Sage Group has had many successes.  A few highlights include…
 

National Public Services Development Project, Qatar

Sage Group was part of the project team that evaluated the major public services of the national government and made recommendations for improvement.  Catherine Holt was responsible for understanding and describing the role and operations of the Emiri Diwan (the Office of the National Leader) in running the country including setting public policy and making national expenditure decisions.  Doug Allen described the role of Energy policy in the economy of the country.  In a short time period, we provided the project team with a clear description of the pervasive powers of the Emiri Diwan, and the dominant role of the energy sector, which were critical for the success of the entire project.

SNC-Lavalin
Sage Group Management Consultants worked with Montreal-based SNC-Lavalin for several years. SNC-Lavalin is a large engineering firm with truly a global presence. Sage Group worked directly with SNC-Lavalin on its successful bid to build the Richmond/Airport/Vancouver Rapid Transit Line in Greater Vancouver. Sage Group advised the company on public policy and public consultation requirements for the project.

BC Progress Board Report: "Strategic Imperatives for British Columbia's Energy Future"

The BC Progress Board is an independent panel of senior business and academic leaders appointed by the Premier to benchmark BC's economic and social performance and provide strategic advice on economic and social issues.  In 2005, the board hired Catherine Holt and Doug Allen to prepare a report that provides forward-looking recommendations on how to manage and enhance BC's energy sector.  The report was instrumental in initiating a public discussion regarding the province's increasing imports of electricity, the benefits of electricity self-sufficiency, and the means to secure it. 

BC Ferries
BC Ferries was transformed from a Crown corporation to a new private company. For seven months, Doug Allen was the Interim CEO of BC Ferries charged with the responsibility to lead and implement the change. This transformation was one of the largest ever undertaken by a BC Crown corporation.

Oil and Gas Commission:  Removal from the Requirements of the BC Public Service Act

The Oil and Gas Commission is the regulator of the oil and gas industry in BC and is instrumental in its smooth operation.  It is located in Fort St John and had extreme difficulty attracting and retaining staff given the constraints of the Public Service Act.  Sage Group built a successful strategy for removing the commission from these constraints and allowing it to offer competitive wages and benefits, while still remaining a public sector agency. 

Alternative Dispute Resolution for the Oil and Gas Commission
Catherine Holt facilitated a significant Alternative Dispute Resolution process. It involved two First Nations and four oil and gas companies that disagreed over how best to manage a tract of land in North Eastern BC, important for First Nations' community use and for oil and gas development.  The outcome was that all parties agreed to participate in the government's land use planning process.

South Africa

Catherine and Doug completed four work assignments in Eastern Cape Province.  The overall objective was to advise the Department of Finance and Provincial Expenditure, which was recently established as part of the new Provincial level of government in South Africa, on any financial and management issues.  This included providing an organizational design for the department, advising it on procurement, legislation, risk management, auditing and budgeting.

Mandate and Organizational Design for the Ministry of Economic Development

The ministry has a mandate that is frequently changed by government necessitating changes to the organization.  Working with the deputy minister, in 2003, Catherine Holt designed and led the process for the project team which resulted in a new organization with staff, budget and mandates designed, approved by Cabinet and implemented within the extremely tight timeframe of two months.  Catherine has completed four subsequent reviews from 2006 to 2008 in response to changing mandates.   

Leadership of the BC Buildings Corporation
Doug Allen had a long association with the corporation, including: serving as chair of the board, guiding the corporation through a government review, and advising on further strategic redesign.

Design and Implementation of Innovative Employment Programs
Catherine Holt was the main advisor and negotiator for the BC Ministry of Human Resources over many years as it designed and implemented employment programs for income assistance recipients.  The programs paid service providers only when they achieved the outcome of the income assistance recipient becoming employed and financially independent. The program was the first in the country to pay for the outcome of financial independence through employment.

Development of a BC Energy Policy
Doug Allen was the project director for the development of Strategic Considerations for a new British Columbia Energy Policy: Final Report of the Task Force on Energy Policy, which formed the foundation of the provincial energy policy.

Analysis of Flood Hazard Management and Design of New Governance Structure for Fraser Basin Council and Ministry of Environment

Sage Group provided an analysis of governance of flood hazard management in the province.  We consulted with representatives of all stakeholder governments throughout the Fraser Basin; reviewed extensive previous research and analysis of the flood hazard; described shortcomings in the current governance system resulting in gaps in flood protection and increased risk of flooding; proposed an improved governance system to ensure active participation and funding from federal and provincial governments and improved flood hazard management and presented findings to Fraser Basin Council intergovernmental committee.  We subsequently produced a detailed implementation plan for the Ministry of Environment for the proposed governance structure. 

Transformation of Ministry of Environment to Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection

Sage Group chaired the project steering committee for the Core Review that transformed the mandate and organizational design of the ministry.  We chaired meetings of cross-ministry representatives in multiple sessions to analyse the government mandate for the new ministry, redesigning the existing ministry and describe new responsibilities and business approaches in preparation for Core Review.  Options were successfully identified and described for a new organization, under difficult and uncertain circumstances.

Facilitating Financial Settlement for Guide Outfitters with regard to the Grizzly Bear Hunting Moratorium

Catherine Holt was the lead negotiator for the province.  This entailed: identifying affected guide outfitters and their anticipated financial losses; proposing a compensation policy, negotiating strategy and budget requirements to Ministry executive and legal counsel; preparing a Cabinet submission for approval of policy, budget and negotiating mandate; establishing a working relationship with a hostile negotiating party; consulting with all affected guide outfitters in the province; and negotiating a settlement agreement with the Guide Outfitters Association.  The outcome was an amicable settlement that met government’s policy, budget and time requirements and guide outfitters’ financial requirements, all within a very tight timeframe.

High Speed Internet for the University of British Columbia
Catherine Holt designed a strategy to get a full funding commitment from the university senior executive team to network all buildings at the UBC campus and place the campus at the forefront of Internet-connectivity among Canadian universities.

Design for a First Nations Economic Measures Fund

Catherine Holt consulted with all involved ministries and programs, analysed the previous Interim Measures Fund for effectiveness and developed options for Treasury Board for a new policy and financial model for a province-wide $30 million Economic Measures Fund, which was approved.

Shellfish Aquaculture Development Initiative

Catherine Holt was the project director to increase the amount of provincial Crown land leased for shellfish aquaculture along the BC coast. This required designing and chairing the multi-agency steering committee for the BC government; leading consultations in communities along the entire BC coast with shellfish growers, First Nations, municipal and regional governments; holding community public information sessions and workshops to resolve land use conflicts and increase awareness of shellfish aquaculture as an economic opportunity; leading negotiations with federal government agencies to approve shellfish aquaculture access to ocean water; leading negotiations with First Nations; developing new policy and establishing a one-window lease application and approval business process; and securing community development funding. Crown land used for shellfish aquaculture leases doubled within three years.

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