1. The Niagara Parks Commission
2012-2014 Business Plan
November NPC Commission Meeting
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Fay Booker, General Manager
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2. Background
• Business Plan is a Key accountability requirement
• All classified government agencies are required to
submit
• Ministry is now also requesting quarterly reporting of
financial performance and key activities undertaken
• Final Plan is to be submitted to Ministry by
December 15, 2011
• Earliest Plan submission by staff since requirement
was first initiated by Province.
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3. NPC’s Mandate
• Established in 1885
• Heritage Preservation part of NPC since 1896
• Agency of the Provincial Government
• Classified as an Operational Enterprise Agency
• Operates under authority of the Niagara Parks Act
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4. NPC’s Mandate
• 53 km of Recreational
Trail and 56 km of scenic
Parkway from Fort Erie in
the south to Niagara-on-
the-Lake in the north
• 1,325 hectares of land
along the entire Niagara
River corridor

5. NPC’s Mission (approved in 2011)
• To protect the natural and cultural heritage along the
Niagara River for the enjoyment of visitors while
maintaining financial self-sufficiency.
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6. NPC’s Vision (approved in 2011)
• Ontario’s Niagara Parks –
PRESERVING a rich heritage,
CONSERVING natural wonders,
INSPIRING people, worldwide!
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7. Strategic Directions
• In 2010, NPC initiated a strategic planning process to create a
renewed sense of mission , vision and strategic direction for
organization
• Process included working sessions and consultation with our
communities, members of Niagara Falls BIA, employees and
Commissioners
• Process resulted in establishment of four strategic goals in
early 2011
• For the 2012-14 planning period, these same four strategic
goals will be pursued, namely:
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8. Strategic Directions
• Customer Focus – We (NPC) will deliver unique, memorable
and engaging experiences in the natural beauty and rich
cultural heritage of NPC during all four seasons.
• Employee Focus – We (NPC) are, and are seen to be, a
successfully empowered team.
• Operational Focus – Through every employee, we (NPC) will
move forward working smarter, providing excellence and
accountability in all that we do.
• Financial Focus – Our (NPC’s) reserves enable us to provide
investment in our infrastructure today and the ability to
leverage opportunities in the future.
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9. 2011 Strategic Directions
• Focus on redirecting NPC away from strict commercialism and
introduce a new level of discipline and accountability to public
processes and expectations
• NPC also undertook the redevelopment of three heritage sites
with a focus on improving the visitor experience
• Key initiatives in 2011 included:
– Putting the “Parks” back into Niagara Parks
– Re-beautification of the Parks
– Improvement in corporate governance
– Renewal of certain infrastructure
– Leveraging NPC’s unique offerings
– Recognizing commercial activities as a means to an end
not an end in itself
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10. Queen Victoria Park - Improvements
• Falls Parking:
– Provide a welcoming
entrance
– New picnic area beside
Canadian Niagara
Power
– Cross walk restored
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11. In 2011 we opened - Niagara Glen Nature Centre
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12. Investment in Infrastructure
• Laura Secord Homestead & Queenston Chapel
New Interpretive Centre New Visitor Centre
Queenston Chapel
moved to site
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13. Old Fort Erie
New Visitor Centre
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14. McFarland House – New Tea Room
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15. 2012 Strategic Directions
• Initiatives for 2012 build on the prior year’s foundation:
– Visitor attraction
– Awareness of range of experiences within Niagara Parks
– Employee engagement
– Open communication
– The Board is a strategic asset to the organization
– Infrastructure is renewed and developed
– Supporting systems are improved to maximize efficiency
and effectiveness
– Increase environmental consciousness of NPC’s operations
and reduce our carbon footprint
– Financial Stabilization.
