2016 SQL stakeholder meeting - summary

Safe Quiet Lakes
2016StakeholderMeetingReport
TheSafeQuietLakes2016StakeholderMeeting,themed“GettingtheWordOut”,washeld
April8inPortCarling,andattractedover65participantswhoprovidedexcellentdiscussionand
feedback.ParticipantsincludedtheOPP,lakeassociations,municipalities,boatingorganizations
andmarinas.
ThemeetingincludedasummaryofSQL’sverybusyandproductive2015,plansforthisyear
includinga“QuietCampaign”inco-operationwiththeOPP.Presentationsfromourspeakers
includingMPPNormMiller,OPP,WakeboardCanada,BoaterSkills,PaddleCanadaandtheMLA
gaveusdifferentperspectivesontheissuesandchallengesweface.
Hereisalinktothemuskokaregion.com/BracebridgeExaminerstoryonthemeeting.
http://www.muskokaregion.com/news-story/6496460-safe-quiet-lakes-team-up-with-police-inmuskoka/
2015Review
GregWilkinsonprovidedanoverviewof2015activities,buildingon
thesuccessof2013and2014campaigns.Inthe2013surveyresults,
themostcommonlycitedproblemsare:
• Boatsgoingtoofasttooclosetoshore
• Loudboatengines
• Largewakes
• Unsafeandinconsiderateboating
Since2013atotalof75Boater’sCodesignshavebeenpostedat
marinas(including:Pride,PortSandfield,MuskokaWarf),publicboat
launchesinTownshipofMuskokaLakesandSeguinincludingthe
locks,localresortsandboatingorientedbusinessesincluding
MarriottandDeerhurst.Also,over6100Boater’sCodecards,1700
RightofWaystickers,and1200Brochureshavebeendistributed.
Finallyover8000pageviewswererecordedonthewebsiteby4800
users.
2016activities
WewillcontinueourEducationand
Communicationprogramsthisyearwithanew
jointmediacampaignwiththeOPPstartingon
theVictoriaDayweekendcalledthe“Quiet
Campaign”,re-launchofanew,improved
website(safequiet.ca),andextendedBoaters
AlwaysCareoutreachtomarinas,resorts,lake
associationswithoursummerinternJohn
JosephMitchell.
Weareworkingonanewtoolkitforlake
associations,andcontinuewithadvocacyand
engaginggovernments(municipal,provincial,
federal),andcooperationwithlike-minded
groups.
WewereinvitedtotheNationalMarineManufacturingAssociation(NMMA)“Summit”on
recreationalboatinginOttawainMayandweregiventheopportunitytointroduceSQLand
discussourmodel.
QuietCampaign
Weareundertakinganambitiousjointmediacampaign
withtheOPPoneducation/outreachtoraiseawareness
ofboatingsafetyandexcessiveboatnoise,andhow
ownerscanmitigatethenoise.Itwill
begintheVictoriaDayweekendwitharide-alonginan
OPPcruiserasofficersinspectboatsatbusylocations
suchasPortCarlingorPortSandfield.
Thecampaignaimsto:
• educateboatoperatorsaboutsafe/respectful
normsandculture,
• increaseawarenessofthenoiseissueand
changesboaterscanmaketoday,
• encouragecompliancewithlaws,
• advocatewithgovernmentstomakecurrent
lawsmoreenforceable,
• workwiththeboatingindustrytoencourage
adoptionofstandardsthatvaluequieteroptions.
TheQuietcampaigninvolvesmedia/publicrelationsoutreach,acelebrityendorser(formerNHL
starPaulCoffey)andwillincludetraditionalandsocialmedia.
Participantswerepolledonthevariouscreativeoptions.Theloonpicturedrightwasthe
overwhelmingfavourite.
Otherspeakers
GeordieNewlands(summerwatersports.com)fromWakeboardCanada,CraigHamiltonfrom
Boaterskills(boaterskills.ca),JohnBowlbyrepresentingtheMuskokaLakesAssociation’s9km
waterradarpilotproject,andDawnCallanfromPaddleCanada(paddlecanada.com)made
shortpresentationsontheirrespectiveprogramsthatwerewellreceivedandtook
questions.DawnwillbecomingtotheareatoprovidefreepaddlesmarttraininginearlyJune
(datetobedetermined).ThoseinterestedcancontactherthroughthePaddleCanadawebsite.
BreakoutSessions&ParticipantFeedback
Weheldgroupbreakoutsessionsafterthepresentationstoobtainfeedbackfromattendees,
andsuggestionsformovingforward.Herearesomeoftheresponseswegot.
IssuesthatshouldberaisedattherecreationalboatingsummitinMayinOttawa:
• safety(education,pfd’s,alcoholuse,speedregulation),
• buildingandcertifyingboatercapability,
• noise(education,enforcement,decibellimits,manufacturercooperation,eliminationof
Captain’schoiceoption),
• wakes(education,cooperationwithtowingsportscommunity,research)
• research(usage,impactsofeducation,actionsandinterventionsonbehaviours)
• respect(education,supportongoinggenerationaltransferofculturalnorms).
HowSQLcanbetter“getthewordout”
• lakeassociationAGM's,newsletters,websites
• socialmedia–recognizablehashtag
• includeyouth,new-to-boatingpeople
• timing–summermeetingstoexpandthe
audience
Acompletesummaryofthesuggestionsisincludedin
AppendixA.
