The Value of the Benefits Blueprint

This opinion editorial (Op Ed) first appeared on April 25, 2013 in the Telegraph-Journal, Saint John, New Brunswick, and is re-printed here with permission.  

Dave Hardy, president of Hardy Stevenson and Associates Limited, believes that the Benefits Blueprint drawn up to combat ‘boom and bust’ in the province still has merit as a way to plan for and secure economic growth. Photo: Peter Walsh/Telegraph-Journal archive.

A generation ago, urban and rural planners worried about “boom bust” effects associated with large mining, energy and infrastructure projects. We observed people, money and machinery coming to communities that were unprepared to address rapid growth during the construction stages and unable to cope with the economic decline and out-migration that often follows construction. These effects also occurred when a single-industry community saw its workforce being laid off due to a company’s changing economic circumstances.

While we still have examples, such as in the early days of Fort McMurray, Alberta, we’ve learned much about how to manage growth. Today, most communities across northern Canada and other high growth areas gather information about a company’s plans well in advance. They identify what community plans and projects need to be in place to foster “best outcomes” for residents. In some instances, they negotiate and sign Impact Benefit Agreements with project proponents. In other cases, they leverage the boost to municipal and provincial tax coffers.

Today’s best examples feature communities that have not only prepared themselves to be resilient, but have embraced economic opportunities as they occurred, and thrived. There is no boom and bust. Instead, there is steady, predictable and managed social and economic development. Infrastructure and institutions expand as the economy expands. Moreover, benefits accrue to all sectors of society, including those people most in need.

In 2006, Saint John area residents and the province faced a watershed moment. Major investments were planned and underway, including a new potash mine in Sussex, a liquefied natural gas facility and pipeline in Saint John, the refurbishment of the New Brunswick Power Point Lepreau Generating Station and a possible second nuclear reactor. The most significant of these was a second oil refinery in Saint John. To plan for effective growth, community leaders developed a “Benefits Blueprint,” which I worked on. The Benefits Blueprint was just that: an action plan that would manage a period of transformative growth and energize sustainable communities across the province.

I believe the Benefits Blueprint got it right and still has merit. The Summary of Phase 1 Findings states,“the ultimate goal is clear: the growth must be about people. We must ensure that everyone in every part of New Brunswick, benefits.”

The unique and most important characteristic of the Benefits Blueprint is its focus on integrated planning. It outlines a process for ensuring growth happens in such a way that benefits the most people across the province of New Brunswick. I’m particularly proud that the Benefits Blueprint considered how to ensure the province’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged citizens would benefit. In addition to ensuring the host communities would be well equipped to address growth, the Benefits Blueprint would set the stage for generations of opportunity.

The process of identifying challenges and priorities was also notable. The Benefits Blueprint brought together a diverse group of individuals and organizations from throughout the Saint John community and the province who shared a common vision – making their community a better place to live, work and play. Today I see that balanced network approach through the True Growth 2.0 initiative.

Community leaders functioned as a working group. A larger advisory forum was established. Individual citizens, community groups and different levels of government were consulted on how to best achieve social and economic transformation.

The Benefits Blueprint was completed in 2008 and continues to be one of the world’s best examples of such a plan. In fact, the Benefits Blueprint won the IPAC Deloitte Public Sector Leadership Silver Medal for Enterprise Saint John in 2010.

Other communities have since taken parts of the Benefit Blueprint and adopted it for their own purposes. For example, the blueprint’s community “action plans” architecture was recently examined by the Greater Peterborough Area Economic Development Corporation in Ontario for its Integrated Community Sustainability Plan. As a Canadian model for managing growth, the Benefits Blueprint was, in some ways, ahead of its time.

Innovation was centred on the recognition that economic growth and its resulting benefits and challenges are a shared community responsibility. The Benefits Blueprint recognized that the management of change must be more than the responsibility of government or a single economic development agency. Then, as now, everyone needs to play a role in making growth happen and ensuring the rising tide raises all boats.

