Donald McArthur

The Town of Amherstburg has a new Community Strategic Plan laying out a vision and priorities for this term of Council and beyond.

It will be used to help guide the day-to-day decision-making of staff and Council, helping to ensure decisions align with our stated priorities, and it will function as a tool to measure our progress in achieving our goals.

The plan was crafted after considerable public consultation and multiple sessions with Council, staff and representatives of StrategyCorp, a third-party consultant with expertise in municipal government and strategic planning. It outlines the challenges and opportunities facing our growing community and lays out a roadmap for the Town to achieve its objectives.

The plan has four Strategic Pillars and under each of those pillars are specific goals, 20 in total. Under each of those goals are specific initiatives to be pursued by Staff along with measurables.

By putting these initiatives and measurables down on paper, Staff has a clear game plan and Council has a tangible way of measuring whether progress is being made on achieving the stated goals.

The four pillars are:

• Deliver Trusted & Accountable Local Government
• Invest in Community Amenities and Infrastructure
• Encourage Local Economic Prosperity
• Shape Growth Aligned with Local Identity

The goals under each of those pillars are:

• Pillar 1 - Deliver Trusted and Accountable Local Government
  1. Improve trust between council and staff, and residents, by strengthening governance and internal accountability structures
  2. Deliver transparent and efficient financial management
  3. Increase effective communication and engagement with residents
  4. Develop our staff team, resources, and workplace culture
  5. Continue to deliver strong core municipal services
  6. Ensure Amherstburg is an inclusive, accessible and welcoming community committed to reconciliation
     
     
• Pillar 2 - Invest in Community Amenities and Infrastructure
  1. Maintain safe, reliable, and accessible municipal infrastructure and facilities
  2. Increase access to recreation opportunities for all ages
  3. Finalize and execute plans for town-owned lands (e.g. Duffy’s site, Belle Vue)
  4. Create public access to the water and waterfront
  5. Prioritize opportunities to reduce environmental impacts of Town operations and increase Town resilience to climate change
     
     
• Pillar 3 – Encourage Local Economic Prosperity
  1. Encourage development of commercial and industrial lands
  2. Continue to promote local tourism industry, especially overnight accommodation
  3. Continue to facilitate downtown development for residents and visitors
  4. Continue to leverage partnership opportunities with other provincial, federal, and local governments, agencies, and organizations
     
     
• Pillar 4 – Shape Growth Aligned with Local Identity
  1. Define and communicate a vision for the Town’s future and identity
  2. Promote and plan for green and “climate change ready” development
  3. Review and implement policies that promote greater access to diverse housing
  4. Protect the Town’s historic sites and heritage
  5. Preserve the Town’s greenspaces, agricultural lands, and natural environment.

“The Community Strategic Plan reflects the priorities we heard from the community and will guide the Administration in supporting Council to address the biggest decisions facing the Town. It will inform all our budgets, policies, operational plans and recommendations to Council,” says a written preamble to the plan by CAO Valerie Critchley.

“The Plan considers how we want to grow and develop the community and local economy, protect historic and natural heritage, ensure access to recreation and leisure amenities, and move along key development projects including the extension of the King’s Navy Yard Park, while continuing to recognize the increasing affordability pressures faced by both the Town and its residents.”

For a breakdown of the initiatives and measurables underpinning each of the Plan’s 20 goals, please review the 2022-2026 Community Strategic Plan.

The Town’s new Vision statement is: “Preserving our past while forging our future.”

Our new Mission Statement is: “As stewards of the Town of Amherstburg, we strive to improve the quality of life of all residents through the delivery of effective, efficient, and affordable services.”

Our Values are:

Collaborative: "We work together effectively within the organization and in collaboration with other governments, private entities and community partners."

Service-Oriented: "We listen and respond to our customers in a culturally responsive way and prioritize their satisfaction as we do our work."

Results-Oriented: "We establish community driven goals, measure our performance, and report to the public on our success in meeting those goals."

Accountable: "We are responsive and transparent to the public in our roles, functions and actions as individuals and as a government."

Innovative: "We are creative, learn from experience and results and seek out new and efficient ways to solve problems and serve the public."

The Strategic Plan has been posted to the Town’s website. Give it a read!