City of Toronto Host City Communications 2015 Pan Am/Parapan Am Games Planning & Approach Best Practices Key Learnings

Protocol & Delegation

Support

Protocol Services

Transportation Services / TTC

Toronto Police Services

Fire Services

Paramedic Services

Office of Emergency

Management

Parks, Forestry & Recreation

Solid Waste Management

Municipal Licensing & Standards

Toronto Public Health

Other divisions

Communications & Public Affairs

Strategic Communications

Host City Showcase

(Cultural Celebrations)

PANAMANIA Celebration LIVE at Nathan Phillips Square

(Economic Development & Culture)

Welcome & Engagement Program (Strategic Communications, Economic

Development & Culture)

Other Showcase Programs (Various Divisions/Agencies)

Corporate Pan Am Games Unit

Municipal Services

City Manager / Deputy City Manager(s) Key Divisions/Agencies involved in Games Operations

2

1.  Sport Canada Communications

2.  PPAGS Communications

3.  Integrated Security Unit - Unified Command Centre Comms

4.  Unified Transportation Command Centre Communications

5.  City of Toronto Communications

6.  Municipal Partner Communications

7.  Government partner agencies, departments, ministries, services

•  Fire, Hydro, CBSA, CIC, Public Works, Public Health Units, etc

8.  PASO, COC/CPC, NOCs/NPCs, IFs, Sport Partners

9.  Supplier, Contractor and Sponsor Communications

Key Communications Partners

Cor

e Te

am

Ext

ende

d Te

am

3

Extended Partner Agency Communications Leads

Emergency Services Local Utilities Transit Operators Sport Organizations/IFs Municipal Departments

Municipalities, Venue & Sponsor, Contractor Communications

Leads

Municipal Leads Provincial Ministry Leads Federal Department Leads Sponsor Comms Venue Owner Comms

Core Communications

Team Leads TORONTO2015 Comms Provincial Comms Lead Federal Comms Lead Toronto Comms Lead ISU Comms Lead UTCC Comms Lead

Partners’ Engagement Model

4

City of Toronto Communications – Key Objectives •  Promote Toronto •  Be a strong partner to TO2015 and other levels of government •  Share the City of Toronto story •  Increase awareness of Toronto's involvement/investment in the Games •  Recognition of the legacy benefits •  Inform audiences of opportunities to get involved/celebrate •  Provide timely information about Games impacts to residents and businesses •  Support staff with relevant information •  Protect reputation and mitigate issues proactively.

5

Leverage the Games to advance communications practices and skills for City Communicators.

Communications Planning •  Multi-phased project, dating back to 2008:

Ø  Bid process Ø  Announcements Ø  Capital projects design and build Ø  Transportation planning Ø  Legacy programs Ø  Milestones and events Ø  Host City Showcase Program Ø  Torch Relays Ø  Cultural program Ø  Games time x 2 Ø  Wrap up

Communications Planning

•  Overarching umbrella plan:

Ø  Served as the communications framework

Ø  Ongoing, organic process Ø  Identified communications pillars/

themes Ø  Strong foundational messaging

used throughout the process Ø  Identified potential issues from the

outset.

•  Individual detailed plans for specific programs, phases and issues: Ø  Digital/Social Ø  Torch relay Ø  Panamania Ø  Host City Showcase Ø  Media strategy Ø  Transportation Ø  Issues Management Ø  Crisis communications Ø  Internal communications Ø  Community engagment.

Communications Planning

•  Organizational framework:

Ø  Led through the Media Relations & Issues Management Unit

Ø  MarComm Team – brought together key City Communications contacts on a regular basis

Ø  Included outside agencies, such as Police services.

Ø  Engaged broader group of communicators to support Games-Time operations.

•  Many sub-committees with partners:

Ø  Transportation Ø  Engagement Ø  Communications leads Ø  Capital projects Ø  Host City Showcase Program Ø  Panamania.

