With the end of Fiscal 19 and the conclusion of Year 1 of Standardbred Canada’s Five-Year Strategic Plan, which is our roadmap for operational plans to help define what the association will look in five years time,

I thought that I would provide you with a “snapshot” of SC’s 5 Priorities that the management team has worked on throughout this year to assist in monitoring, managing and adjusting to market and membership demands.

Fiscal 2019 was a year of fact finding and fact checking, along with exploring opportunities and identifying ways to move forward in becoming an essential support for our industry.

Fiscal 2020 will be an opportunity to begin actualizing the findings and opportunities to further define the association’s supportive role. This involves continuing our restructure for innovation and information sharing, resource allocation, and operational efficiencies.

Communications

• Develop & Implement Social Media Strategy

• Design Standardbred Canada Website Redevelopment

Key Summary:

With the restructuring of the Communications Department and introducing the role of Sr. Director of Innovation and Information, this has led to assigning more added responsibility to the current team structure along with focussing on SC’s social media presence.

As a result, SC released a Social Media strategy which will be the cornerstone of our social media initiatives along with building a proper framework for a more dynamic online presence, some of which we have seen including an increase in “likes” and “clicks” on Facebook, along with the implementation of more videos being uploaded to the website.

SC has also embarked on creating and releasing an RFP for a third party vendor to begin refreshing the website. The vendor selection was based on specific criterion along with an evaluating committee comprised of management, IT and the Communications department.

This has led to the final selection of the winning vendor to begin work on the website in Fiscal 20

Data Management

• Complete Gaitway Project

• Execute Cyber Security Enhancement Plan

• Define Data Governance policy

Key Summary

The Gaitway project is for all intensive purposes complete. The IT department will be doing ongoing maintenance and troubleshooting as the association and related stakeholders uncover areas of improvement and potential enhancements through real time usage that will provide greater efficiencies and effectiveness of the system.

All findings from the Cyber Security Review have been completed with the exception of one finding which will be addressed during the website refresh.

During F19, SC has spent a great deal of time reviewing the data being collected for future development, for dissemination to industry and in areas of where this can be further enhanced and improved. The intention is to develop a Data Management & Governance policy for the association, securing our future direction with the data being collected.

Financial Sustainability

• Execute an Operational Efficiencies Review of all Departments

• Identify New Membership Channel Opportunities

Key Summary

Management spent significant time reviewing operational budgets by department and cost centers. This has led to a robust and lively conversation and review of operational expenses. As a result of this tactic, management has identified several areas in which SC can better improve operational efficiencies overall.

Management also looked at exploring new membership channel opportunities and believes that there is a possibility to create membership growth which will be an area of focus in fiscal 2020.

Membership/Customer Service Value

• Develop online member services

• Expand Member Value Program (MVP)

• Define and Implement a Plan for Enhanced Membership Communication

Key Summary

SC was hopeful to launch more online services for new membership, membership renewals, transfers and stallion certificates. However a shift of focus and priorities resulted in IT committing to successfully building a mobile microchip app and readying the association to launch on-track entries for industry. As a result, online service programs will be moved into F20.

In November 2018, SC had 172 members enrolled in the Member Value Program (MVP). Through an effective strategy; the association has improved that to 358 sign-ups through this fiscal, and has included more business partners to the MVP program including Perkopolis, and Park N Fly. To bring more attention to the member program SC ran monthly prize draws to encourage member sign up.

During the restructure of the marketing department, and shifting the focus to Member/Stakeholder Relations, the team has been working with the Member Services department to identify more effective methods of communicating with our members. The concept is to create a streamlined approach that will provide more information and interaction from the association to our members with a strategic communication plan going forward.

Stakeholder Relations

• Launch Canada’s Rules of Racing

Key Summary

The launch of Canada’s Rules of Racing has been released to all regulators in each jurisdiction. This project took enormous effort and commitment by SC to facilitate discussions, set agendas, and compile all changes into one document for the committee.

SC is expecting all regulators within the country to implement the new rule book with the exception of Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Quebec due to legislative requirements in the three provinces. SC continues to work with the three provinces to offer support and assistance in the implementation of the rule book in the near future. SC is also monitoring and tracking how all the provinces progress in launching the new rules in 2020 as agreed upon.

In conclusion, it has been a very exciting and productive year for SC and I would like to thank our employees, the Board, and most importantly our members for your support, feedback and ideas on how the association can grow and move forward with our industry.

We will provide you with details of the key strategic tactics for 2020 early in the New Year but at this time on behalf of Standardbred Canada we wish you a wonderful holiday season and a healthy and prosperous new year!

Dan Gall, President & CEO, Standardbred Canada
[email protected]