In 2009, the timing was not right for proceeding with the Eider Rock Refinery, which was the core project driving economic development. Yet, work towards greater social and economic development did not stop. Saint John area communities have since made important advances in various sectors including information, communications and technology; energy and advanced manufacturing; health and life sciences; and tourism, based on the True Growth 2.0 strategy.

Five years out, the Benefits Blueprint continues to be the key to both local and province-wide prosperity. With the potential opportunity to refine oil from western Canada, it may now be time to revisit the Benefits Blueprint to ensure that all residents of Saint John and New Brunswick benefit.

David Hardy is a Principal of Hardy Stevenson and Associates Limited (HSAL).  He is a Registered Professional Planner and trained facilitator and has extensive experience in all of these areas. Dave has participated in over 75 environmental assessments. He has also facilitated close to 1,000 strategic planning meetings and public consultation plans for public and private clients; conducted multi-stakeholder consultation and mediation in numerous sectors; and completed environmental planning assignments for a variety of water and waste water projects.

Honouring Our Forests and their Precious Values on World Forestry Day

Our forests embody a wide range of values, which provide diverse benefits. Historically, the commercial or market value of natural resources has been easier to identify than the non-market values.

When we make policy decisions affecting our forests’ future, how do we know whether we have adequately accounted for “all” the values attributable to them? Do we know if we have encouraged efficient allocation and use of resources, protected limited resources and effectively promoted conservation?

These questions were a starting point when HSAL was retained by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, several years ago after it passed the Crown Forest Sustainability Act.

Our mandate was to provide extensive background research on the non-commercial value of forests, including a colloquium think-tank of field experts in ethics, accounting, First Nation spirituality and theology. From this data, we provided recommendations that played an essential role informing Ontario forest policy decisions, which were central to the Province’s eco-system and economic health, forestry sector’s viability and our communities’ well-being, particularly in the north.

For instance, we identified the need to look holistically at the forest ecosystem as encompassing primarily natural systems, with economic systems and social systems as component parts. Based on extensive landscape data, we also recommended the need for: accounting and evaluation systems to support forest policy decision-making to be guided by Core Principles to encompass intrinsic values; institutional and structural change to establish a Provincial network to enable local, community-based decision making.

At the onset, a literature review and public consultation identified the following values:

• Intrinsic Values – the value something has in itself, independent of its value to any other being. For example, if something can be damaged or harmed, it has some value, and this value is independent of, for example, its usefulness to other beings
• Spiritual Values – the value attached to something by people because of its importance to their spiritual and cultural sense of identity (e.g., special relationship of First Nations people to the land). It would also include our aesthetic response to the forest
• Ecological Values – the value attached to the importance of maintaining forest biodiversity to ensure overall ecosystem health and human survival
• Community Values – this value is central to understanding the sense of community identity, community cohesion and the quality of life in many northern forest communities — the northern Ontario ‘sense of cooperation’
• Existence Value – the value attached to the satisfaction people obtain from an amenity for various reasons other than their expected personal use. In other words, the satisfaction or peace of mind which comes just from knowing that a natural feature, such as a forest, exists independently of our experience or use of it.’

These values set the stage for a much needed broader consideration of their linkages, divergences and place within a full spectrum of forest values. Integral to this was colloquium participants’ belief that “all forest planning must address the need to Avoid Irrecoverable Harm to the forest ecosystem in the short and long term.”

Additional dialogue and research led to development of recommended Core Principles to preserve ecosystem integrity and the following relevant goals:

1. To sustain the health and integrity of ecosystems as a whole (including human processes, economics and health).
2. To sustain the biological diversity of our natural heritage.
3. To sustain the biological productivity of the natural system.
4. To sustain natural ecological processes.
5. To promote environmental education so that the people of Ontario will understand these goals.

We also recommended that these principles explicitly acknowledge the importance of, and accord equal status to the following Core Values:

• The well-being of future generations (the First Nation principle of a seven generation time-line is recommended)
• The well-being of individuals and local communities
• The well-being of forests
• The well-being of the forest economy

Many of the policy decisions initiated by our Precious Values Report still stand. The above Core Principles and Core Values are also as relevant today – World Forestry Day, 2013.

