Open for BusinessDecember 2011

Being “Open for Business” is a Priority for the City of Hamilton-2002 - “Mayor’s Open for Opportunity Task Force”

-2008 - City of Hamilton Corporate Strategic Plan

-2010 - PED-Departmental Business Plan

-2010 - City of Hamilton – Corporate Priority Plan

-2011 - Senior Management Team (SMT) Work Plan

The City’s “One-Stop” for Business Services

Why One-Stop for Businesses?

• Corporate-wide strategy

• Enhance and improve customer service

• One location saves businesses time and money

• Offers complimentary services that assist businesses at all stages in their development or expansion

Who Does One-Stop Serve?

• Business Owners

• Development Industry

• Prospective business owners and the general public

What are One-Stop’s key services?

1. Small Business Assistance:

Small Business Enterprise Centre (SBEC)

2. Business Facilitation:

Development Planning Section – municipal applications and processes

3. Business Licensing:

Municipal Law Enforcement – Licensing and

Permits team

Understanding

the Three Key Services

SBEC Background

• Provided assistance to small businesses in Hamilton since 2001

•Receives 39,223 general inquires/year

•May 2011 – Sept. 2011– Business Facilitation Inquiries –

2643– Business Facilitation Meeting – 106– Business Licences Inquiries – 3427 – Created 725 jobs in 2009

Business Facilitation

Business Facilitation:

The Big Picture

The key role of the Business Facilitators is to provide an overview of what to expect for your particular planning process including:

• Timelines

• Required Applications

• Costs

Licensing

Licensing

• The Licensing counter at the One-Stop is primarily focused on new businesses, but will also process licence renewals

Staff help businesses:• Understand if their business needs to be licensed;

• Find out what their business needs to become licensed; and

• Process business licence applications

Next Steps for One-Stop

• Continue to revise and enhance processes and services

• Track and collect feedback from the business community and associations

• Expand promotional efforts for the physical and online presence

Open for Business Review & Council Sub-

Committee

Oct. 11, 2011 - Report PED11176

Open for Business Review

a) That an “Open for Business” Sub-Committee, reporting to the General Issues Committee, be established to oversee the “Open for Business Review, as per the Senior Management Team (SMT) Workplan (Report CM11005);

b) That the Sub-Committee be comprised of four (6) members of Council, and that the appropriate City staff be made available as resources to the Sub-Committee;

c) That Councillors C. Collins, L. Ferguson, R. Pasuta, M. Pearson, R. Powers and T. Whitehead, be appointed to serve on the pen for Business Sub-Committee;

d) That the Open for Business “Terms of Reference”, included as Appendix “A” to Report PED11176, be referred to the “Open for Business” Sub-Committee for consideration and approval.

Open for Business

Sub-Committee Mandate

To review the City of Hamilton’s overall “Open for Business” effectiveness, with the goal of streamlining the processes within the PED Department and other City Departments, to create consistent, predictable, and customer-focused services that encourage investment of small and medium sized enterprises and entrepreneurs in the City of Hamilton.

Open for Business

Sub-Committee Objectives

1. Develop an “Open for Business” Program

• focus on small and medium sized enterprises and entrepreneurs

• minimizing and streamlining of processes

2. Ensure a “One-Stop” for Business Services

3. Ensure that the processes lead to an overall “Open for Business” environment in all parts of the City

Open for Business

Scope of Work and Deliverables

1. Review the current services, structure, staffing resources, core functions, and key services

2. Integration between the Divisions and Departments - “One-Stop-Shopping” principle

3. Review application processes• Zoning Verification• Building Permit• Site Plan Approvals• Licenses• Sign Permits• Variances

Open for Business

Scope of Work and Deliverables

5. Expectations of City Requirements• Processes• Fees

6. Review fee structures7. Review the City of Hamilton’s

website8. Review measurements and/or

indicators for evaluation

Open for Business

Early Indicators of Success

Open for Business Sub-Committee

Early Indicators

1. Agreement on Key Issues to be Addressed

2. Dynamic Staff and Council Involvement

3. Use of “Real-Life” Examples and Focus Groups

Open for Business Sub-Committee

Preliminary Issues

1. “Customer Focused” Service1. Checklists2. Referral for Professional Services3. Website Enhancements

2. Integration of Processes and Service3. Business “outreach” Program and

Promotion4. Fee Review5. Rural Issues

Early SuccessTemporary Occupancy Policy

Will assist businesses in interim periods, where final approval of the City's comprehensive Zoning By-Law Program or a submitted Zone Change Application is expected to permit the business use to permit the issuance of business licensing and sign permits for such use, subject to several key conditions.

– The City of Hamilton IS “Open for Business”• Economic Development

Successes• Established “One-Stop” for

Business Services

– There is more to be Done…• “Open for Business” Sub-Committee

– “Open for Business” success should be viewed On-Balance

Questions and Comments?

Thank you