2015 Annual Report - Experience Hope BC

2015 ANNUAL REPORT
introduction
This 2015 Annual Report highlights the key accomplishments of AdvantageHOPE.
This document is our report card. It is a way to hold ourselves accountable and show the community
our commitment to continued success by way of the initiatives we have championed in 2015. The work
that we do is meant to reflect the shared values of our community to ensure that our economy is strong
and sustainable.
2015 represented another strong year for AdvantageHOPE as we saw staff take on additional responsibilities and rise to new challenges in developing the local economic development and tourism platforms.
We think you will find that our annual report reflects exciting initiatives and a busy year that will set
Hope up for an even more successful future.
Table of Contents
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12
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Visitor centre and museum complex
Asset Development
Partnerships
Embrace the Journey
Marketing and Media Coverage
Business Attraction
Grants
Return on Investment
audited financial statements
ORGANIZATION
PROFILE
OUR VISION
To be a leader in building a vibrant community with a diverse and sustainable economy
AdvantageHOPE is the operating name
for the Hope Business and Development Society, which is a not-for-profit
society that was created, and is funded,
by the District of Hope to lead economic development and tourism development initiatives in the community.
Now in our sixth year, we act as the
main point-of-contact for visitors,
prospective residents, and future investors.
We connect new and long-time residents with services and organizations who can help them achieve their
dreams of business ownership in Hope.
Our committed, volunteer board of
directors ensures that the organization continues to deliver on our vision,
mission, and purpose.
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OUR MISSION
To attract potential residents, investors, and visitors to Hope through provision and
promotion of local opportunities and experiences
OUR PURPOSE
Foster alliances and broker relationships among business, the public sector, and non-governmental organizations that contribute to community economic development.
Plan, research, and facilitate the development of economic infrastructure and the realization of market potential for new and expanding businesses.
Champion the Hope area as a place to live and do business and promote the sustainable development of assets needed to accommodate new economic activity.
Ensure community and social values are incorporated into economic
development.
economic development goals
In 2015 we engaged with the District
of Hope and community partners to
update Hope’s Economic Development
Strategy.
The Economic Development Strategy
Update is a working document that
allows AdvantageHOPE to look at each
year in the context of how our activities have supported our stated goals.
• Population growth that is able to sustain the service needs of residents and the labour
market needs of the economy
• A base of sustainable jobs that will allow residents to earn a reasonable living within
the community
• Protection of the quality of life attributes that have made Hope an attractive place to
live
• A diversified economic base that is able to meet the local budget needs and improve
District finances
• Promoting a business friendly atmosphere that fosters growth and development,
helping to balance the municipal tax load
• Becoming recognized as a provincial tourism destination, increasing sources of
sustainable revenue to the community
• Developing a vibrant downtown core that will attract residents and visitors and build
a greater sense of community pride
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Message from the
board Chair
As residents and business people in Hope, we are fortunate to
have the “hardware” of prosperity at our command: four major
highways junction at our door, two transcontinental railways
flank the shores of the Fraser River, Vancouver is just a short drive,
and the whole world is a high-speed mouse click away.
We have all of this in a setting that is as beautiful, diverse, and
inspiring as any place on earth. Our challenge as citizens is to
define, develop, and maintain a “software” of attitudes, skills, and
vision that will leverage these gifts to their full potential for our
community.
In 2015 AdvantageHOPE undertook initiatives – including the
Economic Development Strategy Update – that challenged us to
look inward with our partners and community stakeholders to
ensure that our path continues to be relevant to our mission and
purpose.
Our outward efforts promote Hope, Cascades and Canyons as
an excellent destination with a Destination Marketing Organization, revitalized Welcome Center, Museum, and economic development office at Station House. We attracted new businesses
including Dymin Steel and Max Force Trailers and continued
to support the feasibility study of Giant Nickel as an all-season
resort.
We would like to thank the District and citizens of Hope for their
support and for the opportunity to undertake this mission. To the
board members, staff, contractors, and the incredible volunteers
who work alongside us, you all have our sincere gratitude.
