HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO 03-18DICKERING
city
Report to
Executive Committee
Report Number: CAO 03-18
Date: May 7, 2018
From: Tony Prevedel
Chief Administrative Officer
Subject: Proposal — Community Engagement on Economic Impact & Employment — 407
Corridor
- File: D-1100
Recommendation:
1. That Proof Inc. be retained as a consultant in the amount of $150,000 as per the Purchasing
Policy, Section 10.03 (c), to undertake the Community Engagement on Economic Impact &
Employment — 407 Corridor;
2. That the total gross project cost of $150,000.00 (HST included) be approved;
3. That Council authorize the Director, Finance & Treasurer to finance the total net project cost
of $150,000 as follows:
a. The sum of $58,704 to be funded by a transfer from the Development Charges —
Administration Studies Reserve Fund;
b. The sum of $91,296 to be funded by a transfer from the Seaton Application Fee
Reserve;
4. That a copy of this report be forwarded to the Region of Durham and Transport Canada; and
5. That the appropriate City of Pickering officials be authorized to take the necessary actions as
indicated in this report.
Executive Summary: For the past 18 months, staff have been working closely with several
prospects with the goal of attracting high paying jobs to the Pickering Innovation Corridor (Seaton
employment lands) and to increase the commercial and industrial property tax base. In these
discussions, each potential business asked what is the timeline for an airport to be sited in
Pickering. In December 2017, staff included a provision for community engagement as part of the
Economic Impact & Employment — 407 Corridor in the Development Charges Study.
Following the 2018 Budget meeting, staff approached Proof Inc. (formerly Environics
Communications) to obtain a proposal that would see the development of a comprehensive
communications and community outreach strategy that would be grounded in hard data specific to
Pickering. The goal of the engagement program is to gather detailed information from residents
and businesses and provide them with the information they need to develop an informed opinion.
CAO 03-18 May 7, 2018
Subject: Proposal — Community Engagement on Economic Impact & Employment Page 2
In accordance with Purchasing Policy 10.03 (c), the Manager may obtain the services of a
particular consultant selected by the initiating Director without going through a competitive
process. Where the funds are available in the approved budget and the project or annual cost of
a consulting or professional service assignment is expected to be above $50,000.00, this is
subject to the additional approval of Council.
Staff are recommending Council approval of the fee proposal dated April 11, 2018 submitted by
Proof Inc. in the amount of $150,000.00 (including HST).
Financial Implications: The consulting study cost is being funded from two non property tax
sources: development charges and Seaton Application Fees revenue. There will be no cost to the
Pickering taxpayers.
Discussion:
Council supports the acquisition of employment lands in the Pickering Innovation Corridor
The future Pickering airport site is situated adjacent to the Pickering Innovation Corridor. Located
on both sides of Highway 407 between the Hamlet of Green River to the west and Sideline 16 to
the east, the total length of the corridor spans nearly seven kilometers. The majority of the
employment lands are located on the north side of Highway 407 with a smaller portion south of
Highway 407. In addition, there is one large block of lands situated in the northwest quadrant of
the corridor. Separated into 3 development phases, the total acreage of the corridor is
approximately 800 acres, of which there is approximately 200 acres in phase 1.
In 2016, the City of Pickering began the process of purchasing phase 1 employment lands directly
from the Province (Infrastructure Ontario). This initiative was triggered as a result of the numerous
unsolicited enquiries the City's Economic Development Office received from large multinational
companies who were interested in relocating to the Pickering Innovation Corridor. Business
location or relocation decisions involve millions of dollars and are based on various economic and
social factors. Businesses operate in a competitive environment and business location decisions
are rooted in achieving either a competitive or cost advantage. The high cost of location or
relocation is offset by anticipated higher profits at the new site. Locating near an airport provides
businesses with a competitive advantage from a supply chain and/or marketing perspective.
Decision makers were reluctant to make any final decision on a relocation of their business
without knowing the outcome of the Federal Government's decision on the Pickering airport. Staff
were able to not only negotiate the purchase of 28 acres directly from the province, but also an
option agreement on the balance of the phase 1 lands (approx. 172 acres). As of April 2018, the
City has conditionally sold the majority of the phase 1 employment lands to 4 separate
proponents.
Following the October 10, 2017 Council Meeting, staff recommended the need to undertake a
community engagement exercise on the economic impact & employment for the Highway 407
Corridor. It was important to communicate to the residents and businesses of Pickering and
abroad the economic potential of the Corridor. To date, the City has secured four significant
CAO 03-18 May 7, 2018
Subject: Proposal — Community Engagement on Economic Impact & Employment Page 3
investments for the Innovation Corridor, with negotiations ongoing with other potential
multinational firms.
Council supports the development of an airport in Pickering, subject to the results of the
Aviation Sector Study
On October 10, 2017, Council supported the motion of the development of an airport in Pickering,
subject to the results of the Aviation Sector Study. The Aviation Sector Study is being executed
through Transport Canada. The motion was a part of the Amazon HQ2 bid which focused on
attracting multinational firms like Amazon to the Pickering Innovation Corridor.
