2019-2020

Pictou County Regional Enterprise Network A year in review 2019-2020

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Message from the CEO

What a first year it has been! On April 1, 2019, the PCREN’s operations began. In the first month, those “operations” consisted mostly of just me – working remotely from a home office – connecting with our Board members, community stakeholders, local businesses, government departments and the other RENs in the province- wide REN network. I followed the Board’s good advice to look around and see what others, before us, had done. Before developing a Regional Strategy for Pictou County, we wanted to seek meaningful input from those who would be impacted. We looked across the Province and in other regions to find out what projects/programs/approaches had worked in other economies and – perhaps more importantly – which ones had not.

Our first eight months were a flurry of positive activity. Our office was established and our team began to grow. We became involved in a number of business community conversations and were energized by the universal appetite amongst business & community leaders, as well as key stakeholders, to find new ways to collaborate for the greater good.

It is worth noting that the PCREN has experienced universal and unwavering support from all of our stakeholders: Pictou Landing First Nation; the Towns of New Glasgow, Pictou, Stellarton, Trenton; and Westville; and the Municipality of the County of Pictou, as well as the Province’s Department of Municipal Affairs & Housing. Each and every stakeholder has made themselves available as resources when asked, and has respected the governance structure established through the Intermunicipal Agreement. The leadership and insight at our Board table was invaluable. The PCREN was not provided with a “roadmap” for how to develop, support and grow our local economy, but we began to see patterns of the areas where support was needed most, and where opportunities for new partnerships might exist.

Of course, December 2019 marked the beginning of what would turn out to be a rather unusual end to the fiscal year. First, the closure of Northern Pulp was announced, which created economic and personal ripple effects for many community members and businesses, on all sides of the proverbial fence. Not long after, Pictou County found itself facing the COVID-19 pandemic along with the rest of the world.

After experiencing this unusual end to the year, the PCREN renewed its belief in the importance of finding practical, concrete and effective ways to support the business community we serve. We know that our support is most needed in areas of business retention & expansion, workforce development and economic innovation. By year end, the PCREN has: an operational office; more than $690,000 in new funding secured; the beginnings of a strong Regional Strategy; a large network of partnerships; a growing list of projects; and a team of four full time and two part time staff. We are determined to keep moving forward in a way that creates positive impact in our local economy and demonstrates value to our business community and stakeholders.

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Liaison and Oversight Committee (LOC) Mayor Lennie White Town of Westville (Chair) Councillor Larry Turner Municipality of the County of Pictou Mayor Nancy Dicks Town of New Glasgow Councillor Dan Currie Town of Pictou Mayor Danny MacGillivray Town of Stellarton Councillor Donald Hussher Town of Trenton Barry Francis Pictou Landing First Nation Ross MacDonald, Municipal Advisor Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Board of Directors (2019-2020) Graham MacNeil, Chair Desarai Mosher Ryan Fraser (Vice-Chair) Shaun Briand Alisha Mombourquette, (Treasurer) Stuart Cresswell Dr. Nancy McLean (Secretary) Lindsay Shaw Jim Bate Joe Fiander retired from the Board during the Fall of 2019.

PICTOU COUNTY REGIONAL ENTERPRISE NETWORK The Pictou County Regional Enterprise Network (“PCREN”) is a not-for-profit organization tasked with driving economic development in Pictou County. The PCREN was incorporated on August 2, 2018 under the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies. It became fully operational with the appointment of its Chief Executive Officer on April 1, 2019.