Check our website to learn more about our forestry work experience or how our public consultation, environmental or socio-economic impact assessment expertise can meet your needs.

Leslie Hetherington is Communications Director at Hardy Stevenson and Associates Limited. She is an award-winning, Accredited PR Practitioner (APR) and a past president of the Toronto chapter of the  International Association of Business Communicators. Leslie’s  project experience includes integrated communications planning and implementation through traditional and online channels for diverse mandates, from managing reputations to stimulating economic development in Canada’s North. Skills include stakeholder and media relations, social media marketing, website development, event management and copy writing. 

How to Move Your Home Renovation Forward with Municipal Approvals

You finally have enough saved to start that home renovation. You are ready to build the extension and drive in the first nail.  Before breaking a sweat you decide to contact your friend to lend a hand.  You share your exciting plans with him and he informs you that you may need permission − not from your family − but from your municipality.  Where do you start?

Your friend explains that depending on the nature of your project, you will likely need a building permit from the municipality and will need to apply for a variance from the local Committee of Adjustment (CoA).  To appear before the CoA, you will need to complete a CoA application and include a description of your proposal and a review of the Zoning By-law, among other things.

A Zoning By-law is a municipal regulation that controls the use of land in a community. If a land use, such as a single family home, is prohibited by the Zoning By-law then it is not allowed.  The Zoning By-law also establishes more specific requirements, including exactly where buildings and other structures can be located, lot size and dimension, building height and setbacks from the street. In a practical sense, the Zoning By-law dictates what you can do on your property.  You will also need an authorization form signed by all registered owners of your property, have to pay an application fee and need to prepare scaled plans of your proposal for review. It is also advisable for you to obtain a ‘preliminary project review/pre-application applicable law review’ to identify all aspects of your proposal that don’t comply with the Zoning By-law and to determine if other approvals are required.

Unless you are an urban planner, architect, property developer, municipal planning lawyer or have been involved in a construction project that requires municipal permitting before, you are likely unfamiliar with the municipal development approvals process.

A CoA is appointed by municipal council.  It is authorized by the Ontario Planning Act to grant minor variances from the provisions of the Zoning By-law, to permit extensions, enlargements or variations of existing legal non-conforming uses, and give consent to a land owner who wishes to sell, convey or transfer an interest part of their land. The CoA is also authorized to provide consent for terms of an agreement, such as a mortgage, easement or lease that commits land to a use for a period exceeding 21 years. And the CoA has the authority to issue a “certificate of validation” and to give “approval of a foreclosure of or an exercise of a power of sale in a mortgage or charge.”

If you are appearing before the CoA for your renovation project, you are likely seeking approval for a minor variance from the Zoning By-law or permission to extend or enlarge a legal non-conforming use.  As seeking approvals for extending or enlarging legal non-conforming uses can be complex, I will limit this post’s focus to minor variances.

If for example, you plan to enlarge your kitchen and this involves moving an exterior wall closer to your neighbour’s property than the minimum 0.5 metre side yard separation required by the Zoning By-law, you cannot obtain a building permit for construction without first applying to, and receiving, a minor variance from Zoning By-law, through the CoA.

How do you maximize your chances of success at a CoA meeting about your minor variance application? Here are some key steps:

1. Educate yourself - Go to your Municipality’s website and review the CoA’s role, hearing procedures and authority. Next, review the Zoning By-law for your location and familiarize yourself with the requirements.  Finally, review the Official Plan to gain a better understanding of your municipality’s urban growth and development philosophy. The information you learn will be invaluable.

2. Consult your local councillor and municipality - If you haven’t done so already, speak with the municipal building and planning departments.  They can give you further guidance, input and clarification about your project and CoA procedures. Alternatively, consider retaining a professional, such as a land use planner, to represent you at the CoA meeting. Land use planners routinely deal with CoA meetings and are familiar with CoA procedures, as well as planning legislation and regulations.