Over 40 years ago, Transport Canada expropriated lands in Pickering for a secondary airport in
the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). At the time, there was not an immediate need for a reliever
airport in the GTA. However, since 1972, Toronto Pearson has grown to over 47 million
passengers per annum, has stimulated the economic growth for the second largest employment
zone in Canada, and has now come to the realization that in order to handle future air traffic
demands, that an efficient airport network system within the GTA is necessary, including a future
reliever airport in Pickering.
Included as part of the 2018 Development Charges Study, the scope of work was set out to
engage residents and businesses in order for the City and its leadership to better understand the
potential economic and social impacts on the community. There is a real need to ensure that any
work done is grounded in data in order to assist the stakeholders in making informed and
impactful decisions.
Proof Inc. is one of Canada's leading communications agencies. It has been recognized multiple
times as Canada's top agency by the International Association of Business Communicators
(IABC), and its campaigns have also won many awards for its broad and diverse array of clients.
Proof Inc.'s parent company, Environics, is renowned as Canada's premier marketing analytics
company, and it has a long standing professional relationship with the City of Pickering.
Since 2015, Environics has provided the City with meaningful data insights which has positively
influenced marketing efforts for City events and programs. In April 2018, the City's Communication
and Economic Development staff reached out to Proof Inc. for a proposal on the Community
Engagement Strategy and a game plan for the City to underpin the community engagement
exercise with meaningful data. Proof Inc. will be able to partner with its sister organizations
Environics Research Group and Environics Analytics to develop a comprehensive, data -grounded,
community engagement strategy that will ultimately provide the City with a 360 degree analysis of
the situation, which will aid in key economic development decision making. There is no other
agency in Canada that offers a comparable integrated model of communications driven by data
analytics.
CAO 03-18 May 7, 2018
Subject: Proposal — Community Engagement on Economic Impact & Employment Page 4
Attachments:
1. Proof Inc. Proposal for the City of Pickering
Prepared By:
Mark Guinto,
Manager, Business Development & Public Affairs
Stan Karwowski CPA, MBA
Director, Finance & Treasurer
FJ:SK
Prepared By:
Fiaz Jadoon Ec.D., CEcD, MPM
Manager, Economic Development &
Strategic Projects
Recommended for the consideration
of Pickering City Council
Tony Prevedel, P. Eng.
Chief Administrative Officer
2 � zvle)
proof
AS<
BETTER
QUES IONS'
P CKER1NG
Submitted by:
Proof Inc.
900-33 Bloor Street East
Toronto, ON M4W 3H1
416-920-9000
Key Contacts:
Saro Khatchadourian
Skhatchadourian@getproof.com
416-969-2828
Mark Gamache
Mgamache@getproof.com
416-969-2670
APRIL 11, 2018
NT'UC-
162=
G
All levels of government across Canada are focused on generating economic growth,
fostering innovation, and addressing the country's infrastructure deficit. Based on an initial
reading of the current situation, the construction of an airport in the 407 corridor is a way to
address each of those issues in a way that will benefit the city and the broader region.
However, before any such project can begin, there is a clear need for the City of Pickering
and its leadership to better understand how such a project will affect residents, businesses
and community groups in the City of Pickering. There is also a need to ensure that any
decision is ultimately grounded in data that reflects the real economic and social impact of
the project.
TI lF
APPROACH
3
In order to determine the ultimate social and economic impacts of an airport in Pickering,
we have recommended that three key actions be taken. First, conduct research on existing
public sentiment surrounding the issue of an airport in Pickering. This will include
information on the public's attitude toward an airport (e.g., quality of life concerns,
environmental perceptions), the perception of an airport's impact on the regional economy,
and an understanding of how people have gathered information on the potential for an
airport in Pickering.
Next, engage a trusted, third -party subject matter expert to provide insight on the real
costs and benefits of an airport. This will provide the City with the critical information it
needs to analyze and determine how an airport wilt affect the lives of its residents.
Finally, execute a comprehensive community engagement program that will gather more
detailed information from stakeholders and provide them with the information they need to
develop an informed opinion.
BUT WHY PROOF?
It's not just because of expertise, enthusiasm and experience of successfully running dozens
of comprehensive, integrated research and community engagement programs (see Appendix
for detailed case study). More notably, it's because we already know how to work together.
The Environics family boasts and longstanding professional relationship with the City of
Pickering and its various departments. Multiple practices from within the Environics family
have advised several departments within the City of Pickering, such as Culture and
Recreation. This project will seek to leverage that already established working relationship
to maximize efficiency and focus on delivering results.
What's more, our preliminary meetings and discussions with City of Pickering Staff, including
reaching out with public relations counsel surrounding recent media articles, mean having an
excellent grasp of the situation on the ground and we're ready to hit the ground running.
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Below you will find an overview of our expertise relating to the talents that will be needed
to successfully execute the community engagement campaign mentioned above.
5TRA`.
