Township of Wilmot Strategic Plan

Township of Wilmot Strategic Plan Council Approved – June 3, 2013

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

Contents Contents ......................................................................................................................................................... i 1.

What’s YOUR Wilmot – A Roadmap for the Future .............................................................................. 1

2.

Introduction to Wilmot’s Strategic Plan ............................................................................................... 2 Why Develop a Strategic Plan ................................................................................................................... 2 How the Strategy Was Developed ............................................................................................................ 2 How the Strategy Is Structured ................................................................................................................. 3

3.

Community Overview ........................................................................................................................... 4

4.

Our Vision, Mission and Values............................................................................................................. 6 Vision ......................................................................................................................................................... 6 Mission ...................................................................................................................................................... 6 Values ........................................................................................................................................................ 6

5.

Our Goals and Strategies ...................................................................................................................... 7 Goals ......................................................................................................................................................... 7 Strategies .................................................................................................................................................. 8

6.

Current and Ongoing Actions ................................................................................................................ 9

7.

New Actions ........................................................................................................................................ 13

8.

Implementing our Plan ....................................................................................................................... 15 Annual Work Program ............................................................................................................................ 15 Engagement and Awareness ................................................................................................................... 15 Annual Reporting .................................................................................................................................... 15 Reports to Council ................................................................................................................................... 15 Plan Review ............................................................................................................................................. 15

9.

Appendices .......................................................................................................................................... 16

Photographs courtesy of the New Hamburg Independent.

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

1. What’s YOUR Wilmot – A Roadmap for the Future

On behalf of all of Council, I would like to introduce to you the Township of Wilmot’s Strategic Plan. The production of this document has been a collaborative effort with the public, Township staff, and members of Council, and I would like to extend a thank you to all those who have participated along the way.

It has been exciting to watch this Plan grow and take shape. In September 2012, we began asking residents, “What’s YOUR Wilmot?” and began to hear feedback from the community. The input received over the past number of months has greatly influenced the contents of this Strategic Plan, and I feel this is an accurate representation of our community’s priorities and values. This Plan will give staff and Council a guideline to follow for years to come, and will be reviewed regularly at the beginning of each new term of Council to make sure it is still in line with the desires of our residents.

Once again, thank you to all those who took the time to help build this Strategic Plan. I trust you will see your suggestions reflected in this document.

Respectfully,

Mayor Les Armstrong

Above left: Mayor Les Armstrong preparing for the Township’s first ever Telephone Town Hall Meeting.

Above right: Township of Wilmot Council for the term 2010‐2014. Front Row: CAO Grant Whittington, Mayor Les Armstrong, Councillor Ward Two Peter Roe. Back Row: Councillor Ward Four Mark Murray, Councillor Ward One Al Junker, Councillor Ward Four Jeff Gerber, Councillor Ward Three Barry Fisher

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

2. Introduction to Wilmot’s Strategic Plan Why Develop a Strategic Plan The Township of Wilmot developed this Strategic Plan as a means of establishing a roadmap with which to guide decision‐making in the Township over the next 20 years. Developed through extensive consultation efforts (“What’s YOUR Wilmot?”), the Strategy represents the desired direction and priorities of the Township’s residents. The Plan sets a vision and mission statement for the Township, and establishes long‐term goals, along with tangible strategies and actions.

How the Strategy Was Developed The following six phase process was undertaken in developing the Strategic Plan:

1. PROJECT KICK‐OFF AND WORK PLANNING (Sept 2012) 2. VISION, MISSION STATEMENT & GOALS (Sept – Dec 2012) 3. NEEDS ASSESSMENT & ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN (Oct – Dec 2012)

This phase established and confirmed the process that was followed during the Strategy’s Development.

This phase centered largely on defining community members' desired future for Wilmot. It included widespread distribution of comment cards, online engagement, and Town Hall Meetings held in each Ward.

This phase involved assessing trends and patterns in current plans, policies and programs within Wilmot. Presented through a SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) analysis of the Township’s cultural vibrancy, economic prosperity, environmental integrity, and social wellbeing, the assessment provided a baseline to identify the gaps between the vision and goals and what currently exists in the Township – servicing to inform the development of meaningful action plans. The full assessment can be viewed in Appendix A. 4. STRATEGIC Through ongoing community engagement and involvement, this phase OBJECTIVES & defined how the Township will reach its vision and achieve its goals as ACTION PLANNING identified in Phase 2. A central component of this phase was the Township’s (Jan – Mar 2013) Telephone Town Hall meeting.

5. PERFORMANCE This phase served to bridge the gap between planning and action. Action MEASURES & planning workshops were held with the Township’s senior staff members to IMPLEMENTATION define how ideas would become reality. Moreover, key to any Plan’s success MODEL (Feb 2013) is establishing an effective implementation framework and mechanisms to measure progress, and both were accomplished at this point.

6. FINAL PLAN A draft Plan was prepared for review by community members and the PREPARATION (Mar Township before preparation of a final Plan for Council’s adoption.

– Apr 2013)

The contents of this plan – The Vision, Mission, Values, Goals, Strategies and Actions – were developed in part by the community, staff, a Steering Committee and Council. These efforts are outlined in detail in ‘Appendix B – Community Engagement Summary’.

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

How the Strategy Is Structured The Strategic Plan can be looked at as being structured in tiered layers, each with their own functionality and implication for the Plan’s use.

VISION: This is the statement of highest aspiration for the Township and will establish its direction for the next 20 years. All goals, strategies, and actions will help to move the Township towards its vision.

STRATEGIES: Strategies are high‐level objectives that provide guidance on getting from the present state to future state (goal).

ACTIONS: Actions are tangible initiatives that will be undertaken over the short (2013‐ 2015), medium (2016‐2018) and long‐ term (2019 and beyond) that contribute to realizing the goals and vision.

MISSION STATEMENT: This is the statement of purpose for the Township of Wilmot, serving to provide direction and guide decision making.

GOALS: Goals are similar to the vision, being that they too are statements of highest aspiration. However, unlike the vision, goals are specific to themes (e.g., quality of life).

DEPARTMENTAL ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMS: Actions will be integrated into annual departmental work programming processes to ensure that the implementation of the Strategy is continually moving forward.

IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION: Further outlined in Section 6, this Strategy sets forth the means to guide implementation efforts as well as the mechanisms necessary to monitor progress.

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

3. Community Overview

The Township of Wilmot is a lower‐tier municipality situated in south‐western Ontario in the Region of Waterloo. The Township contains a mix of settlement areas (including St. Agatha, Petersburg, Mannheim, New Dundee, Philipsburg, Shingletown, Wilmot Centre, Haysville, Luxemburg, Lisbon, Sunfish Lake and Foxboro Green), two urban core areas (New Hamburg and Baden), and large amounts of farmland and green space.

The delivery of municipal services is coordinated between the Region of Waterloo and the Township of Wilmot. The Region for instance, provides public health services, social services, policing, public transit, drinking water treatment, and waste management services. The Township is responsible for services including, but not limited to: planning and development services, road and sidewalk provision and maintenance, parks and recreation services and programs, fire protection, water distribution, heritage programs (e.g., Castle Kilbride), municipal law enforcement, storm water management and more.

Census data from 2011 indicates that 19,223 people currently live in Wilmot, with the majority residing in the New Hamburg and Baden urban settlement areas.

The population growth between 2001 and 2011 in Wilmot is approximately double the provincial and regional growth rates for the same period, demonstrating the rapid pace at which the Township is growing.

Population trends for Wilmot, the Region, and Ontario, are presented in the table on the next page.

Source: Township of Wilmot

4

Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan Table 1 Population Change Between 2001‐2011

Municipality Wilmot Region of Waterloo Ontario

2001

Population 2006

2011

14,866 438,515

17,097 478,121

11,410,046

12,160,282

19,223 507,096

Absolute Growth 2,126 28,975

10‐year Growth Rate 29.3% 15.6%

12,851,821

691,539

12.6% Source: Statistics Canada

As depicted in the figure below, Wilmot’s population is expected to continue growing, reaching a total of 28,500 residents by 2029. This represents a 48.2 percentage change from the 2011 population count.

This Strategy will help to prepare the Township for the expected continuation of its recent rapid growth.

Projected Population Growth in Wilmot 30,000 28,000

Population

26,000 24,000 22,000 20,000 18,000 16,000 14,000 2001

2006

2011

2016

2021

2026

2029

Year

This is an important time to plan for the future in Wilmot. This plan begins to set the stage.

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

4. Our Vision, Mission and Values

Vision Wilmot is a cohesive, vibrant and welcoming countryside community.

Mission

To evolve and grow as a community of caring people working together to build upon a sure foundation.

Values  Health and wellbeing;  Accessibility and inclusivity;  Diversity;  Forward‐thinking; and  Legacy;  Balance

We will use these values moving forward as a lens to help decision making.

