Expansion of AGCO Regulatory Mandate
Marketplace evolution within the liquor and gaming sectors, along with government initiatives and legal and regulatory reforms such as recreational cannabis legalization, have continued to expand the AGCO’s regulatory authority. To help manage the operational and financial pressures related to this expanded mandate, the AGCO continues to implement its long-term direction through its Strategic Plan.
The AGCO strives to be proactive in implementing changes to improve efficiencies in its operations, demonstrating its commitment to the government’s goal of regulatory efficiency. Initiatives include implementation of an Enterprise Risk Management Framework, numerous program audits to improve efficiencies, and a long-term information technology strategy. Additionally, the AGCO’s shift to a risk-based regulatory approach has ensured agency resources are allocated to areas that represent greater risk, increasing effectiveness and efficiency.
Education, Training and Awareness (ETA) Initiatives for Licensees and Registrants
The ETA strategy, and will continue to enhance and reinforce the AGCO’s approach to education across all its lines of business. The objectives of the ETA strategy are to ensure that existing and new initiatives are anchored in AGCO priorities, benefit from internal coordination, and support improved regulatory compliance and outcomes. One of the core elements of the strategy is to be more responsive to stakeholders’ feedback on potential options, opportunities and priorities from an educational perspective moving forward.
New programs will be identified to support stakeholder education and understanding of the laws that apply to them, including webinars on cannabis licensing. Funding for these new programs, in whole or in part, may come by leveraging monies generated through the assessment of Orders of Monetary Penalty (OMP). Moving forward, the AGCO will continue to use OMP funds to improve the education it provides to its licensees and registrants to support regulatory compliance and consider funding requests from external stakeholder organizations for educational initiatives which support the AGCO’s overall ETA program objectives.
Skilled Workforce
Essential to implementing a successful transformation of the AGCO’s regulatory approach and its business processes is establishing and maintaining a rewarding workplace environment with high performing and empowered staff who feel valued and supported, and where change management practices are understood and integrated into all initiatives. By continual investment in leadership development and coaching, the AGCO is preparing its leaders to effectively manage the significant and transformational changes taking place across the agency.
The AGCO has also taken a proactive approach to attract and retain high quality talent in order to effectively carry out its mandate. For example, the AGCO’s Manager 2020 initiative focuses on developing and recruiting leaders to be people-centric over being process focused. Furthermore, the AGCO is shifting its culture to ensuring that managers are placed into leadership roles based on their fit for the position and their ability to effectively manage people.
Strategic Planning
The AGCO undertook a review of the Strategic Plan that was established in 2013 to understand whether the existing strategic direction was still appropriately guiding the agency. The process included internal consultations throughout the organization in order to obtain insights into the anticipated challenges and opportunities on the horizon, and ensuring the plan is aligned to government’s priorities to reducing red tape, increasing efficiency, as well as transparency and accountability. The result is a refreshed strategic plan, which includes a new vision statement, three reframed strategic goals (Modern Regulator; Service Excellence; and People-Centric), and the identification of key commitments to deliver on each of the goals.
As was the case with the last plan, this plan is underpinned by an enhanced business planning process and integrated performance measurement approach to ensure that the current and future initiatives support the agency’s Strategic Goals; better position the AGCO to respond to expanded responsibilities; identify opportunities to enhance its regulatory approach; and align with the strategic priorities of the AGCO Board of Directors. The ongoing process of strategic orientation of major initiatives and key regulatory activities to the Strategic Plan positions the AGCO to adapt quickly to emerging initiatives and priorities.