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What we have been up to Strategic plan In the Fall of 2019, with the support of the Building a strong foundation Acadia Centre for Entrepreneurship, a In Nova Scotia, Regional Enterprise Networks survey was developed to seek input from a are leading a collaborative approach to wide variety of PCREN partners, and economic development and supporting community stakeholders. Due to the business growth outside the Halifax area. closure announcement of Northern Pulp, Their collective mission is to guide and distribution of the survey was delayed until navigate regional economic development 2020. The purpose of this survey was to while providing support to businesses; better understand community and partner operate as connectors among economic perceptions of the PCREN, Pictou County, development partners, supporting business and opinions regarding economic growth and retention; and provide regional development priorities and opportunities. leadership on economic priorities. In 2019- In total, 187 responses to the survey were 2020, the PCREN team worked to establish collected from a diverse group of strong connections with RENS across the stakeholders ranging from municipal province. representatives to residents of Pictou County with no affiliation with the PCREN. Creating a PCREN start-up plan The survey responses would later be used On April 1, 2019, the PCREN CEO, Sarah to inform and to create the 3-year strategic MacIntosh-Wiseman, was hired to lead the plan that would later be finalized by the Pictou County Regional Enterprise Network Board and approved by the LOC in June team and organization. 2020. It is important to note that the Strategic Planning process was not Funding applications complete in the 2019-2020 year, due to During its first year in operation, the PCREN complications arising from the then secured 693,971 of new funding from additional emerging COVID-19 pandemic. government sources, to supplement the PCREN's operational budget. This includes a five-year fund Secured and set-up office location from IRCC (Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship An office location at 112 Provost St. was secured Canada) to support local businesses in ensuring and set-up to welcome staff. they are well equipped to settle new workers; to develop template resources about economic Office set-up including bookkeeping and accounting practices, as well as software and immigration and settlement in small furniture. communities, for replication across Canada; amongst other activities. The PCREN also - supported other Pictou County organizations in securing more than $325,000 of new funding.

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What we have been up to - establishing a regional Workforce Development Committee to operate in partnership with the Programs to address gaps in the workforce Department of Labour & Advanced Education and The PCREN is part of a consultation group other economic partners. that has been established by NSCC to consider entrepreneurship programming Economic Mobility Pathway Project at the local campus. The PCREN is The PCREN is working with several national and engaging in discussions around: international partners, as well as the Federal and

Provincial government, to explore new and -a customized Early Childhood Educator (ECE) innovative approaches to solving labour certificate program that would provide education shortages. The project received enthusiastic and employment opportunities for unemployed support and interest from local employers who and underemployed individuals in our face chronic and increasing labour market community, while matching local employers to shortages, and who are committed to taking a newly trained, highly skilled employees. two-pronged approach of: 1) creating

opportunities for existing under-and-unemployed -a virtual Continuing Care Assistant (CCA) community members; and 2) simultaneously program which would increase the availability of recruiting skilled workers internationally to skilled healthcare workers to local long term care address labour gaps. employers who are facing chronic and increasing labour shortages.

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What we have been up to Welcome Home Guide In 2019-2020 year, The Pictou County COVID-19 response Regional Enterprise Network was pleased to The PCREN worked quickly to develop support the Healthy Pictou County resource of COVID-19 related information application for funds to develop a Welcome (grants and restrictions), as well as a Home Guide. The 92-page guide would be resource for businesses to advertise developed and later released in the summer business hours and services at of 2020. pictoucounty.com. Business & Community Engagement Through outreach efforts the PCREN team Export trade more accessible The PCREN has been working with Summer Street engaged 107 local businesses and community stakeholders using a variety of and local small businesses to explore and develop methods, including: in-person, phone calls, a model that will support inclusive employment surveys, and emails. and small business growth.

Additionally, the PCREN is exploring a co-packing facility arrangement between Summer Street and five to 10 small businesses.

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Partners

211 Develop NS Pictou County Kids First Safe Harbour

ACOA Engage NS MP Office Summer Street Industries

Canadian Council for Refugees Future Skills Nova Scotia Business Inc Refuge Point

Nova Scotia Community United Nations Refugee Career Connections Ignite College (NSCC) Agency (UNHCR)

NS Department of NS Regional Planning & CCRCE Invest NS Agriculture Economic Development

Pictou County Chamber of NS Communities, Culture & Commerce IRCC Heritage YMCA/ Y Reach

Community Sector Council of Talent Beyond NS ISANS NS Department of Business Boundaries

NS Health Authority Nova Scotia RENs The Shapiro Foundation Pictou County MLAs

NS Department of Labour & Nova Scotia Office of Business Retention & StFX Centre for Advanced Education Immigration (NSOI) Expansion International Employment Innovation

NS Department of Health & Ignite Labs Nova Scotia Works Wellness Trucking Sector Council

“Working for a sustainable and thriving Pictou County”

The Pictou County Regional Enterprise Network

Contact information: Tel: (902)755-2244 Email: [email protected]

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