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

5. Our Goals and Strategies Goals The following four goals were developed to guide the Township over the next 20 years.

We enjoy our quality of life

We are an engaged community

We have a prosperous economy

We protect our natural environment

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

Strategies Each goal has a number of strategies that provide direction on how to reach our goals.

We enjoy our quality of life through… o Providing recreational opportunities for everyone o Ensuring people’s safety o Enhancing our mobility o Promoting our rich cultural heritage o Supporting community events and celebrations

We are an engaged community through… o Communicating municipal matters o Strengthening customer service o Involving volunteers and integrating community groups o Establishing a well‐recognized brand and identity

We have a prosperous economy through… o Investing in our downtowns and commercial areas o Developing our industrial and employment lands o Bustling year‐round tourism o Thriving agriculture and agri‐business o Maintaining our infrastructure

We protect our natural environment through… o Planning for growth while protecting farmland and green space o Caring for our rivers and lakes o Using our resources responsibly

The following five strategies emerged as the Wilmot community’s top priorities through the comment cards, online surveys, and public meetings: 1. Providing recreational opportunities for everyone; 2. Investing in our downtowns and commercial areas; 3. Enhancing our mobility ; 4. Planning for growth while protecting farmland and green space; and 5. Ensuring people’s safety.

The following five strategies emerged as the Wilmot community’s top priorities during the Telephone Town Hall Meeting: 1. Developing our industrial and employment lands; 2. Planning for growth while protecting farmland and green space; 3. Enhancing our mobility; 4. Using our resources responsibly; and 5. Ensuring people’s safety.

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

6. Current and Ongoing Actions

A number of actions identified are well underway; these have been organized under the applicable strategies and are indicated in green. Ideas for new actions are presented in Section 7 ‐ New Actions.

Goal: We enjoy our quality of life through…

Action Providing recreational opportunities for everyone  Offer more structured programming for youth, adults and seniors.  Actively pursue grant and funding opportunities relative to recreational programming and service provision.  Provide financial assistance opportunities for under‐privileged youth to allow them to participate in recreational programming.  Provide grant funding to community groups running recreational programming.  Apply for external funding to assist in expediting capital expenditures that are currently unattainable.  Undertake a Recreation Master Planning process.  Develop a splash pad.  Develop an accessible playground.  Complete an Ice Utilization/Needs Study.  Enhance existing municipal soccer facilities.

Ensuring people’s safety  Implement the recommendations contained within the Fire Master Plan.  Host joint safety meetings with Township by‐ law officials, Regional Police, and parent councils.

Enhancing our mobility  Allocate funding within the operational budget to improve accessibility throughout the municipality.  Pursue GO Transit service.

Promoting our rich cultural heritage  Expanding Summer Concerts at Castle Kilbride.  Providing funding for murals on the Grandstand.

Lead Facilities & Recreation Services Facilities & Recreation Services, Finance Services

Facilities & Recreation Services, Finance Services

Facilities & Recreation Services, Finance Services Facilities & Recreation Services, Finance Services

Facilities & Recreation Services Facilities & Recreation Services Facilities & Recreation Services Facilities & Recreation Services Facilities & Recreation Services Fire Department Clerk’s Services

Facilities & Recreation Services, Finance Services, Public Works Development Services, Public Works, CAO Castle Kilbride Castle Kilbride

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

Goal: We enjoy our quality of life through…

Action  Provide new events and exhibits at Castle Kilbride that appeal to all ages.  Consider external grant funding for community organizations that run cultural exhibitions and/or events.  Protect and promote the Township’s built heritage.  Promote the collection of the Sir Adam Beck Archives.

Supporting community events and celebrations  Increase Wilmot’s tourism profile by supporting existing and new community events.  Provide funding for community events.  Support and maintain community centres.

Lead Castle Kilbride Finance Services

Castle Kilbride, Development Services Castle Kilbride

Facilities & Recreation Services, Castle Kilbride

Finance Services Facilities & Recreation Services

Goal: We are an engaged community, through…

Action Lead Communicating municipal matters  Monitor new opportunities to use social media Management Team to communicate municipal initiatives.

Strengthening customer service Management Team  Review operational efficiencies and use of resources.

Management Team  When practical deliver interdepartmental cross‐training on basic processes for each of the Township’s organizational units.

Management Team  Evaluate staffing requirements to meet the needs of a growing community.

Involving volunteers and integrating community groups All departments  Support ongoing volunteer initiatives within the Township.

Goal: We have a prosperous economy, through…

Action Lead Investing in our downtowns and commercial areas Management Team  Support efforts to increase signage at high traffic areas promoting the Township’s downtown and commercial areas.

Management Team  Work with the Boards of Trade and the Chambers of Commerce on joint initiatives to assist in downtown core areas.

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

Goal: We have a prosperous economy, through…

Action  Support the development of commercial uses or core services in our towns.  Support events that drive traffic into core areas.

Developing our industrial and employment lands  Support property owners to pursue development in employment lands.  Provide promotional funding for economic development.  Allocate capital funding for infrastructure.

Bustling year‐round tourism  Develop and promote historical walking tours that allow people to see and visit Wilmot’s past.  Continue to promote Castle Kilbride and Wilmot Township as a destination for tourism.  Encourage private sector investment and champion(s) that focus on tourism.  Participate with area tourism associations to support ongoing initiatives.

Thriving agriculture and agri‐business  Support the location of value‐added agricultural and specialty farming businesses.

Maintaining our infrastructure  Develop an Asset Management Plan for all municipally owned infrastructure.  Support the expansion of the Regional Sewage Treatment Plant.  Annual review of the long‐term capital plan across all departments to ensure adequate funding exists to maintain existing infrastructure.

Lead Development Services Management Team

Development Services, CAO Development Services, Finance Services Development Services, Public Works, Finance Services Castle Kilbride

Castle Kilbride

Castle Kilbride, CAO Castle Kilbride, CAO

Development Services

Management Team Public Works Management Team

Goal: We protect our natural environment and resources, through…

Action Lead Planning for growth while protecting farmland and green space Development Services  Update Official Plan. Continue to implement planning policies that direct growth to existing urban areas and protect farmland and green space.

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

Goal: We protect our natural environment and resources, through…

Action Using our resources responsibly  Administer the Tree Replacement Program as funded by the annual Kitchener‐Wilmot Hydro grant.

Lead Facilities & Recreation Services

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

7. New Actions Through the development of the Strategic Plan, a number of new actions were identified – these actions are organized in the table below under each applicable Goal and Strategy.

Goal: We enjoy our quality of life, through…

Action Enhancing our mobility  Complete and implement the recommendations contained within the Trails Master Plan that explores potential cycling routes and pedestrian linkages and a trails map in the Township.  Work with the Region to explore the possibility of public transit linkages.

Promoting our rich cultural heritage  Produce a cultural asset map.

Lead

Timeline* Measures of Success

Ongoing Development Services, Facilities & Recreation Services, Public Works

Plan is implemented

Public Works, CAO

Possibility is explored

S‐M

M Map is produced Castle Kilbride, Development Services L Future direction has been  Conduct a needs assessment to review Facilities & confirmed Recreation existing facilities for cultural services Services, Finance to consider the establishment of a Services, Castle facility for the arts.

Kilbride Castle Kilbride M Plan is developed  Consider developing a Municipal Arts and Cultural Plan.

S Signage is developed and  Work with the New Hamburg Board of Development posted Services, Castle Trade to develop signage to promote Kilbride New Hamburg’s Heritage District. *S – to be implemented in 2013‐2015. M – to be implemented in 2016‐2018. L – to be implemented in 2019 and beyond.

Goal: We are an engaged community, through…

Action Communicating municipal matters  Develop a comprehensive community engagement and communications policy with the purpose of keeping residents informed of and involved in municipal affairs.

Lead

Timeline* Measures of Success

Management Team

S

Policy has been developed

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

Goal: We are an engaged community, through…

Action Lead Timeline* Measures of Success Management S Website is enhanced  Enhance the municipal website and Team add information to the website for newcomers that includes information about the Municipality’s services and programs, as well as information from community groups and organizations.

Involving volunteers and integrating community groups S Fair is held  Explore the possibility of a service club Management Team fair.

Establishing a well‐recognized brand and identity Management S Branding process is  Undertake a “Wilmot” branding underway process to establish a greater sense of Team community among all Wilmot residents, as well as to attract visitors. *S – to be implemented in 2013‐2015. M – to be implemented in 2016‐2018. L – to be implemented in 2019 and beyond.

Goal: We protect our natural environment and resources, through…

Action Lead Timeline* Measures of Success Caring for our rivers and lakes Grand River L Group is established  Explore the desire to establish a “Friends of the Nith” volunteer group Conservation Authority to liaise with the Grand River Conservation Authority to promote care and stewardship of the Nith River and its tributaries.

Using our resources responsibly S Acts are reviewed Facilities &  Review the Green Energy and Green Recreation Economy Act in respect to municipal Services facilities.

Management S Decision to pursue or not  Consider developing a green Team pursue is made. procurement policy. *S – to be implemented in 2013‐2015. M – to be implemented in 2016‐2018. L – to be implemented in 2019 and beyond.

