CAMA Launches New Municipal Succession Planning Toolkit to Shape Tomorrow's Leaders
October 9, 2024 – The Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators (CAMA) is excited to announce the launch of its Municipal Succession Planning Toolkit, a comprehensive guide designed to help municipalities of all sizes ensure leadership continuity, stability, and long-term success. This resource provides practical strategies for municipalities, whether they have a dedicated Human Resources Department or not, to proactively plan for leadership transitions and strengthen their future leadership pipeline.
The Municipal Succession Planning Toolkit emphasizes the importance of succession planning to maintain municipal stability, retain critical knowledge, and provide seamless transitions during leadership changes. The Toolkit outlines clear roles for the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), Senior Leadership Team, Human Resources Department, Mayor, and Council in the succession process. On Page 56, there is a dedicated chapter for the CAO, Mayor, and Council that you may want to share with your Council to support successful CAO succession planning.
Key features of the Toolkit include:
• Traditional Hierarchical Succession Planning: A method focused on grooming individuals for specific leadership roles.
• Talent Pool Approach: A broader development of potential leaders across the organization.
• Leadership Development Programs: Structured programs designed to enhance leadership capacity within municipalities.
• Performance-Based Succession Planning: Identifying leaders based on proven performance.
• External Pipeline Development: Ensuring leadership continuity by considering both internal and external candidates.
This Toolkit also includes tailored strategies for smaller municipalities, offering easy-to-follow templates and checklists such as:
• Mayor & Council Checklist for CAO Retirement and Hiring
• Checklist for Using a Third-Party Recruitment Firm
• Transition Management Checklist for Employee Departure
Risk management and crisis succession planning are also integral to the Toolkit, helping municipalities prepare for unexpected vacancies. Continuous communication and adaptability are emphasized to ensure that succession plans evolve with the changing needs of the municipality.
Tony Kulbisky, President of CAMA (Board Representative for Alberta and the CAO for Westlock County, AB) commented, "The Municipal Succession Planning Toolkit is an essential resource for any municipality looking to build resilience and foster long-term success. It ensures that municipalities are well-prepared for leadership changes while promoting stability and continuity in the organization."
Brenda Orchard, Toolkit Taskforce Chair (First Vice-President, Representative for Ontario and CAO for Lennox & Addington County, ON) added, "Succession planning is critical for municipalities of all sizes, and this Toolkit provides the roadmap they need to create strong leadership foundations for the future."
CAMA would like to thank Jennifer Goodine, Executive Director of CAMA, for her expertise in authoring the Toolkit, as well as the following CAMA members for their invaluable contributions to its development:
• Brenda Orchard, First Vice-President, Board Representative for Ontario, CAO – Lennox & Addington County, ON
• Nathan Peto, Board Representative for Manitoba and Saskatchewan, City Manager – City of Portage la Prairie, MB
• Gary Kent, Board Member-At-Large for Municipalities with a Population Over 100,000, CAO – Region of Peel, ON
• Tracy Thomas, Board Representative for Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory and Nunavut, SAO – Town of Fort Smith, NWT
• Jeff Gushue, Board Representative for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, CAO – Town of Yarmouth, NS
• Mike Dolter, Former Board Representative for Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, CAO – Town of Truro, NS
• Sheila Bassi-Kellett, Former Board Representative for Northwest Territories, Yukon Territory and Nunavut, Retired Member
• The late Rodney Cumby, Former Board Representative for Newfoundland and Labrador
• Raffaelle Di Stasio, Board Representative for Québec, City Manager – City of Montreal-West, QC
• Beverly Hendry, CAMA Past President
• David Stewart, CAO – Municipality of Hastings Highlands, ON
• Jamie Nagy, Former Board Representative for Manitoba and Saskatchewan, CAO – Town of Langham, SK
The Toolkit is attached for your convenience and is also available in the Member's Section under 'Toolkits.' To access the Executive Summary of the Toolkit, please click here.
