Strategic Direction

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The AGCO is guided by a Strategic Plan that positions the agency to be an effective and modern regulator through an increasingly complex operating environment. Serving as a compass, the plan helps the AGCO to strategically navigate the challenges and opportunities that exist within the liquor, gaming, horse racing, and cannabis retail sectors.

The Strategic Plan focuses on three strategic goals: Modern Regulator, Service Excellence, and People First. Characterized by a set of key commitments that drive AGCO’s culture and inform decision-making, these goals align with, and support the achievement of, government objectives to:

  • enhance accountability and efficiency in the delivery of public services;
  • use evidence-based decision making and policy development;
  • reduce the administrative burden on businesses; and
  • increase consumer choice.

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Strategic Plan

Vision: A world class regulator that is innovative, proactive, and socially responsive.

Mandate: To regulate in accordance with the principles of honesty, integrity, and in the public interest.

Our Strategic Goals Our Key Commitments
Modern Regulator
  • Risk-based, outcomes-based, compliance focused
  • Strategy-driven
  • Evidence-based
  • Digital-first mindset
Service Excellence
  • Reduce regulatory burden
  • Value for money
  • Support innovation and consumer choice
  • Customer-centred and responsive
People First
  • Culture of accountability and trust
  • Empower people and foster growth
  • Outcomes-based and coaching -oriented leadership
  • Progressive, flexible and inclusive

During 2019–2020, the AGCO made significant progress towards achieving its strategic goals, with all divisions contributing to efforts to keep the agency moving forward, as a Modern Regulator, providing Service Excellence to all stakeholders, and striving to be an organization that puts People First. Here are some of the highlights.

1. Modern Regulator

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  • The AGCO supported the Government of Ontario in the regulation of legal, recreational cannabis by streamlining data collection from operators through a finalized MOU with the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) for data gathering and sharing.
  • The AGCO held a series of technical consultations to further the government’s spring 2019 budget commitment to establish a competitive market for internet gaming in Ontario.
  • Working collaboratively with the OLG to support the provincial government’s gaming modernization strategy, the AGCO helped to transition new Casino Operators and support key components of the OLG Player Platform and Lottery Modernization Strategy.
  • The AGCO launched the charitable gaming modernization initiative, which focuses on reforming charitable gaming regulation to align with the AGCO’s modern regulatory approach.
  • The AGCO implemented changes announced by government to remove the administrative fee for Break Open Tickets, which resulted in additional funding available for charitable organizations.
  • Significant work was undertaken to streamline forms and reduce administrative burden and red tape for applicants in preparation for the implementation of iAGCO online services for charitable gaming licensees.
  • As part of the Moving Ahead: Horse Racing Regulation in Ontario project, the AGCO implemented several welfare and integrity reforms in April 2019, including a ban on the use of race day medications for racehorses, revised claiming rules, and the launch of a concussion protocol pilot for jockeys at Woodbine and Fort Erie racetracks.
  • The AGCO provided ongoing strategic and operational advice to government on proposed reforms to the liquor regulatory framework.
  • The Regulatory Intelligence and Innovation team developed a predictive risk model for liquor, implemented a data-driven strategy to strengthen the agency’s regulatory approach towards impaired driving, and developed an analytics training framework to embed data analysis into decision making and policy development.

2. Service Excellence

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  • The continuation of the AGCO’s service delivery model, through the phased rollout of the iAGCO online portal, featured the March 2020 launch of online services for horse racing participants.
  • The AGCO continued its ongoing development of organizational performance measures, with insights employed to better evaluate business performance and regulatory effectiveness.
  • The AGCO delivered a series of engagement-driven activities to solicit stakeholder input and generate awareness about major corporate initiatives, including hosting the AGCO’s second Stakeholder Summit.
  • The Education, Training and Awareness team launched an eLearning course for private event SOP holders to educate them about their legal responsibilities.
  • The AGCO conducted internal audits and evaluations, and implemented recommendations, based on a Board-approved, three-year, rolling Strategic Audit and Evaluation Plan, leading to strengthened internal controls and improved governance and accountability.
  • The AGCO continued to maintain and build upon collaborative relationships with the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, College of Veterinarians, Canada Border Services Agency, Regulatory Compliance & Enforcement Council, Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency, and the Canadian American Law Enforcement Organization.
  • The AGCO continued to enhance its Emergency Management Plan Framework, including the creation of business continuity plans for new lines of business and modifications to infrastructure to ensure critical systems and information are protected and available in the event of an emergency.
  • As part of its Better, Faster, Smarter story, the AGCO launched a Value Task Force in April 2019, creating an internal infrastructure for measuring red tape and supporting the government’s objective of reducing regulatory burden by 25%. 

3. People First

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  • Under its organizational design initiative to identify opportunities to be more flexible, dynamic, and agile, the AGCO strengthened its Regulatory Intelligence function, improved the structure of its Customer Experience team, and created a new Chief Information Officer role.
  • The rollout of the Remote Work Arrangement program provided a flexible structure for employees to occasionally work from an alternate work location when appropriate to their duties and functions. The program was a driving factor in the AGCO’s successful and efficient response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with most staff seamlessly transitioning to an expanded full-time remote work arrangement within a matter of days.
  • As part of a multi-year Diversity and Inclusion plan, the AGCO conducted an all-staff Diversity and Inclusion Survey to assess the organization’s efforts to create a positive workplace environment that reflects the unique qualities of its employees.
  • The Well Engaged Committee took a leadership role in action planning and implementation of initiatives to enhance organizational diversity and inclusion efforts, with recruitment, outreach, and disability/accommodation awareness being identified as its top priorities.
  • The AGCO formalized a Corporate Social Responsibility strategy and took concrete steps to ensure its employees, communities, and environment thrive by identifying four focus areas: diverse, healthy and engaged workplace; a vibrant and strong community; a sustainable environment; and socially responsible industries.
  • The AGCO’s virtual Town Hall series continued to connect staff across the province over a one-week period, by taking a modern, cost-effective approach that combined live streaming, interactive sessions, themed days with customized content, recorded presentations, and an employee social media platform to engage with staff across the province.
  • Providing the organization with a competitive advantage in attracting talent, the AGCO NEXT initiative launched NEXT Talks, inviting employees to create and deliver all-staff presentations on relevant themes.
  • The AGCO continued to implement its Employee Engagement action plan, by focusing on two corporate themes: opportunities to have ideas adopted and put into use, and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of work structures and processes. Initiatives such as innovation hour, process review, and continuous improvement were rolled out across the organization.
  • In 2019–2020, a new Ask Me Anything staff engagement initiative was launched, providing AGCO employees with an opportunity to submit questions directly to executives and receive an immediate response.
  • The Manager 2020 project team introduced several progressive initiatives, including LeaderShift, which allows managers to apply for temporary assignments outside of their field and lead a team of specialists. The team also developed four leadership competencies for use in management and staff development plans.
  • Human Resources continued to incorporate a Digital First approach by implementing new technology modules to improve efficiency, adopt best practices, and eliminate manual/paper-based processes.