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

8. Implementing our Plan Annual Work Program The Actions identified in the Strategic Plan will be incorporated into the annual work programs which are developed by Senior Management in collaboration with the CAO and presented to Council for their consideration. For the broader community, the work programs will continue to be presented online.

When developing potential actions for any given work program, there are key questions that should be considered: 1. Does it move us towards our Vision?

2. Is it consistent with our Mission and Values?

3. Is it a stepping stone toward future improvements?

4. Is the action already underway or is it a new action that should be discussed?

Consideration of these questions will allow senior staff to develop a range of potential priority actions within the annual work programs.

In the annual work programs, individual staff members will be assigned responsibility for overseeing the implementation of specific actions.

Engagement and Awareness The development of the Strategic Plan was based on community participation and input (See Appendix B for full details). Many of Wilmot’s residents took the time to share their ideas and contribute to the Plan’s development. As such, keeping them appraised of and involved in the Plan’s implementation is critical to maintaining both interest and transparency.

Annual Reporting A report on how the Strategic Plan is moving forward should be developed annually. This will be tied to Department work programs. This progress report will help in developing the work programs for the following year.

Reports to Council To maintain momentum in implementation, and keep the Strategic Plan top‐of‐mind, all Staff Reports to Council should demonstrate alignment with the Strategic Plan. As such, an alignment checklist has been prepared and is included as Appendix C of this document.

Plan Review The Plan will be reviewed during each term of Council.

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Township of Wilmot – Strategic Plan

9. Appendices   

Needs Assessment & Environmental Scan Community Engagement Summary Staff Reports to Council – Alignment Checklist

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Appendix A – Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan Council Approved – June 3, 2013

Table of Contents 1.

Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Framework .......................................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Sources of Data ................................................................................................................................... 3

2.

The Township of Wilmot ....................................................................................................................... 4 2.1

Geographic Profile ........................................................................................................................ 4

2.2

Population Profile ......................................................................................................................... 4

2.3

Governance and Jurisdictional Context ........................................................................................ 7

2.4

Legislation and Policy .................................................................................................................... 7

3.

Overview of the Focus Areas .............................................................................................................. 11

4.

Cultural Vibrancy ................................................................................................................................. 12 4.1 Where are we strong? ...................................................................................................................... 12 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 12 Region of Waterloo ............................................................................................................................. 13 4.2 Where are we weak? ........................................................................................................................ 14 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 14 4.3 What are our opportunities? ............................................................................................................ 14 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 14 4.4 What are the threats? ....................................................................................................................... 14

5.

Economic Prosperity ........................................................................................................................... 16 5.1 Where are we strong? ...................................................................................................................... 16 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 16 Region of Waterloo ............................................................................................................................. 20 5.2 Where are we weak? ........................................................................................................................ 21 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 21 5.3 What are our opportunities? ............................................................................................................ 21 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 21 5.4 What are the threats? ....................................................................................................................... 23 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 23 Region of Waterloo ............................................................................................................................. 23

6.

Environmental Integrity ...................................................................................................................... 24 6.1 Where are we strong? ...................................................................................................................... 24 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 24 Region of Waterloo ............................................................................................................................. 25

1

Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan Grand River Conservation Authority ................................................................................................... 25 6.2 Where are we weak? ........................................................................................................................ 26 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 26 6.3 What are our opportunities? ............................................................................................................ 26 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 26 6.4 What are the threats? ....................................................................................................................... 27 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 27 7. Social Wellbeing ...................................................................................................................................... 28 7.1 Where are we strong? ...................................................................................................................... 28 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 28 Region of Waterloo ............................................................................................................................. 30 7.2 Where are we weak? ........................................................................................................................ 31 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 31 7.3 What are our opportunities? ............................................................................................................ 31 Township of Wilmot ................................................................................................................................ 31 7.4 What are the threats? ....................................................................................................................... 32 Township of Wilmot ............................................................................................................................ 32

Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

1. Introduction

The Township of Wilmot is developing a Strategic Plan – a long‐term plan that will guide decision‐making in the Township over the next 20 years. The Strategic Plan will set a vision and mission statement for the Township, and establish long‐term goals, and tangible strategies and actions. The purpose of this Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan (the assessment) is to inventory and analyze current data, policies, plans, and programs pertinent to the Township of Wilmot.

The sources identified below have been collected and reviewed for applicable trends and patterns.

Findings are presented through a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) of the Township’s cultural vibrancy, economic prosperity, environmental integrity, and social wellbeing.

The analysis of strengths and weaknesses focuses on matters internal to the Township (e.g., local planning policies), while identified opportunities and threats are of an external nature (e.g., global economic conditions). Ultimately, direction will be pulled from this analysis, and integrated into the Strategic Plan – aligned with the input received from ongoing community and staff consultation and engagement efforts.

1.1 Framework The framework on the next page represents the proposed hierarchy of Wilmot’s Strategic Plan. The assessment will provide a baseline to identify the gaps between the vision and goals, and what currently exists in the Township and the Region of Waterloo (where applicable). This will support the development of meaningful strategic objectives and action plans to achieve the vision and goals.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

VISION: This is the statement of highest aspiration for the Township and will establish its direction for the next 20 years. All goals, strategies, and actions will help to move the Township towards its vision.

STRATEGIES: Strategies are high‐level objectives that provide guidance on getting from the present state to future state (goal).

ACTIONS: Actions are tangible initiatives that will be undertaken over the short (2013‐ 2015), medium (2016‐2018) and long‐ term (2019 and beyond) that contribute to realizing the goals and vision.

MISSION STATEMENT: This is the statement of purpose for the Township of Wilmot, serving to provide direction and guide decision making.

GOALS: Goals are similar to the vision, being that they too are statements of highest aspiration. However, unlike the vision, goals are specific to themes (e.g., quality of life).

DEPARTMENTAL ANNUAL WORK PROGRAMS: Actions will be integrated into annual departmental work programming processes to ensure that the implementation of the Strategy is continually moving forward.

IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION: This Strategy sets forth the means to guide implementation efforts as well as the mechanisms necessary to monitor progress.

2

Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

1.2 Sources of Data

Data from a variety of sources pertinent to the development of the Strategic Plan have been reviewed as part of this assessment. Materials for review came from the Township, the Region, local agencies, the provincial government, and the federal government. The focus of the review has been on Township initiatives, and the implications of external policies and programs for the Township.

Township of Wilmot • Official Plan • Recreation Facilities Needs Study • 10 Year Capital Plan • Municipal Performance Measurement • Annual Work Programs Program • Development Charges Study • Annual Drinking Water System Reports • Accessibility Plan  Emergency Plan

Region of Waterloo • Transportation Master Plan • Official Plan • Waste Management Programs and • Strategic Plan Initiatives • Regional Growth Management Strategy • Emergency Response Plan • Human Services Plan

Local Organizations • Kitchener‐Wilmot Hydro • Canada’s Technology Triangle • Explore Waterloo Region • Region of Waterloo Public Health • Grand River Conservation Authority

Provincial and Federal  Growth Plan for the Greater Golden  2001, 2006, and 2011 Census Data Horseshoe • 2001, 2006, and 2011 Farm and Farm Operator Data  Municipal Act • Accessibility for Ontarians with  Nutrient Management Act Disabilities Act • Ontario Endangered Species Act  Aggregates Resources Act  Ontario Heritage Act • Clean Water Act  Places to Grow Act • Drinking Water Sources Act • Planning Act • Environmental Protection Act • Provincial Policy Statement • Fisheries Act • Species at Risk Act  Green Energy and Green Economy Act  Waste Diversion Act

Additional Sources Research has also been supplemented through conversations with the committee, municipal staff, and residents of the Township.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

2. The Township of Wilmot 2.1

Geographic Profile

The Township of Wilmot is a lower‐tier municipality situated in south‐western Ontario in the Region of Waterloo. The Township contains a mix of settlement areas (including St. Agatha, Petersburg, Mannheim, New Dundee, Philipsburg, Shingletown, Wilmot Centre, Haysville, Luxemburg, Lisbon, Sunfish Lake and Foxboro Green), two urban core areas (New Hamburg and Baden), and large amounts of farmland and green space.

Source: Township of Wilmot

2.2

Population Profile

Census data from 2011 indicate that 19,223 people currently live in Wilmot, with the majority residing in the New Hamburg and Baden urban settlement areas. The 2011 population count for the Township represents a 29.3% increase from 2001, and is approximately double the provincial and regional growth rates for the same period. Population trends for Wilmot, the Region, and Ontario, are presented in the table below.

Table 2.1: Population Change Between 2001‐2011

Municipality Wilmot Region of Waterloo

Population 2001

2006

2011

Absolute Growth

10‐year Growth Rate

14,866

17,097

19,223

2,126

29.3%

438,515

478,121

507,096

28,975

15.6% 4

Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

Municipality

Population 2001

Ontario

11,410,046 Source: Statistics Canada

2006

2011

Absolute Growth

12,160,282

12,851,821

691,539

10‐year Growth Rate 12.6%

The table below presents approximate population figures within Wilmot’s settlement and non‐ settlement areas for 2006 and 2011. As shown by the 5‐year growth rates, most of Wilmot’s growth is occurring in the urban settlement areas of Baden and New Hamburg.

