Report on Performance

Selection Rationale

This measure reflects the value of engaging a broad range of perspectives in working towards a sustainable future for tourism in the province, and building on the actions already undertaken by industry and government.

The target chosen reflected the need to include a broad representation of stakeholders to better understand their views on creating a sustainable future for B.C. tourism.

Variance Explanation

Two out of three of the targets were met. More than 50 stakeholders were consulted and 3 key workshops were also held to support preliminary development of a vision for sustainability and growth in the tourism sector. The Tourism Summit was not held at this point in time, as a result of new direction to engage in a broader and longer term cross-government strategy which will be supported by a full consultation plan.

Data Sources and Issues

Internal data.

Changes to the Measure

This measure has not been included in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan because it was an output for the 2005/06 year, and because the ministry has reduced its overall set of measures. See Appendix 3 for more information on changes to the performance measures in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan.

Selection Rationale

The charter is a cross-ministry agreement that will establish a common commitment to tourism as a provincial economic and cultural priority, and facilitate coordination of government activities in the tourism sector.

Many different ministries have an effect on tourism through their policies, programs and actions (e.g., ministries of transportation, economic development, forests and finance). There is a need to better coordinate government activities to remove impediments to growth.

Variance Explanation

A great deal of progress has been made; completion of the charter will be included as part of the revised government strategy for tourism.

Data Sources and Issues

n/a

Changes to the Measure

Although the Tourism Charter is in progress this measure has been replaced in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan, with an outcome-focused measure appropriate for use over consecutive years. See Appendix 3 for more information on changes to the performance measures in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan.

Selection Rationale

Access to Crown land, as measured by revenue generated from fees, royalties, rents and sales, is a key driver for sustainable economic development of commercial and non-commercial nature-based recreation. Revenues can be enhanced by providing tenure security, streamlined processes and pricing incentives.

The target was selected in consultation with All Seasons Resorts staff based on expected sales of Crown land in 2005/06.

Variance Explanation

Two sales did not complete as expected.

Data Sources and Issues

Data for this performance measure was derived from All Seasons Resorts program staff and government's CAS Oracle financial system.

Changes to the Measure

This measure was modified in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan, to more accurately reflect the value of new All Seasons Resorts investments.

Selection Rationale

This measure captures the amount of revenue to government from the development and expansion of commercial recreation activities. Access to Crown land, as measured by revenue generated from fees, royalties, and rents for use of Crown land, as well as sales of Crown land for commercial recreation, is a key driver for sustainable economic development of commercial and non-commercial nature-based recreation.

The target was selected in consultation with Commercial Recreation staff based on expected fees and royalties paid by individuals and companies licensed to use Crown land for commercial activities (e.g., heli-ski operators, snowmobile tour operators and commercial hunting and fishing guides). Licensed commercial recreation operators pay a fee to the Crown based on their numbers of client days on the land base.

Variance Explanation

Commercial recreation activity was greater than expected due to good winter weather that resulted in a greater number of client days than anticipated.

Data Sources and Issues

Data for this performance measure was obtained from government's financial system (CAS Oracle) and the Tantalis system (the Crown Land Registry database). Because information from the Tantalis system is based on invoiced amounts, not received amounts, the revenue figures are estimates.

Changes to the Measure

This measure was kept in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan, but modified to more accurately reflect the value of new Commercial Recreation investments.

Selection Rationale

A Master Development Agreement (MDA) is a long-term contract between the province and a ski hill developer. A Resort Development Agreement is a plan, agreed upon by the province and the resort developer, for how a resort will develop over time. These agreements are an important indicator of progress in the development of new and existing resorts. They enable the province to work closely with resort operators to achieve the full development potential of new and existing resorts.

The number of MDAs, on its own, has limitations in measuring progress towards the objective as it omits major resort expansions and other development projects undertaken by existing resorts. These other developments may have large dollar values and therefore contribute to sustainable economic development of the resort sector.

Variance Explanation

The MDA for one resort was delayed at the proponent's request to allow time for further planning. The second anticipated MDA was appropriately delayed to allow for more detailed consultation with First Nations. These negotiations were concluded in April 2006 and the MDA is expected to be approved in June 2006.

