By Thomas Goyer
Muskoka District Council has approved a new strategic plan which will set the direction for the upper-tier municipality until 2026.
The development of a new plan began in January and was made up of four stages. Stage one which took place between January and May dealt with preliminary priority setting. This was followed by the community engagement stage from June to July. The next two stages involved action planning from June to August which culminated with the implementation stage beginning in September.
The plan states that the District will be following “R.I.S.E.” Values. This stands for respect, innovation, service and equity. The plan lists four areas of priority. The first is the environment and states that there will be a focus on environmental preservation, climate change action and setting a positive behavioural example. The second area is communities and includes provisions for building safe and sustainable housing, stimulating a diverse economy and workforce and connecting residents to health and social supports. The third area pledges to modernize municipal services, improving communication abilities and planning for future infrastructure needs and developments. The final area of priority is the District team which pledges to strengthen relationships between staff and the community.
The plan was back before council after the completion of the public consultation. The plan and the results of public consultation were presented to District Council by District Chief Administrative Officer Julie Stevens.
Feedback from the public was collected through a survey which was released in June. A total of 228 surveys were completed as well as 264 total responses. The responses tended to be positive with 89 per cent stating they supported or were somewhat supporting of R.I.S.E. values and 93 per cent stated that they felt that priority areas listed addressed the needs and challenges Muskoka faces.
According to Stevens most of the community feedback wished to see more clear actions in the plan as opposed to priorities. Stevens stated this request will be reflected in the updated version of the plan which will be developed later this month.
Councillor Peter Johnston applauded the presentation and the efforts from District staff to get public consultation.
“What a terrific job and public engagement. I couldn’t be more pleased with that,” Johnston said.
Johnston, who has previously commented on concerns about local trust in government, stated that he was happy with the priorities in the plan which would help to strengthen local confidence and trust in government.
This theme was seconded by Councillor Don Smith who also supported the focus on building community involvement and trust in the government.
“I think it does so much not only to keep the District issues in front of the community but also from a standpoint of engaging the community and making the community feel a part of what we’re doing,” Smith said.
After a question from Councillor Brenda Rhodes about the lack of clear mention of economic development in the plan, Stevens went on to highlight the economic elements of the plan. These elements included sustainable work as well as decent jobs and the workers to fill them. She stated that together these priorities represented a focus on the economy.
“It was about stimulating a year-round diverse economy and developing the workforce needed to sustain it,” Stevens said.
The strategic plan also includes pledges to develop a regional economic ecosystem to stimulate both business growth and job creation within the municipality.
Council approved the strategic plan and directed staff to return in the fall with clear steps which can be enacted.
District Chair Jeff Lehman, who will be going to municipal councils across Muskoka to deliver the plan, stated that he is looking forward to feedback from municipal leaders and residents. Lehman also stated that it was now time to take action.
“What really matters is the action that follows from that in key areas like housing and economic development and, of course, climate change and protecting the watershed. And so the action plans are all important and that is the next step,” Lehman said.
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