Table 2.2: Population Change in Urban and Rural Settlement Areas Between 2006‐2011

Community Baden Foxboro Green Haysville Lisbon Luxemburg Mannheim New Dundee New Hamburg Petersburg Philipsburg Shingletown St. Agatha Sunfish Lake Wilmot Centre Non‐Settlement

2001 Population (approximate) 1,810 430 123 61 27 809 1,158 5,973 373 71 103 621 13 52 3,234

2006 Population (approximate) 3,576 430 129 61 27 1,064 1,214 6,779 400 80 110 624 13 55 3,288

2011 Population (approximate) 4,553 430 129 61 27 1,067 1,217 7,930 406 80 113 624 16 55 3,330

10‐year Growth Rate 151.5% 0% 4.9% 0% 0% 31.9% 5.1% 32.8% 8.8% 12.7% 9.7% 0.4% 23% 5.8% 3%%

Source: Township of Wilmot

As depicted in the figure below, Wilmot’s population is expected to continue growing, reaching a total of 28,500 residents by 2029. This represents a 48.2 percentage change from the 2011 population count.

Figure 2.1 Projected Population Growth in

Wilmot

Population

29,000 24,000 19,000 14,000 2001

2006

2011

2016

2021

2026

2029

Year

5

Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

The median age in Wilmot is 40.4, and is on par with the median age for national and provincial population data, as depicted in Table 2.3, below. The majority of Wilmot’s residents (65%) are between the ages of 15 and 64, and are considered to be part of the working age population.

Table 2.3: Median age of the population

Geographic Area Wilmot Region of Waterloo Ontario Canada Source: Statistics Canada

Median Age 40.4 37.7 40.4 40.6

The level of education attained by Wilmot residents, as demonstrated in Table 2.4, is relatively consistent with that of the Region and province. The proportion of those with apprenticeship training and college education is slightly higher in Wilmot, while the proportion of those with a university education is slightly lower.

Table 2.4: Level of Education Attainment

Level of Education

Wilmot 2006

Region of Waterloo 2006

Ontario 2006

13,595

380,995

9,819,420

Total population 15 years and over

No certificate, diploma or degree High school certificate or equivalent Apprenticeship or trades certificate or diploma College, CEGEP or other non‐university diploma University certificate or diploma below the bachelor level University certificate, diploma or degree

Total

% of Population

Total

% of Population

Total

% of Population

3,260

24.0%

92,580

24.3%

2,183,625

22.2%

3,690

27.1%

106,675

28.0%

2,628,575

26.8%

1,345

9.9%

30,920

8.1%

785,115

8.0%

2,735

20.1%

70,465

18.5%

1,804,775

18.4%

410

3.0%

11,080

2.9%

405,270

4.1%

2,155

15.9%

69,275

18.2%

2,012,060

20.5%

Source: Statistics Canada

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

Ethnographic Profile Wilmot’s population is characterized primarily by English‐speaking (89.3%) Canadian citizens. German (3.7%), French (0.9%), Dutch (0.6%), Romanian (0.5%,) and Polish (0.5%) are the five most common languages reported after English, reflecting immigration and settlement patterns from the mid‐20th century.

2.3

Governance and Jurisdictional Context

The Township of Wilmot is one of seven lower‐tier municipalities in the Region of Waterloo. The delivery of municipal services is coordinated between the Region of Waterloo and the Township of Wilmot. The Region for instance, provides public health services, social services, policing, public transit, drinking water treatment, and waste management services. The Township is responsible for services including, but not limited to: planning and development services, road and sidewalk provision and maintenance, parks and recreation services and programs, fire protection, water distribution, heritage programs (e.g., Castle Kilbride), municipal law enforcement, storm water management and more.

Municipalities in Canada are legislated into existence by each province. In Ontario, the Municipal Act prescribes the roles and responsibilities of municipalities. The Act provides municipalities with both general powers and eleven specific spheres of jurisdiction, including roads, waste management, drainage and flood control, and parks. Federal and provincial regulations also affect activities within the Township. For example, species at risk and their habitats are addressed by federal and provincial legislation, while land use planning, natural resource management practices, and energy are regulated by the province.

This governance and jurisdictional context demonstrates the importance of multi‐jurisdictional cooperation and collaboration to the successful implementation of the Township of Wilmot’s Strategic Plan. Key pieces of federal and provincial legislation and policy affecting decision‐making in Wilmot Township and Waterloo Region are described below.

2.4

Legislation and Policy

Governance in Wilmot is influenced by an array of Federal and Provincial policy. Several key Acts and Regulations influencing day‐to‐day matters in Wilmot are described below.

Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act The objective of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act is to create a province where every person living in or visiting Ontario is able to fully participate. On top of developing partnerships to address accessibility issues and increasing general knowledge about accessibility, the Act addresses accessibility in the areas of:  Customer service;  Transportation; and  Employment;  The built environment  Information and communications;

Aggregate Resources Act The Aggregate Resources Act establishes a framework for the management of Ontario’s aggregate resources and operations to minimize adverse environmental impacts, among other things. The statute also requires the rehabilitation of excavated landscapes.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

Clean Water Act Through the provincial Clean Water Act, Ontario endeavors to be a leader in the delivery of safe drinking water by: • Requiring municipalities and conservation authorities to map the sources of municipal drinking water supplies, especially vulnerable areas that need protection to prevent the depletion or contamination of supplies; • Directing local communities to monitor any activity that could potentially threaten water quality or quantity, and take action to reduce or remove that threat; and • Empower local authorities to take preventative measures before a threat to water can cause harm.

Drinking Water Sources Act Canada’s Drinking Water Sources Act requires the Minister of the Environment to establish an agency with the power to identify and protect Canada’s watersheds. This Act is in cooperation with the provinces and will constitute sources of drinking water in the future. This Act intends to recognize Canada's drinking water sources are threatened by land use and development that may have an impact on the quality of the water and its suitability as drinking water.

Endangered Species Act The provincial Endangered Species Act, 2007 protects listed endangered species and their habitat and applies to all lands in Ontario not owned by the federal government. The Act will protect listed endangered, threatened and extirpated species and their habitat. It also includes a requirement to develop plans such that species of special concern (a native species that is sensitive to human activities or natural events and formerly termed vulnerable) will recover.

Environmental Protection Act The purpose of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act is to protect the environment and the health and wellbeing of Canadians. A major part of the Act is to prevent pollution and address potentially dangerous chemical substances in a sustainable manner.

Fisheries Act Through the federal Fisheries Act the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada is responsible for conserving and protecting fish and fish habitat and applies to the whole of Canada, including private property in every province and territory. The Act defines fish habitat as “spawning grounds and nursery, rearing, food supply and migration areas on which fish depend directly or indirectly to carry out their life processes.”

Green Energy and Green Economy Act The Green Energy and Green Economy Act came into effect in 2009 as a means to encourage renewable energy development and energy conservation in Ontario. The Act provides uniform province‐wide regulations for the approval of renewable energy projects, as well as fixed term agreements paid to renewable energy producers.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe The Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe was created under the Places to Grow Act. While Wilmot is not designated as an Urban Growth Centre, the Township must abide by the Plan’s policies to direct growth toward built‐up areas, intensify development in existing cities and towns, redevelop and revitalize downtowns, and support development around transit stations into its Official Plan.

Municipal Act The Municipal Act regulates the creation, administration, and government of municipalities in Ontario.

The most recent version of the Act (2001) consolidated dozens of Acts related to municipal governance.

Nutrient Management Act The Nutrient Management Act is a measure taken by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of the Environment to maintain Ontario’s priority standards for the protection of surface water and groundwater. The Act’s objectives include: • Banning high trajectory irrigation guns from spreading non‐agricultural source material or manure unless the material contains more than 99 percent water; • Design and construction standards for manure storages; • Nutrient application setbacks from wells and surface water: • Restrictions on winter spreading of prescribed materials; and • Requirements for such things as vegetated buffer zones along surface water.

Ontario Heritage Act The purpose of the Ontario Heritage Act is to provide municipalities and the provincial government the means to preserve the province’s heritage. Its primary focus is protecting heritage properties as well as archaeological sites.

Places to Grow Act The Places to Grow Act is the legislative foundation of the Places to Grow Initiative, the provincial strategy to plan for sustainable and prosperous growth throughout Ontario. The Act requires regional and municipal governments to revise their official plan policies to achieve the objectives outlined in the accompanying Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe.

