Gordon K. Rodgers, B.Sc., M.E.S.
GKR Consulting, 1141 Wood Duck Lane , RR #1, Hartington, Ont., K0H 1W0
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Overview
Gord Rodgers brings to projects more than 40 years of experience in all aspects of environmental planning. Through his career, Gord has written and led plans for provincial parks, developed provincial policy and legislation for environmental assessment, natural heritage protection, natural resources management and municipal planning. He has managed highly complex and confrontational projects and has extensive experience dealing with strategic planning, facilitation, public consultation and formal hearings. Over his career he has worked closely with Ontario government ministries (notably Natural Resources, and Municipal Affairs), conservation authorities, municipalities, and non-government organizations. His work has taken him to almost every corner of the province of Ontario, but his specialized skills relate to the environmental and natural resource issues of southern Ontario.

Gord began his career with the former Ontario Water Resources Commission in the late 1960’s and early 70’s where he supervised a bacteriological lab, analysing water quality on recreational lakes and the Great Lakes. After a return to school for a Masters in Environmental Studies, he started a twenty-five year career with the Ministry of Natural Resources. At a time when the Ontario Parks program was going through a period of unprecedented growth, Gord managed the Visitor Services program in south-central Ontario, and subsequently the park planning program overall. This involved coordinating an active program of environmental inventories, park management planning, and land acquisition for the parks system. A highlight of his time in Central Region was coordinating the expansion of provincial parks along the Niagara Escarpment, and MNR’s involvement in the first plan for the Niagara Escarpment, which included extensive public hearings.

From 1984 to 1991, a stint in MNR’s Policy and Planning Secretariat offered Gord experience in developing policy and legislation, in the areas of municipal planning, resource planning, watershed planning, and environmental assessment. This included a leadership role in dealing with the Ministry’s Environmental Assessment for Timber Management, and the associated lengthy and complex hearings.

Through the Ontario government’s tumultuous years of the 1990’s, Gord was senior manager for the MNR’s Planning Unit in southern Ontario. This was a time of multiple reorganizations, and a time of a shift in the core business of government. As well as
participating in, and leading some, of the change management processes of MNR, and coordinating resource and municipal planning for southern Ontario, Gord was fortunate to be involved in managing one of MNR’s most important projects of the 1990’s, Lands for Life (Ontario’s Living Legacy). As manager of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence unit of Lands for Life, Gord led a multi-disciplinary and multi-ministry team through the process of developing a Crown land Plan for the central area of Ontario, and coordinated the extensive public consultation process that was vital to its success.

In 1998, Gord was able to take an early retirement from the Ontario Public Service and he began his company, GKR Consulting. The company has dealt with a variety of projects in environmental planning, and specializes in finding solutions for multidisciplinary and multi-party issues. In 2003 Gord relocated to Eastern Ontario, and built a house on Fourteen Island Lake, north of Kingston. In 2005, Gord established a formal partnership with French Planning Services Inc. to deliver, among other projects, lake planning and related projects in Eastern Ontario. In 2006, he joined the firm of Ogilvie, Ogilvie, & Company as an associate, and became involved with OOC in a number of consultation and facilitation projects.

Profile

1998-today: Principal, GKR Consulting. This company offers planning and facilitation services for projects related to natural resource and environmental management. Clients have included federal and provincial governments, conservation authorities, and non-profit organizations. Projects typically include project scheduling and management, facilitating workshops, negotiating solutions, and writing reports. Most deal with complex issues, multiple parties, and often-conflicting positions.

Specific projects:

