Strategic Plan | Township of Laurentian Valley

Message from the Mayor

On behalf of all Council, I would like to introduce the Township of Laurentian Valley's Strategic Plan for 2019 to 2023. The production of this document has been a collaborative effort with Township staff and members of Council.

It has been exciting to watch this plan grown and take shape. In 2017 staff and Council began reviewing the previous strategic plan for the Township of Laurentian Valley and had numerous meetings to update the strategic objectives and rank them in order of their priority. This Plan will give staff and Council a guideline to follow for years to come, and will be reviewed quarterly to track progress as well at the beginning of the next term of Council to make sure it is still in line with the desires of our residents.

Once again, thank you to all those who took the time to help build this Strategic Plan.

Yours truly,

Mayor Bennett

Strategic Plan Process

The Township of Laurentian Valley developed this Strategic Plan as a means of establishing a road map with which to guide decision-making in the Township over the next 5 years.

The following steps were taken to develop the LV's Strategic Plan:

1. Project Kick-Off Meeting

At the first meeting for the Strategic Plan Review, Council and Management Staff reviewed the Strategic Objectives that were brought forward in the previous strategic plan to see if they required updating. Changes were made at this meeting and Council and Management were asked to rank their choices in order of priority. Each member individually ranked each strategic objective in order of priority.

2. Second Review

In October 2018 Council was asked to review the strategic objectives again and rank in priority.

3. Priority Listing

The Strategic Objectives were presented to Council in order of priority for their approval.

4. Implementation Tables

Department Heads met regularly from December 2018 to March 2019 to review implementation tables as a group.

5. Timeline

The Department Heads met in March of 2019 to review the timeline for all the strategic objectives.

6. Council Review

At the Regular Council Meeting of March 19, 2019 Council was presented the Strategic Objectives Implementation Tables and timeline for review.

7. Approval of Strategic Plan Document

In April 2019 Council is presented the draft Strategic Plan Document.

8. Quarterly Review (ongoing)

Department Heads will meet quarterly to review progress of strategic objectives and will report back to Council on status.

Mission, Vision, Guiding Principles

The following Mission, Vision and Guiding Principles were taken from the 2010 to 2014 Strategic Plan of the Township of Laurentian Valley.

Mission

To sustain and enhance the long-term quality of life for residents of Laurentian Valley by:

Providing essential municipal services, infrastructure, and direction for development
Supporting the community’s identity, rural-urban lifestyle and economic sustainability
Anticipating change and building capacity to cope with new demands on services

The Township is expected to play many roles -- accountable local government, service provider, community champion, catalyst, information hub and consensus builder.

Vision

The Township of Laurentian Valley will be a well-managed and responsible municipality that:

upholds and promotes the distinct urban-rural character of the community,
sets high standards for delivery of the services it provides,
anticipates and adapts wisely to the demands of continuing growth and development,
makes decisions based on a clear and supported framework for land use,
plans wisely for the long-term development of infrastructure and services,
manages its mandate in ways that support economic sustainability,
continues to be a model of fiscal responsibility,
works collaboratively with many and diverse partnerships with its neighbours, and
plays an active role in community leadership.

Guiding Principles

While the strategies in this plan address specific choices the Township faces, they are shaped by guiding principles, philosophies and fundamental values -- the underlying community culture that directs those choices:

Act in the interests of and for the benefit of the entire municipality.
Keep taxes relatively low through careful advance planning, by sharing services and costs, and through creative collaborations with others.
Prepare and use infrastructure and establish planning tools to help ensure future commercial and industrial investment will diversify sources of property tax assessment.
Maintain municipal infrastructure and services at levels the community can be proud of.
When evaluating investments in public recreation, quality of life amenities and other infrastructure, consider contributions to the “bigger picture”, such as economic sustainability, environmental enhancement, and impacts on social and cultural fabric of the community.
Pursue change gradually with a practical, long-term view, but don’t let that get in the way of big, new ideas even if they are not in the municipality’s traditional or formal area of responsibility (for example physician recruitment or telecommunications). A good rule is: “Don’t be the first to take in the new or the last to discard the old.”
Manage potential risks wisely with a good understanding of the long-term issues and forward planning. Sometimes innovation is required to find effective solutions.
Promote Laurentian Valley as one community with a distinct rural-urban identity.
In dealing with our municipal neighbours and local community groups, start with the idea that “there is more to gain by working together”.
Provide leadership and invest in partnerships to leverage resources in support of the community’s aspirations for the future. Ensure the municipal staff functions as “one team”, which requires flexibility, common purpose and complimentary skill sets.

Read the complete Strategic Plan