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PRO's Strategic Directions (2008-2011)

PRO's Vision
Parks and Recreation Ontario (PRO) is recognized as the expert on the values and importance of leisure to people and communities in Ontario.

PRO's Mission
PRO is an all-inclusive, not-for-profit corporation dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for people of Ontario.  PRO fulfills this mandate by collaborating with stakeholders to influence decisions and policies that support the benefits of recreation through information, advocacy, and the research and development of innovative and relevant products and services.
STRATEGIC OUTCOMES   OBJECTIVES

Positively influence Ontario public policy and legislation through advocacy and research in order to enhance the position of parks, recreation and physical activity.

  
  • Implement a responsive public affairs and policy development framework to identify strategic issues and government legislation, develop recommendations, policy statements and appropriate strategies to achieve the broadest possible benefit consistent with the needs of members and stakeholders. 
  • Establish a research agenda and address at least one strategic issue annually.
  • Identify and implement effective methods and procedures for keeping members and key stakeholders informed of legislative and advocacy developments.
  • Continue to enhance the quality of life in Ontario and increase the profile of the benefits of recreation, parks and culture through annual community mobilization and recognition initiatives such as June is Recreation and Parks Month, WinterActive and SummerActive and through partnerships such as Play Works and the Ontario Task Group on Access to Recreation for Low-Income Families.

Enhance the position of recreation and parks in local communities through the development of tools and resources.

 
  • Have HIGH FIVE®  recognized as a Canadian standard
  • Increase the engagement of rural and northern communities in HIGH FIVE®
  • Develop and update resources and tools where appropriate that support the implementation of PRO’s public policy agenda at the community level
  • Support PRO members through effective, efficient and economical member benefits, programs and services

Increase the skills and knowledge of professionals and volunteers so they are better able to manage issues relevant to the Parks and Recreation sector.

 
  • Provide opportunities for members to share best practices, collaborate on projects and supply direct feedback to PRO on issues
  • Provide one major training event per year and continue regional and specialty training events to reach the maximum number of members and practitioners
  • Explore a relationship with college and university faculty members to provide input to curriculum development
  • Continuously enhance the quality of HIGH FIVE®  resources and training

Assess the need and establish quality assurance and standards for recreation and parks to equip the sector with the capacity to measure, to improve and to account for performance.

  
  • Entrench access policy as a standard in the delivery of parks and recreation services.
  • Create performance measures for the sector focused on outcomes to benefit the recreation and parks sector.
  • Enhance the position of HIGH FIVE® as a quality standard.


Special Interest Areas
PRO is comprised of six Special Interest Areas which represent specialized areas of interest and function. These Special Interest Areas are designed to provide additional networking, focus, expertise and resources to PRO's core operations. When you become a PRO member, you can sign up for one of the six special interest areas: Accessible Recreation, Aquatics, Children and Youth, Municipal Administration, Parks, Environment and Open Space and Volunteerism.

PRO Members
PRO is open to anyone who has an interest in recreation, parks, fitness, sport, facilities, aquatics, therapeutic recreation, camping, the arts, culture or other related sectors. The six special interest areas currently comprise a membership of over 1,000 professionals, volunteers, educators, students, interested citizens, elected officials and commercial organizations.

Download a copy of the Parks and Recreation Ontario Backgrounder

Download a copy of How Parks and Recreation Can Provide Solutions

Download a copy of the 2006 Parks and Recreation Ontario Annual Report

For more information on Member Benefits and how to become a PRO member, visit PRO Membership.


History of Parks and Recreation Ontario (PRO)

  • PRO has roots in sectoral organizations dating back to 1945
  • PRO was developed in 1995 through amalgamation of several organizations and support from the Parks and Recreation sector
  • PRO has demonstrated tremendous success in promoting the value and benefits of parks and recreation to the public and significant issues facing Ontario communities
  • PRO provides leadership and has a strong affiliation with the Canadian Parks & Recreation Association
  • PRO is emerging as a leader in influencing public policy and programs to support changes in consumer demand and service provision
  • Since 1995, PRO has been instrumental in the development, implementation, and coordination of numerous projects and initiatives
  • Since the formation of Parks and Recreation Ontario (PRO) in 1995, PRO has been an evolving organization that strives to meet the needs of PRO members.


Parks and Recreation Ontario( PRO) Governance/Structure

A 12 member elected Board of Directors provides direction and support to professional staff who are responsible for the development and implementation of a variety of ventures including projects and initiatives such as HIGH FIVE, Play Works, June is Recreation Month.

Professional staff, project staff, volunteers and students support PRO's core operation

Four key portfolios provide the structure for PRO to develop and offer products and services in a systematic and organized fashion.  The initiatives under each portfolio will focus on the strategic plan and be closely tied to the mission, goals and objectives of PRO.

The four key portfolios are:

    1. Public Affairs/AdvocacyStrategic
    2. Partnerships and Projects
    3. Membership
    4. Executive Committee

PARKS AND RECREATION ONTARIO (“PRO”)
PUBLIC INFORMATION ON PRO’S PRIVACY POLICY

Purpose of Public Information on PRO’s Privacy Policy

  1. The purpose of this document is to provide a user friendly summary of PRO’s Privacy Policy which can be obtained upon request to PRO’s Privacy Officer.

