Capitalizing on Untapped Potential

1. Capitalizing on Untapped Potential An Effective Collaboration Strategy for the Great Lakes Region Blue Eh? Consulting Ltd.

2. Agenda • Introduction • Strategic Context • Viable Options • Recommended Option • Conclusion & Questions

3. What is the Great Lakes Region? • Two provinces:Ontario & Quebec • Eight States: Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin • Five Great Lakes

4. What is the Great Lakes Region? • Economic Powerhouse • $4.6 trillion USD in economic output • Cross-border trade in this region sustains 2 million jobs • Rich in Human Capital • Population of 105 million • 20/100 of world’s top research universities • Diverse Ecosystem • 21% of world’s freshwater stores • 84% of North American

5. Strategic Context • The presence of an international border creates a competitive disadvantage with respect to economic growth and environmental stewardship in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Region. • We propose a model of mature collaboration through the creation of a Great Lakes Partnership Council (GLPC) to strengthen prosperity and partnerships in the Great Lakes Region.  

6. Untapped Potential • Gap in leadership, knowledge sharing and advocacy • 400 separate regulations affecting cross-border trade and 5,000 annual changes • Lack of partnership facilitation and ongoing support in variety of economic sectors, including manufacturing • Ineffective cross-border advocacy and collaboration on blue economy,water stewardship and conservation • Weak and uncoordinated voice

7. Policy Need • Key Requirements • To improve region's social, economic, and environmental future by addressing collaboration gaps in leadership, advocacy, and knowledge sharing.   • Develop and champion short-term initiatives/projects; develop a long-term vision. • Assumptions • The region is ready for a model of government-led regional collaboration. • Current and Potential Constraints • No binding authority for legislative decision-making • Cross-border trade in this region sustains 2 million jobs

8. Function of GLPC To foster a mature collaborative region, the GLPC will: • Create and maintain inventory of regional work • Turn bigger goals into smaller, more manageable goals • Create opportunities for interactions among leaders • Find resources/redistribute resources • Report outcomes

9. Options • Maintain Status Quo • Implement a State/Provincial governance model • Private Sector Delivery • Hybrid Public-Private Model

10. Option Analysis Strengths Weaknesses Option 2: State/Provincial Model Option 3: Private Sector Delivery

11. Option 4: Hybrid Public-Private Model • Combination of private and public advocacy and participation • In addition to government participation, includes a Private Sector Board of Directors, made up of 4 members from each state/provincial jurisdiction as selected • Council Seats: industry leaders, public leaders, NGOs, • Funding provided from a variety of sources; reduces risk of long-term funding issues • Cost: 1.5 million/year Strengths Weaknesses

12. Recommended Option Hybrid Model: Public/private • Deciding Factors • Need for input from all stakeholders E.g. Civic, public, private • Diversified funding portfolio • Costs Rough operating cost of $1.5m with projected growth in expenditures of about 5-10% per year • Risks Possible free-rider issue, need to ensure incentives for dues payment

13. Implementation • Organization: • Issues-based Working groups • Steering Committee • Accountability: Annual Report  financial analysis, successes, lessons learned, improvement • Membership: Cross-stakeholder council seats • Public (multi-level - state/provincial, local, etc.); private (cross-industry); civic • Management: Annual business plans; long-term strategic plan • Evaluation: Neutral third party evaluation team

14. Evaluation • Outcomes • Economic • Employment / Jobs • Number of jobs created • Success rate of businesses    engaged in cross-border trade • Production • Manufacturing output • Regional GDP • SMEs • surveys of businesses regarding ongoing cross border issues • Environment • Water quality • Air quality • Public health indicators • access to primary care • nutritional needs/food costs Organization: • Issues-based Working groups • Steering Committee • Accountability: Annual Report  financial analysis, successes, lessons learned, improvement • Membership: Cross-stakeholder council seats • Public (multi-level - state/provincial, local, etc.); private (cross-industry); civic • Management: Annual business plans; long-term strategic plan

15. Cost-Benefit Analysis

16. Cost/Benefit analysis Costs: Approximately $1.5m per year in operating costs, projected to increase by approximately 5-10% per year Benefits: Regional GDP is $4.6tn – an increase of even .1% results in benefits of hundreds of millions of dollars

17. Communications Three phase communications strategy • Identify and engage stakeholders • Implement external communications plan • Sustain communication

18. Multiple Stakeholders, Multiple Messages

19. Communications Evaluation • Internal evaluation of public interest, stakeholder opposition • Develop feedback mechanism to shape and improve future communication strategies