Next, talk to your local municipal councillor about your project − from constructing a garage or bedroom to extending your kitchen or constructing a gazebo in your backyard. Councillors are familiar with neighbourhood sensitivities and will be able to shed light on where the opposition, if any, will come from.  They also understand CoA procedures and may be able to provide good advice. Be sure to ask them what you can do to ensure your project is most suitable for your neighbourhood.  Your councillor will appreciate your professionalism and candor.  It will also prepare them to respond to your neighbour’s potential concerns.  Of course, you will then heed the councillor’s advice, present yourself professionally and express a genuine concern for your neighbours’ interests and how your project fits the neighbourhood’s character. 

3. Attend a CoA meeting in advance - If you have time, attend a CoA meeting.  A schedule should be posted on your municipality’s website but if not, contact them and inquire.  At the meeting, pay attention to the process, the questions the CoA asks, as well as any concerns and recommendations it raises.  Also consider the issues, concerns and recommendations voiced by the public.  Take notes and think about how this information applies to your project.  

The CoA schedule typically cites the purpose or nature of the application; find an application for a project similar to yours and attend that meeting.  CoA applications are available for public review.  It is also a good idea to review existing applications on file to get a sense of the information provided by applicants with similar projects.

4. Share your proposed project - Honesty is the best policy.  Discuss your plans with your neighbours and other homeowners on your street.  It is always best to be transparent about your plans, particularly with the people who may be directly affected by your project.

Legally, the Planning Act requires municipalities to notify all registered property owners within 60 metres of your property about your CoA application.  It’s best for these people hear about your project from you early on, rather than being surprised by a legal notice from your municipality.

When meeting with your neighbours, discuss any issues they might have and try to resolve as many of their concerns as possible. This is easier said than done and depends on the relationship you have with your neighbours, but it doesn’t hurt to try in good faith.

The CoA will be pleased you sought input from your neighbours, who in turn, will appreciate your willingness to hear their perspective.

5. Prepare a presentation - Be ready to provide an overview of your proposal at the CoA meeting and to articulate why you believe it should be granted approval.  Before approving a Minor Variance, the CoA must satisfy itself that the proposal meets the four tests in the Planning Act pursuant to section 45(1).  State how your proposal satisfies each of the tests.

The four tests are that the variance is:

• Minor in nature
• Desirable for the appropriate development or use of the land,
  building or structure
• In keeping with the general intent of the Zoning By-law
• In keeping with the general intent of the Official Plan

If possible, include visual materials, such as architectural renderings, images of your home, your neighbour’s home, your street and neighbourhood’s character.  It is also a good idea to take photographs of similar projects that other nearby homeowners have undertaken. This will provide members of the CoA with additional information and support your position.

6. Prepare responses to potential concerns - Prepare to address the Committee’s concerns, which should focus on the four tests cited (step 5).  Determine how your proposal passes each test.  Then, be ready to address your neighbours’ concerns about your proposal and the impact it has on their property, lifestyle, privacy, etc.  Also be set to address the affect your project may have on the neighbourhood’s character.  Hopefully no concerns will come as a surprise, as they should have been raised during your initial consultation (step 2).

7. Be organized - Find out how many members sit on your municipality’s CoA.  Bring sufficient copies of your presentation and other supporting materials for each committee member; ensure they are neat, well organized and free of spelling mistakes.

8. Look professional, act professional - First impressions count.  Wear professional attire and use formal language. Listen to all points of view and be courteous at all times.

Do you think your upcoming renovation requires municipal approval? If so, please contact us if you have questions or would like a professional land use planner to represent you at the CoA meeting. 

(Note: This post was initially published on December 13, 2011 but re-issued in February 2013 due to timely relevance.)

