The City’s 2012-2014 Strategic Plan created a focus on
establishing and maintaining a high and sustainable quality of life for its
residents, supported by a healthy business community. To support this focus, the
strategic plan called for the creation of a sustainability framework, or
“sustainability lens,” to “guide and test all future decisions and initiatives
against balanced economic, social, cultural and environmental perspectives.”
The role of Envision 2032 is to act as this sustainability lens to
evaluate future
plans, policies, projects and practices.
As shown on the graphic above, Community Partners have helped
shape Envision 2032 and will play an important role in the achievement of the
community’s sustainability vision that is described in Envision 2032. While the
City is an important partner and will work to promote sustainability in its own
operations, areas of jurisdiction and areas of influence, support and resources
will be required from other key community partners, including the business
community.
One of the key policy areas that directly involves the
business community is Economy and Employment. Some sample “Descriptions
of Success” for this policy area, which are descriptions of the future that the
City and its partners will be working together towards, include:
- New Westminster’s economy is diverse
and growing to meet local, regional, national and international demand and new
business opportunities.
- New Westminster has capitalized on
its significant competitive advantage of being a central, well-connected and
transit-oriented community where employers and employees from all economic
sectors, including services, want to be located.
- The City builds on its existing
economic strengths, including its traditional industries, services and skills,
while developing complementary economic activities, including the value-added
processing of raw materials.
- There is a “buy local” culture, where
residents and businesses use local goods and services to the extent possible,
creating local skills and employment while reducing the costs and resources
required for transportation.
- Cultural industries are an important
local economic driver and employer.
- New Westminster provides ample
opportunities for its residents to live and work in the community if they wish
to do so.
- Strong partnerships, including
governments, institutions, businesses and residents, exist to advance personal
and community economic and employment goals, providing skills training,
financial resources, knowledge, and technical support.
- New Westminster is an “Intelligent
City” promoting digital inclusion, where everyone has access to high speed
information systems and the latest technologies for advancing educational,
personal, social and business development goals.
In coming months, the City will be developing an
implementation strategy for Envision 2032, including outreach to
Community Partners to find areas of common interest where we can work together.
For more information and to view the entire
Envision 2032
sustainability framework, visit
www.envision2032.ca
By guest writer Mark Allison, Senior Planner, City of New Westminster
