Caledon seeking resident feedback on new Strategic Plan

Council approved creation of plan at January meeting

By Zachary Roman

Caledon residents have just under a week left to provide feedback on the Town's new Strategic Plan.

On February 1, the Town announced residents can visit haveyoursaycaledon.ca to take part in the Town's “Strategic Plan 2023-2035 Survey.” The survey is open until February 15, and in a media release the Town said in addition to the survey it will be seeking feedback on the Strategic Plan from community groups, businesses and schools in Caledon this spring.

“We are setting the stage for responsible and tactical planning into 2035,” said Mayor Annette Groves. “That's why public consultation for these types of projects is so important. This is our opportunity, as a community, to create a Strategic Plan shaped by Caledon, for Caledon.”

According to the Town, public input from the 2023 budget survey and Future Caledon (official plan) engagement will be factored into the creation of the Strategic Plan.

Town staff recommended that a long-term vision be created for Caledon Council at its January 17 General Committee meeting. Council agreed, unanimously supporting a report and recommendation submitted by Rebecca Carvalho of the Town's Corporate Strategy and Innovation Department.

As reported in a previous edition of The Citizen, Carvalho said a main reason for the creation of a long-term Strategic Plan is that many Town goals cannot be completed within a single term of Caledon Council.

“Shorter plans have limited ability to achieve large scale actions that often take multiple terms of Council to achieve,” reads the staff report. “Plans longer than 15 years have been known to be very general and vague, and struggle to deliver specific results for the municipality.”

An external facilitator will be hired, at a cost of $46,000, to facilitate the creation of the Strategic Plan. According to the staff report, using an external facilitator will increase Town staff's ability to get strong and unbiased input from Council and Caledon residents.

When complete, the Town's Strategic Plan will “inform the (Town's) Official Plan as well as future budgets and other strategic documents.”

Also on haveyoursaycaledon.ca, residents can register to be notified when updates in the Strategic Plan process are announced.