Envision 2032

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