BUSINESS PLAN 2020-21 Contents Page Appendices 2020-21 Business Plan Executive Summary ....................................................................................... 3 Appendix A: Board and Committee Organizational Mandate and Vision ....................................................................................... 9 Chart Meeting the Priorities of the Province of Ontario ........................................ 10 Strategic Directions ..................................................................................... 16 Appendix B: Staff Organizational Chart Strategic Priorities and Goals – Highlights of 2019-20 Achievements and 2020-21 Plans ........................................................................................... 23 Appendix C: Review of 2019-20 – Strategic Priorities Environmental Scans ................................................................................... 34 and Goals Review of 2019-20 – Operational Performance .......................................... 54 Strategic Priority #1 Review of 2019-20 – Capital Activities ........................................................ 59 Strategic Priority #2 Current and Forthcoming Plans 2020-21 – Strategic Priorities and Goals . 60 Strategic Priority #3 Strategic Priority #1 ............................................................................... 60 Strategic Priority #4 Strategic Priority #2 ............................................................................... 68 Strategic Priority #5 Strategic Priority #3 ............................................................................... 74 Strategic Priority #4 ............................................................................... 78 Appendix D: Business Plan Financials Strategic Priority #5 ............................................................................... 82 Operating Forecast (through 2022-23) Current and Forthcoming Plans 2020-21 – Operational Performance ........ 87 Attendance and FTE Forecast (through 2022-23) Current and Forthcoming Plans 2020-21 – Capital Activities ..................... 92 Proposed Transfer Payment Cash Flow Performance Measures ............................................................................... 93 Risk Assessment ......................................................................................... 93 Appendix E: 2020-21 Asset Management Plan Contingency Plan ........................................................................................ 93 Cash Flow .................................................................................................... 95 Appendix F: Risk Assessment Resources Needed to Meet Priorities and Goals ........................................ 96 Human Resources ..................................................................................... 100 Appendix G: 2020-21 Performance Measures Communications Plan – 2020-21 .............................................................. 102 Three-Year Operating Financial Forecast – 2020-21 to 2022-23 .............. 106 Science North is an agency of the Government of Ontario. Three-Year Capital Forecast – 2020-21 to 2022-23 ................................. 108 IMAX® is a registered trademark of IMAX Corporation. The Science of Guinness World Records is a joint production Information Technology (IT)/Electronic Service Delivery (ESD) Plan ......... 117 between Science North and Ripley Entertainment Inc. and Initiatives Involving Third Parties ............................................................... 119 Guinness World Records. 2 Science North 2020-21 Business Plan Executive Summary Since opening to the public in 1984, Science North has become Northern Ontario’s most visited tourist attraction, with more visitors than all other attractions in the North combined. Over the years, Science North and Dynamic Earth have had over 11 million admissions. Science North has grown to become Canada’s 2nd largest science centre and Dynamic Earth is the 8th largest, in a city that is the country’s 28th largest. In addition to delivering informal science education experiences to its audiences, Science North plays a significant role in bolstering the local, Northern and provincial economies. Science North contributes to the economy by attracting tourists, creating jobs, creating products for international markets and supporting community development across Northern Ontario. Science North’s operations and the visitor spending it generates support 660 direct and indirect jobs each year. Science North has an annual economic impact of $55 million and, since opening in 1984, has had a $2 billion impact in Ontario. Science North helps bolster the local economy of communities across the North through sharing resources and expertise with partner attractions to provide exhibits that increase attendance and revitalize the attractions. Science North has become a science centre for all of Northern Ontario, with its Science Festivals, exhibits, summer science camps, outreach programs and other activities reaching over 110,000 people in more than 100 communities in 2019-20, including 35 First Nation communities. Science North’s 2020-21 Business Plan sets out a bold path for the organization to achieve the priorities and goals of its 2018-23 Strategic Plan and its Mandate. To maintain its vital role as an anchor for economic growth, tourism, job creation and culture in Northern Ontario, Science North must capitalize on its strengths and opportunities and overcome challenges. The organization’s resources will be focussed to benefit its audiences and clients, partners, stakeholders and funders, including the Government of Ontario. This Business Plan, approved by the Science North Board of Trustees, provides an update on progress made in 2019-20, as well as planned activities and targets for 2020-21. In developing the Business Plan, Science North conducted extensive internal and external research and developed action plans to build on opportunities, mitigate challenges and realize the priorities and goals of the Strategic Plan. The Ontario Government’s mandate for Science North is the underpinning of both Science North’s Strategic Plan and its annual Business Plan, and the Centre’s priorities, goals, key performance indicators and resources are in alignment with this mandate. 2019-20 Highlights Science North has focused on implementing a strong 2019-20 Business Plan to drive the organization forward in keeping with its Strategic Plan, to build and serve its audiences and support the Government’s priorities. Projected achievements on performance measures in the 2019-20 Business Plan are outlined in Appendix C of this Business Plan, “Review of 2019-20 – Strategic Priorities and Goals”. Below are some highlights of projected achievements for 2019-20. 3 Science North 2020-21 Business Plan Science North, Northern Ontario’s Science Centre Science North invests significant resources in being Northern Ontario’s science centre. In 2019-20, significant attendance was achieved in partnership-led experiences such as Science Festivals and Northern Nature Trading (NNT) in many communities including North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie, Thunder Bay and Kenora. They also included experiences with new additions such as the Northern tour of Beyond Human Limits exhibition and the installation of new permanent Northern THINK Hubs in several communities. Visits to First Nation communities have led to increases in summer science camp attendance, outreach visits in Northern Ontario and teacher workshops. Science North provided more science experiences than ever for residents and tourists across Northern Ontario. Whether through programs delivered in communities by Science North staff or through long-term partners, children, youth, adults and seniors were offered a variety of experiences throughout this fiscal year. To give context, 22,760 people engaged in Science North programming across Northern Ontario in 2009-10; this has grown to 110,740 people in 2019-20. Projected accomplishments during 2019-20 include: ● A record number of camp participants, 3,657 children 4 to 11 years old, attended summer science camps in 35 communities. ● Delivery of Summer Science Day programs in First Nation communities increased by over 70% of its participants goal. ● Outreach programs in First Nations schools exceeded the program delivery goal by 50% and eworkshops exceeded by 165%. ● Over 40,000 students across Northern Ontario participated in school outreach programs. ● Over 26,000 people in 67 communities engaged in hands-on Summer Outreach experiences at festivals, fairs, libraries and Provincial Parks. ● Partner-driven Science Festivals in North Bay, Sault Ste. Marie and Thunder Bay attracted 11,422 participants over the week-long events. ● The Northern tour of the customized Beyond Human Limits exhibition increased attendance at five partner attractions by an average of 69%. ● The six Northern Nature Trading experiences at partner attractions will achieve more than 3,400 trades during 2019-20. Science North and Dynamic Earth: Home of the Big Nickel Science North and Dynamic Earth deliver experiences that ignite wonder and learning for people of all ages, defining the organization as being “The Leader in Science Engagement”. To achieve this, activities, programs, events and experiences offered during 2019-20 were focused on current science and innovative experiences that are not found at other attractions. Visitors enjoyed new experiences with the renewed 4th level of the Centre, the THINK project, recently