SIC COMMUNIS A T IONS FLAMING
We lead and deliver 360 -degree strategic integrated communications plans to help uncover
and solve organizational challenges and drive change in behaviour and perceptions by:
• Influencing the conversation
• Creating performance content and high -impact multi -channel programs
• Leveraging integrated capabilities across paid, earned, shared and owned media
Our approach involves six stages below:
Situation analysis
Recognizing that an organization's communications objectives must support its business
objectives, we start by asking key questions: Where are we now? Who is our audience and
what do they currently think/feel/do? What is our current understanding of the competitive
landscape?
Our long-term relationship with (and proximity to) ERG, allows us to dig into all forms of
qualitative and quantitative research where a deeper understanding of the opinions, values
and habits of Ontarians is required. The cornerstone of Proof's own thought leadership
program, the CanTrust Index, is driven by the data and insights collected by ERG.
Similarly, our sister company Environics Analytics provides insights on geodemographic and
social values, and public segmentation. If we have a person's postal code, we already know
a lot about them!
For example, two years ago when we were tasked with launching EQ Bank - a new
completely digital way of banking - we worked with Environics Analytics to achieve a deep
understanding of the new bank's target customer segments in Toronto and Vancouver and
leveraged these insights to communicate with each segment in a way that made sense to
them.
Our ability to work successfully with both of our sister firms has been bolstered in recent
years with the development of considerable in-house research capabilities through the hiring
of experts in data analytics and measurement.
Objective -setting
At this stage, we define our desired future state by determining "Where do we want to be?"
as well as key performance indicators (KPIs) that will allow us to measure our impact and
determine what we want our target audiences to think, feel and do. Understanding our main
objective and KPIs focuses our efforts and allows us to measure our programs effectively.
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Strategic development
After we have determined "Where we are" and "Where we want to be," we can begin to
answer the question "How do we, get there?" Our audience -first approach considers brand
and business objectives to develop a strategic framework to guide integrated planning. We
examine positioning (brand, product, message), sequence (i.e., the decision-making
process), communications plan, creative concept/idea, integration and the client's ability to
resource and implement. Finally, we take into account such factors as public opinion,
legislative process, stakeholder relations and Question Period positioning. Examples of the
tools and frameworks used: persona development, audience journey mapping, marketing
funnel, communication strategy framework and ecosystem planning. We also collaborate
with our affiliated companies, as needed, including ERG, Environics Analytics and Proof
Experiences. Finally, we can plan and execute integrated programs with our clients' other
agencies and partners, playing lead or supporting roles.
Tactical development
Now, we are ready to develop detailed plans for implementing the strategy. The question
we ask: How exactly do we get there? At this stage, we define such elements as the
marketing mix, creative concept, channel mix and content plan and make sure they all
connect effectively. We bring the right mix of diverse talent and skills to the task from our
Technology, Corporate and Financial, Consumer, Health Sciences, Digital Services, Creative,
and Government Relations practices. By defining at the outset a client's parameters and
boundaries, we ensure our teams develop tactics to create positive change. During this
stage, we continue to collaborate with our affiliated companies, as needed.
Measurement
We view measurement not as a final step tracking only performance, but as a means of
reducing uncertainty in the decision-making process, intertwined with the development of
strategy and execution of tactics. When establishing objectives, we identify what success
looks like - thinking about the outcomes we aim to achieve for our client. At this time, we
identify what indicators would demonstrate that such a change is occurring and establish a
process for efficiently collecting that data. These are our key performance indicators. We
consider reporting and administration an essential contributor to our service mandate and
leverage our learnings to modify and refine programs, connecting measurement to planning
in a continuous loop.
The depths of data can run deep; there is always more information to be found. However,
not everything that can be counted counts. It is our role to ensure that the decision -makers
are not lost in a sea of data, but that they have the right information and the right analysis
in front of them at the time they need it.
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.i[LE TIONS
Any significant change management, problem -solving and issues management exercise
requires a thoughtful approach that balances the need to change with the input of diverse
stakeholders - and recognizes the risks white creating the conditions for success.
inform 1 consult 1 involve 1 collaborate 1 engage
Our stakeholder engagement framework helps gather the information needed to make
informed decisions, while laying the groundwork for future changes. We use an inform 1
consult 1 involve 1 collaborate 1 engage model, and elements of our public consultation
solutions may include research (using, for example, focus groups, surveys, interviews, virtual
discussion or written exercises), message development and communication (including
consultation facilitation) through various channels (such as media relations, social or
videos), GR/public policy counsel (addressing economic and political realities) and events
(for example, town hall meetings, street intercepts, advertisements, etc.).
Proof blends communications experience and savvy with a keen understanding of the public
policy process, from church basement meetings to Cabinet Office deliberations, with public
consultation experience ranging from small neighbourhood projects to one of the largest
province -wide consultations in Ontario (Ontario Speaks, a consultation on constitutional
change in 1998).
The starting point of our work is to establish a clear understanding of the client's goal. From
there, we establish how public consultation outcomes will support or endanger that goal. In
some cases, there are regulatory or legal requirements defining how consultations can
occur, and the goal is to ensure they are not subject to legal proceedings. In other cases,
the goal is to maximize the opportunity for important stakeholders to have input into
relevant discussions and decisions.