Andrzej Schreyer , R.P.P. is a senior land use and environmental planner with Hardy Stevenson and Associates Limited and a member of the Ontario Professional Planners Institute and the Canadian Institute of Planners.  His experience includes developing and implementing public participation and communication plans, managing social impact assessments and land use studies in support of infrastructure projects and preparing community-based strategic plans.

Colloquium Forum Sets Stage for Positive Outcomes

The Portlands Energy Centre colloquium attracted more than 50 researchers, professors, students, energy sector workers, public and private sector employees and members of the community to discuss how to strengthen sustainable power plants.

What’s in a name? Well, in the case of the name “colloquium” it can be the neutralizing factor that sets the stage for diverse stakeholders, sometimes with opposing views, to discuss topics in a collegial manner.

Stemming from the Latin word “colloqu,” meaning  discussion or conversation, a colloquium is defined by Collins English Dictionary as: an informal gathering for discussion or an academic seminar. Unlike a traditional conference with primarily one-way communication lectures, this type of seminar encourages participants to discuss specific topics, advance ideas and share information in a fairly interactive way.

This format is frequently used for academic initiatives. We have however found it ideal for bringing industry, academia and the general public together to collaborate on solutions to a shared challenge.

This graphic highlights concepts raised at the Portlands Energy Centre`s colloquium, while brainstorming how power plants can enhance their ecological footprint.

Most recently, we worked with the Portlands Energy Centre (PEC) on a colloquium for like-minded energy sector workers, researchers, academics and community members to brainstorm how power plants can enhance their ecological footprint. The one-day event attracted a broad mix of stakeholders and featured numerous presentations delivered live, as well as by web conferencing from utilities and researchers. Between presentations, HSAL facilitated round-table and open discussions for delegates to share insights about ecological sustainability practices and how energy sector employees can partner with local communities to implement them.

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive with most participants stating it exceeded expectations and noting the virtues of the discussion component. What’s more, the event gave the PEC a list of community-driven ideas and case studies for future consideration.

As business and industry discovers the benefit of turning to their communities for input on topics and challenges with  ramifications beyond their boardroom walls, we suspect colloquiums may grow in popularity.

Contact us if you’d like to discuss how a colloquium or other strategic approaches can engage your community and bring you closer to constructive solutions and win-win outcomes.

Leslie Hetherington is Communications Director at Hardy Stevenson and Associates Limited. She is an award-winning, Accredited PR Practitioner (APR) and a past president of the Toronto chapter of the  International Association of Business Communicators. Leslie’s  project experience includes integrated communications planning and implementation through traditional and online channels for diverse mandates, from managing reputations to stimulating economic development in Canada’s North. Skills include stakeholder and media relations, social media marketing, website development, event management and copy writing. 

How to Work with Multiple Stakeholder Groups

Working with multiple stakeholders doesn’t have to be an exercise in frustration. Positive outcomes depend on communication and mutual understanding.

In my experience working with major projects, I have learned a lot about communication between several different organizations and levels of government. Sometimes it is very difficult to see progress with projects with so many stakeholders, but here are a few tips for making it work:

SHARE and DISCUSS ideas with all stakeholders before implementation

If you’re working with several stakeholders, make sure that there is constant communication between the groups. As you progress through a project, everyone will need to be kept up-to-date on what the changes are in case there are items that require stakeholder approval. Just going to stakeholders with a final design and plan expecting approval will not always work. Every stakeholder has a specific interest and may see the project differently. Ensure that everyone agrees, or at least finds your assumptions and/ or solution acceptable. It is easier to know where stakeholders have concerns while you’re still in the concept stage rather than going back to square one if a base assumption you used did not align with a stakeholder’s mentality or requirements.

Be prepared to COMPROMISE 

People always say it’s a dog-eat-dog world out there, but that is not true. Of course everyone has their own interests in mind, but that doesn’t mean that there isn’t some wiggle room. When preparing a project with several stakeholders, you need to think of a variety of approaches and ideas that can satisfy everyone. As stated above, you’ll need to include each stakeholder in discussion. In the process, you may find that on certain items stakeholders may be willing to accept something other than their original position. With so many different interests, you need to have an open mind and the ability to compromise. If you cannot compromise, your project will never take off.