The ministry is undertaking several initiatives to build capacity to streamline consultation.

Three additional Resort Development Agreements were approved as a result of existing resorts expanding their operations to include additional lodge sites.

Data Sources and Issues

Data was obtained from internal records.

Changes to the Measure

Unchanged

Selection Rationale

This measure is an indicator of how responsive government is to the needs of its investment clients. It demonstrates that the ministry provides timely access to Crown land for commercial recreation thereby facilitating sustainable economic development of the sector. It also demonstrates the ministry's commitment to being responsive and accountable to its clients.

Land and Water BC, formerly responsible for administering all land tenures for the province, established the target of 90% of land tenure applications processed within 140 days. The 140 day turnaround time was based on the average time it took to process an application.

Variance Explanation

The target, originally established by Land and Water BC, was based on all land tenure applications, which vary in complexity. The 90% target was high since commercial recreation applications are more complex than the average land tenure application and typically take longer than 140 days to process.

Data Sources and Issues

Data is obtained from the Tantalis system.

Changes to the Measure

Although the ministry will continue to monitor this measure for its internal business planning process, this measure has not been included in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan because the ministry has reduced its overall set of measures.

Selection Rationale

This measure reflects how responsive government is to customer needs. High customer satisfaction levels signal an open-for-business attitude and a strong commitment to superlative client service, both of which can help encourage new investment.

Variance Explanation

A Customer Satisfaction Survey was developed in 2005/06, but implementation was delayed until Spring 2006. A baseline will be established by July 2006.

Data Sources and Issues

Clients will be surveyed annually beginning Spring of 2006, to assess their level of satisfaction.

Changes to the Measure

Although the ministry will continue to monitor client satisfaction for its internal business planning process, this measure has not been included in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan because the ministry has reduced its overall set of measures. See Appendix 3 for more information on changes to the performance measures in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan.

Selection Rationale

This measure is an indicator of personal fitness and health. The target of 57 per cent is based on the ActNowBC initiative to increase the proportion of British Columbians who are physically active by 20 per cent (an increase from 57 per cent to 69 per cent in 2010/11). The target for 2005/06 was set before the 2003 survey results were released. The results are derived from a bi-annual survey.

While the ministry supports and promotes participation in sport and recreation, B.C.'s physical activity rate is impacted by various environmental and socio-economic factors. Responsibility is therefore shared across government and the general public.

Variance Explanation

n/a

Data Sources and Issues

Data is collected every two years by the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) which provides estimates of health determinants, health status and health system utilization for 136 health regions across the country. Approximately 16,000 British Columbians (12 years and older) participate in the bi-annual telephone survey in which they report on whether or not they engaged in 30 minutes of moderate exercise at least four days each week.

The survey is released approximately one year after the collection date so there is a two-year lag in linking current activities to this performance measurement.

A risk to achieving this target is that British Columbia has the most active population in Canada; it is difficult to improve on this high level of success.

Changes to the Measure

Unchanged

Selection Rationale

The performance of provincial-level athletes at Canada Games is an indicator of the strength of high performance sport across the province and demonstrates whether sustained excellence in competitive sport is being achieved.

It takes eight to 10 years to develop athletes to international performance levels. Performance in Canada Games is a good barometer of how provincial athletes are progressing on this high performance path.

This performance measure only reflects progress of those provincial athletes eligible (by virtue of age) to participate in Canada Games. As these Games occur in a four-year cycle, some generations of athletes are skipped by virtue of their birth year.

Variance Explanation

n/a

Data Sources and Issues

This data is collected from the official Canada Games results. At the conclusion of each sport in the Games, each province or territory team result is ranked, and Canada Games Flag Points are then awarded. The points for each province or territory are added together to determine total flag points. Provinces and territories are also ranked according to medals, but flag points are a better measure of the overall depth of the province's team.

Changes to the Measure

Although the ministry will continue to monitor this measure internally, this measure has not been included in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan because the ministry has reduced its overall set of measures.

Selection Rationale

The number of national athletes training in British Columbia reflects the strength of the province's sport development system and infrastructure. Athletes live and train where they have the best access to world-class facilities, coaches, programs and services.