• 2008: In association with French Planning Services, assisted in facilitating the Lake Simcoe Science Advisory Committee for the Ontario Ministry of Environment.
• 2008: Gord provided expert advice and assistance to the Buck Lake Association in their deliberations re. a Lake Management Plan for Buck Lake.
• 2008: Gord provided expert advice to the Ministry of Natural Resources on their preparation of the Guide for Land Use Planning on Crown Land in Ontario.
• 2007-ongoing; In association with Tom Hilditch of Savanta Inc., and Melanie Horton, of St. Marys Cement, Gord is currently engaged in a Species at Risk Stewardship Project for a site at Presqu’ile Bay. The project is jointly funded by St. Marys Cement and the MNR Species at Risk Stewardship Fund.
• 2007-ongoing: Gord is currently involved in leading a lake stewardship plan for the subwatershed area of Fourteen Island and Mink Lakes, South Frontenac Township.
• 2006-2007: In association with French Planning Services and Fred Johnson, Gord provided advice related to natural heritage for the Ministry of Public Information and Infrastructure on their Greater Golden Horseshoe Plan.
• 2006-ongoing: Gord is assisting with public consultation and facilitation of several projects led by Ogilvie, Ogilvie, & Company. These include the York-Durham Trunk Sewer, 407E. Extension, MNR Workshop on Aboriginal Knowledge of the Land.
• 2007: Gord prepared proceedings of the “Valuing Ecological Goods and Services” conference on behalf of the Eastern Ontario Model Forest.
• 2006: In association with French Planning Services Inc., researched and wrote a paper on Lake Simcoe’s science and planning issues for the Windfall Foundation and the Ladies of the Lake.
• 2005-2006: In association with Fred Johnson and Guy Winterton, Gord prepared a “Needs Analysis” for compliance/enforcement with the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act.
• 2005: In association with Randy French of French Planning Services, Gord prepared the Mississippi River Water Management Plan.
• 2005: In association with David Watton and Fred Johnson, Gord coordinated an administrative structure for, and helped to provide general advice to, the Greenbelt Foundation during its formative period.
• 2002-2003: Gord, in association with David Watton, coordinated and developed a strategic plan and an administrative structure for the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation. The process relied upon continual consultation with NGO’s, conservation authorities, municipalities, provincial and federal ministries, using regular multi-stakeholder workshops to test and improve the strategies.
• 2001-2002: For the third time over his career, Gord provided advice and project coordination for the Ministry of Natural Resources’ participation in the review of the Niagara Escarpment Plan. This included assisting and advising witnesses throughout the requisite hearings.
• 2001: In association with others, provided a review of the roles of government agencies involved in delivery of the Fisheries Act. This project was commissioned by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and involved negotiating a common agreement between OMNR, conservation authorities, and the federal government.
• 2000-2001: Working with Bobolink Enterprises, Gord and Ron Reid conducted a review of Ontario’s Conservation Land Tax Incentive Program. After extensive research and inter-agency consultation, a set of recommendations was presented to MNR.
• 2000: On contract to University of Waterloo, Gord and David Watton made a presentation and led a discussion on “Lands for Life” to the Conference on the Science and Management of Protected Areas and the Third Annual Parks Research Forum.
• 1999: Gord researched and authored “The Lands for Life Story,” documenting the 1997-1999 process of Lands for Life/Ontario Living Legacy.
• 1999: Based on his experience as Ontario’s representative to this Canada-wide forum, Gord co-ordinated the 1999 Federal Provincial Land Use Forum, including a special 3-day extension highlighting the Lands for Life project.
• 1999: The first project of GKR Consulting was to co-ordinate a delegation of Russian scientists and municipal officials on a visit to the GTA, with the assistance of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. This Canadian Council of Environment Ministers’ project was set up to show Canadian models of agency co-operation related to water and waste management.

Employment record – OPS:

1996-1998: Manager, Planning Unit, Southcentral Region, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. This office, under the management of Gord Rodgers, was responsible for municipal, natural resource and land use planning for MNR in the area of the province generally south of the French River. During this period, highlights of the work included municipal planning reform and Lands for Life. Gord managed staff in MNR dealing with reform to the Planning Act and associated Provincial Policy Statement and guidelines. The Lands for Life project was one of the largest land use planning process undertaken in Canada. It was based on an unprecedented program of public consultation across Ontario, relied upon three “Round Tables” of citizens representing diverse interests in Public land. Gord led the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Round Table, responsible for “central Ontario” (approximately from Wawa south to Hwy. 7). The project was completed in two years, after 95 public meetings, and delivered a Land Use Strategy that: increased parks and protected areas in Ontario from 7% to 12% of the land base; a Forestry Accord; the Living Legacy Trust; and a new relationship with NGOs and the public. In this position, Gord also managed other planning and policy initiatives across southern Ontario, including: the restructuring of the Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program; MNR’s Municipal Planning program; and Southern Ontario’s Natural Heritage protection program. Gord’s responsibilities as manager included the Niagara Escarpment Program, and at that time Gord coordinated the transition of governance for the Niagara Escarpment from the Ministry of Environment to the Ministry of Natural Resources. There was a continuation of government restructuring, and Gord led amalgamation of two regional planning units and MNR’s regional involvement in Municipal Planning Reform.

