City Council Embraces Future Owen Sound: Vision 2050

City Council has approved a historic 25-year strategic plan that lays out key principles and priorities to secure Owen Sound’s future as a livable, safe and enjoyable city for everyone. 

“Vision 2050 charts our City’s future at a time of unprecedented change, challenge and opportunity,” said Mayor Ian Boddy. “It provides a compass bearing for current and future City Councils to set priorities and take action.”

Work to create Vision 2050 included robust public input and consultation that aimed to hear from a broad variety of voices, especially those who are often underrepresented. The Strategic Plan Ad Hoc Committee, comprised of City councillors and community members, provided guidance and advice throughout the process.  The full Vision 2050 document can be viewed online here.

Added Mayor Boddy, “I want to thank my fellow Ad Hoc Committee members for generously offering their valuable time, guidance and input. I also want to thank everyone across the City, residents and stakeholders, who helped to create a truly community-driven vision.”

Council approved seven priorities for the City to work toward by 2050:

1.   Prosperous city: Attract a highly skilled, intergenerational workforce in existing sectors such as agriculture, healthcare, and tourism and culture, as well as newer industries, particularly technology and environmental sustainability.

2.   Green and resilient city: Establish a wide range of resilient and sustainable practices that protect the planet, people and economy.

3.   Celebrating and embracing culture: Support and celebrate the long-standing cultural knowledge and expressions of Indigenous Peoples, its rich local cultural resources, while also embracing contributions from new populations.

4.   City building: Build infrastructure, community amenities and housing stock that are well maintained, accessible and meet evolving needs.

5.   A city that moves: Have a connected, comprehensive transportation network, providing multiple ways to travel through the city.

6.   Safe city:  Acknowledge that a sense of safety and security speaks to many factors, physical, psychological, historical, etc., and foster a community-wide commitment to protect one another’s safety.

7.   Fostering mutually beneficial and respectful relationships: Build bridges of mutual respect and trust across many stakeholder groups, work together on productive democratic processes and cultivate connection, understanding, and empathy.

For each of seven priorities, the plan lays out definitions and a vision statement. It also includes long-term metrics to measure progress. 

Future budgets and annual work plans will align with the overall vision. It will also serve as a north star to help the City navigate immediate needs as they arise. In addition to timely updates on specific initiatives, City Council will review progress annually. 

“The City looks forward to continuing to partner with key stakeholders and engaging community members as we move from vision to action,” Mayor Boddy said. “Crafting the vision has been a collaborative effort, and it will take our collective community to bring it to fruition.”

For more information, please contact Michelle Palmer, Senior Manager, Strategic Initiatives and Operational Effectiveness at 519-376-4440 ext. 1246 or email mpalmer@owensound.ca

Quick Facts:

• The Future Owen Sound: 2050 Vision was developed with significant community input, ensuring that this long-term plan reflects the priorities of the community.
• The seven strategic priorities are: Fostering Mutually Beneficial and Respectful Relationships, Celebrating and Embracing Culture, Safe City, Prosperous City, Green and Resilient City, A City That Moves and City Building.
• A long-term Strategic Plan will work to align the City's entire workforce to the identified priorities, including; term of council priorities, annual workplans and budgets.

-30-