Understanding and segmenting the audiences
We have employed a wide variety of tools and approaches to reach and consult the public,
including websites, e-mail, social media, town hall meetings, household mailings, surveys,
street intercepts, advertisements, broadcasts and media relations. Understanding the
audiences being consulted is a critical element of public consultation programs. Our sister
company ERG has conducted numerous market segmentation studies, offering the services of
a dedicated team of data scientists who provide deep expertise in analyzing survey data and
applying specialized analysis techniques, including segmentation, when appropriate.
ERG has spent decades collecting demographic information on Canadians and providing
analysis to help clients and audiences understand their target groups in specific and intimate
ways. The firm's library of demographic, geographic and psychographic information has
furnished its founder - Michael Adams - with copious information from which he has authored
several top-selling books about demographic patterns in Canada and the US. Titles that are
based on ERG's deep understanding of segments include:
• Sex in the Snow: Canadian Social Values at the end of the Millennium
• Fire and Ice: The United States, Canada and the Myth of Converging Values
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• Stayin' Alive: How Canadian Baby Boomers Will Work, Play and Find Meaning in the
Second Half of their Adult Lives
• Unlikely Utopia: The Surprising Triumph of Canadian Pluralism
The approaches to understanding demographics, trends and patterns explored in these texts
underpin ERG's work. As part of an ad hoc proprietary study or in robust syndicated data
sets, the team gets the importance of demographics and the clues they provide to
understanding the values and experiences motivating a group of people to hold a belief or
change a behaviour.
ERG's Social Values research is one of the industry's most powerful marketing and decision-
making tools for business, government and the non-profit sector. This set of research tools
identifies motivations and relationships to brands, products, services, causes, policies and
political positions. Organizations around the world use this approach to understand
consumers, build marketing programs, define social policy and establish human resource
programs.
Facilitation
Within ERG, designing, facilitating and analyzing qualitative exercises - like group
discussions and individual interviews - are a core competency. The team's experience,
combined with industry -sanctioned guidelines for effective facilitation, has led to the
creation and adherence to best practices in the field. ERG's experts leverage their extensive
knowledge when engaging, recruiting and activating stakeholders in qualitative exercises to
ensure the feedback collected is meaningful, relevant and actionable. Its experienced
facilitators each have over 1,000 professional hours of discussion moderation, including large
and small groups, one-on-one in-depth interviews, in-person and virtual discussion sessions.
The team is also experienced in the design and execution of traditional and innovative
discussion exercises - including written and visual - that optimize participant feedback and
STAKEHOLDER/COM ..iN
Our integrated approach
Proof takes a strategic approach to reach the right influencers and stakeholders. Our team
defines stakeholder relations as the practice of forging mutually beneficial connections with
third -party groups and individuals who have a `stake' in a common interest, and we excel at
finding the intersection of needs and goals among wide varieties of independent and inter-
dependent stakeholders and partners.
Developing close relationships with key stakeholders doesn't happen overnight. We have an
integrated approach to developing plans that align with strategic direction. Clients who have
benefitted from our expertise in engaging stakeholders include The National Capital
Commission, Metrolinx, Toronto Hydro, York Region, Region of Durham, City of Toronto,
Canadian Electricity Association and many others. One example of multi -stakeholder
engagement we created is a campaign focused on opioid addiction that involved a
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pharmaceutical company, patient advocacy group, regulators and physicians - many of whom
we identified, recruited and managed. Within one month, the site attracted 2,000 unique,
highly engaged users on average spending almost four minutes on the site, viewing four
pages per session.
Collaborations and partnerships
We work with clients to create "win-win" collaborations and partnerships that raise profiles,
advance shared aims and build credibility. This starts with understanding of what drives
trust and influences action among target audiences, and then seeking organizations that can
help accelerate these outcomes. The process continues with ensuring that partners and
collaborations align with client values and reputations. Whether with media, bloggers,
academics, celebrities, associations, experts or popular online voices, we identify, connect
and build meaningful relationships with influencers who amplify clients' messages and make
them relevant to target audiences to drive real results.
We achieve these goals with creatively designed and executed programs. For Kijiji, our team
developed an oversized inflatable pit filled with 65,000 colourful balls. The target was
college and university students on five campuses who were invited to dive in and search for
the sliver balls - the ticket to great prizes, all bought on Kijiji. The activation was part of
the larger "Thrill of the Hunt" Kijiji campaign targeted at millennials, who, our research
showed, love to uncover good deals. Social and traditional media amplification included a
GIF photo booth that let students choose from four background themes - beach, basketball,
Canadiana and video gamer. Ultimately a successful and engaging event!
For the past three years, our team has supported the Kids See Free program offered by
Loblaw Companies Limited (LCL) that provides children ages four to 10 with free frames
valued up to $49 with single vision polycarbonate 'kids safe' lenses. In addition to traditional
media relations, we raise awareness for the program via targeted and strategic influencer
partnerships. By identifying influencers with whom the program would resonate (e.g.,
parents), we collaborate with them to create strong social content that educates readers
about the importance of children's eye health.
