Initiative

A dynamic industrial heartland of Ontario and Canada. Challenged by perception, shrinking workforce, and accelerating global energy transition. With inherent economic development organizational challenge stitching the wants and needs of 11 participating region communities.

When it comes to translating community need to strategy-making, Rynic works hard to build a transformative vision of the future married to an action-focused economic development agenda using guiding-light keywords: Ambition. Buy-in. Out-do vs out-talk. Focus.

A Sarnia-Lambton Economic Partnership Economic Development Strategy successfully converges three strategic insights: a) to create and simplify a compelling story of Sarnia-Lambton’s future for multiple audiences – including advocacy, investment attraction, workforce attraction & retention, and resident pride; b) to identify more aggressive diversification pathways – including agriculture value-add, advanced manufacturing and tech/professional services; and c) to build bridges between economic development and broader community development – including enhanced healthcare, housing, downtown, and airport service.

The Strategy identifies 6 CORE Elements (Organization, Brand & Marketing, Land, Energy & Chemistry Cluster Development, Agriculture Value-Add, and Innovation) with associated actions to achieve an ambitious vision of the future: Chemistry That Knows No Bounds.

Four CORE elements – with associated tactics – enable successful energy, chemistry, agriculture, and tech/professional services investment attraction: 1) a sharpened organization role, structure and working relationships devoted to a more seamless investor experience; 2) accelerated creation of shovel ready lands; 3) creation of an integrated “We’ve Got Chemistry” brand campaign; 4) tactical definition of innovation to grow innovation culture and leverage key innovation partnerships.

What’s next? A compelling, sustainable, and ambitious Sarnia-Lambton future.