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16. Governance – The Commission
• As of October 2011, ten Commissioners:
– Janice Thomson, Interim Chair
– David Eke - William Forward
– Barbara Greenwood - Vince Kerrio
– Patricia Li - Doug Martin
– Ron McKerlie - Lori Sterling
– Virginia West
• Three committee structure – Finance & Audit; Governance,
Ethics & Human Resources Policy; Heritage, Infrastructure &
Parks
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17. NPC Organizational Structure – Oct 2011 NPC ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
OCTOBER 1, 2011
Chair and Board of Commissioners
General Manager
F. Booker
Administration
Internal Auditor Chair
Manager
G. Moyo Finance & Audit
L. Cummings
Director
Senior Director Senior Director Director
Senior Director Communications,
Director Guest Relations, Infrastructure & Director Corporate Services
Guest Relations, Police Services Marketing &
Guest Invitations Adventure & Guest Services Employee Services & Governance
Garden & Nature Support D. Kane Stakeholder Support
(Vacant) Heritage D. Morris
D. Whitehouse Relations
(Vacant) M. Gruosso M. Neubauer
T. Baldinelli(Acting)
Sales Markets Retail Botanical Engineering Police Internal, external Recruiting Technology
– Education, Attractions Gardens, Floral Maintenance Services communications Retention Payroll
Wedding, Boat tour Showhouse Community
Planning Marketing & Safety Accounting
MC&IT, Sport, Liaison Horticulture Programs
Property Advertising Volunteerism Financial
SMERF, Culinary – full Park Beauty & Security
Management Digital- Retiree Management
Consignment serve, fast amenities Transportation Border Commerce programs Procurement
Partners serve Park Programs (Parking, Relations Gov’t relations Development Archives
Domestic and Heritage Horticulture buses, paved EMS Liaison Community programs Policies
Receptive Golf School trails) relations Risk
Tour Butterfly GIS Visiting Management
Operators, Conservatory dignitaries Corporate
sightseeing
Cycling, Hiking Corporate secretarial
Product
Nature Centre events services
Development
Corporate social
responsibility &
annual reporting
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18. Overview – Current/Forthcoming Activities
• In 2012, NPC will seek to leverage its existing assets.
• NPC will also work to implement large scale projects:
– Visitor Transportation System in conjunction with City of
Niagara Falls (NPC receives buses worth $8 million)
– Parkway Reconfiguration (approx. $6 million)
– Redevelopment of Incline Railway ($7 million)
– Award of Boat Tour Lease
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19. Overview – Forthcoming Programming
• Investigate new green tourism
experiences – needs to be
sensitive to the environment
– activities like zip line,
canopy walks, cycling
programs, expansion of the
botanical experience
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20. Overview – Forthcoming Programming
• NPC will also begin work:
– Enhanced bicentennial events/experiences
– Examine/consult reuse scenarios for Power Plants,
– Expanded horticultural programming
– Continue the strengthening of corporate governance
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21. Resources Needed to Meet Goals/Objectives
• Aging infrastructure is a challenge for NPC
– Low yearly investments in capital works
– Backlog of capital infrastructure projects continues to grow
• Infrastructure investments by Federal and Provincial governments
allowed major capital projects to proceed in 2011 on heritage sites
• Additional Infrastructure funding in 2012 will allow
– VTS Improvements
– Realignment of Parkway at the falls
– Redevelopment of the Incline
• Projects will assist in improving overall visitor experience
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22. Environmental Scan - External
• Economic Projections – External
– Global economies not expected to improve considerably
– Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development
(OECD) indicates none of the world’s major economies will
escape a slowdown
– OECD projects European economic growth in 2012 of 0.3%
– OECD forecast for U.S. economic growth in 2012 - 1.8%
– U.S. economy fragile due to high unemployment,
weakened currency, and high debt levels
– This does not bode well for discretionary spending
including spending on Tourism vacations
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23. Environmental Scan
• Economic Projections – Internal
– OECD suggests Canada’s economy, which stalled in second
quarter of 2011, is likely to pick up speed and will continue
to outperform its counterparts in developed world
– Bank of Nova Scotia has revised its GDP forecast for
Canadian growth in 2012, downward to 2.1%
– Domestic spending has continued to hold up
– Job figures have begun to stagnate - in July and for the first
time in several months, declined in August
– Unemployment numbers bear watching as this will impact
domestic consumption – discretionary spending
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24. Human Resources
• NPC employs over 1,600 staff
– 260 Full Time, 1,370 Seasonal
• Organization subject to Provincial compensation restraint
• New collective agreements reached in 2010 (OPSEU Local
217-Parks Police) and in 2011 (Workers United Canada Local
2347-NPC Restaurant Servers
• In 2012, NPC is committed to an economic increase of 1.5%
for existing collective agreement (November 1, 2009 –
October 31, 2013) with OPSEU, Local 217- Park
Employees, covering approximately 585 staff.