Community engagement
Many integrated programs involve community engagement, national event tours and peer-to-
peer engagement to change behaviours. For many years, our work with SAFE KIDS Canada
required us to consult and engage with a wide variety of community-based safety
organizations (e.g. hospitals, first responders, service clubs, etc.), a major consumer
products company and their retail channel to create and disseminate awareness information
specifically aimed at encouraging behaviour change - from seat belts to helmets to pool
safety. The ultimate metric was a measurable drop in preventable injuries and deaths.
Similar approaches are applied in our work with Electrical Safety Authority (ESA), where we
focus on educating Ontarians about electrical safety, both at home and in the workplace.
For ESA, we created tailored programs from Home Show speaker panels reaching consumers
undertaking home renovation projects to informative port -a -potty signage directed at dump
truck drivers working around powerlines on construction sites. Understanding the diversity of
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ESA's stakeholders and tailoring our messages to their needs and interests has allowed us to
change behaviour in a significant and measureable way.
Issues/Reputation Management
Proof has deep experience in managing complex issues. We specialize in preparing
spokespeople to answer tough questions and communicate effectively. We mobilize allies
and stakeholders to ensure outside opinions are brought forward at the right time and place,
and our proprietary online monitoring tools keep our finger on the pulse of digital platforms.
We have supported clients through all manner of crises, including labour disruptions, product
recalls, data breaches, natural disasters, executive departures, workplace crime and
terrorism, among others.
P
F'S ACCOMPLISHMEN E S•
As a relative of Environics Research, it's not surprising that we're eager to measure our
success and achievements. Here are some of the accomplishments we think would be
relevant to the City of Pickering.
Client and Employee Retention
Out of all of our accomplishments, we are proudest of our unmatched client and employee
retention. In an industry known for high rates of employee churn, Proof has bucked the
trend and we regularly celebrate five-, 10-, 15- and most recently, 20 -year employee
anniversaries! In turn, this has created the type of account -team stability that clients love!
Our teams become deeply entrenched and engaged in their clients' businesses and issues,
and bring vast knowledge and institutional memory that often outlasts our day to day
contacts. As a result, Proof is proud that the majority of our clients have been with us for
five years or more, and clients like Smith School of Business at Queen's, Investors Group and
The Globe and Mail have been with us for 15-20 years! We view ourselves not as suppliers,
but as extensions of our clients' marketing and communications departments.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainability have been at the core of our business
operations since the company's inception in 1994. Our first Corporate Social Responsibility
Report (http: / /bit.ly/ 1O0jalx) on our recent activities and commitments, both locally and
globally, shares the pillars of our plan and the results of our actions. It's been a team effort,
involving the enthusiastic participation and leadership of many people on our team who have
embraced this spirit of responsibility.
The concept of the triple bottom line (the success of our company, our team members and
our community) has always guided our thinking and the records show our company has done
well by doing right. Despite economic and business pressures, our commitment to upholding
our values and investing in our staff and community will always remain a priority.
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Awards, Honours Et Achievements
We love the look of the plaques and trophies that line our walls, but get an even bigger thrill
about what they stand for: creativity, impact, results, community service, environmental
responsibility, workplace excellence. Some examples:
• More than 230 peer -adjudicated awards for marketing and communications. Bestowing
organizations include International Association of Business Communicators, Canadian
Public Relations Society, Canadian Marketing Association and International Academy
of Digital Arts and Sciences ("Webby Awards");
• The Bobbie Resnick Philanthropy Award from CPRS;
• Three Guinness World Records for inspired feats and stunts on behalf of clients;
• Numerous awards for Best Workplace from the Great Places to Work Institute,
including #1 in 2010, and most recently as the program has grown, #13 for 2016. We
have also been lauded multiple times by GPWI as a top employer for women, including
a #6 ranking in 2016.
• Carbon neutrality since 2008, certified by Pembina Institute.
WORNNG oGETH
As with any relationship, it is important that there is mutual trust and a collaborative
approach between Proof and the City of Pickering in order to achieve success. Fortunately,
there is already a strong foundation of trust between the Environics family and the City of
Pickering stemming from a longstanding professional relationship. However, it's worth still
noting that we find that our most successful client engagements are ones where the client
and agency are a seamless team. As a reminder, we aim to create that environment by doing
the following:
• Investing time to really understand each client's business. That means independent
desk research and reading, field visits, meeting a broad cross-section of client
personnel, and training.
• Remembering that we are in the service business. That means returning calls quickly,
coming to meetings prepared, always thinking ahead and taking the time to
understand how each client likes to work together.
• Obsessing over results. In the City of Pickering's case, this would mean adopting the
ultimate goal of highlighting the economic benefits of infrastructure development in
the Highway 407 corridor.
• Constantly challenging ourselves to do better. This means taking time away from the
client "task of the day" to pause, step back and dream together about how we can
achieve more.