ParticipantSurvey
Wesurveyedparticipantsinthestakeholdermeetingandtheirresponsesconfirmedearlier
datatrendsandsomeofouranecdotalexperience.Itwasveryencouragingtolearnthat
almostthreequartersofrespondentsagreethatboatingstakeholdersareworkingtogether
moreinMuskokaandalmosttwothirdsagreethatboatingsafetyisimproving.Thereisclearly
moreworktobedonehowever,becauseonlyhalfoftherespondentsfeelthatthelevelof
responsibleandrespectfulboatingisimprovingandevenfewerrespondentsfeelthatnoiseand
wakesareimprovinginMuskoka.
Wealsocollectedfeedbackonthecommunicationandeducationtoolsthatarefoundationalto
theworkofSafeQuietLakes.OurBoaters'CodeandNavigationstickercontinuetoreceive
veryhighmarksfromstakeholders,aviewthatisconsistentwiththeextremelyhighdemand
forthosetools.Ourelectronictools,websiteandsocialmedia,areratedlower,althoughthey
areperceivedtobeimprovingbyrespondents,andbothwillbeanareaoffocusforfurther
improvementforSafeQuietLakesin2016.DetailedresultsareincludedinAppendixB.
OurthankstoSQL’sfinancialandin-kinddonors.Withoutthissupportouractivitieswouldnot
bepossible.Forthecompletelistofdonorspleasegotoourwebsitesafequiet.ca.
AppendixA
StakeholderMeeting-April8,2016-GroupDiscussionOutputSummary
Questionsdiscussedbythegroups:
1. Whatissuesshouldberaisedandwhatprioritiesshouldbefocusedonatthe
recreationalboatingsummit?
a) Safety(education,pfd’s,alcoholuse,speedregulation)
b) Buildingandcertifyingboatercapability(education,outreach,PCOC,reachingrenters)
c) Noise(education,enforcement,decibellimits,manufacturercooperation,eliminationof
Captain’schoiceoption)
d) Wakes(education,cooperationwithtowingsportscommunity,research)
e) Research(usage,impactsofeducation,actionsandinterventionsonbehaviours)
f) Respect(education,supportongoinggenerationaltransferofculturalnorms)
2. HowcantheQuietCampaignbeencouraged,promotedandimproved?Whatcanyou
oryourorganizationdotohelp“getthewordout”?
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
LakeassociationAGM's,newsletters,websites
Websitelinksfromtownships,boatingassociations,marina/camp/resorts
Education
Socialmedia–recognizablehashtag
Messagecoordinationwithdifferentgroups
LinktoPCOCprocess
Sensitivitytocottagerneeds;awarenessofcottagersassourcesofnoiseissues
Includeyouth,new-to-boatingpeople
Leverage360degreemessage,BowDownetc.
Boaterinformationpackage
Eventsincludingfarmersmarkets
3. WhichcreativeelementsfortheQuietCampaignaremosteffective?
a) Loon
b) Littlegirl
4. Whoshouldweengagewithwhoisn'therewhocanhelpusgetthewordout,
organizationsweshouldinvitefornextyear(eg,resortowners)?
a)
b)
c)
d)
e)
f)
g)
h)
i)
j)
k)
l)
m)
n)
Camps
TransportCanada
Parks
Media-newspaper/radio/television
Powersquadron,volunteers,
Marinas,
Localcouncillors,
Highschoolsandcolleges,
Trailerparks,
Resorts,
BIA/Chamber,
Municipalityofficials
Cottagerentalagencies,
Timing–summermeetingstoexpandtheaudience
AppendixB
ERINRESEARCHAnalysisofStakeholdermeetingParticipantSurvey
1. PROGRESS
Figure 1. Have you seen progress in the Muskoka region in these areas over the past two
years?
Percent of respondents
Area (average agreement, 0 - 10)
Boating stakeholders working together (7.1) 3 9
15
Boating safety (6.8) 3 9
47
26
Awareness of responsible and respectful 3 11
6
Excessive wakes (5.8)
40
34
6 12
Excessive noise (6.1)
38
20
31
1
No
progres
26
23
31
20
21
24
23
2
3
20
4
5
Very
good
2. SQL COMMUNICATIONS
Figure 2. How effective do you find these SQL communications?
Percent of respondents
Communication (average agreement, 0 - 10)
SQL Navigation (red/green) stickers (7.6) 3 8
17
Boater’s Code (7.3) 3 8
Boaters always care (7.1) 4 11
SQL postcards (7.0) 3 11
SQL newsletter (6.8)
7 10
Facebook, Twitter and other social media (6.5) 4 14
6
28
14
39
39
32
29
34
21
28
34
18
32
32
29
18
1
Not at
all
effective
47
22
23
Articles in local media by SQL (6.9) 3 15
SQL website (6.4)
25
24
2
3
25
29
21
32
4
5
Very
effective
Figure 3. Effectiveness of SQL communications, 2015–2016
0.0
Average rating of effectiveness (0 - 10)
7.6
7.6
SQL Navigation stickers, decals
6.6
7.3
Boater's Code
4.9
SQL postcards
7
6.2
6.9
Articles in local media by SQL
5.5
SQL newsletter
Facebook, Twitter and other social media
SQL website
6.8
3.8
6.5
5.0
6.4
2015
2016