Planning Act The Planning Act prescribes province‐wide rules for land use planning in Ontario. The purpose of the Act is to:  Promote sustainable economic development in a healthy natural environment within a provincial policy framework;  Provide for a land use planning system led by provincial policy;  Integrate matters of provincial interest into provincial and municipal planning decisions by requiring that all decisions shall be consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement when decision‐makers exercise planning authority or provide advice on planning matters;  Provide for planning processes that are fair by making them open, accessible, timely and efficient;  Encourage co‐operation and coordination among various interests; and  Recognize the decision‐making authority and accountability of municipal councils in planning.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

Provincial Policy Statement The Provincial Policy Statement is the statement of Ontario’s policy on land use planning matters within the province, providing direction on matters of provincial interest. Municipalities use the Provincial Policy Statement to develop their Official Plans and make planning decisions.

Species at Risk Act Canada’s Species at Risk Act includes measures to protect both species and habitat. On non‐federal owned lands the Act only applies to federally listed endangered, threatened or extirpated aquatic species and migratory bird species.

Waste Diversion Act All waste diversion programs in Ontario have been established within the framework of the Waste Diversion Act. Under the Act, certain wastes have been designated with their own diversion programs, including: blue box waste, used tires, used oil material, waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE), and municipal hazardous or special waste (MHSW).

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

3. Overview of the Focus Areas

The diagram below depicts the four focus areas that guided the development of this Report, and the themes within each of the focus areas. These theme areas have been developed by the consultant team to guide research efforts and conversations relative to Wilmot’s strategic plan.

Economic Cultural Vibrancy

Prosperity Includes: visual and

Includes: perfmorming arts,

employment, built and cultural income, local

heritage, history, economic drivers,

etc. etc.

Environmental Social Wellbeing

Integrity Includes: health

and wellbeing, Includes: natural

education, heritage, natural

recreation, resouces, land use transportation, etc. planning, etc.

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Appendix A: Needs Asssessment and d Environmen ntal Scan

4. Culttural Vibrrancy Wilmot ce elebrates its cultural vibraancy through annual festivvals and even nts, performing and visual arts, communitty centres, places of worsship as well aas its built heeritage, refleccting the diveersity and inteerests of its resid dents.

4.1 Whe ere are we sstrong?

Townshiip of Wilmott Festivalss, Events and d Celebration ns Annual evvents in the TTownship such as Strawberry Fest, Victooria Day and Canada Day Celebrations, New Hamburg Fall Fair, Moparfest, M the e Mennonite e Relief Sale,, New Hamb burg Classic R Races, Livingg Well Festival, Interfaith I Community Counselling Cen ntre Annual Giant Silent Auction, and d the Santa Claus Parades ccontribute to Wilmot’s cultural identityy, while creatting a sense o of communityy among resid dents.

The New w Hamburg Grandstand G (pictured ( below) is an iimportant co omponent off the Fall Faair. It succumbe ed to fire in 2006 and was rebuilt to its original 19477 specification ns.

Source: De eborah Armstro ong

Local Hisstory and He eritage The impo ortance of Wilmot’s local h history is cap ptured in Goaal VII of the Town nship’s Officiial Plan: “To o encourage the recogniition of buildings, structures and a cultural landscapes l having histori cal and architectu ural significan nce and to pe erpetuate the eir value and benefit to the com mmunity” (p.. 4). The Township’s comm mitment is fu rthered

by Heritaage Wilmot, which is the Municipal Advisory A Com mmittee dedicated d to preservin ng the commu unity’s culture and built heeritage.

Local heriitage sites of note include Castle Kilbrid de (pictured rright) in Sourrce: Castle Kilbride Baden an nd the New Hamburg Downtown D He eritage Consservation Disstrict.

Designate ed a National Historic Site in 1995, Castle Kilbride w was originally constructed in 1877 and is the most sign nificant heritaage site in the Township. The Castle iss a fully furnished Victoriaan home with h rare wall muraals that were deemed the best example in Canada by the Historric Sites and M Monuments Board of Canadaa. With over half its collecction original to the familyy combined w with outstand ding decorativve art and furnishings, this museum is a a jewel for Wilmot W Townnship. The C Castle housess two artifacct and archival collections: c th he Livingston family and the t Townshipp of Wilmot. The museum m also housees the Township p’s research centre for locaal history. The museum offfers unique eexhibits, sum mmer concertss, and seasonal p programmingg.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

Visual and Performing Arts Wilmot is home to an active arts community, with many people and groups working Township‐wide to ensure that both visual and performing arts remain a strong component of the community’s identity and wellbeing. A great example of this is the annual Rural Routes Studio Tour. Now in its tenth year, the tour allows people to visit art studios in the New Hamburg, Baden, New Dundee, and surrounding areas, providing local artists with an opportunity to showcase their work. The 2012 Tour included nine studios.

Wilmot is also home to a strong performing arts community. First established in 1984, The Community Players, based in New Hamburg, delivers “high‐calibre, family‐oriented community musical theatre.”

Putting on performances in the spring of each year, the next Community Players performance will be of ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ in spring 2013. Shows draw visitors from Wilmot, Waterloo Region, and beyond.

New Hamburg Live! Festival of the Arts is an annual event that brings musical performers and artists to the Township over a span of several days in the spring. First launched in 2009, the Festival has grown with each passing year. Residents and visitors alike also have the opportunity to enjoy an annual summer concert series at Castle Kilbride. Each Thursday evening in July and August spectators are treated to an hour of free musical entertainment.

Spiritual Places and Opportunities Spiritual places and opportunities often reflect the cultural heritage of a community. Wilmot residents are involved in an active and diverse faith community, including:  Nith Valley Mennonite Church;  Bethel Missionary Church;  Rosebank Brethren in Christ;  Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church;  Shantz Mennonite Church;  Grace Mennonite Church;  St. Agatha Mennonite Church;  Hillcrest Mennonite Church;  St. Agatha Roman Catholic Church;  Holy Family Church;  Living Water Community Christian  St. George’s Anglican Church; Fellowship;  St. James Evangelical Lutheran Church;  Kitchener Gurdwara Sahib Golden  St Peter’s Lutheran Church; Triangle Sikh Association;  Steinmann Mennonite Church;  Living Water Community Christian  Trinity Lutheran Church; Fellowship;  United Brethren Church;  Mannheim Mennonite Church;  Wellesley United Church;  New Dundee Baptist Church;  Wilmot Centre Missionary Church;  New Hamburg Christian Centre;  Wilmot Mennonite Church;  New Hamburg Conservative Mennonite  Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church; and Church;  Zion United Church.  New Hamburg Fellowship Bible Church; Region of Waterloo Official Plan Policies At the regional level, cultural vibrancy is identified as an important indicator of the broader community’s liveability and wellbeing. For example, the Region’s Official Plan expresses that “cultural heritage resources are the inheritance of natural and cultural assets that give people a sense of place, community and personal identity” (p. 46). Specific policies relating to cultural heritage can be found in section 3.G of the region’s Official Plan. Moreover, the focus area on Growth Management and Prosperity in the

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

region’s Strategic Plan also prioritizes enhancing the Region’s arts, culture and heritage through the following actions:  2.4.1 Work with the Creative Enterprise Enabling Organization, area municipalities and others to strengthen the arts and culture sector.  2.4.2 Provide opportunities to optimize the use of Regional cultural facilities, with a focus on the new Waterloo Region Museum.  2.4.3 Establish a Regional Heritage Conservation Toolbox.

Cultural Facilities Regional cultural facilities such as the Waterloo Region Museum and Region of Waterloo Library branches also offer residents of Wilmot the occasion learn about and celebrate their collective cultural identity.

4.2 Where are we weak?

Township of Wilmot Official Plan Policies While Wilmot’s Official Plan guides physical, social and economic development within the Township, the plan does not include explicit goals or policies pertaining to cultural vibrancy.

4.3 What are our opportunities?

Township of Wilmot Official Plan Policies While the recognition of historical and architectural resources, one aspect of cultural vibrancy, is prioritized as a goal in the Township’s Official Plan, expanding the OP’s objectives and policies to include a range of cultural assets is an opportunity that may help to enhance the Township’s cultural profile.

This could help to establish a long‐term vision for the Municipality’s cultural vibrancy.

Cultural Profile Existing events could be built upon to promote and enhance local arts, culture, and heritage. Examples of these include the summer concerts at Castle Kilbride and the Rural Routes studio tour. Arts and cultural events could also be coordinated with each other and other events and celebrations in the community to increase the collective tourism profile.

The Township could also consider undertaking a cultural mapping exercise to identify its tangible and intangible cultural assets. Such a resource would allow visitors and residents alike to access information about Wilmot’s cultural assets in a single location. Occasionally, cultural mapping is part of a Municipal Cultural Planning process which is designed to leverage a community’s cultural assets to support economic prosperity locally.

4.4 What are the threats?

No Long‐term Cultural Vision The Township of Wilmot currently has no long‐term vision for local culture.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

Competition with Nearby Municipalities Like other municipalities, the Township of Wilmot is competing with comparable nearby municipalities that offer similar cultural opportunities. Popular cultural attractions in nearby municipalities include the Stratford Festival, the St. Jacob’s Farmers Market, the Kitchener‐Waterloo Oktoberfest, and the Cambridge Highland Games.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

5. Economic Prosperity Agriculture, natural resource extraction, manufacturing, and commercial/retail contribute to economic prosperity in Wilmot. Like other rural‐urban municipalities, Wilmot is faced with the ongoing challenge of ensuring that a diversity of meaningful employment opportunities are available to its residents.