In our opinion, a dream client is one who:
• Invests in a smooth onboarding process, including providing a broad picture of the
organization;
• Provides timely and accurate information;
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• Provides feedback - both positive and on opportunities where programs can be
improved; and
• Works together with the agency to develop program goals.
At the heart of the client -agency relationship is the ability to work together in a respectful
and ethical manner. To do this, Proof works with clients from the outset to create and
identify controls and processes that are meaningful for them, such as:
• Weekly status reports and work -back schedules;
• Scheduled check-in calls (often weekly or bi-weekly);
• Budget updates;
• Quarterly review meetings;
• Key Performance Indicators;
• Ongoing reporting; and
• Sharefiles and online tools to allow client review and approvals.
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APPENDIX; TH\AELINE E :DST
Research Summer 2018
$80,000
• Polling Pickering Residents
• Analysis
• Insights
• Results
Community Engagement Fall 2018 to Winter 2019 - $60,000
• Message Development
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Media Relations
Government Relations
• Coordination and engagement with select
elected officials
Grand Total
Fall 201.8 to Winter 2019 $10,000
$150,000
"incl. HST
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APPENDIX:
ST iJ DY
Ontario Tire Stewardship
Showcases: Strategic advice and counsel, reputation management, stakeholder relations Et
consultation, media relations, event planning/management, experiential marketing, digital
communications Et social media, advertising, writing Ft production services.
1. Issue/Challenge
Ontario Tire Stewardship (OTS), established in accordance with the Waste Diversion Act of
2002 and set-up by Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO), has been a Proof client since 2009. Our
initial mandate with OTS was to generate awareness and acceptance from the community at
large and affected stakeholders for the Used Tires Program - a province -wide initiative to
collect and recycle the more than 12 million used on -road and off-road tires that come from
vehicles annually. The primary goal was to provide Ontarians with a clear understanding of
the initiative and the impact it would have on them, and the province, immediately and in
the foreseeable future. In 2011-2012, the additional goal of increasing consumer awareness
of the importance of tire maintenance was added to our mandate because this prolongs the
life of tires and therefore reduces the number of scrap tires every year.
Objectives: Supporting Launch
• Develop and distribute educational program materials for registered tire collectors and
point-of-sale (POS) materials for consumers. Targets: 800+ POS packages distributed to
newly registered program collectors; 80,000+ POS consumer brochures distributed to
Ontario residents at retail locations.
• Reach communities across Ontario through targeted media relations and newspaper
advertisements to educate consumers. Target: Reach more than 75 communities.
• Ensure media coverage aligned with campaign messaging and demonstrated the benefits
of the program's responsible system for managing used tires. Target: 75% of coverage
includes OTS program key messaging.
Objectives: Subsequent Years
• Build a social media platform to ensure consistent online and offline conversation from
the industry. Target: 75 quality followers within three months.
• Create a new, consumer facing brand and a direct vehicle to interact with audiences to
educate them on OTS's mandate. Target: Experiential team to reach 50 locations and
10,000 drivers.
• Educate stakeholders on the life cycle of a tire, demonstrating new tire -derived products
that are now available since the introduction of the program. Target: 25% of media
coverage includes the name of a tire -derived product manufacturer; five case studies to
demonstrate impact.
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Challenges:
• Perception that this was a new tax: The Tire Stewardship Fee had the potential to appear
to be a new "tax on tires" because the program requires manufacturers and first
importers of tires to pay $5.84 per passenger tire to OTS to manage the program — a cost
that in most cases is passed on to consumers. We managed this by highlighting that this is
an industry -funded program; that consumers would no longer be charged a tire disposal
fee when getting rid of old tires; and that they can return as many as four tires per
person to collectors across the province, with no obligation to buy new tires.
• Significant benefits not tangible: Some key benefits from this initiative (e.g., the
environment and innovation) will take time and are not immediately tangible to
stakeholders. By highlighting the removal of the tire disposal fee traditionally charged to
consumers and the guarantee that old tires would be responsibly re -used immediately,
we mitigated this challenge by showcasing immediate, tangible benefits. Later we were
able to showcase tire -derived products in real life settings.
• Impact of other Stewardship Programs: Stewardship programs in Ontario have been under
increased scrutiny by stakeholders. To help manage this, we have created an open and
transparent model of communications, posting detailed information on the OTS website,
proactively sending information to media and creating an ongoing dialogue with the other
Stewardship programs and stakeholder groups.
II. Strategic Approach
• Research: At the outset, we immersed ourselves in the history of tire recycling fees in
Ontario, and the roll-out of similar programs across Canada. We learned that the biggest
objection among consumers was the notion of a new "tax" and that there would be
intense scrutiny on how this "tax" would be used. We spoke to many stakeholders (e.g.
program administrators, retailers, haulers, collectors) to understand potential allies as
well as critics and the "hot -buttons" of each group, and enlisted a technical tire expert
to review materials and provide guidance on key issues. We commissioned polling to
identify if messages were likely to be understood and resonate. This research continues
today.
