Economic Development Committee
Strategic Plan
May 2011
Purpose
The EDC recognized the need to move
forward with a set of clearly defined
economic development goals;
 This Strategy is meant to give the EDC
focus, define roles, and help them to move
forward in a conscious manner;
 The Strategy is a foundation document
and is designed to shift with changing
priorities.
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Mandate
The Economic Development Committee’s Mandate is:
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To explore short- and long-term development strategies;
To focus on:
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Business development, retention and expansion;
Tourism;
New employment opportunities;
Land use and development;
Service sector attraction; and
Competitiveness issues.
To address other issues as requested by the Council of the
Township of Ear Falls.
Strategic Planning Process
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Works through the creation of:
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A Vision Statement
A Mission Statement
Obstacles
Strategic Directions
Action Plans
Designed to account for diverse opinions;
Involves a process of brainstorming,
identifying common themes, creating
categories, and naming each component.
VISION STATEMENT
The Ear Falls Economic Development Committee
is a community-based organization that will
enhance the quality of life in Ear Falls and create
a sustainable community.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Ear Falls Economic Development Committee
will support community development and
explore diverse socio-economic opportunities in
order to enhance quality of life and create
sustainability for the community of Ear Falls and
surrounding area.
OBSTACLES
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When striving towards their vision for the community,
the Ear Falls Economic Development Committee
recognizes that…
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The location of Ear Falls makes it difficult to attract
economic development opportunities and workers;
Resistance to change and negative attitudes stalls
progress;
A lack of Crown Lands available for waterfront
development for businesses and residents prevents
growth;
A lack of internal and external funding prevents long-term
planning; and
Inadequate access to skilled workers and
training/educational opportunities prevents business
retention, attraction and expansion.
STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS
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In order to move towards realizing their vision for Ear
Falls, the Economic Development Committee plans to…
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Support business retention and expansion;
Attract new business and investment;
Strive to retain current residents and encourage attraction;
Work to ensure adequate training and educational opportunities
are available locally;
Keep the community informed and involved in all aspects of
community development;
Continue to pursue waterfront development;
Ensure that serviced residential lots are available;
Make youth retention a priority; and
Build strong strategic partnerships with neighbouring
communities.
ACTION PLANS
Strategy #1: Support business retention
and expansion.
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Desired Outcome #1:
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Anticipated Results:
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Increased influx and circulation of dollars.
Necessary Actions:
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Retain all existing business, expand existing business,
where required, and increase sales.
Promote “shop local” mentality, especially in retail;
Increase marketing efforts in promoting Ear Falls as a yearround tourism destination;
Advertise local businesses and service clubs.
Measure of Success:
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Businesses will stay and grow.
Strategy #2: Attract new business and
investment.
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Desired Outcome #1:
 Increase employment in Ear Falls.
Anticipated Results:
 Ear Falls will have all of our objectives considered.
Necessary Actions:
 Find ways to promote existing types of business and expand
existing types of business opportunity to new entrepreneurs,
including resource-based;
 Have information that is current and easily available, for investors,
as well as a knowledgeable contact available for more information;
 Provide education and information, locally, regarding start-up,
business development, home-based businesses, including funding,
marketing, etc.;
 Identify the needs of the community, the area, and globally; and
 Look for economic development options, review studies and
perhaps hire a consultant to ensure something tangible has been
created.
Measure of Success:
 Increased employment, short- and long-term.
Strategy #3: Strive to retain current
residents and encourage attraction.
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Desired Outcome #1:
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Anticipated Results:
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Slow growth of an established population; and
Increased interest in the community.
Necessary Actions:
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Stable or increased population base.
Provide and encourage diverse recreation and community
programs; look at short-term programming (swimming lessons,
kids in the kitchen);
Develop residential lots;
Encourage rental accommodations;
Promote existing amenities to new residents; and
Enhance seniors services.
Measure of Success:
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Analysis of census data;
Population measures; and
Residences occupied.
Strategy #4: Work to ensure adequate training
and educational opportunities are available locally.
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Desired Outcome #1:
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Anticipated Results:
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Increased level of education and training for the community;
More trained people.
