I am seriously considering creating a special web site to
host all of the different committees and work groups that are developing
economic strategies for the City of Greater Sudbury. It is actually
getting hard to keep track of them all.
Let's see: We had the Greater Sudbury: Today and Tomorrow Conference
which was designed to give us an overview of some of the local success
stories. The Greater Sudbury Economic Development Corporation is
developing a strategic plan which is going to be presented to Council in
June. New Economy Sudbury has completed a year-long review and is thinking
of continuing the process in the near future. We have had consultants
prepare reports that have been given to Council. We have had a number of
strategic plans developed in the past eight or ten years that were to have
given us direction. The post-secondary institutions have their marketing
plans. The Northern Ontario Medical School has its plan.
Now, it seems as the City of Greater Sudbury has established a Mapping
The Vision Committee, chaired by Councillor Ron Dupuis. Normally, this
news would cause a person to throw up his hands and state emphatically,
"NOT ANOTHER ONE!"
But, it seems as if this one might be different.
What makes it different is something I read that stated that the
committee has already agreed that the focus of discussion should center on
SMART, or specific measurable achievable relevant and time-oriented goals.
This is the "smartest" thing I have heard in a long time.
Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time-oriented goals.
In other words, take things one step at a time so that you can be
specific and measure the results. Anyone who has done any long-range
planning will tell you that short, achievable goals will enable you to
achieve those major, long-term goals.
According to Ron Dupuis, "Economic development and jobs have got
to be at the forefront of what we do as a Council."
The committee is looking at priorities that include:
Sustainable infrastructure
Economic Development
Health Care
Attracting and Retaining Youth
Environment and Energy
Community Engagement
Planning for the Future
Branding Greater Sudbury with an enhanced image
The GREATER SUDBURY MARKETING ALLIANCE is a specific strategic
development action plan designed to take care of most of the priorities of
the committee. Furthermore, the GSMA action plan is S.M.A.R.T.
It was also mentioned that the new committee will work in cooperation
with the Greater Sudbury Development Corporation in developing an economic
development strategic plan. I am not quite sure what that means. The GSDC
is aiming to bring a report to Council at the end of June. That means that
the Council will read and digest the report during the summer holidays and
return in September to deal with it. However, with an election on the
horizon, it is not likely that the current councillors will want to
establish any form of marketing plan which will tie the hands of an
in-coming council. This means that the new council will be prepared
to deal with the report some time in January or February 2004 - a full
year from now!
We are entering a very important "WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY" in
the next several months. This window of opportunity will not remain open
indefinitely. The Greater Sudbury Area must "BEGIN" to take
action. It may not be the whole strategy, but we must begin to improve our
image and take steps to generate economic development.
Once people accept the fact that an "Economic Development
Strategy" is always going to be a work-in-progress with no end in
sight, we will stop planning and meeting to "talk" about what we
should be doing. People are leaving the Greater Sudbury Area for the
Toronto region because that is where the action is. We must create action
in Sudbury to keep our creative people excited about remaining in the
north.
When the barn is on fire, the farmers don't gather around the water
pump to discuss whether they should use the water from the pump or from
the well, or whether they should carry the water in buckets or pails. They
don't try to decide whether they should save the horses before the cows,
or the chickens before the goats. They grab whatever they can to carry
water to try to put out the fire and desperately attempt to save as many
animals as possible.
The leaders who are Mapping The Vision for the Greater Sudbury Area
must be made aware that the barn is burning and there is no time to talk.
Something must be done and it must be done soon.