• Analysis: From our research, we knew that we required custom materials and messaging
for each of the target groups white maintaining clear overarching themes as a rationale
for the program. It was crucial to convey not only the long-term benefits of the program
to Ontario, but also the immediate benefits to Ontarians.
• Communication: We designed a fully -integrated and multi -tiered, multi -channel
communications program aimed at educating key stakeholders across various platforms.
Stakeholder communication continues today.
• Evaluation: We were regularly required to report on progress towards measurable
objectives, and adapted and revised programs on an ongoing basis to maximize return on
investment. This process continues today.
Strategies:
Our overarching strategy was as follows:
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• Raise awareness of the problem: 12 million scrap tires are accumulated in Ontario every
year. They are typically exported to the U.S. for burning in cement kilns or stockpiled in
unsightly, dangerous dumps with little oversight and the risk of fires similar to that which
occurred in Hagersvilte, Ontario in 1990.
• Introduce the solution: a regulated, transparent program that ensures tires are recycled
here in Ontario, creating a market for new tire -derived products that will create jobs,
boost the economy and help the environment. A key part of the solution was
demonstrating that all fees collected would be directly used to fund program delivery
and research and development into tire -derived products -- not paid to the government.
We also highlighted the fact that even if retailers passed along stewardship fees to
consumers at point of purchase, the removal of fees traditionally charged for used tire
disposal would result in little to no net increase in out-of-pocket expenses to the
consumer.
• Engage tikeminded groups to help tell our story: As the program grew from simply tire
collection to showcasing the lifecycle of tire recycling, we knew it would be important to
have advocates who could help share our story. A number of multi-year programs were
developed to support this.
111. Solution
To engage our target audiences we created the following solutions (most of which continue
today)
• Key Message Development: Key messages were the foundation of all communications
tools and were reviewed regularly to ensure alignment with program objectives.
Messages were particularly important due to the need to simplify and make memorable
what is a complex program.
• Point of Sate Materials: POS materials were developed and distributed to registered
program collectors, haulers and processors to provide program education to them and
their audiences.
• Media Relations: We conducted targeted, themed, media relations to a comprehensive
media target map, including even the most remote areas of Ontario touched by the
program.
• Community Engagement: We created and mobilized a summer team (RethinkTires
Roadtrip) -- brand ambassadors that travelled across Ontario educating drivers on
maintaining their tires and demonstrating products made from recycled tires.
• Digital Communications: We created and provided content to the @rethinktires Twitter
handle, Facebook community, blog and YouTube channel.
• Community Collection Activities: Working with likeminded organizations such as Ontario
Automotive Recyclers and CAA, we promoted special collection events to raise awareness
of OTS and the importance of tire maintenance and recycling in towns across Ontario.
• Community engagement: From design challenges with students to a community renewal
fund to help support communities wishing to use recycled tire products, our team helps
to manage and support these programs from end to end.
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• Advertising: We provided strategic advice on the creation and placement of advertising
to supplement other communications tactics and inform broad audiences.
• Case Studies: The team worked with RED grant recipients and community grant
recipients to create case studies that brought the impact of OTS to life.
• Trade Stakeholder Program: We brokered relationships with key groups and regularly
participated in tradeshows to promote tire maintenance and recycled tire products.
IV. Results
The results of this campaign have exceeded alt measurable objectives:
• More than 1,000 packages were distributed to newly registered program collectors;
100,000 consumer brochures were distributed
• More than 130 communities were reached. Media impressions have grown from nine
million in the first year to more than 20 million in 2014. A 2014 survey showed that 50
per cent of Ontarians know that there is a tire recycling program
• OTS program messages were included in 84 per cent of media coverage
• There were 80 Twitter followers at the end of trial period and the program has continued
with more than 300 quality followers within a year. Engagement levels continue to rise
with an engagement rate of more than 23 per cent with our followers
• The summer team visited more than 60 locations in 2015 and had one-on-one interactions
with thousands of Ontario drivers
• Since the promotion of recycled tire products manufacturers began, at least 40 per cent
of media coverage includes mention of at least one manufacturer, and 10 case studies
have been developed
• Since the program's launch, more than 80 million tires have been recycled in Ontario.
Ontario Tire Stewardship has a 98 per cent tire diversion rate
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APPENDIX: NO A l HE O I 1 POE- TEAM
M
ACCOUNT LEADS
Saro Khatchadourian
Senior Consultant, Government Relations
Saro Khatchadourian is a senior communications and public affairs professional having who
possesses significant experience in senior roles within several federal and provincial political
offices, both in government and in Opposition.
Prior to joining the Government Relations team at Environics, Saro was the Senior
Communications Officer in the Office of the Leader of Her Majesty's Official Opposition,
where he was responsible for media relations and issues management as well as serving as a
spokesperson for Opposition caucus members. Prior to that role, Saro held a number of
senior communication and advisory roles to cabinet ministers in Harper Government,
including in the areas of economic development (particularly in Ontario), immigration, and
foreign affairs. In his role as Director of Communications to the Minister of State for Foreign
Affairs and Consular, Saro provided crisis communications support for international
phenomena such as the Ebola crisis, Gaza conflict, and numerous natural disasters.