1991-1996: Manager, Planning, Southern Region, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. During this period, government was undergoing major restructuring, and Gord took a lead role on several corporate reviews and projects, e.g., Land Management Business Review (as Project Manager); Business re-design for MNR’s aggregate program; Municipal Planning Reform; the process to amalgamate three planning units into one. Because of the amount of change, strategic planning was a priority, and Gord led or facilitated a number of strategic plans, including: Forest Management in Southern Region; Natural Heritage in Southern Region; Several Districts’ strategic plans; and Corporate scenario building. Gord’s responsibilities during this time included coordinating the Ministry’s position at the NEC Plan Review hearings.

1985-1991: Manager, Planning and Environmental Assessment, Policy and Planning Secretariat, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. During this time, Gord was involved in policy development and provincial-level planning programs for MNR. Some of the policy initiatives that Gord led or coordinated included: MNR’s Policy Statements under the Planning Act; Cultural Heritage Guidelines for Timber Management; Public Involvement Guidelines for MNR Planning; various compliance documents for the Environmental Assessment Act. Gord also led provincial planning committees, program audits, and represented MNR on various interagency committees.

1986-1990: Project Manager, Timber Environmental Assessment Project, Policy and Planning Secretariat, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. During his term as the Planning and EA Manager, Gord was given a special assignment as Project Manager for the Ministry’s Timber Environmental Assessment Project. In this role, he coordinated preparation of the Timber Class Environmental Assessment document, then led a large, ever-evolving team through the preparation and initial delivery phases of the hearings for the Timber Management Class EA. This included: responsibility for a $3 to $6 Million annual budget, multiple secondments and special appointments, hiring consultants, and accommodation for remote offices and living quarters; organizing and developing evidence panels, witness statements, training of witnesses, and meeting multiple deadlines; and setting up the ministry’s monitoring program for timber management.

1994-1985: Resource Management Planning Specialist, Policy and Planning Secretariat, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Gord produced several documents related to MNR planning, including “Guidelines for Resource Management Planning,” “District Fisheries Management Planning” Policy Guidelines; “Area of Concern” policy and procedure for timber management planning. He also provided direction and advisory services for management planning to MNR’s field offices

1980-1984: MNR/Niagara Escarpment Coordinator, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. While still formally the Regional Planner, Gord was assigned the role of coordinator for MNR’s involvement with the first Niagara Escarpment plan. This was Gord’s initiation into formal hearings, as he led MNR involvement, through: negotiating inter-ministerial positions; leading and directing the MNR witness team; preparing witness statements; coordinating and preparing an MNR position; acting as the primary MNR witness; and maintaining a good flow of briefing information to MNR’s senior management. In addition to the work on the plan and hearings, the job entailed setting priorities for, and leading, the MNR-CA land acquisition
program ($5 million/year), and setting up an MNR program for long term co-ordination with the NEC.

1977-1984: Regional Parks/Recreation Planner, Central Region, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. The responsibilities Gord carried out during this period were to produce a Regional Parks System Plan, manage and direct scientific and research studies and inventories (e.g., for ANSI, archaeology), and to direct park management planning for the region.

1975-1977: Regional Visitor Services Planner, Central Region, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. Gord’s entry to MNR after completing his Masters in Environmental Studies was as a planner responsible for coordinating the interpretive programs across the parks of Central Region. A major accomplishment during this period was preparing the region’s first Parks Visitor Services Plan.

1967-1972: Head Laboratory Technician, Great Lakes Bacteriology Laboratory, Ontario Water Resources Commission (OWRC). The OWRC was one of several agencies that came together to form the Ministry of the Environment when it was established in 1973. While Gord was with the lab, he was responsible for the operation of a bacteriology unit that analysed water samples from the Great Lakes. His responsibilities included staff training and direction, quality control, and data analysis and reporting. A significant undertaking of Gord’s was to design the first fully mobile bacteriology laboratory, and subsequently to direct and oversee its operation.