The target reflects the provincial goal of putting more British Columbians on the 2010 (and beyond) Olympic and Paralympic podia than ever before. This goal cannot be reached if provincial athletes do not achieve national-carding status.

British Columbia's percentage of national athletes has traditionally been high, particularly considering that at 13 per cent B.C.'s proportion of Canada's population is much lower than its percentage of nationally-carded athletes. This historic success rate – coupled with significant new investments in other provinces and territories – will mean that sustaining or improving the representation of national caliber athletes training in B.C. will be challenging.

Variance Explanation

Target is considered met since it is within the 95 – 105% range.

Data Sources and Issues

Data is collected from Sport Canada's database of nationally-carded athletes.

Changes to the Measure

Unchanged

Selection Rationale

Hosting major sporting events can bring significant economic benefits directly to host communities and indirectly to a region and the province. This measure will assist government in tracking the extent to which the benefits outweigh the investment when major sporting events are hosted in British Columbia.

The lasting benefits from world-class events include additional investments in the economy and growth in government revenue, which can be re-invested in health, education, social and economic priorities, thereby reinforcing the value of sport investments.

The province hosted three major sport events during the reporting period:

The 2005 World Curling Championship generated an estimated $20 million in economic activity and leveraged a $250,000 provincial investment into $1 million in provincial revenue.

The 2005 Sovereign Lake Nordic World Cup generated an estimated $6.5 million in economic activity and leveraged a $250,000 provincial investment into $439,000 in provincial revenue.

The World Junior Hockey Championships generated an estimated $41 million in economic activity and leveraged a $1 million provincial investment into $2 million in provincial revenue.

Variance Explanation

n/a

Data Sources and Issues

Economic impact surveys are requested for major international events supported by the province.

Data does not include events supported under Hosting BC – a ministry-funded program that provides grants of up to $50,000 for national and world competitions, including 2010 Olympic and Paralympic test and training events.

Changes to the Measure

This measure was revised in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan, for clarity and specificity.

Selection Rationale

An exit survey to be completed by producers was planned, to assess the degree of client satisfaction with BC Film Commission services and supports. A high satisfaction rate would strengthen British Columbia's reputation as a preferred film and TV location, further enabling B.C. to capture a strong share of the global market. However, the survey was not implemented.

Variance Explanation

The BC Film Commission faced larger than expected film production activity during the fall and winter months. Given limited resources as well as demonstrated client satisfaction, BCFC resources were focused on meeting increased client demand.

Data Sources and Issues

Internal data

Changes to the Measure

Although the BC Film Commission has done preliminary work on developing a measure of client satisfaction for its internal business planning process, this measure has not been included in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan because the ministry has reduced its overall set of measures. See Appendix 3 for more information on changes to the performance measures in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan.

Selection Rationale

This measure indicates how successful the province is in attracting business in the motion picture industry, in relation to market and capacity. Production activity in 2005 increased by 54% over 2004 to $1.2 billion and over 80% of film production investment was foreign based, demonstrating B.C.'s strong international competitiveness as a production destination.

Variance Explanation

Developing the measure was difficult given that competing jurisdictions have different methods of capturing film and television production activity. A combination of indicators may be required to effectively measure progress.

Data Sources and Issues

The BC Film Commission collects calendar year data on the number of film and television productions and total spending in the province. Data is collected by production type on a province-wide basis. In other jurisdictions, production statistics are collected and reported differently, making comparisons difficult.

Changes to the Measure

Although the BC Film Commission continues to explore alternative ways to gauge success through its internal business measures, this measure will not be included in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan because the ministry has reduced its overall set of measures. See Appendix 3 for more information on changes to the performance measures in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan.

Selection Rationale

The Olympic Arts Fund was established to prepare communities to showcase B.C. arts and culture in 2010 and beyond. Its programs support arts and cultural organizations to implement creative projects that contribute to the development of B.C.'s creative economy.

The measure is limited insofar as the available budget is modest, relative to demand. The program has capacity to measure quantitative investment and geographic reach, but limited capacity to assess outcomes of investments in the short term.