Supporting a broad range of commercial and industrial activities is particularly important as the Township’s population and residential areas continue to grow. At the local level, economic development is largely overseen by the Township’s Development Services department.

5.1 Where are we strong?

Township of Wilmot Official Plan Policies As stated in its Official Plan, the Township of Wilmot endeavours to promote economic development and financial stability “by ensuring the continued expansion of economic opportunities and diversification of the [Township’s] economic base” (page 4). This broad vision is supported by goals and policies relating to land use for each sector in the local economy.

Labour Force Activity and Income Table 5.1 below compares Wilmot’s rates for labour force participation, employment and unemployment to Waterloo Region and the province as a whole. The figures in this table suggest that employment opportunities in or near the Township are well‐suited to the needs of its population, enabling residents to access appropriate employment opportunities. Wilmot is generally on par with the Regional rates for participation and employment, and performs better than the provincial average in the same categories. Wilmot’s unemployment rate has been lower than both the provincial and regional rates for the last two available census years.

Table 5.1: Labour Force Activity

Geographic Region Township of Wilmot Region of Waterloo Ontario

Participation Rate 2001 2006 71.3 71.6 71.8 71.5 67.3 67.1

Employment Rate 2001 2006 69.5 68.8 67.9 67.6 63.2 62.8

Unemployment Rate 2001 2006 2.5 3.9 5.3 5.5 6.1 6.4

Source: Statistics Canada

Median income is also an indicator of economic prosperity. Depicted in Table 5.2, below, the median family income for Wilmot is considerably higher than either the Regional median income or provincial median income.

Table 5.2: Median Income of all Census Families

Geographic Region Median Income in 2001 Township of Wilmot $68,951 Region of Waterloo $63,703 Ontario $61,024

Median Income in 2006 $83,540 $74,070 $69,156

Source: Statistics Canada

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

The table below shows some of the top industrial and commercial employers in the Township of Wilmot.

These figures are recent to 2010.

Table 5.3: Local Employers

Company Name

Settlement

Sector

Baden and New Hamburg

Trucking

Erb Transport ODG

New Hamburg

Nithview Home Riverside Brass

New Hamburg New Hamburg

Coco Paving/Lafarge

Rural

Pestell

Baden and New Hamburg New Hamburg New Hamburg New Hamburg New Hamburg New Hamburg

Sobeys No Frills Grant Transport Maple Leaf Eurocan Nith Valley Construction Alloy Castings Klassen Bronze Systems Plus

New Hamburg

Magnussen Genfoot Inc. ‐ Hamburg Felt Tri City Alpine Plant Foods

New Hamburg New Hamburg Rural New Hamburg

Cerwood Formatop

New Hamburg New Hamburg

Zehr Insurance Josslin Insurance ‐ NH Waldor

New Hamburg New Hamburg New Hamburg

Think Plastics

New Hamburg

New Hamburg New Hamburg Baden

Employees (2010) 631

Manufacturer of gears, transmissions, couplings and the ARGO Long-term care/Retirement Residence Foundry Paving and Mineral Aggregate Extraction

175 150 100 98

Minerals/Ingredients and Pet Products Packaging and Distribution Food Store Food Store Trucking Chick hatchery Pet product manufacturing/packaging Construction management/design build Foundry Foundry Manufacturer and distributor of analytical testing and quality control supplies Headquarters for furniture supplier Manufacturer of felt boot liners

95

Mineral aggregate extraction Manufacturer of liquid plant fertilizers Custom cabinetry Postformed countertops and laminates Insurance office Insurance office Industrial Drying/Cooling manufacturer Manufacturer of recycled plastic lumber products

35 31

85 83 80 60 45 40 40 40 40

39 35

31 30 20 20 12 9

Source: Township of Wilmot

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Appendix A: Needs Asssessment and d Environmen ntal Scan

ure Agricultu Wilmot’s Official Plan recognizes th he importancce of the agriicultural secto or to the Tow wnship’s econ nomic prosperityy as conveyed in the follo owing goal: “TTo preserve aand protect aa vital rural/aagricultural area in the Town nship of Wilm mot not onlyy for the production of food and otther productts, but also as an importantt component of the Township's econom mic base, a s ource of emp ployment and d as a basis fo or the Township p's rural comm munity” (p. 3).

Source: Ou utdoor Photogrraphy Canada

ot’s land basse has historrically been used for agrricultural activities A significant proportion of Wilmo (Official Plan, P p. 15). With 48,848 8 acres (apprroximately 755%) of the TTownship’s laand base currently dedicated d to agricultu ure, farming remains the e dominant land use in Wilmot. As such, agricu ultural activities in Wilmot co ontribute significantly to the Townshiip’s economic prosperity.. According tto the 2011 Census of Agricu ulture, gross ffarm receiptss for the Tow wnship totalleed $110,490,6 631 in 2010. Table 5.3 below w compares the t total num mber of farm ms in Waterlooo Region to o that in Ontario and Caanada.

Wilmot haas followed th he national trrend, seeing aa continued ddecrease in th he total numb ber of farms.

Table 5.3: T Total Number off Farms

Reggion Canada Ontario Region of Waterloo W Ca ambridge Kitchener‐ K Waterloo W North Dumfries Wellesley W Wilmot Woolwich W

2001 ‐ ‐

Total Number of Farrms 2006 229,373 57,211

20011 205,730 51,950

% Change 2006‐201 11 ‐10 ‐9

1,444

1,444

1,3398

‐4

32

31

221

‐32

38

35

116

‐54

117 501 271 494

117 518 247 496

1224 5002 2334 4992

6 ‐3 ‐5 ‐1

Source: Waaterloo Region n, Census Bulletin: Statistics C Canada, Censu s of Agriculturre 2001‐2011.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

As with other areas of the local economy, a diversified agricultural sector is better able to handle fluctuations in global markets and commodity prices. Data from the 2011 Census of Agriculture indicates that there is some level of diversity within Wilmot’s agricultural sector. Tables 5.4 and 5.5 below summarize the results. While there are a range of livestock producers within the Township, cattle farming is the prevailing type of livestock production, whereas oilseed and grain farming dominates crop production.

Table 5.4: Wilmot Livestock Producers Classified by Industry Group, 2011

Livestock Producers Classified by Industry Group Cattle farming Hog and pig farming Poultry and egg Production Sheep and goat farming Other animal production

Number of Farms Reporting 60 6 21 7 31

Table 5.5: Wilmot Crop Producers Classified by Industry Group, 2011

Crop Producers Classified by Industry Group Oilseed and grain farming Vegetable and melon farming Fruit and tree nut farming Greenhouse, nursery, and floriculture production Other crop farming

Number of Farms Reporting 64 11 5 7 22

Source: Statistics Canada

Commerce Wilmot’s economic prosperity is also linked to commercial activities in the Township. In recognition of this, Township Official Plan policies endeavour to “provide for a broad range of commercial and industrial activities and services to meet the diverse needs of the Township’s residents, businesses and institutions, as well as those from the surrounding areas, and to generate employment opportunities within a strong commercial structure focused on the Core Areas and other appropriately located major commercial and industrial areas” (page 4).

Commercial activities in Wilmot are primarily located in the New Hamburg and Baden urban core areas, as well as within the Township’s other settlement areas. Commercial businesses dependent on high volumes of traffic are also strategically located near highway corridors. Representing the collective interests of the members of local business communities, Board of Trades and Chambers of Commerce are active in Wilmot, and include:  Baden Chamber of Commerce;  New Dundee Board of Trade; and  New Hamburg Board of Trade.

Industry The Places to Grow Act and the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe both mandate the preservation of employment land areas. Wilmot’s designated employment lands are situated in the New Hamburg and Baden urban settlement areas and are primarily industrial in character. Location‐specific assets such as proximity to regional transportation routes (Highways 7 and 8) as well as a rail corridor 19

Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

and rail spurs make this an attractive setting for industrial and manufacturing operations. There are currently 56 hectares of serviced industrial land in Wilmot, with additional land in reserve if demand exceeds the current supply. Approximately 2.83% of the available industrial land area is presently vacant (Township of Wilmot).

Region of Waterloo Official Plan Policies The Region of Waterloo’s Official Plan contains an ambitious goal for economic prosperity: to “collaborate with Area Municipalities, Canada’s Technology Triangle Inc. and other stakeholders to foster a diverse, innovative and globally competitive regional economy” (page 49). This will be achieved by ensuring an adequate supply of employment lands, managing physical infrastructure, and establishing collaborative partnerships.