Sincerely,
Kent McKinnon
Chairperson, AdvantageHOPE
AdvantageHOPE’s 2015 Board of Directors
Kent McKinnon, Board Chair Steven Patterson
software consultant
Natural Resources Manager
principal, INC Consulting
Yale First Nation
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Peter Robb, Board Chair
retiree, former Councillor
former owner, McDonald’s
Cathy Harry, Secretary/Treasurer Marg Millar
retail/service manager
retiree, volunteer
former owner, Kal-Tire
former Public Health nurse
Peter Scherle
Anna Gladue
retired businessperson
online entrepeneur
Board, First West Credit Union owner, Anna’s Incense
Hondo Stroyon
President, Rotary Club
sales, Gardner Motors
Glen Keil
retiree, volunteer
former owner, Pharmasave
Don Wiens
Maurice Wutzke
Karen Bushie
entrepreneur
to September 2015
from December 2015
owner, Wiens Manufacturing former Director of Public Works Manager, Envision Insurance
Message from the
Executive Director
For the past couple years in Hope we have been talking about
being on the cusp. It felt like positive momentum was building
and that we were on the verge of a new era of growth and prosperity. In 2015, I believe we started to experience the leading
edge of that wave that we have been anticipating. There has
been new commercial interest in Hope and we are welcoming
new residents to the Visitor Centre regularly.
Change is not easy for everyone – with transformation comes
some growing pains, but - by its nature - AdvantageHOPE has
always embraced and tried to be the catalyst of change. This has
allowed us to adapt and our strategies have put us at the forefront of economic development in the province.
2015 was a busy year for AdvantageHOPE and was marked by the
Station House project moving forward, growing partnerships in
the region, and increased economic interest in Hope.
At the core of AdvantageHOPE is a very committed group of
community citizens. They volunteer their time, their mental
energy, and sometimes even their sweat in the name of advancing economic development for everyone in Hope. Some sit on
the board, some work for AdvantageHOPE, but our entire team
shares a passion for helping Hope reach its full potential. I consider myself lucky to have had the opportunity to work with, and
be supported by, such a phenomenal team.
Thank you to the board, staff, contractors, partners, volunteers,
neighbours, and friends.
Sincerely,
Tammy Shields
Executive Director, AdvantageHOPE
AdvantageHOPE’s 2015 Staff and Contractors
Stephanie Hooker
Asset Development
Michelle Richardson
Advertising and Event Outreach
Nadine Turner
Visitor Information Counsellor
Dianne MacDonnell
Visitor Information Counsellor
Baylie Pellegrino
Museum Assistant
Riley Forman
Tourism Promotion
Helen Kennedy
Operations Manager / Curator
Brian McKinney
Visitor Information Counsellor
Tracy Paynter
Visitor Information Counsellor
Angela Coughlin
Visitor Information Counsellor
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visitor centre
and museum Complex
2015 was AdvantageHOPE’s second year running the Visitor Centre and Museum Complex.
It was an exciting year that saw the implementation of a museum collaboration with Hope Secondary School, an
increase in visitation, and the completion of the digitization of the accession cards.
The Visitor Centre allows AdvantageHOPE to speak directly to new and potential residents and investors. Our
staff are enthusiastic about the community and act as incredible ambassadors in their daily interactions.
In 2015, we talked to more visitors, were open more hours, and hosted more buses than in 2014.
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visitor origin
information requests
BC
6719
Europe
2872
Local
1389
Other Canada
1082
Othello
2328
Museum
1641
Rambo
1377
Camping
1260
Hiking
1230
highlights
• DestinationBC visitor survey
• $2942.65 in museum donations
• Confirmed $25 000 funding for the next
three years, plus access to the application-based Visitor Services innovation
Fund
• HSS museum project
• Increased ethical sourcing of retail items
• Proud to live in Hope, BC customer service
skills training implementation with Free
Rein Associates
• Monthly event poster
• Community open house
• Red Carpet Treatment
• Completed accession card digitization
project
• Managing advertising and graphic design in-house
Traditional bricks-and-mortar visitor centres have been seeing a steady decline in visitation over
the last 5 years. An increased reliance on technology is changing the way visitor services are
provided.
In Hope, however, we saw a 3% increase in visitors over 2014.
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HSS Museum
Project
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In September 2015, the Hope Museum and Hope
Secondary School started a project that would
see the History 12 class research, design, and
install museum exhibits.
Under the guidance of Maya Araki and Helen
Kennedy, the 31 students broke into 9 groups and
chose their topics. The groups then wrote project
charters for the following exhibits: Hope Cinema,
No Resources No Hope, A Clash of Cultures, Othello
Tunnels, Station House, Fraser River Floods, The
Hope Slide: More Than Rubble, The Roots of Medicine, and Faces of Tashme.