Communications Strategy •  Leverage all available communications vehicles – traditional, digital and social •  Collaborate with Games partners to maximize reach •  Proactive, upfront and timely approach •  Provide useful and accurate information to residents about Games impacts to reduce

frustration •  Advance communications to businesses with a focus on preparation and maximizing

potential for economic boost from the Games •  Highlight celebratory and cultural events •  Promote legacy aspects of the Games.

9

Two pronged approach to communications planning:

1)  Amplify the good news 2)  Prepare for and mitigate issues.

Communications Approach

Strong coordination and collaboration with partners was key to overall success:

Ø Ability to influence decisions Ø Clarification of roles and responsibilities Ø Leverage contributions of other partners Ø Better overall coordination Ø Collegiality and team-building. Ø Legacy.

Partners’ Communications Swim Lanes

TO2015 Provincial Federal (incl RCMP) Municipal

All Games-owned issues including: •  Competition and results

•  Venues and field of Play •  Delays/postponements/cancellations

•  Ticketing/spectator issues •  Games impact of transport issues

•  Physical assets protection

•  Athlete or NOC/ NPC Issues

•  Ceremonies

•  Volunteers and workforce •  PANAMANIA program

•  Widespread medical and public health issues/ outbreaks

•  Provincial celebration sites

•  Provincially significant events where a municipality asks the Province to provide emergency management support

•  Province-wide or cross-municipality emergencies

•  Diplomatic and international relations

•  Immigration and visa issues

•  Border security issues

•  Refugee claims

•  Internationally Protected Persons •  National security

•  Localized natural disasters •  Localized public health issues

•  Day-to-day transportation updates on local routes

•  Provision of municipal services to support the Games

•  Information for residents and business on Games-related impacts

11

ISU/OPP Police of Jurisdiction Transportation Agencies MTO

•  Major inter-jurisdictional safety and security matters

•  Overall security threat level

•  Inter-jurisdictional protests or disruptions

•  Private security contract, contractors (CSC) and overall performance

•  OPP-patrolled highway issues

•  Broader transportation issues related to security and public safety

•  Localized criminal, safety, protests and security matters

•  Venue security & screening in their jurisdiction

•  Criminal activity involving Games Family members

•  Localized transportation issues related to security and public safety

•  Day-to-day transportation services •  Delays, outages, incidents related

to their systems

•  Day-to-day transportation updates on provincial routes

•  Regional impacts of transportation issues

•  GRN transportation issues

•  TDM updates and analysis

Partners’ Communications Swim Lanes (continued)

12

Games -Time Communications – Staff Locations + Roles City Hall:

7 West + TCO* Metro Hall: 311 Call Centre

Ex Place/TO2015 Press Centre

Toronto Venues + Community Events

EOC &Transportation Centre – Don Mills Rd

•  Daily partner call •  Social media team •  Writing, media monitoring •  Web team •  Toronto House coverage •  Media info table

(Rotunda) •  Media line •  Daily staff & Councillor

updates •  311 Embedded

communicator

•  Daily TO2015 press conference

•  Liaison with TO2015 •  Collaboration with

Tourism Toronto •  Liaison with

accredited media

•  Event coverage – media relations

•  Photography •  Videography •  City newsgathering

•  EOC liaison + monitoring

•  Coordination of transportation related comms – social, digital,

•  Liaison with City Hall and TCO

* TCO: Toronto Coordination Office

0:00 1:00

2:00

3:00

4:00

5:00

6:00

7:00

8:00

9:00

10:00 11:00 12:00

13:00

14:00

15:00

16:00

17:00

18:00

19:00

20:00

21:00

22:00 23:00

Transportation Comms coverage ends – 01:00

Regular Comms coverage 06:00 to midnight EOC/ Comms coverage 07:00 to 19:00 311 Comms Coverage