The risk was that demand would significantly exceed available resources. This risk materialized but did not interfere with achievement of the performance target.

Variance Explanation

n/a

Data Sources and Issues

Applications to the program are tracked through the Grants Tracking Management System (GTMS) of the Cultural Services Branch.

Changes to the Measure

This measure has not been included in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan because it was an output for the 2005/06 year, and because the ministry has reduced its overall set of measures. See Appendix 3 for more information on changes to the performance measures in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan.

Selection Rationale

Registration makes some properties eligible for federal financial incentives to further urban revitalization, community sustainability and tourism development opportunities. Registration is also important because it indicates that properties conform to national standards and guidelines for the documentation and conservation of historic places.

Increases in the number of registrations indicate a growing commitment by third parties, mainly local governments, to the promotion of local heritage resources through the publicly accessible Canadian Register of Historic Places (CRHP). Growth in the CRHP furthers federal goals to make heritage resources more widely recognized and appreciated.

The target is based on the funding available from the Federal/Provincial Historic Places Initiative, which finances the documentation activities of the register through third party agencies, primarily local governments. It is also based on the number of local governments willing/able to participate in the program and availability of ministry staff resources to vet, finalize and post the completed registrations to the CRHP website.

Variance Explanation

The number of registrations is affected by the ability of third party agencies to meet submission timelines, and by the ministry's ability to finalize submissions.

Data Sources and Issues

The ministry finalizes all historic place entries posted to the register and maintains the count as part of its ongoing management of the B.C. portion of the CRHP.

Changes to the Measure

Although the ministry will continue to monitor this measure internally, this measure has not been included in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan because the ministry has reduced its overall set of measures.

Selection Rationale

All sites are inspected annually. Favourable inspection reports indicate that community partners are successfully preserving and managing heritage properties within the terms of Heritage Site Management Agreements and within the financial resources available both internally and from the province as the owner of the assets. Unfavourable inspection reports indicate that sites are deficient in some key areas of operation and management, with respect to the management agreements and recognized standards of heritage stewardship.

Results are based on monitoring to the standards required by the agreements and applicable provincial policies. Allowance is made for deficiencies that result from financial limitations affecting the manager's ability to operate the sites as they used to be or as stakeholders wish them to be.

A limitation of this measure is that inspections are based on subjective evaluations.

Variance Explanation

Some of the sites are experiencing financial challenges. These relate to an inability to cover operating and stewardships costs within the financial resources that can be raised from visitors and other funding sources. These financial pressures can lead to deficiencies with respect to adequate heritage stewardship or an inability to meet community expectations.

Data Sources and Issues

The Heritage Branch monitors each site for heritage stewardship, financial reporting and capacity, site preservation and presentation, and community connectedness and appreciation.

Changes to the Measure

Although the ministry will continue to monitor this measure internally, this measure has not been included in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan because the ministry has reduced its overall set of measures.

Selection Rationale

These permits allow for the authorized inspection, investigation and alteration of archaeological sites. These processes inform other land use activities including forestry, oil and gas development, subdivisions and private property development. The number of permits issued is an indication of the number of sites protected from unintentional disturbance.

While the measure reflects the ministry's efforts to accommodate economic development, it does not clearly demonstrate the other efforts to protect and preserve archaeological sites such as the dissemination of site location information to allow industry to avoid a site, or the provision of professional advice to law enforcement agencies to facilitate compliance.

The risk associated with this measure is that while it can be viewed as positive that more permits are issued each year, this growth increases demand on resources. That can result in delays in issuance and a resulting delay in economic activity. Mitigation of the risk involved streamlining permitting processes and providing ongoing advisory sessions with external consultants to reduce errors (a further reason for delays in processing) and to develop mechanisms to expedite permitting.

Variance Explanation

n/a

Data Sources and Issues

The data source for this measure is an internally maintained Permit Tracking application. The data is collected as applications for permits are received and processed.

Changes to the Measure

Although the ministry will continue to monitor this measure internally, this measure has not been included in the 2006/07 – 2008/09 Service Plan because the ministry has reduced its overall set of measures.