The group participated in a number of museum visits,
including a behind-the-scenes tour of the Royal BC
Museum in Victoria.
The HSS Museum Project is the beginning of a partnership between AdvantageHOPE and School District
78 that will ultimately see established K-12 museum
programming.
exploration } Where the views are worth it.
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Asset development
Asset development is about:
formalizing existing infrastructure.
increasing access to existing infrastructure.
raising awareness and promoting better stewardship of our assets.
developing or supporting the development of new infrastructure or capitalizing on new initiatives in the region.
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experience the fraser
tesla charging stations
barrick gold
AdvantageHOPE continues to work closely with
the Fraser Valley Regional District on the Experience the Fraser project. The tagline for the project is “From Hope to the Salish Sea.” We are the
terminus point for an eventual pedestrian trail
on the north and south sides of the Fraser River.
Six Tesla charging stations were installed on
Fraser Avenue in 2015.
We continue to support Barrick Gold as they
plan for the Giant Nickel All-Season Resort
twelve kilometres north of Hope.
We have been working with the FVRD on the
feasibility of converting the lower deck of the
Fraser Bridge into a linear parkway to connect
both sides of the trail.
AdvantageHOPE is the local point-of-contact for
Tesla. We were involved with helping to identify suitable sites and make introductions with
property owners.
We are supporting the development of new
infrastructure and increasing access to existing
infrastructure on Landstrom Ridge.
We supported the development of new infrastructure and will capitalize on the new initiative
through marketing.
These stations allow Tesla drivers to travel easily
between Vancouver, the Okanagan, and Calgary
and ensures they stop in Hope along the way.
We are supporting the development of new
infrastructure.
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hunter creek kiosks
gateway to the skagit
bike park
Started in 2014, the Hunter Creek Kiosk Programme was completed in 2015 in partnership
with the Hope and District Chamber of Commerce.
The Skagit Wedge is one of Hope’s newest picnic
areas and was a collaboration among
AdvantageHOPE, Pathway Partners, SEEC, and
Friends of the Skagit.
In the summer of 2015, the Bike Park officially
opened. AdvantageHOPE has been supporting
the project since its inception and will now take
a lead role in marketing the park.
This included the installation of interpretive
panels, advertising, and upgrades of the kiosk
structures.
In 2015, additional gravelling and landscaping
was completed and bear-proof garbage cans
were installed.
Already, we have seen increased visitation (and
money spent) in the community as a result of
the park.
The kiosks are aimed at raising awareness of our
assets and increasing access to existing infrastructure.
The remaining interpretive panels will be
installed in 2016.
We supported the development of this new
infrastructure.
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Station House
built in 1916
Designated municipal
heritage site in 1982
moved in 1985
Station House has long been a rallying point for volunteers and the community.
As the first and last building visitors see, it is an extremely important touch point in
Hope. In 2015, AdvantageHOPE continued to work with the District and stakeholders to secure Station House for the future Visitor Centre and Museum Complex.
Central to our work this past year has been a risk assessment and securing budget
and a contractor for structural upgrades. With those complete, 2016 will begin
with construction and a summer move into the building.
Studies suggest that visitors who use a visitor centre are 70% more likely to spend
money in a community. As such, the increased visitation due to increased traffic
on Old Hope Princeton Way is expected to result in higher tourism revenues for the
community.
Construction plan
Approved in 2015
planned reopening as
welcome centre and
museum in summer 2016 15
ride bikes 16
} Enjoy the freedom of the trail.
Partnerships
Partnerships are integral to the success of economic development in Hope.
AdvantageHOPE has strong working relationships with the District of Hope and a variety of volunteer
organizations and industry stakeholders in Hope and the surrounding area.