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25. Human Resources
• In 2011, government introduced directive calling for end of
practices & perks within government ministries and agencies
• Review was conducted to determine existence of perks at NPC
and either eliminated/reduced perks or expanded certain
programs to include all staff
• NPC currently implementing plans to address deficiencies
identified from first Workwell audit; confident
implementation of these will garner strong second audit
results scheduled for April 2012
• Continued investments in our staff – training on guest
relations, ongoing certification for trades and licenses
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26. Performance Measures
Strategic Goal - Customer Focus: Deliver unique, memorable and
engaging experiences in the natural beauty and rich cultural
heritage of NPC during all four seasons
1.1 Key Initiative – Visitor attraction
– Introduce new activities in all seasons for guests which leverage existing
assets
– Assess each existing venue and park area for opportunities provided by
the space and improvement to the experience provided to our guests
– Create a culture of excellence at Niagara Parks for hospitality,
horticulture, service and uniqueness of experiences.
– Build partnerships with tourism operators, corporate planners and
other venues in Toronto and local markets.
– Identify reuse of Power Plants.
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27. Performance Measures
1.2 Key Initiative – Awareness of range of experiences within
Niagara Parks
– Inform guests of the full range of activities that can be enjoyed
through visits
– Inform the local market guests of the full range of activities that can
be enjoyed through multiple visits
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28. Performance Measures
Strategic Goal - Employee Focus: We are, and are seen to be, a
successfully empowered team.
2.1 Key Initiative – Employee engagement
– NPC is a regional employer of choice
– Employees know and fulfill their accountabilities
– Employees work in various cross-functional teams focused on
initiatives on a regular basis
2.2 Key Initiative – Open communication
– Employees are fully informed of NPC’s values, direction, priorities,
principles, and activities in a timely manner
– NPC employees are consulted and feel free to voice views on issues
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29. Performance Measures
Strategic Goal - Operational Focus: Through every employee we
move forward working smarter, providing excellence and
accountability in all that we do.
3.1 Key Initiative – The Board is a strategic asset to NPC
– Modernize NPC’s governance practices.
– Implement modern accountability practices.
– Provide triple bottom line accountability reports to the communities
of stakeholders.
3.2 Key Initiative – Infrastructure is renewed and developed
– Implement capital projects on time, within budget and achieve
maximum benefits.
– Develop an overall assessment of infrastructure and identify work
required to achieve soundness of structure.
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30. Performance Measures
Strategic Goal - Operational Focus: Through every employee we
move forward working smarter, providing excellence and
accountability in all that we do.
3.3 Key Initiative –Supporting Systems are improved to
maximize efficiency and effectiveness
– Modernize technology systems to achieve efficiency and effectiveness
in connectivity for guests and stakeholders and internal operations
– Implement modern controllership practices for procurement, financial
reporting, and enterprise risk management
– Implement practices to fulfill government directives, reporting, and
communication requirements with Ministry on a timely basis
– We manage the business proactively by preventing issues, by being
disciplined, and achieving resolution on a timely basis
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31. Performance Measures
Strategic Goal - Operational Focus: Through every employee we
move forward working smarter, providing excellence and
accountability in all that we do.
3.4 Key Initiative – Increase environmental consciousness of
NPC’s operations and reduce NPC’s carbon footprint
– Implement sustainable tourism principles.
– Modify NPC practices to be environmentally friendly
– Engage our guests in assisting in our green efforts.
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32. Performance Measures
Strategic Goal - Financial Focus: NPC’s equity position provides
for investment in NPC’s infrastructure today and the ability to
leverage opportunities in the future.
4.1 Key Initiative: Financial Stabilization
– Develop strategy for underperforming revenue producing operations.
– Leverage the 2011 capital investment in heritage sites through
programming and legacy markers.
– Finalize key decisions with significant impact to NPC’s future.
– Utilize value for money assessment for all key decisions.
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33. Risk Assessment/Management
• Ontario Government requires business plan to contain risk
identification, assessment and mitigation strategies.
