1 A County that Works Together
1. Strengthen, diversify and broaden the economic/prosperity base
  - Strategies to retain and support existing businesses and grow our green economy
  - Strategies to further encourage and support entrepreneurship and opportunities for youth
  - Enhanced inter-municipal cooperation to create a clearly defined economic development strategy
  - Increased collaborative promotion of investment opportunities
  - Strengthening tourism-supportive initiatives
  - Promotion of local agriculture and buy local food initiatives
2. Enhance the quality of life for all of our citizens
  - Maintaining and strengthening core infrastructure, including affordable housing and fibre optic systems infrastructure
  - Ensuring a full range of housing type and density options
  - Implementing a healthy community strategy
  - Adapting programs, services and facilities to reflect evolving community needs
  - Working with community partners and organizations to maintain/strengthen public safety
  - Promoting community participation and life-long involvement in recreational and cultural activities
2 A County that is Well Connected
1. Improve travel options beyond the personal vehicle
  - Exploring the feasibility of innovative inter-municipal transportation strategies (E.g. car/ride share)
  - Creating, enhancing and promoting the use of an integrated trail and bike path system
  - Promoting active transportation
2. Advocate for appropriate federal and provincial support, programming and financial initiatives to strengthen the movement of people and goods to, from and through the County
3. Strengthen community access and internet connectivity
3 A County that Thinks Ahead and Wisely Shapes the Future
1. Influence federal and provincial policy with implications for the County
  - Advocating for fairness for rural and small urban communities
  - Advocating for human and health care services, facilities and resources, support for local industry, etc.
  - Advocating for federal and provincial initiatives that are appropriate to our county
2. Implement development policies, land uses and community planning guidelines
  - Strategically grow our economy and our community
  - Actively promote the responsible use of land and natural resources by focusing on higher density options before considering settlement boundaries expansions
  - Provides a policy framework which supports community sustainability, health and well-being
  - Supports healthy communities within the built environment
  - Supports and protects a vibrant and diversified agricultural industry
3. Demonstrated commitment to sustainability
  - Ensuring that all significant decisions are informed by assessing all options with regard to the community, economic and environmental implications including:
    - Potential impacts to the vulnerable population in our community
    - Life cycle costs and benefit/costs, including debt, tax and reserve levels and implications
    - Responsible environmental leadership and stewardship
  - Supporting the community implementation of the Community Sustainability Plan
4 A County that Informs and Engages
1. Harness the power of the community through conversation and dialogue
  - Providing multiple opportunities for public participation and a meaningful voice in civic affairs
  - Fostering greater involvement in County and community events and/or program/project implementation
  - Understanding and addressing public aspirations for a more livable community
2. Inform the public about County programs, services and activities through planned communication
  - Regular County-Area Municipal information exchange
  - A County Report Card that engages and informs our community and celebrates our successes and our history
5 A County that Performs and Delivers Results
1. Enhance our customer service focus and responsiveness to our municipal partners and the public
  - Implementing clearly defined customer service standards and expectations
  - Regularly monitoring and reporting customer service performance
2. Deliver exceptional services
  - Regularly reviewing service level standards to assess potential for improved access to services/amenities
  - Conducting regular service reviews to ensure delivery effectiveness and efficiency
  - Developing and tracking key performance indicators against goals and report results
  - Identify best practices and appropriate benchmarking
6 A County that employs people who make a positive difference
1. Attract, retain and develop the highest quality staff
  - Management and organizational excellence
  - Open communications, dialogue and understanding
  - Vibrant and challenging career opportunities
  - Progressive policies and practices

2015-2018 Strategic Plan

Vibrant Communities

Vision Vibrant communities, working well and growing stronger ... together!

Mission To serve the needs and advance the collective interests of our communities, residents and businesses through customer-focused services that improve quality of life.

Values

+ Excellence
Demonstrated organizational and individual leadership; responsive, cooperative, professional service
+ Accountability
Willing acceptance of responsibility, demonstrated commitment to issues resolution, the courage to persevere, and the confidence to embrace change
+ Innovation
Solutions oriented, forward thinking and committed to continuous improvement
+ Integrity
Beyond reproach; operating to the highest ethical standard - open, honest and fair
+ Teamwork
Respectful relationships characterized by valuing diversity and the views and contributions of others - a demonstrated commitment to coordination, open communication and knowledge transfer

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