  2. Privacy of personal information is governed by the Personal Information Protection and Electronics Documents Act (“PIPEDA”). PRO’s Privacy Policy describes the way that PRO collects, uses, and discloses personal information in the course of commercial activities, and states PRO’s commitment to collecting, using and disclosing personal information responsibly. PRO’s Privacy Policy is based on the standards required by PIPEDA, and PRO’s interpretation of these responsibilities. 

Accountability

  1. The Privacy Officer of PRO is responsible for the monitoring of personal information collection, use, disclosure, data security and ensuring that all staff receives appropriate training on privacy issues. The Privacy Officer also handles personal information access requests and complaints. The Privacy Officer may be contacted at the following address:

Parks and Recreation Ontario
C/O Privacy Officer
1185 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 406
Toronto, Ontario M3C 3C6
Phone: (416) 426-7142
Fax: (416) 426-7371
Email: pro@prontario.org

Purpose of Collection

  1. Personal information will only be collected by PRO to meet and maintain the highest standard of organizing and programming. PRO collects personal information for purposes described in PRO’s Privacy Policy including, but not limited to:

    1. Receiving communications from PRO in regards to E-news, campaigns, training, tools and resources, access to information, Community of Practice (A networking discussion board), Registration in PRO training courses, quality assurance programs, and events.
    2. Purchasing equipment, manuals, resources and other products.
    3. Identification and determining eligibility and appropriate skill level.
    4. Published articles and media relations.
    5. Database entry to record certifications, tracking, generating reports and granting access to resources.
    6. Technical monitoring, organizational review, training, and education.
    7. Posting on PRO’s website and websites related to divisions of PRO, displays or posters.
    8. Implementing PRO’s screening program.
    9. Gathering qualitative and quantitative information for research purposes.
     

  1. PRO does not sell or disclose its membership list for commercial purposes.

Consent

  1. PRO will obtain consent by lawful means from individuals at the time of collection, prior to the use or disclosure of the personal information.  PRO may collect personal information without consent where reasonable to do so and where permitted by law.
  2. By providing personal information to PRO, individuals are consenting to the use of the information for the purposes identified in PRO’s Privacy Policy.  
  3. An individual may withdraw consent to the collection, use or disclosure of personal information at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions. The Privacy Officer will advise the individual of the implications of such withdrawal. 

Limiting Use, Disclosure and Retention

  1. Personal information will not be used or disclosed by PRO for purposes other than those for which it was collected as described in PRO’s Privacy Policy, except with the consent of the individual or as required by law.
  2. Personal information will be retained for a reasonable period of time as described in PRO’s Privacy Policy.  The complete policy is available upon request.

Safeguards

  1. Personal information is protected by security safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the information against loss or theft, unauthorized access, disclosure, copying, use or modification. 
  2. Methods of protection and safeguards include, but are not limited to, locked filing cabinets, restricted access to offices, security clearances, need-to-know access and technological measures including the use of passwords, permissions, encryption and firewalls. 

Openness

  1. Information available to the public includes:

    1. The name or title, address and telephone number of PRO’s Privacy Officer.
    2. The forms that may be used to access personal information or change information. 
    3. A description of the type of personal information held by PRO, including a general statement of its approved uses.
    4. A copy of PRO’s Privacy Policy.

Individual Access

  1. Upon written request, and with assistance from PRO, an individual may be informed of the existence, use and disclosure of his or her personal information and will be given access to that information.  As well, an individual is entitled to be informed of the source of the personal information along with an account of third parties to whom the information has been disclosed.
  2. Requested information will be disclosed to the individual within 30 days of receipt of the written request at no cost to the individual, or at nominal costs relating to photocopying expenses, unless there are reasonable grounds to extend the time limit.
  3. An individual may be denied access to his or her personal information if:

    1. This information is prohibitively costly to provide; 
    2. The information contains references to other individuals;
    3. The information cannot be disclosed for legal, security or commercial proprietary purposes;
    4. The information is subject to solicitor-client or litigation privilege.

  1. Upon refusal, PRO will inform the individual the reasons for the refusal and the associated provisions of PIPEDA. 

Challenging Compliance

  1. An individual may challenge PRO’s compliance with PIPEDA, by submitting a challenge in writing.
  2. Upon receipt of a written complaint, PRO will:

    1. Record the date the complaint is received;
    2. Notify the Privacy Officer who will serve in a neutral, unbiased capacity to resolve the complaint;
    3. Acknowledge receipt of the complaint by way of telephone conversation or letter clarifying the nature of the complaint within seven (7) days of receipt of the complaint;
    4. Appoint an investigator using PRO personnel or an independent investigator, who will have the skills necessary to conduct a fair and impartial investigation, and who will have unfettered access to all files and personnel, within fourteen (14) days of receipt of the complaint.
    5. Upon completion of the investigation, the investigator will submit a written report to PRO.
    6. Notify the complainant of the outcome of the investigation and any relevant steps taken to rectify the complaint, including any amendments to policies and procedures.

  1. An individual may appeal a decision made by PRO, in accordance with PRO’s policies for appeals as stated in the full Privacy Policy. 

IP Address

When the user's web browser requests a web page from another computer on the Internet, it automatically gives that computer the address where it should send the information. This address is called the computer's "IP address."