Town of Gravenhurst created 5,192 hours of capacity a year
Gravenhurst's Lean program: 22 Green Belts, 16 projects, $758,902 in savings identified and 5,192 hours of annual capacity over three years.
The challenge
In September 2020 the Town's Committee of the Whole approved a plan to provide Lean training to all Town employees by the end of 2023, initiated with grants from the Ontario Municipal Modernization Fund. The aim was to reduce waste and inefficiency and to create the capacity to do more with the same resources while improving customer service.
The approach
All Town staff were trained to a minimum of Lean White Belt, and staff who wished to go further took the Green Belt program, which requires each participant to complete a continuous improvement project. Over three years, 22 Green Belt graduates worked individually or together on 16 completed projects, each with a senior sponsor. Projects completed in 2023 included entrance permit modernization, disposal of surplus lands, a corporate FAQ page for the website and an employee lifecycle form.
The result
The Town's March 2024 report records a cumulative 5,192 hours of capacity created annually, equivalent to $338,497 in time value, plus $420,405 in other absolute savings and net revenue recoveries, for a total of $758,902 in savings identified to date. The report also cites strengthened standard operating procedures, internal controls and reporting, fewer errors and reworks, and shorter customer wait times; the entrance permit project targeted a 91% reduction in customer wait time.
How it holds
All new employees receive Lean White Belt training after their probationary period as part of onboarding, and the Senior Leadership Team will hold at least one formal intake of Lean projects each year. The Town showcases completed Green Belt projects to staff and Council at a virtual Lean Project Fair.
Results
What changed
| Measure | Before | After | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual capacity created (cumulative) | 4,407 hours (to end of 2022) | 5,192 hours (to end of 2023) | 785 hours added in 2023 |
| Time value of capacity created (cumulative) | $275,822 | $338,497 | $62,675 added in 2023 |
| Absolute savings and net revenue recoveries (cumulative) | $174,740 | $420,405 | $245,665 added in 2023 |
| Total savings identified (cumulative) | $450,562 | $758,902 | $308,340 added in 2023 |
| Green Belt graduates and completed projects | 22 Green Belts on 16 projects | Over 3 years |
FAQ
Common questions
The Town's March 2024 report to Committee of the Whole records $758,902 in total savings identified over three years. That total is made up of 5,192 hours of annual capacity, valued at $338,497 in time, and $420,405 in other absolute savings and net revenue recoveries.
Town staff carried out the projects. After three years, 22 Green Belt graduates had worked individually or together on 16 completed Green Belt projects, each sponsored by a senior leader. Leading Edge provided the Lean training, and every Town employee is trained to at least White Belt.
New employees receive Lean White Belt training after probation as part of onboarding. The Senior Leadership Team can prioritize and assign Lean projects to strategic objectives and will hold at least one formal project intake each year, and completed projects are shown at a virtual Lean Project Fair.
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