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District
Of
Hope
Hope
Mountain
Centre for
Outdoor Learning
Economic Development Strategy Update
Station House
Integrated Official Community Plan
Trails of Hope - advertising and reprint
Programming Advertising
HBC Trail
Communities
in
Bloom
Chainsaw Carving Competition - $5000 EventHostBC Grant
Pathway
Partners
Bike Park - marketing Black
Press
Visitor Guide - 8 additional pages, editorial, and images
Marketing Insets - editorial and images
Community
Futures
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CiB Judges’ Tour - handbook design and printing
Trails - marketing and support
Business Walks
Venture Connect
Funding and workshops
Hope
Scouts
Branded HOPE patches
Free
Rein
Associates
Proud to Live in Hope, BC - 36 hour customer service training, programme facilitation
Hope & District
Chamber of
Commerce
Ministry of
Jobs, Tourism &
Skills Training
Hunter Creek Kiosk
Economic development strategic planning and metrics
Business walks planning and participation Hope, Cascades &
Canyons
Tourism Partners
Manning Park
Yale - including Fraser River Raft and the Yale Historic Site
Sunshine Valley
Boston Bar - including Tuckkwiowhum Village
Bridal Falls / Popkum
Scenic7
Tourism Partners
MissionHarrison Mills
Maple RidgeAgassiz
CoquitlamFVRD
Harrison Hot Springs
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Embrace the journey
Hope, Cascades & Canyons is a tourism marketing group comprising industry stakeholders from the Fraser Canyon, Manning Park, Bridal Falls/Popkum, and the Coquihalla Summit.
Hope, Cascades & Canyons is the embodiment of the provincial brand promise of outdoor adventure and the
journey of a lifetime.
Hope is on the way to everywhere, so we have adopted that idea for our 2015 marketing campaign, Embrace
the Journey. The campaign speaks to the idea that the desitnation is not the most important part of any trip
and promises that if one slows down on the way to the interior or the coast to embrace what Hope, Cascades &
Canyons has to offer, one will not be disappointed.
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Key Accomplishments and Initiatives of 2015
• $100 000 interim marketing funding from DestinationBC
• AdvantageHOPE coordinating marketing efforts for Scenic7 BC
• AdvantageHOPE acquired travelthecanyon.com
• Continuation of trade show partnership programme (Seattle, Vancouver, and
Chilliwack)
• Stakeholder group - led by AdvantageHOPE - organizing MRDT (hotel tax)
initiative
• Industry events at Hell’s Gate and Powerhouse at Stave Falls
• Hope, Cascades & Canyons logo
• Co-op marketing in Northwest Travel and Life
• Embrace the Journey marketing campaign
• Discuss trails partnership with Tourism Chilliwack and FVRD
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2015 trade show partners
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marketing and media coverage
AdvantageHOPE takes pride in showing off the best that Hope has to offer.
We believe that people choose to re-locate to Hope because of the lifestyle opportunities. We believe that living in Hope is all about enjoying the journey of life with friends and family. As such, our 2015 marketing campaign was entitled Embrace the Journey.
Our target market was Vancouver and environs and northwest Washington. And it’s working: people are talking
about Hope and coming to Hope as a direct result of our marketing initiatives.
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Marketing
Chilliwack Progress
Community banners
Hope Standard
Westender
Visitor Guide
Erica Press - Community Map
Marketing Insets
Vagabond Film Show
Kettle Valley Express
travelthecanyon.com
Trails of Hope
Georgia Straight
Welcome kits
Salmon BBQ
hopebc.ca
Northwest Travel and Life
Vancouver Transit (8 busses for 12
weeks)
International Chainsaw Carving
Competition
Social media
Invest in BC
QuestUpon
media coverage
Today’s Parent
Family Friendly Hikes
Northwest Travel and Life
Hiking in Hope
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Buzzfeed / DestinationBC
“12 Cool Places British Columbia Has
Kept Quiet”
BC Magazine
“20 Wicked Snow Adventures in BC’s
Backcountry”
2015 ad campaigns
hopebc.ca continued to be a valuable portal for disseminating information to locals,
visitors, prospective residents, and potential
investors.
AdvantageHOPE acquired
travelthecanyon.com in 2015. This is a
well-established brand in the Fraser Canyon
and will serve as a micro-tourism site for
Highway 1 east.
@TourismHOPE on Twitter and Instagram
continued to do well compared to other
tourism brands in the region. We are consistently top 5 in terms of engagement.
Our Facebook page (Advantage Hope) has
been an increasingly more important tool
in 2015 for communicating directly to the
community and prospective investors about
opportunities and the work of the organization.
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business attraction
We see lifestyle lure as the greatest opportunity to bring small and medium enterprises to Hope by appealing
to their owners with the high quality of life our area offers, combined with excellent affordability and access.