Before earning a Masters degree in Political Management from Carleton University, Saro
graduated with an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of
Toronto, where he also spent time conducting research at the National University of
Singapore.
Mark Gamache
Senior Consultant, Public Relations
Mark Gamache has a background in developing and executing comprehensive stakeholder
consultation programs for the Alberta Electric System Operator based in Calgary, and has an
enduring passion for delivering exceptional strategic communications programs founded in
research and executed with creativity. After moving to Toronto, he worked in both the
Corporate and Consumer practice groups at the Toronto office of a large national firm.
There, his clients included Ford Motor Company of Canada, Enbridge, Shred -it, Burns Et
Wilcox and Elections Ontario.
Since joining Environics as a Senior Consultant in the Toronto office, Mark has served clients
such as Smith School of Business at Queen's, Electrical Safety Authority, and theOntario
Association of Architects among others.
Mark holds a Bachelor of Arts (English) from Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B. and a
Bachelor of Public Relations from Mount Saint Vincent University in Halifax, N.S. In his spare
time he volunteers for the CIBC Run for the Cure planning committee where he is
responsible for site logistics.
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SUPPORT TEAM
Nader Shureih
Consultant, Public Sector Et Education
Environics Analytics
With over 15 years of experience as a marketer, market research professional and academic,
Nader Shureih serves as a Consultant in EA's packaged goods, automotive, public sector and
not-for-profit practice. In his current role, Nader works with clients across the public sector,
helping local, provincial and federal departments and agencies better understand, serve and
communicate with their constituents. Prior to joining EA, he taught market research at the
post -secondary level, managed market research for Service Canada and held management
positions with companies in the creative services and packaged goods sectors. Nader's
academic background includes earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in mass communications
from Carleton University.
Curtis Brown
Senior Research Associate
Environics Research Group
Curtis has more than a decade of experience in the market research industry and has
conducted dozens of studies during this time. His responsibilities include project
management, budgeting, questionnaire design, survey and sampling design, report
preparations and client presentations. Curtis has a great deal of experience leading
insightful qualitative and quantitative research projects on behalf of a wide range of public,
private and not-for-profit sector clients, including many studies conducted on behalf of
municipal governments. This includes many custom studies conducted on behalf of municipal
governments in Alberta, Ontario and Manitoba, as well as Environics' bi-annual Focus GTA
study. A former journalist who wrote extensively about civic politics, Curtis applies his
knowledge of civic affairs and processes to research assignments conducted on behalf of
municipal governments. Curtis is a graduate of the University of Regina School of Journalism
and also holds a Master of Arts in Political Studies from the University of Manitoba.
Melody Gaukel
Senior Vice President
Communicating messages in clear, compelling ways that resonate with wide stakeholder
bases is part of what makes Melody quickly become a part of any client team. Melody's
varied experience covers many facets - account and team management, strategic planning,
media relations, stakeholder campaigns and crisis 8t issues management. Her career spans
both the B2B and B2C spaces, which allows her to apply many best practices to enable client
success.
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Melody specializes in working with clients with broad stakeholder audiences to develop
integrated programs marrying different disciplines in marketing and communications to
deliver exceptional results. Often her clients are in highly regulated environments, which
require a deep understanding of governments and policy implications. Melody currently
manages Canadian Welding Bureau, Ontario Tire Stewardship, FRHI (Fairmont Hotels St
Resorts), and Call2Recycle, among others.
Her experience working with clients through issues situations includes preparing and
managing regulatory or legal decisions, employee accidents, product recalls and technology
security breaches.
Prior to joining Environics, Melody had led such accounts as IBM Canada, ConAgra Foods
Canada, Georgia Pacific Canada, Direct Energy and City of Toronto's Better Building
Partnership, supporting such activities as new consumer product launches, consumer and
stakeholder engagement programs, media relations and thought leadership campaigns.
Melody's career also includes work with the Hydrogenics Corporation, Microsoft Canada,
Canadian Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Association.
Greg MacEachern
Senior Vice President, Government & Public Affairs
Greg MacEachern is Senior Vice President of Government Relations at Environics
Communications, working with clients with complex stakeholder challenges such as the
Canadian Welding Bureau, The Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs, `Namgis First Nation,
Ontario Tire Stewardship, Canadian Blood Services, Society of Composers, Authors Ft Music
Publishers of Canada (SOCAN) and Canadian Water Network, among others.
Previously Greg held a number of positions in the public sector including: executive assistant
to the Honourable Belinda Stronach, MP; director of communications for the Office of the
President of the Treasury Board; director of parliamentary affairs for the Office of the
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans; and intergovernmental affairs coordinator for the Office of
the Mayor in Halifax Regional Municipality.
He also has national experience working in media relations and logistics for federal election
campaigns, and has worked with national, regional, and business media in Canada, as well as
the Parliamentary Press Gallery in Ottawa.
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