• Assessment identified risks in the following areas – mitigation
actions being taken:
– Successful Implementation of overall plan/objectives
– Accountability/Governance
• MOU/Agency Accountability Establishment and Accountability Directive
• Audits – external and internal (controllership)
• Agreements/Contracts/Legal
• Power Plants
– Operational issues
• Global economic impact on tourism
• Insurance policies
• Workforce Risk – organizational change/shortage skilled workforce
• Technology/IT Infrastructure Risk
• Capital Infrastructure Risk
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34. Implementation Plan
1812 – 2012 Bicentennial Celebrations
• Working with community and government
partners, NPC planning to commemorate the
battles and people of the War of 1812, while also
celebrating 200 years of peace
• With needed infrastructure improvements now in
place, NPC working on events to commemorate
war and celebrate peace; signature events 2012
to 2014:
– Battle of Queenston Heights: October 12 – 14, 2012
– Laura Secord Event: June 21 – June 23, 2013
– Battles of Chippawa & Lundy’s Lane: July 5 – July 6, 2014
– Siege of Fort Erie: August 8 – August 10, 2014
– Treaty of Ghent: December 31, 2014/New Year’s Eve Celebration
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35. Implementation Plan
VTS Agreement
• 10-year agreement reached with City of Niagara Falls
• Province and Federal Governments to provide $25M each in
infrastructure funding
• NPC receives new accessible buses worth $8M
• NPC to maintain its own separate operations, mechanics,
drivers
• Schedules/branding to be integrated
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36. Implementation Plan
VTS Agreement
• NPC enabling City’s part of the VTS by contributing an annual
payment of $1M toward the operating costs of the City’s Red
and Blue lines (removing burden from taxpayers/BIA’s)
• Route of NPC’s Green Line will run between Table Rock and
intersection of Victoria Avenue and River Road
• Holder of VTS ticket entitled to travel each of Green, Red and
Blue lines & transfer between lines for two successive days
• NPC to receive first $1M in revenue sharing arrangement with
City for operation of Kiosks/sales for Red and Blue line –
thereby mitigating risk
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37. Implementation Plan
Relocation of Niagara Parkway
• Queen Victoria Park Master Plan developed in 2003
envisioned relocation of Parkway behind Canadian Niagara
Power as part of overall Table Rock Redevelopment
• VTS agreement has allocated almost $6M to NPC toward
pursuit of this plan
• Allows for improvement in traffic flow at brink of falls –
dedicated traffic lane for buses, dedicated travel space for
cyclists, dedicated travel space for pedestrians
• Re-green part of existing parking lot
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38. Implementation Plan
Incline Railway
• Current Incline began operations in 1966 – in 2011 it carried
544, 987 riders
• Phase II Table Rock Redevelopment Plan – envisioned:
– More modern
– Year-round
– Accessible system
• NPC has worked with the Province since 2009 to obtain
financial support to realize new Incline - $7M in Provincial
funding to be provided
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39. Implementation Plan
Power Plants
• While there is large capital
investment associated with these
buildings, these sites presents
immense opportunity for NPC
• In 2012, NPC will pursue adaptive
reuse of these historic buildings
• NPC will need to determine a
process to consult with both the
public and professional bodies to
gain input on potential reuse
options – prior to seeking formal
requests for their redevelopment.
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40. Communications Plan
• Communications initiatives will continue to be improved;
– Press releases/media opportunities on key activities
– Continued community & employee town halls
– Annual reports prepared on a more timely basis
– NPC events/activities communicated with more lead time
– Establish calendars on key activities
– NPC e-commerce tools to be improved
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41. In Summary
2011 – NPC absorbed considerable change – positive & negative
• 5 executive departed, three new executive joined
• Substantive change in commissioners
• New strategic vision established
• Agreement for new bus fleet entered into, major projects
completed at three heritage sites
• Numerous other initiatives – opening of the season, car free
Sunday, Whirlpool’s 60th anniversary, Horticulture School 75th
anniversary, opening of nature center, introduction of
bouldering, “Nia” joined the Niagara Parks Police
• Reduction in visitor attendance
• Audits of Travel & Hospitality, Procurement Practices; other
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examinations still underway
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42. 2012 Transform and Build
• Priorities for 2012 include establishment of new
transportation system with the City, redevelopment of Incline,
making decision on boat tour, initiating request for proposal
process for power plants
• Internally need to transform operational practices –
technology, tools, training for staff
• Meeting of government directives including accessibility
standards
• Assessment of underperforming or redundant assets and
decisions on the future of these assets
• Expansion of programming at heritage sites, programming and
guest activities on the ‘green side’ 42
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43. Q&A
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