Try to understand all stakeholders’ PERSPECTIVES and CONSTRAINTS

While I do say above that compromise is key, you have to remember that different stakeholders have different requirements and constraints. You need to understand these before starting your work. Try to discover these constraints and perspectives at the beginning of your project during the proposal or concept stage. As I said previously, it easier to restart a project while you’re still in the beginning stages than it is to scrap a nearly final or final draft because you did not realize a key constraint of an important stakeholder.

DO NOT BE OFFENDED if someone does not agree with your work

Let’s face it; with so many different people involved in a project, and so many different ways that the same outcome can be achieved, not everyone is going to agree.  If someone takes the conceptual red pen to your work and marks it up entirely, it’s not you or your ideas that they’re trying to offend, they just have a different perspective or idea of how the project should progress. All comments and criticisms should be taken as ways to improve your project rather than as a harsh criticism and judgmental opinion of your work personally. Most projects don’t evolve perfectly and usually take several iterations before they are implemented. It takes a lot of input and reworking, especially when there are several stakeholders on a project. Take everything into consideration and don’t discount a suggestion because you feel that it is a criticism on yourself. Every stakeholder has an interest in the project and wants it to come to fruition.

Be PROACTIVE not REACTIVE

It is difficult to see every outcome before they occur, but if you have a framework set out to capture the unforeseen, then you’re heads above everyone else.  Try to create a plan to address issues that are likely to arise, and prepare responses for the items that you feel will become issues before they do. Don’t wait for minor fires to blaze into forest fires before you stomp them out.

If you keep these five items in mind when you start your project, chances are your project will progress much more smoothly than if you only discover them mid-project. If you only remember one of these tips, then remember the first tip – share and discuss ideas with all stakeholders before implementation–  the others all stem from these foundational discussions.

Lauren Wingham-Smith is a Municipal Peer Review Team Project Assistant with Hardy Stevenson and Associates Limited, acting on behalf of the Municipality of Port Hope. She holds a Bachelor of Engineering, specializing in Materials Science and Engineering with a minor in Economics. This multidisciplinary background allows Lauren to view both the environmental and human effects of engineering projects. She is also passionate about green innovation and design.

How to Effectively Use QR Codes for Your Business

A QR Code for the Hardy Stevenson and Associates website.

Walking down the street or flipping through a magazine you may have come across a square made of seemingly random smaller black and white squares. What you may or may not know is this square is a QR code, and when be quickly scanned by a smart phone takes the user to a website with more information.

These codes were originally created by the auto industry in Japan but marketers quickly saw their value as a cost effective way to advertise. Traditionally posters or ads could only provide as much information as there was space. There was also the challenge of providing information while still making the ad easy to read and creative enough to stand out. This small black and white box was a game changer because now more information could easily be accessed.

These codes are starting to become prominent now because the technology has become mainstream. Having a smart phone is becoming the norm for people today. Also with faster Wi-Fi connections and mobile internet speeds, people can get information on the go without waiting.  Some phones are coming with a scanner already built into the operating system, while for others there are many great free scanning apps that can be downloaded no matter what kind of smart phone you are using.

With any new concept there will be an appropriate, and a less than ideal, approach to using it.

DO – Have the code lead to supplemental information that is on the poster. For example, a clothing store could have the code leading to a website that has all the prices of the clothing modeled in the poster, and where the closest store would be to their location.

DON’T – Put them on posters where people will not have internet access.  If the ad is going to be hung in the subway don’t put a QR code on it people will try to scan it but will be unable to get any information. DO – Make them stand out. If you are going to put a QR code on your ad make sure it is easily identifiable and easy to scan. If people aren’t able to identify that there is a QR code on the poster, or aren’t able to scan it, they could be missing important information and the code wouldn’t be doing what it was designed for.

