Millier, Dickinson & Blais

Strategic Planning for Economic Development

We work with our clients to focus new or existing economic development programs through
establishment of a shared vision for the future of your community and identifying
aggressive, yet attainable, goal-oriented objectives. The partners of Millier Dickinson Blais
have been involved in strategic planning exercises for dozens of communities and are
currently involved in work for the County of Elgin and the City of Calgary.

Market & Sector-based Analysis and Forecasting

Information is key to a reliable marketing strategy. We will arm you with intelligence on
whether or not your product is competitive in a specific market segment. Furthermore, will
work with you to identify the issues of competitiveness and establish the priorities that
further enhance your product in the marketplace. Millier Dickinson Blais has provided
sector-based analysis and planning for a range of clients including a recent study of the
Advanced Manufacturing sector for the Region of Durham, Pan-Northern Investment
Attraction Strategy Steering Committee and Canada’s Technology Triangle Inc.

Strategic Positioning & Promotional Marketing for Investment Attraction

The objective of this work is to have your message ‘front of mind’ amongst your target
market by developing a tactical game plan that lays out the timing and price of marketing
techniques to be employed and the direction of the marketing message. On the service-
delivery side, Millier Dickinson Blais will work closely with you to improve your service-
delivery model by identifying how your organization’s existing talents and resources can
be directed outwards, where your clients will notice.

Millier Dickinson Blais’ partners have wide range of experiences in developing and
positioning key marketing and promotional materials including the development of Cluster
Profiles for the City of Hamilton, the development of a website for the Golden Horseshoe
BioScience Network, a Community Profile for the Town of South Bruce Peninsula, Downtown
Commercial Recruitment for the Main Street Revitalization Initiative, Town of Marathon
and Ontario East Economic Development Commission.

Coordination of Business Retention & Expansion Projects

The partners of Millier Dickinson Blais have been involved in a number of BR+E projects in
rural communities across Ontario including Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, Township of
Uxbridge and County of Frontenac. The firm’s partners also gained a broadened
perspective through its review of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’
BR+E Program including an analysis of ~2,400 business surveys.

Millier Dickinson Blais offers a wide range of options from complete strategic coordination
of a BR+E project to completing specific tasks such as using our independent external
perspective to evaluate the survey data and provide a discussion report for your
Leadership Team. Work has been done with communities who have dedicated economic
development programs and those with only a part-time service.

Sustainability and Environmental Approaches to Economic Development

Millier Dickinson Blais’ partners have worked on a number of sustainable development and
environmental initiatives with an economic development focus, including the development
of a sustainability policy for the Sharing Way, a faith-based international development
organization.

Technology as a Driver of Economic Development

Notable successes in this arena include launching the successful Smart Community
Initiative for Nova Scotia, and the award-winning “Bridging the Gap” strategy for the City of
St. Catharines, Ontario, which saw IT-related employment growth of more than 400% in
just three years. Millier Dickinson Blais’ partners have been leaders in the field of
understanding the impact of emerging technologies on development, and in identifying
the opportunities that arise from new technologies.

Economic Development Project Management

With Millier Dickinson Blais looking after the implementation of certain activities, you are
able to spend more of your time in front of key prospects, clients and stakeholders. We
can also use our broad network of contacts to create interest in your product.

Millier Dickinson Blais’ partners aren’t just analysts – they’re hands-on practitioners with a
track record of successful project management, steering projects such as the brownfield
redevelopment initiative at the old Domtar site in St. Catharines, Ontario. Other clients
who utilize this service include the Ontario East Economic Development Commission and
Ontario Ministry of Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

Strategic Planning for Tourism

Tourism is an extremely competitive landscape and successful communities are those that
have a strong understanding of where they want to be, the competitive advantages that
will help to get there and the competitive disadvantages that need to be resolved (or
worked around). Millier Dickinson Blais’ partners have carried out strategic planning
exercises for the tourism sector in a range of communities, including a study of best
practices in aboriginal tourism for the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation in Nova Scotia.

Technology Transfer & University-based Economic Development Strategies

Millier Dickinson Blais’ partners have a long history of work with universities and colleges in
their efforts to move research results into commercial development, leveraging positive
community impacts in the process. Past work includes assisting the Mining Engineering
staff at Queen’s University with the development of new technologies.

Economic Development Public Policy Analysis & Development

Millier Dickinson Blais’ partners have played key roles in the development, implementation
and analysis of public policy to support economic development, such as a study for the
Canadian Community Economic Development Network that analyzed the historical
performance of Community Economic Development Investment Funds and recommended
a series of legislative and tax regime changes designed to increase its attractiveness as
an investment vehicle and its effectiveness as an economic development tool.