HomeMy WebLinkAboutDSD-20-099 - Digitial Service Squad AgreementREPORT TO:Special Council Meeting
DATE OF MEETING:July 20, 2020
SUBMITTED BY:Chris Farrell, Manager, Small Business Centre 519 741 2200 ext 7294
PREPARED BY:Chris Farrell, Manager, Small Business Centre 519 741 2200 ext 7294
WARD (S) INVOLVED:All
DATE OF REPORT:July 15, 2020
REPORT NO.:DSD-20-099
SUBJECT:Digital Service Squad Agreement with Ontario Business Improvement
Area Association (OBIAA) andCity of Kitchener for the Waterloo
Region Small Business Centre
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Mayor and Clerk be authorized to sign a funding agreement with Ontario Business
Improvement Area Association (OBIAA) Small Business Centre to deliver the Digital Service
Squad program, withsaid agreement to be to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor: and further,
That the General Manager, Development Services be authorized to execute on behalf of the City
of Kitchener any amendments tothefunding agreement provided such amendments are to the
satisfaction of the City Solicitor.
BACKGROUND:
events, one-on-one coaching, mentoring and access to industry professionals. Over the past year, the
Waterloo Region Small Business Centre has assisted thousands of entrepreneurs to start and grow a
Waterloo Region Small Business Centre location currently operates with 4.5 full-time employees. The
volunteer Board of Advisors meet four times a year.
The Small Business Centre had offered Digital Main Street services since 2018 when it ran a
collaborative pilot project with founders of the platform, theCity of Toronto Enterprise Centre. In 2019
the Small Business Centre set up a Digital Service Squad, funded by OBIAA, with four postgraduate
students. They provided services to over 550 main street businesses over ten months.
OBIAA operates the Digital Main Street (DMS) platform and programs. Program partnersinclude
FedDEV Southern Ontario, Province of Ontario. City of Toronto, Toronto Area BIA, Communitech,
Invest Ottawa and private sector sponsors.
***This information is available in accessible formats upon request. ***
Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994for assistance.
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REPORT:
The Digital Main Street portal and programs are accessible to small businessesacrossthe
Province.The small business centre is applying to deliver the Digital Service Squad(DMS)program.
There are three DMS programs for small business, each delivered by third-party providers under an
agreement with OBIAA.
1.Digital Service Squad helps commercial businesses in high-density pedestrian traffic areas
with technical issues, training, social media and digital marketing plans.
2.shopHerepowered by Google, helps small business and artists create an eCommerce site.
3.Futureproofing Retail,helps solve the unique needs of larger retailers to adapt to the future of
retail.
The Waterloo Region Small Business Centre will deliver the Digital Service Squad program by hiring
seven post-secondary co-op students to support main street businesses in Business Improvement
Areas throughout Waterloo Region. The squad will provide services and help the eligible main street
business to apply to OBIAA for a Digital Transformation Grant, $2,500.
The Digital Service Squad will provide services to up to 900 businesses from August 2020 to February
28, 2021. This program targets businesses with fewer than 10 full-time equivalent employees or 25 full-
businesses identify their digital needs, develop a digital transformation plan, adopt online technologies
and implement a digital marketing plan.The squad will be meeting with business owners and
performing the services virtually.
The customer journey starts with a squad member helping a business to complete a Digital
Assessment of their existing digital assets and resources. The assessment serves as their roadmap to
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aligns their existing digital practices to potential improvements and sets the framework for a digital
marketing strategy. Businesses meet one-on-one with a Digital Service Squad student who make
recommendations for technologies, tools and an executable plan. Services include:
setting up Google my Business,
conducting awebsite or social media audit
recommend plugins such as online appointment calendars, point of sale/inventory systems
creating content and a social media calendar
setting up tools to tracking analytics
framework of a basic website
or connect them to one of the other Digital Main Street programs
The OBIAA funding is $150,000 to deliver the Digital Service Squad programin Waterloo Region. The
-kind support by co-
marketing, full-time staff program coordination and office space. The funding supports the project
directexpenses, including student wages and benefits, professional services, equipment, and
marketing. The application to OBIAA .
The Small Business Centre Manager will submit monthly and final reports to the OBIAA.
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ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
Strategic Priority:Strong & Resilient Economy
Strategy: #2.2 Support the attraction, retention and development of existing and
new industries within the regional economy working in collaboration with the
economic development corporation for Waterloo Region.
Strategic Action:# 26Make It Start
# 27 Make It Grow
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
None. The OBIAA fundingsupports the expenses for the Digital Service Squad project.
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
Entrepreneurship and innovation contribute to economic growth in the community. The Centre provides
programs and services that support and complement other community entrepreneurial initiatives
essential to the commercialization of small business within the Waterloo Region ecosystem.
CONSULT: The Waterloo Region Small Business Centre
Cambridge, Preston, Hespeler, Kitchener,Waterloo, St Jacobs/Elmira and New Hamburg. In 2019 the
Small Business Centre met with over 1050 business to identify their digital needs and provided a service
to over 550 businesses to implement a digital tool or resource.
WRSBC conducts over 20 surveys annually with small business to get feedback and suggestions for
service and programimprovements.
COLLABORATE Waterloo Region Small Business Centre communicates, consults and collaborates
with a broad range of community groups, organizations, agencies, secondary and post-secondary
institutes, municipal, regional and provincial governments to ensure the entrepreneurial services and
programs address the needs of small business in the community. The volunteers for the Waterloo Region
Small Business Centre and the Board of Advisors are representative of these community groups.
ACKNOWLEDGED BY:Justin Readman, General Manager DSD
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Digital Service Squad BudgetAugust 2020 Feb 28, 2021
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OBIAA Grant $ 150,000
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Wages $ 109,375
Merc $ 21,875
Professional Services $ 10,000
Chrome books $ 2,025
Camera $ 350
Cell phone $ 2,375
Travel $ 1,200
PPE $ 200
Zoom/software/apps $ 450
Printing/marketing $ 2,150
TOTAL EXPENSES $ 150,000
NET $ -
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Waterloo Region Small Business
Centre
Income Statement for the Year Ended December 31, 2019
(with comparatives for the year ended December 31, 2018)
20192018
REVENUES
Ministry of Economic Development,
Trade and Employment296,696 476,624
Ministry of Research and Innovation48,845 166,006
City of Cambridge16,086 13,400
City of Kitchener115,918 116,580
City of Waterloo10,978 11,900
Region of Waterloo
50,000 50,000
Region of Waterloo -Self Employment
Program
25,625 10,500
Sponsorships
118,033 49,662
Memberships
400 1,700
Registration Fees
17,562 15,301
Room Rentals
339 339
Miscellaneous Revenue
-530
912,542
700,482
EXPENSES
Salaries and Wages
440,208 515,040
Administrative Expenses
39,400 51,138
Grants
96,438 285,050
Professional Services
83,609 45,865
Events and Publicity
17,625 27,118
Insurance
1,461 1,392
925,603
678,741
(13,061)
Net Profit (Loss)21,741
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ACCUMULATED SURPLUS (DEFICIT)
93,114
Opening Balance80,053
Net Profit (Loss)21,741 (13,061)
Closing Balance101,794 80,053
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