Though our focus has been on ‘virtual commuters,’ connections AdvantageHOPE made in 2015 are set to result
in two light-industrial businesses moving to Hope in 2016.
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HOPEBC.CA PAGE VIEWS
126 515
INVEST IN HOPE PAGE VIEWS
2306
investment inquiries
350
LEADS / PROSPECTS
11
ACTIVELY RECRUITING OR
WORKING WITH
8
RELOCATED
TO
HOPE
4
• Tesla Charging Station
• Dymin Steel
Business attraction is about
building relationships and
making connections.
This is a long-term process
that requires patience and
perseverance.
Economic development
starts with a large pool of
potential investors who
have sought information
from local (hopebc.ca) or
provincial (britishcolumbia.
ca) sources populated by
AdvantageHOPE.
At each stage, the number of potential investors
shrinks to serious investors
and then those who have
chosen to relocate their
business and family.
• MaxForce Trailers
• Mossy Stump Soap Co.
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the number of businesses in hope are
growing.
222 businesses maintained an employee payroll last year.
Number of Businesses
Number of Employees
105
1-4
60
5-9
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10-19
19
20-49
6
50-99
3
100-199
the biggest growth was in owner/operator
businesses
949 businesses in Hope do not maintain an employee payroll, but have a workforce that consists of owner/
operator, family members, and/or contractors.
Total number of businesses: 1171
When AdvantageHOPE started in 2009, there were 545 businesses in Hope.
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grants
Grants allow AdvantageHOPE to leverage the District’s annual investment to complete more projects and reach
more people regarding investment opportunities in Hope.
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as of December 31...
21
08
grants
applied for
successful
applications
total
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$149 523.95
Applications
grants received
• CanadaBC Job Grant
• HBC History Foundation
• CanadaBC Job Grant
$468.65
• Canada Summer Jobs Grant
$4305
• Invest Canada Community Initiatives (ICCI)
• Western Diversification Programme
• Canada Summer Jobs Grant (x3)
• Southern Interior Development Initiative Trust (SIDIT)
• SIDIT $25 000
• HeritageBC - Heritage Awareness Programme
• Farm Credit Canada AgriSpirit Funding
• HeritageBC $2250
• Young Canada Works
• EventHostBC
• EventHostBC$5000
• Canada150 - Community Infrastructure Programme
• Canada150 Fund
• DestinationBC Pilot Project
$2500
• DestinationBC Interim Marketing
$100 000
• Province of BC - Station House
$10 000
• New Horizons for Seniors Programme
• DestinationBC Pilot Project - Visitor Services
• Museum Assistance Programme
• Celebrate Canada
• Destination BC Innovation Fund
• DestinationBC Interim Marketing Funding
• Province of BC - Station House Contribution
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return on investment
AdvantageHOPE’s annual return on investment can be measured both in traditional ways (monetary) and by the
newer metric of ‘social return on investment.’ A social return on investment measures the extra-financial value of
an organization’s activities.
One of the challenges we have with economic development is measuring success of economic development
initiatives and investment. A further challenge is that we are a small municipality, with a relatively small budget,
and limited resources to track th data that would be necessary to measure, scientifically, the success of these initiatives. But without measuring them, we still know the results are positive because some of them are tangible.
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District investment$250 000
Grant Funding$149 523
Visitor Centre Sales Revenue$22 966
Advertising Sales $42 000
Donations$2943
Partner Contributions$28 000
In both traditional and
non-traditional ways,
AdvantageHOPE provides
Total Funding$495 432
Total leveraging $245 432
For every dollar the District invested, AdvantageHOPE raised $0.98 (versus $0.47 in 2014)
a positive return on investment for the community.
Visitors Reached39 842
Investment Inquiries at Visitor Centre350
Online Impressions2 000 000
Print Circulation1 874 000
Total People Reached4 049 192
According to DestinationBC research, overnight in-province visitors (British Columbians
traveling within British Columbia) spend an average of $144/trip (average trip length: 1-3
days)
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we are a local employer and customer
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06 contractors
staff
07
local
suppliers
35
volunteers
30+
(400+ hours)
financial statement
Audited Financial statement for Hope Business and Development Society (operating as AdvantageHOPE).
December 31, 2015
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919 Water Avenue
Box 37
Hope, BC
V0X 1L0
hopebc.ca
[email protected]