DON’T – Put one on just because they are a growing trend. QR codes aren’t for every company or situation. If your key demographic is people over 60 the chances that it will actually be used are quite small. Also if, when scanned, people are just taken to a digital version of the same ad people will be less likely to scan your codes in the future – give them something new to discover.

When used properly QR can be an extremely effective way to reach the public and bring them to a company’s website. In the future, companies should also find ways to engage with consumers with contests for scanning their codes or receiving a discount by scanning a code. This will make people look for the company’s ads which in turn will make a campaign more effective.

Sean Ashbridge is an intern at Hardy Stevenson and Associates Limited, from Loyalist College’s Post-Graduate Public Relations program. Previous to obtaining his post-grad in PR, Sean completed an undergraduate degree in Geography, with a minor in Political Science, from the University of Guelph. Sean is a member of both The International Association of Business Communicators and The Canadian Public Relations Society. 

Why Municipalities Need Social Media

With so many social networks to choose from, it is understandable why municipalities are reluctant to get 'social,' but these communication tools are providing a valuable means by which to speak with constituents in real time.

The number of Canadians using some form of social media is growing daily. In 2011, 35 per cent of Canadians visited a social media site everyday – representing growth of 16 per cent from 2010 (Jason, 2011). While young people are often the earliest adopters of new technology, once it becomes mainstream other generations jump on the latest, trendiest social media bandwagon too. Almost two-thirds of Canadians aged 35-54 years old – and over 40 per cent of those over the age of 55 – are now actively using social media (Jason, 2011).

If so many Canadians are using social media, wouldn’t it make sense that municipalities and governments adopted these tools to speak to their audiences? In theory yes, but in practice we’re seeing a different trend. Often the last to adopt new technologies are governments. If by chance they do adopt them early, in many cases they are not using these tools correctly or effectively.

Social media sites need to facilitate open dialogue with the public – after all “social” is in the name! Many times governments, or politicians, use social media as a means to promote news about positive changes they are making. While this is a starting point in online communications, there needs to be more interaction with the public. If an individual asks a question, or makes a comment, they should get a quick response (take a look at how Red Bull manages their social media).

While a real time response may seem like a simple answer to complex public relations issues, making someone feel that their opinions have been heard is important. It’s the little things that can really change a person’s perspective about a candidate or an issue. The feeling that “my opinion matters,” is critical when trying to raise low youth voting numbers. Only 38.8 per cent of Canadian youth (18-24) voted in the most recent Federal Election (Horgan, 2011). Could this have been higher if more creative, transparent social media strategies had been implemented?

News happens 24 hours a day, and with social media anyone can be a citizen journalist. If city or municipal issues arise,a good social media presence can let the public know you are aware and taking action. This is not meant to take the place of traditional media, but rather to work in conjunction with requisite PR and communications tools by acting as a method for real time response.

Many of the most popular social media platforms are free of charge; the only cost is the time you put in to manage your account(s). This is great for governments that don’t want to be seen as wasting taxpayer dollars. However, it does take man hours to respond to and monitor social media queries, but if there are two or three people tasked with the job of social media management (i.e. members of the existing communications team), the amount of time each will have to commit will be minimal and manageable.

Governments tend to be reactive rather than proactive when it comes to adopting technology and social media tools. However, by implementing a social media strategy, and using these tools effectively, governments will have an innovative means of reaching out to, and interacting with, the public.

References

Horgan, C. (2012, November 24). Canada’s youth vote edges up in 2011, but still a drag on the total turnout. Retrieved from, http://www.ipolitics.ca/ 2011/11/24/canadas-youth-vote-edges-up-in-2011-but-still-a-drag-on-the-total-turnout/

Jason. (2012, July 20). Canadian Social Media Statistics 2011. Retrieved from, http://www.webfuel.ca/canada-social-media-statistics-2011/

Sean Ashbridge is an intern at Hardy Stevenson and Associates Limited, from Loyalist College’s Post-Graduate Public Relations program. Previous to obtaining his post-grad in PR, Sean completed an undergraduate degree in Geography, with a minor in Political Science, from the University of Guelph. Sean is a member of both The International Association of Business Communicators and The Canadian Public Relations Society. 