Necessary Actions:
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Educated workforce for Ear Falls;
“Grow Your Own”;
Retention of residents (long-term).
Increase communication about existing training and education
opportunities (distance education, online course, flexible, low cost);
Ask employers what training is needed for employees;
Try to provide training locally (source information; potential funding
opportunities; use existing resources).
Measure of Success:
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Level of participation;
Level of educational attainment;
Employer feedback and evaluation process.
Strategy #5: Keep the community informed and
involved in all aspects of community development.
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Desired Outcome #1:
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Anticipated Results:
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Friendly, happy community that has the input of its members.
Necessary Actions:
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To improve community relations; knowledge and awareness.
Develop community pride; create slogan;
Distribute newsletters monthly to keep communication accurate;
Drop-off Minutes in key locations;
Website, billboard, flyers, newspaper, quarterly town meetings;
“Jazz it Up”, call on people from the community for input and
assistance;
Call on members of the community to partake in specific
community projects, tasks and events;
Improve people skills for town employees and local businesses in
the area, as part of orientation.
Measure of Success:
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More people participating in community events;
Less Negativity.
Strategy #6: Continue to pursue
waterfront development.
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Desired Outcome #1:
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Anticipated Results:
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Larger tax base;
Increased community involvement and participation;
Increase in seasonal residents;
Increased spending locally.
Necessary Actions:
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25 lots developed at Detector Lake.
Feasibility study (boundaries);
MNR;
Increase Municipal boundaries;
Public consultations;
Advertising;
Impact on town resources.
Measure of Success:
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Amount of lots developed;
MNR approval;
Sales of lots and dollar value;
Did it increase local business, spending and interaction?
Strategy #7: Ensure that serviced
residential lots are available.
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Desired Outcome #1:
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Anticipated Results:
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More serviceable lots;
Increased tax base;
Additional skilled workers and trades people;
Business opportunities.
Necessary Actions:
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Develop one large subdivision with plans for a second one later.
Provincial approval, as necessary;
Land developers;
Cost projections;
Public consultation;
Determine if there is a need.
Measure of Success:
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Number of lots developed and serviced;
Number of homes built and increased assessment.
Strategy #8: Make youth retention a
priority.
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Desired Outcome #1:
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Desired Outcome #2:
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Increased numbers of youth return to have families or retire;
Establish community pride and connection to Ear Falls;
Necessary Actions:
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If the youth leave, they have the possibility to return to Ear Falls
to raise their families or retire.
Anticipated Results:
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Youth have a positive experience growing up in Ear Falls.
Keep involved in committees, events and activities;
Gain knowledge in regards to youth retention;
Develop a youth economic development committee;
Provide training opportunities that are locally based and encourage
youth to return to Ear Falls to work;
Facilitate funding and grant ideas and assist in action to fruition.
Measure of Success:
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More youth will return to live and work in the area;
Youth and families will get involved and create buy-in.
Strategy #9: Build strong strategic partnerships
with neighbouring communities.
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Desired Outcome #1:
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Anticipated Results:
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New relationships built;
Larger scope for projects;
Increased communications and awareness of each others’ needs.
Necessary Actions:
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Strong and productive working relationships with all surrounding
communities, businesses and government agencies.
Understand the needs of partners, have meaningful, face-to-face
interactions;
Ongoing meetings and negotiations, develop trust;
Networking, information gathering, learning from others.
Measure of Success:
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Partnerships built on trust;
Strong information network;
Additional resources available.
Implementation
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The implementation of these action items will
come as a result of the EDC…
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Reviewing the Strategic Plan often;
Prioritizing and revising Action Items, as necessary;
Monitoring Progress; and
By being proactive and following through with
commitments.
Conclusions
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The Ear Falls Economic Development Committee
has the drive to make Ear Falls flourish;
The Committee recognized early-on that a plan
was needed in order to maintain focus and
ensure follow-through;
The Committee plans to enhance the quality of
life in Ear Falls and create a sustainable
community through the pursuit of diverse socioeconomic opportunities and by supporting
community development whenever possible.
Comments?
Questions?