Tourism In 2007, the Region of Waterloo and its lower‐tier partner municipalities agreed to combine their individual efforts to promote tourism with the goal of delivering “a single, focused message that Waterloo Region is a dynamic, year‐round destination” (Region of Waterloo, Explore Waterloo Region).

As part of the larger picture, Waterloo Region is part of Regional Tourism Organization 4 (RTO 4), which also includes Huron County, Perth County, and Wellington County. RTO 4 promotes the collective and diverse interests and assets of its member communities.

Canada’s Technology Triangle Canada's Technology Triangle (CTT) is a non‐profit, public‐private regional economic development organization. CTT markets the Region, and is responsible for FDI (foreign direct investment), working to attract businesses, people, and investment. The work of CTT compliments that of local municipalities such as Wilmot, who focus on business retention and expansion.

The top private sector employers in Waterloo Region, along with their respective number of employees, are listed in Table 5.6 below. It should be noted that information was obtained during 2007 and 2008 and may not accurately reflect current figures.

Table 5.6: Top Regional Private Sector Employers

Employer BlackBerry (formerly Research In Motion) Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada Sun Life Financial Manulife Financial, Canada Operations Schneider Foods/Maple Leaf Consumer Foods ATS Automated Tooling Systems Inc. Loblaw Companies Ltd. Manulife Financial Rockwell Automation Canada Control System Challenger Motor Freight Inc. iQuor Babcox & Wilcox Canada

Number of Employees 5200 4500 2700 2400 1688 1615 1205 1200 1000 1000 1000 1000

Source: Canada’s Technology Triangle

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

The top public sector employers in Waterloo Region, along with their respective number of employees, are listed in table 5.7. As with the top private sector employers, these figures were obtained during 2007 and 2008, and may not reflect present employment levels.

Table 5.7: Top Regional Public Sector Employers

Employer Waterloo Region District School Board Grand River Hospital Region of Waterloo University of Waterloo Waterloo Catholic District School Board City of Kitchener St. Mary’s General Hospital Cambridge Memorial Hospital Wilfrid Laurier University City of Waterloo Source: Canada’s Technology Triangle

Number of Employees 6000 3965 3892 3076 3000 1500 1200 1192 1047 1000

5.2 Where are we weak?

Township of Wilmot Tourism Strategy The Township has no municipal strategy for local tourism to attract visitors, and is not fully capitalizing on its existing tourism opportunities.

Local Employment Given the Township’s proximity to large employers in Kitchener‐Waterloo, many of its residents commute outside of the Township for work. Such conditions create challenges with ensuring a balanced tax base (commercial, industrial, and residential) in the Township over the long‐term.

5.3 What are our opportunities?

Township of Wilmot Tourism The Township is a member of the Waterloo Region Tourism Marketing Corporation (also known as Explore Waterloo Region) which provides a collective voice for promoting all that is going on within the Region and its member municipalities. There is an opportunity for businesses and community groups to use the promotional opportunities provided by this Organization to increase their tourism profiles.

Moreover, there is also an opportunity to increase the awareness of this centralized location of event information among residents and visitors.

A growing industry in Ontario, agri‐tourism presents opportunities for further economic diversification and expansion within Wilmot’s strong agricultural sector. Similarly, culinary tourism, cultural tourism and eco‐tourism are also burgeoning sectors of Ontario’s tourism industry. The development of a tourism strategy would likely bring to light many tourism opportunities within the Township. Currently 21

Appendix A: Needs Asssessment and d Environmen ntal Scan

however, there is little e in the Planning & Development Servvices budget over the ten n year forecaast for economicc developmen nt studies.

Aggregates nship of Wilm mot is rich in aaggregate resources. Its Offficial Plan co ontains policiees to protect these The Town resourcess from any development th hat would pre event their fuuture extractio on.

Employm ment Lands The Town nship has serrviced and so oon‐to‐be serrviced employyment lands available forr developmen nt. To provide m more local em mployment op pportunities and to ensurre a balanced d tax base, th he Township could further itss work with p partners such as CTT to purrsue developm ment in thesee employmen nt lands.

Promotio on of Comme ercial Areass Given the e Township’ss location alo ong a busy transportatio t on corridor (Highways 7 and 8), therre are opportunities to erect signage to prromote and d direct traffic t o the Townsh hip’s commerrcial areas.

Downtow wn Revitaliza ation and In nvestment The Town nship has an opportunity to incent invvestment in its downtow wn areas, spurring revitalizzation efforts an nd commerciaal activity. The e Township’s Official Plan contains Com mmunity Improvement Po olicies, stating th hat “Council may m establish h community improvemennt project areeas in accord dance with Seection 28 of the Planning Act,, in order to p provide for th he ongoing re habilitation aand maintenaance of specific areas of the Township.” Su uch policies co ould be linkeed with the To ownship’s hisstoric and heritage assets, wh hich could be e leveraged aas a draw to its commerciial areas. Com mmunity Imp provement Po olicies could also o be used to e encourage ressidential deve elopment in ddowntown arreas.

Source: Ne ew Hamburg Bo oard of Trade

Agricultu ure and Agrii‐Business There are e ongoing opportunities to grow the e agriculturee and agri‐bu usiness secto or in Wilmott. For instance, encouraging value‐added businesses w would benefitt the local agrricultural com mmunity while also fostering developmentt of Wilmot’ss employment lands. Addittionally, therre are also aggricultural ressearch opportunities that could be pursued d with nearbyy post‐seconddary institutio ons.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

5.4 What are the threats?

Township of Wilmot Declining Role of Agriculture Wilmot has seen a recent decline in the total number of operating farms and total farm area. Given its importance as a key economic driver in the Township, a declining agricultural base is a threat to the local economy. As demonstrated in Table 5.8, below, the total number of farms in Wilmot decreased by approximately 13.7% (271 to 234) from 2001 – 2011. Over this same time period, the area of land in production decreased by approximately 9.3% (53,839 acres to 48,848 acres). Average farm size in Wilmot, however, has increased slightly (+1.05%) over this ten year period.

Table 5.8: Number and Size of Farms in Wilmot

2011 2001 % Change (2001 to 2011)

Total Number of Farms 234 271

Total Farm Area (acres) 48,848 53,839

Average Farm Size (acres) 208.75 198.67

‐13.7%

‐9.3%

+1.05%

Source: Statistics Canada

Wilmot’s 2011 Performance Measures report indicates that 99.1%, or 24,926 hectares, of all lands designated for Agriculture on January 1, 2000 remained designated for Agriculture as of December 31, 2011. During this same period, only 226 ha or 0.9% of land designated as Agriculture was removed for development. This suggests that most of the farm land lost between 2001 and 2011 is attributable to land being taken out of agricultural production.

Neighbouring Municipalities Commercial and retail opportunities in neighbouring and nearby municipalities present a threat in the sense that they are currently drawing business and shoppers out of Wilmot.

Region of Waterloo Shifting Economic Trends Wilmot’s economic prosperity is also affected by economic activity at the regional level. For instance, just a number of years ago, BlackBerry (formerly Research In Motion) had 5,000 employees working in its Waterloo offices. However, recent cuts have results in significant job losses at this major regional employer.

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Appendix A: Needs Asssessment and d Environmen ntal Scan

6. Environmenttal Integrrity

d efforts of the Township p, the Region of Waterlooo, provincial aand federal m ministries, an nd the Combined Grand Rivver Conservattion Authorityy help to ensu ure environm mental integritty is maintain ned in Wilmott.

6.1 Whe ere are we sstrong?

Townshiip of Wilmott Official P Plan Policiess Enhancingg, protecting and renewing the Townsh hip’s natural llandscape is prioritized ass an environm mental goal in W Wilmot’s Officiial Plan. Reco ognizing that the Townshi p’s environm mental integriity is affected d by a range of aactivities, the e Official Plan n promotes an integrated approach to environmenttal protection n that includes increasing aw wareness of en nvironmental consideratioons and using watershed p planning princciples.

Assets Natural A Wilmot’s natural herittage resource es form the basis of its ccultural vibraancy, econom mic prosperityy and social wellbeing. Wilm mot’s environ nmental assets include siggnificant natural heritagee features su uch as “the Nith h River, numerous Provin ncially Significant Wetlan ds, Regionally designated d Environmeentally Sensitive Policy Areas, and Locally SSignificant Naatural Areas. In addition, tthe Township p contains a variety of natural resources, including prim me agriculturral lands andd aggregate rresources” (O Official Plan: 1). As one of Ontario’s hand dful of merom mictic lakes, Sunfish Lakee (pictured beelow) is Wilm mot’s most unique natural assset. The lakke’s bottom waters w are de evoid of oxyggen, and do not mix with h its top layers – a characteristic seldom sseen in Ontarrio’s lakes.

Sunfish Lakke. Source: Wikipedia

To help ensure e that environmenta e al health ove er the long‐tterm, the Tow wnship has budgeted $4 40,000 annually o over the nextt ten years fo or its reforesstation prograam. This proggram is fundeed by a Kitch hener‐ Wilmot Hydro grant.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

Natural Resources With respect to drinking water, the Township of Wilmot operates municipal distribution systems in Baden, New Hamburg, New Dundee, and St. Agatha, providing clean drinking water to the residents of these communities. Baden and New Hamburg are on a shared water system.

