The Niagara Region is inviting Niagara residents to have their say on regional council’s strategic plan for 2019 to 2022.
On Wednesday, the Region launched a campaign called Shape Niagara, which encourages residents to provide their ideas and feedback through a number of platforms.
Regional Chair Alan Caslin said the campaign is the “largest strategic consultation effort in Niagara’s history.”
“To achieve Niagara’s true potential, we must forge the next phase of Niagara’s path together … we must be bold and we must focus on the people that make up Niagara’s 12 communities,” he said, in a Region media release.
The Region said it will gather public feedback through a number of platforms including five public open houses held throughout the region between May and June, as well as a telephone survey and third-party moderated focus groups.
Residents can also submit their ideas online at niagararegion.ca/shapeniagara or by leaving a comment on social media using the hashtag #ShapeNiagara.
As well, staff will re-examine all public engagement that has taken place over the last four years to “identify reoccurring themes,” and regional staff will attend local community events throughout the summer to “promote the campaign and collect responses.”
“Regional Council looks forward to residents, businesses, and community organizations seizing the opportunity to provide input on how they would like to shape the exciting future of Niagara,” said Caslin.
The feedback gathered will be included in a background study council will use when deciding its strategic plan, the Region said.
The strategic plan outlines all activities undertaken by the Region and guides which projects and actions are highest priority, as well as how to best provide resources for said projects.
The Region anticipates a final strategic plan will be approved by council in early next year.?
Previous strategic plan projects included securing daily GO Train service, reducing Ontario Works caseload, growing the region’s population by 10,000 residents and an inter-municipal transit expansion, all of which the Region said have been completed.
