performed Participants
Visited a Project or Tool Page 723
Informed Participants 432
Informed Actions Performed Participants
Viewed a video 0
Viewed a photo 0
Downloaded a document 0
Visited the Key Dates page 8
Visited an FAQ list Page 10
Visited Instagram Page 0
Visited Multiple Project Pages 110
Contributed to a tool (engaged)311
Engaged Participants 311
Engaged Actions Performed
Registered Unverified Anonymous
Contributed on Forums 0 0 0
Participated in Surveys 33 0 276
Contributed to Newsfeeds 0 0 0
Participated in Quick Polls 4 0 0
Posted on Guestbooks 0 0 0
Contributed to Stories 0 0 0
Asked Questions 0 0 0
Placed Pins on Places 0 0 0
Contributed to Ideas 1 0 0
Visitors Summary
Pageviews Visitors
1 Jul '23 1 Sep '23
250
500
750
- 80 -
• •, I,.,,,.• BANG THE TABLE
•'I .... engagementHa •
Tool Type
Engagement Tool Name Tool Status Visitors
Registered Unverified Anonymous
Contributors
Survey Tool Community Tourism Plan Survey Archived 414 33 0 276
Quick Poll How often do you visit Pickering?Published 5 4 0 0
Ideas What brings you to Pickering?Published 7 1 0 0
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
ENGAGEMENT TOOLS SUMMARY
0
FORUM TOPICS
1
SURVEYS
0
NEWS FEEDS
1
QUICK POLLS
0
GUEST BOOKS
0
STORIES
0
Q&A S
0
PLACES
Page 2 of 20 - 81 -
Widget Type
Engagement Tool Name Visitors Views/Downloads
Faqs faqs 10 10
Key Dates Key Date 8 8
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
INFORMATION WIDGET SUMMARY
0
DOCUMENTS
0
PHOTOS
0
VIDEOS
1
FAQS
0
KEY DATES
Page 3 of 20 - 82 -
Visitors 414 Contributors 309 CONTRIBUTIONS 429
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
ENGAGEMENT TOOL: SURVEY TOOL
Community Tourism Plan Survey
What is your age?
9 (2.1%)
9 (2.1%)
17 (4.0%)
17 (4.0%)
47 (11.0%)
47 (11.0%)
97 (22.6%)
97 (22.6%)
72 (16.8%)
72 (16.8%)
68 (15.9%)
68 (15.9%)
119 (27.7%)
119 (27.7%)
Under 18 19 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 64 65+
Question options
Page 4 of 20
Mandatory Question (429 response(s))
Question type: Dropdown Question
- 83 -
- - -
• • • • • • •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
Are you a resident of Pickering?
368 (85.8%)
368 (85.8%)
61 (14.2%)
61 (14.2%)
Yes No
Question options
Page 5 of 20
Mandatory Question (429 response(s))
Question type: Dropdown Question
- 84 -
• •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
If you have friends/family visiting, where are the first places you take them? (select
top three)
Waterfront Parks/trails Restaurant Pickering Casino Resort Pickering Museum Village
Pickering Public Library Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex Shopping Pickering Soccer Centre
Festivals/events Public art Filming Other (please specify)
Question options
25
50
75
100
125
150
175
200
225
250
275
300
325
294
166
140
39 35
21
13
69
2
100
4 2
34
Page 6 of 20
Mandatory Question (368 response(s))
Question type: Checkbox Question
- 85 -
• • •
•
•
• • •
•
•
• • •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
What is your favourite 'selfie spot' or photo location in Pickering?
126 (34.2%)
126 (34.2%)
84 (22.8%)
84 (22.8%)
34 (9.2%)
34 (9.2%)
32 (8.7%)
32 (8.7%)
35 (9.5%)
35 (9.5%)
3 (0.8%)
3 (0.8%)8 (2.2%)
8 (2.2%)
46 (12.5%)
46 (12.5%)
Waterfront - Millennium Square (end of Liverpool Road)
Waterfront - Rotary Frenchman's Bay West Park (end of West Shore Boulevard)Esplanade Park Seaton Trail
Waterfront Trail Pickering Town Centre Installations Public art Other (please specify)
Question options
Page 7 of 20
Mandatory Question (368 response(s))
Question type: Dropdown Question
- 86 -
• • • • • • • •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
What do you think attracts visitors to Pickering? (select top three)
Waterfront Parks/trails Entertainment Pickering Casino Resort Outdoor recreation activities
Arts & Culture Pickering Museum Vilage Festivals/events Shopping Dining
Other (please specify)
Question options
25
50
75
100
125
150
175
200
225
250
275
300 284
150
17
141
53
18
29
82
33 36
40
Page 8 of 20
Mandatory Question (368 response(s))
Question type: Checkbox Question
- 87 -
• • •
• • • • • • • •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
Are you a visitor of Pickering?
61 (14.2%)
61 (14.2%)
368 (85.8%)
368 (85.8%)
Yes No, I'm a resident
Question options
Page 9 of 20
Mandatory Question (429 response(s))
Question type: Dropdown Question
- 88 -
• •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
How often do you visit Pickering?
