STRATEGIC PLAN IN DETAIL
By Kirk Winter
For the next four years, the Strategic Plan recently passed by City of Kawartha Lakes Council will be the foundational document that determines what direction the City will be taking and why.
The Strategic Plan is based around four pillars that the City will attempt to achieve between now and 2023.
A vibrant and growing economy
An exceptional quality of life
A healthy environment
Good government
Vibrant and growing economy – how will this be achieved?
Support downtown revitalization to ensure our communities have a strong core
Leverage local business ambassadors and talents, and with business groups and associations
Create an Innovation Centre to support and encourage high growth business
Ensure private business start-up and expansion costs are competitive
Continue the Million Dollar Makeover program and Community Improvement Programs through grants and loans
Protect and support agricultural land and businesses
Attract new business and expand local employment by offering business development programs to support the agricultural, tourism, cultural, manufacturing and innovation sectors
Enhance tourism by refreshing the Destination Development Plan
Increase the visitor spend in Kawartha Lakes
Capitalize on visitor experiences that differentiate Kawartha Lakes from other communities
An exceptional quality of life – how will this be achieved?
Refresh and expand long-term care beds
Support medical and healthcare practitioner recruitment
Encourage “age friendly “ programs
Encourage innovative programming throughout all emergency services and partner to encourage safety and wellness
Make high-quality childcare available by administering fee subsidies to families and operating funding for childcare agencies
Partner to develop a wellness centre in Coboconk
Develop and oversee homeless prevention programs and supports including emergency shelter
Continue to encourage mixed development with a focus on affordable, attainable and purpose built housing
Update the municipality’s preparedness plan to address natural and man-made hazards
Continue to deliver Ontario Works and employment support programs
Provide community agency programs for poverty reduction and community participation programs
Promote and encourage connections and access to multi-mode transportation networks and systems
Develop and execute an Active Transportation Plan, Parking Strategy and Transit Master plan
Invest in life-cycle road improvement measures and support maintenance programs
Increase linkages in local trail systems
Maintain “community hubs” such as parks, buildings and active spaces for social healthy interactions
Increase beautification efforts
Update and execute the Cultural Master Plan
Support and promote arts, culture and heritage
A healthy environment – how will this be achieved?
Execute the updated Integrated Waste Management Strategy
Continue to ensure municipal drinking water sources are protected and that municipal drinking water continues to meet provincial standards
Oversee source water protection for private sewage systems
Complete and implement lake management plans to ensure long-term health
Reduce City’s corporate carbon footprint
Environmentally efficient municipal infrastructure
Green procurement policy
Green Fleet program and practices
Management of waste at municipal facilities
Promote sustainable development
Protect prime agricultural land
Protect and enhance our tree canopy
Good government – how will this be achieved?
Ensure municipal assets are well maintained and well managed
Access infrastructure funding
Effective management of municipal building and land portfolio
Manage our aggregate resources
Streamline by-laws, policies and processes
Complete the Official Plan, Secondary Plans and Consolidated Zoning By-laws
Develop and execute a long-term strategy for roads
Continue to work with the Eastern Ontario Regional Network to ensure high-speed broadband and cellular service are available throughout Kawartha Lakes
Establish an Employer of Choice model
Formalize staff attraction and retention programs including succession planning
Business continuity planning to ensure organizational resiliency
This very ambitious and multi-faceted plan is sure to challenge Council and Staff in the upcoming year. It will be interesting to see what kind of impact the expected economic slowdown predicted in 2021 will have on some of these very ambitious CKL goals, and whether some parts of the Strategic Plan will be shelved as the provincial Conservatives continue to reduce their transfers to the municipalities.