Toronto’s Energy Future: Part 2

As promised, here’s Part 2 of Noah’s documentary on, “Toronto’s Energy Future.”

Noah Brotman is an Urban Planner at Hardy Stevenson Associates Limited and the newest member of our team. Noah completed his Master of Environmental Studies and Urban Planning at York University. While there, he focused on planning policy development, urban design, renewable energy implementation and community involvement in the planning process. Noah has extensive experience in video production as well as experience in analyzing the impacts of large-scale infrastructure projects on local communities.

Toronto’s Energy Future: Part 1

Our newest team member, Noah Brotman, created a compelling documentary on, “Toronto’s Energy Future.” Here’s Part 1. (Part 2 will follow later this week.)

Noah Brotman is an Urban Planner at Hardy Stevenson Associates Limited and the newest member of our team. Noah completed his Master of Environmental Studies and Urban Planning at York University. While there, he focused on planning policy development, urban design, renewable energy implementation and community involvement in the planning process. Noah has extensive experience in video production as well as experience in analyzing the impacts of large-scale infrastructure projects on local communities.

Planning Through Video

We live in a world where there is constant competition for people’s attention. On a daily basis we can be inundated by information from dozens of social media sites, news aggregators, blog, vlogs, podcasts, twitter, facebook and so on. With more distraction than ever before, how is a simple notice for public consultation supposed to gain traction? How are people going to think deeply about a subject when there are a dozen other things vying for their attention? How are we supposed to encapsulate complex issues and thinking into just 140 characters or less?

This is one of the fundamental challenges with which modern planners are now wrestling…how to break through the noise and truly reach people. How can we get people to really engage with a project and help them to gain an understanding of what is going on? More and more these days, the tried and true method of public meetings, newspaper articles and standard public notices just doesn’t seem to be reaching people like they used to. Most of us feel just too busy, or too distracted, or too tired to read extensively to inform ourselves on an issue.

But not to worry, this is not the end of planning communications, but rather, the launching pad for a renaissance. If we want to truly reach people, we need acknowledge these challenges and push the dialogue forward in new and more creative ways. We need to speak in mediums that people are comfortable with. We need video.

For many, especially the younger generations, video has become the dominant information medium. Television news viewership has surpassed newspaper readership for years. Far too many students watch movie versions of the books they are supposed to be reading. Watching a quick Youtube video is the new “how-to” reference. Simply put, the role of video in society has moved beyond novelty and has become an increasingly powerful information medium.

Within planning, the increased use of video could improve numerous aspects of our field. Besides the clear use as a presentation medium, planners could also benefit from using video as a way of hearing more directly from local stakeholders. Wondering how to redevelop a neighbourhood or make major zoning changes to an Official Plan? A well produced documentary could capture the real voices and realities of life for area residents. People who might never attend a consultation or fill out a survey might find this to be a way to help engage with the process, allowing them to share their perspectives and stories to give planners a real understanding of the area and its people. For public consultations, a concise and visually appealing video showing various artistic representations of a proposed project would mean far more to people than a dry textual description. A 3D visualization with depth and movement can impart a liveliness that images on paper struggle for. The impact that this could have on the public perception of the project cannot be understated.

As society devotes more and more attention to new media, it is becoming increasingly clear that this marks both a powerful challenge and a fascinating opportunity for modern planners. It is essential that we continue to employ innovative new methods and keep up with cutting edge technologies or risk being left behind. Planners should learn to embrace video in the planning process as much as people have come to embrace it in their living process.

Noah Brotman is an Urban Planner at Hardy Stevenson Associates Limited and the newest member of our team. Noah completed his Master of Environmental Studies and Urban Planning at York University. While there, he focused on planning policy development, urban design, renewable energy implementation and community involvement in the planning process. Noah has extensive experience in video production as well as experience in analyzing the impacts of large-scale infrastructure projects on local communities.