City Press Ctr Operations 08:00 to 20:00

Partner Comms Call – 8:00

Morning Clips – 07:00 Strat Comm Conf Call - 07:30

Sr. City exec + Div heads briefing – 09:30

Press Conference (MMC) – 10:30

Partner Comms Call (TO2015) – 17:30

Protocol Working Group (TO2015) – 18:30

UTCC Morning Briefing – 07:00

UTCC Afternoon Briefing – 15:30

Division/Agency Update Calls – 16:00

Communications Coverage & Briefings

On call coverage midnight to 6:00 am

StrategicCommunica/ons,MediaRela/ons&IssuesManagement

Transportation Comms Coverage 05:00 – midnight

1.  Media Clippings Package – Twice daily 2.  Daily Issues Summary 3.  Morning Update to Staff 4.  Morning Update to Councillors 5.  Daily Key Messages 6.  Pre-Prepared Fact Sheets, Matte Stories, Tweets 7.  Proactive social, digital content

Games –Time Communications Products

Issues Monitoring

•  Media coverage •  Media requests •  Social channels •  Partner updates •  Staff reports

•  Two Pan Am clip books/daily

•  Daily issues scan •  Daily messaging •  Enhanced monitoring:

6 am to midnight

Minor Issue

Moderate Incident

Major Crisis

§  Short term issue §  Minor operational impact §  Easily/quickly addressed §  Low/No reputational risk §  Low/No media pick up §  Low/No social media traction

§  Media interest established w/ potential to increase

§  Some social media traction w/ indication of continued/expanded interest

§  Operational issue w/ impact of extended or unknown duration

§  Moderate effect on public §  Reputational risk

§  Major negative impact on operations and or public

§  Significant risk to public safety, reputation, operations

§  Significant media interest §  Significant social media traction

Issue Classification Guidelines

Resolve at site Document in regular report to TCO Comms

Immediate alert to: TCO Comms, media@toronto.ca wbrown1@toronto.ca jdesouz@toronto.ca Partners SMT

Work to resolve at site Heads up to TCO Comms, media@toronto.ca wbrown1@toronto.ca (or designate)

1.  During Games-time, City of Toronto communications activities will be focused on Games-related information. During the Pan Am Games period, the City will limit the distribution of media materials related to other initiatives

2.  All City of Toronto communications activities will be managed through the Strategic Communications division. This includes the distribution of all internal and external communications materials, media relations and issues management activities, and leadership of social media activities

3.  The City of Toronto has responsibility for speaking to all aspects of City operations (including City of Toronto Transportation Services division operations), and will communicate service impacts proactively to all internal and external audiences

4.  The City of Toronto will proactively communicate with media and other audiences in regard to: Games benefits; City-led and supported events and community programming; promotion of City programs, features and services

Games-Time Communications Operating Principles

5.  The City of Toronto will work collaboratively with its partners to proactively share information about its Games-related communications activities wherever possible. This may not be feasible in all situations or across all channels. In order of precedence, the City’s primary focus will be on ensuring the provision of timely and accurate information pertaining to City operations to the media and members of the public across all communication channels

6.  TO2015 has responsibility for speaking on all aspects of the Games including schedules, delays, competition issues, results, venues, etc.

7.  Toronto Police Service (or the ISU) will speak on all security and public safety matters, issues, incidents and threats

8.  In an emergency situation, the City of Toronto’s Emergency Plan, and associated Emergency Communications and Media Relations Support Function, will immediately come into effect

9.  City of Toronto communications resources will not be required to directly support TO2015 or provincially-led sporting/Games activities, celebratory events or programs (including Panamania), unless specifically requested/negotiated in advance.

Games-Time Communications Operating Principles (continued)

Key Learnings •  Opportunity to push

Communications practice forward: Ø  New Comms tools & channels Ø  Appetite to try new things Ø  Build skills of communications

staff through the experience

•  What would I do differently? Ø  Timing considerations for media

stories Ø  Tighter Games-Time team.

•  Importance of: Ø  Diligent planning Ø  Being present, front and centre Ø  Anticipating the worst, hoping

for the best – crisis comms planning

Ø  Strong working relationships with internal & external partners

Ø  Really solid internal comms Ø  Legacy.

 

Thank you! Any questions?

Wynna Brown Manager, Media Relations & Issues Management – City of Toronto Office: 416-392-8937 Cell: 416-919-6503 Twitter: @WynnaB