8 (13.1%)
8 (13.1%)
35 (57.4%)
35 (57.4%)
9 (14.8%)
9 (14.8%)
4 (6.6%)
4 (6.6%)
5 (8.2%)
5 (8.2%)
Every day A few times a week Twice a month Once a month Very rarely/never
Question options
Page 10 of 20
Mandatory Question (61 response(s))
Question type: Dropdown Question
- 89 -
• • • • •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
As a visitor, what brings you to Pickering? (select up to three)
Waterfront Parks/trails Restaurants Pickering Casino Resort Pickering Museum Village
Pickering Public Library Chestnut Hill Developments Recreation Complex Shopping Festivals/events
Public art Work Other (please specify)
Question options
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
29
17
18
3
9
2 2
26
27
4
15
10
Page 11 of 20
Mandatory Question (61 response(s))
Question type: Checkbox Question
- 90 -
• • •
•
• • •
• • • • •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
Where are you visiting from?
40 (65.6%)
40 (65.6%)
20 (32.8%)
20 (32.8%)
1 (1.6%)
1 (1.6%)
Durham Region Outside of Durham Region Other (please specify)
Question options
Page 12 of 20
Mandatory Question (61 response(s))
Question type: Dropdown Question
- 91 -
• • •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
If any, what tourism barriers/challenges do you experience in Pickering? (select all
that apply)
Lack of attractions Lack of accommodations Lack of visitor information/packages abouts things to do in Pickering
Parking/transit issues Too expensive Ongoing fear of travel/public outings due to COVID-19 pandemic
Other (please specify)
Question options
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
19
6
15
27
9
3
7
Page 13 of 20
Optional question (48 response(s), 381 skipped)
Question type: Checkbox Question
- 92 -
• • •
• • • •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
Do you own a business in Pickering?
13 (3.0%)
13 (3.0%)
416 (97.0%)
416 (97.0%)
Yes No
Question options
Page 14 of 20
Mandatory Question (429 response(s))
Question type: Dropdown Question
- 93 -
• •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
What sector does your business fall under?
1 (7.7%)
1 (7.7%)
1 (7.7%)
1 (7.7%)
1 (7.7%)
1 (7.7%)
1 (7.7%)
1 (7.7%)
9 (69.2%)
9 (69.2%)
Specialty Retail Recreation Arts & Culture Entertainment Other (please specify)
Question options
Page 15 of 20
Mandatory Question (13 response(s))
Question type: Dropdown Question
- 94 -
• • • • •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
Where are the majority of your visitors/customers coming from?
6 (46.2%)
6 (46.2%)
5 (38.5%)
5 (38.5%)
1 (7.7%)
1 (7.7%)
1 (7.7%)
1 (7.7%)
Durham Region In Ontario, but outside of Durham Region Outside of Canada Other (please specify)
Question options
Page 16 of 20
Mandatory Question (13 response(s))
Question type: Dropdown Question
- 95 -
• • • •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
What is the top age range your business in currently attracting?
2 (15.4%)
2 (15.4%)
2 (15.4%)
2 (15.4%)
2 (15.4%)
2 (15.4%)
4 (30.8%)
4 (30.8%)
1 (7.7%)
1 (7.7%)
2 (15.4%)
2 (15.4%)
19 - 24 25 - 34 35 - 44 45 - 54 55 - 64 65+
Question options
Page 17 of 20
Mandatory Question (13 response(s))
Question type: Dropdown Question
- 96 -
• • • • • •
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
Is there anything the City of Pickering is currently doing that helps your business
attract more visitors?
Events (Petapolooza, Farmers' Market, Summer Concerts, Artfest, Film(
Marketing (business spotlights/social media features)
Assistance through the Economic Development & Strategic Projects department
Access to technology via the Pickering Public Library Other (please specify)
Question options
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
2
3
2 2
8
Page 18 of 20
Mandatory Question (13 response(s))
Question type: Checkbox Question
- 97 -
• • • • •
Visitors 5 Contributors 4 CONTRIBUTIONS 4
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
ENGAGEMENT TOOL: QUICK POLL
How often do you visit Pickering?
How often do you visit Pickering?
1 (25.0%)
1 (25.0%)
3 (75.0%)
3 (75.0%)
A few times each year I live here
Question options
Page 19 of 20
Mandatory Question (4 response(s))
Question type: Radio Button Question
- 98 -
■ ■ ■ I
• •
Visitors 7 Contributors 1 CONTRIBUTIONS 3
23 June 23
GreenRipple
VOTES
0
23 June 23
GreenRipple
VOTES
0
Let's Talk Pickering : Summary Report for 01 June 2023 to 06 September 2023
IDEAS
What brings you to Pickering?
Waterfront and green spaces
I love coming back to the waterfront and the green spaces.Please preserve these area
s and improve and maintain them.
Accessibility for people with disabilities
Please always include accessibility considerations in your tourism plans.
Page 20 of 20 - 99 -
■ ■ ■ I
75
Appendix VIII
Committee Engagement
A draft of the Community Visitor Plan underwent review during the Cultural Advisory
Committee meeting on January 16, 2024. No further comments were received at that
time. Subsequently, the most recent draft of the plan will be subject to review during the
Waterfront Visionary Committee meeting scheduled for April 15, 2024 and the
Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting scheduled for April 17, 2024 for comment.
- 100 -