Electricity is distributed locally by Kitchener‐Wilmot Hydro, which supplies power to 80,000 customers in Kitchener and Wilmot. Additionally, Kitchener‐Wilmot Hydro oversees provincially directed conservation programs at a local level.

Region of Waterloo Strategic Plan and Official Plan Policies Environmental Sustainability is one of five focus areas in the Region’s Strategic Plan and includes actions to:  Integrate environmental considerations into decision‐making;  Reduce greenhouse gas emissions;  Minimize the amount of waste going to landfill;  Protect the quality and quantity of drinking water sources; and  Renew and conserve green space, agricultural land and sensitive environmental areas.

Principles of environmental sustainability are applied throughout the Region’s Official Plan and are reflected in policies directing infrastructure, energy conservation, air quality, business development, and natural heritage conservation.

Moreover, “Waterloo Region residents see the need for proper maintenance and management of planned growth which included building vibrant urban places, protecting our countryside, fostering a strong and prosperous economy while still maintaining the small town feel” (Waterloo Region, p. 13). To achieve this, the Region of Waterloo is implementing a growth management plan to maintain urban and rural harmony.

Natural Resources The Region also provides water testing services for owners of private wells. In addition, the Region also administers a number of water conservation initiatives, including:  Summer watering restrictions;  Rain barrel sales;  Low flow toilet rebate program;  Assistance for businesses; and  General education and awareness.

In the Region of Waterloo, waste management is administered at the Regional level. For Wilmot, the Region provides garbage, blue box, green bin, yard waste, and large item collection. The Region operates one landfill and six transfer stations.

Grand River Conservation Authority The Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) strives to achieve “a healthy and sustainable natural environment in the Grand River watershed.” The GRCA provides services in the following areas:  Watershed conditions;  Water resources;  Land resources;  Recreation; 25

Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

 

Planning and regulations; Education; and



Taking action.

The Nith River, the most notable watercourse in Wilmot, is a major tributary to the Grand River – designated as a Canadian Heritage River.

6.2 Where are we weak?

Township of Wilmot Discontinuous Ecosystems Though Wilmot is home to some significant natural assets, agriculture and urban development have resulted in a fragmented landscape in some locations; as is the case across much of Southern Ontario.

These natural areas could be better connected. However, there are also good examples of continuous ecosystems in Wilmot, such as the Nith Valley River corridor, Locally Significant Natural Areas, and woodlots.

6.3 What are our opportunities?

Township of Wilmot Alternative Land Use Services A relatively new program, Alternative Land Use Services (ALUS) has seen much success in some parts of Ontario. The program provides financial incentives to farmers to convert marginally productive and environmentally sensitive lands to natural systems. Given agriculture’s prominence in the municipality, and a general need for ecosystem restoration, ALUS would be a natural fit in Wilmot.

Collaboration In its Strategic Plan, the Region cites the possibility of working with local municipalities and other community partners to foster environmental stewardship. This presents the Township with an ongoing opportunity to work with the Region and other partners on environmental priorities (e.g., drinking water, waste, air quality, greenhouse gas emissions, green space, agricultural land, and sensitive environmental areas).

Land Use Policies With the Township set to see relatively substantial population growth (see Figure 2.1 on page 5) over the coming years, there is tremendous opportunity to wisely shape this growth through land use policies. Through its Official Plan, the Township is already promoting well‐thought out growth and development. The benefits of wisely controlled growth will be multiple, including continued economic prosperity in commercial core areas, and the preservation of natural and agricultural lands.

Energy Conservation and Alternative Energy With growing concerns over climate change and escalating fossil fuel prices, energy conservation and the use of alternative energy are becoming increasingly attractive and financially sound investments. As the Township looks to replace, upgrade, and/or retrofit its fleet and facilities, energy conservation and alternative energy sources could be given consideration.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

6.4 What are the threats?

Township of Wilmot Development Pressure Continued demand for new development will exert pressures on the Township to convert agricultural land and green space to residential developments. Strong Official Plan policies directing growth to existing urban areas will need to be upheld in the face of these pressures.

Climate Change The impact of climate change on local residents, ecosystems, and the economy remains largely uncertain. However, there is growing concern over its potential negative consequences. In response to this, Waterloo Region has joined “The Climate Collaborative: A Community Greenhouse Gas Action Plan for Waterloo Region”. When implemented, the Plan will chart the course for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Region.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

7. Social Wellbeing

The delivery of social services in Wilmot is administered jointly by Waterloo Region and the Township of Wilmot.

7.1 Where are we strong?

Township of Wilmot Official Plan Policies Wilmot’s Official Plan policies directing the provision of municipal infrastructure that contribute to social wellbeing are addressed most notably in Chapter 4, Housing Policies, which touches on ensuring a diversity of housing types and tenures. This chapter however, only addresses physical infrastructure.

Recreation In recognition of the Township’s growing population, a new community centre and recreation facility was commissioned in the late 2000s. Phase I of the Wilmot Recreation Complex opened to the public in 2008, offering residents a variety of recreational and programming opportunities. In addition to an aquatics centre and arena, the WRC also contains venue space that can be used for community events.

The Township is committed to continuing to deliver high‐quality recreational services and programming.

Residents also benefit from access to 193 acres of public park space throughout the Township, each offering a selection of active and/or passive recreational opportunities. The Township is currently in the process of developing a Trails Master Plan to create a network of trails for additional recreational opportunities, as well as active forms of transportation (walking, cycling, inline skating).

A variety of clubs and organizations in each of the Township’s urban and rural settlement areas provide residents with social and recreational opportunities. The following list is a sampling of the Township’s recreational organizations:  Avon Trail Hiking Club;  New Hamburg Minor Hockey Association;  Baden Minor Softball;  New Hamburg Skating Club;  Baden Tennis;  New Hamburg Softball Association;  Centre Stage Dance Studio;  New Hamburg Special Olympics;  German Canadian Hunting and Fishing  Nith Valley Sno Surfers; Association;  Riverside Lanes Youth Bowling Club;  Greenwood Rod and Gun;  TriCity Roller Derby Girls;  Greenwood Snowmobile Club;  Wilmot Aquatic Aces Swim Club;  Inter‐County Men’s Slow Pitch;  Wilmot Centre Co‐ed Volleyball;  New Dundee Minor Softball;  Wilmot District Soccer Association;  New Dundee Snowmobile Club;  Wilmot Girls Hockey Association;  New Hamburg Figure Skating Club;  New Hamburg Karate Club;  Wilmot Recreational Pick‐up Hockey;  New Hamburg Lawn Bowling;  Wilmot Rod and Gun;  New Hamburg Men’s Recreational  Wilmot Rugby Football Club; and Hockey;  Wilmot Senior Ball Hockey League.  New Hamburg Men’s Slow Pitch; 28

Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

The Township’s rural landscape also offers year‐round sports and recreation activities such as hunting and fishing. World class mountain biking trails are also popular with residents and tourists.

Service Groups and Volunteers Volunteer and faith‐based groups as well as service organizations also promote the Township’s culture through organized events, festivals and community gatherings. The Annual Festival of Lights, Mennonite Relief Sale, theatre productions, and weekly car shows provide residents with a variety of cultural events and activities to choose from throughout the year.

Some of the current service groups and volunteer‐driven organizations in Wilmot include, but are not limited to:  New Hamburg Lioness Club;  Baden Optimist Club;  Baden Community Association;  Petersburg Optimist Club;  Haysville Sunshine Club;  St. Agatha Lions Club;  Mannheim Optimist Club;  St. Agatha Catholic Women’s League;  New Dundee Optimist Club;  Wilmot Agricultural Society;  New Dundee Women’s Institute ;  Wilmot Healthy Community Coalition;  New Hamburg Optimist Club;  Wilmot Horticultural Society; and  New Hamburg Lions Club;  Wilmot Optimist Club.

Community Centres and Gathering Spaces Community facilities operated by the Township provide residents with a range of recreational, social and civic opportunities. These facilities include:  Administration Building in Baden;  New Hamburg Arena and Community Centre;  Ernie Ritz Room;  St. Agatha Community Centre;  Haysville Community Centre;  Wilmot Seniors Woodworking and Craft  Mannheim Community Centre; Shop; and  New Dundee Community Centre;  Wilmot Recreation Complex.

In recognition of the contributions that its community centres and gathering spaces make to the social wellbeing of its residents, Wilmot has budgeted $1,706,670 over the next ten years for ongoing investments in its community parks and facilities.

Local Schools There are six elementary schools in Wilmot:  Baden Public School;  Forest Glen Public School;  Grandview Public School;  Holy Family Separate School;

  

New Dundee Public School; Sir Adam Beck; and St. Agatha Catholic School.

Waterloo‐Oxford District Secondary School is the Township’s only secondary school. There is also a private college in Wilmot Township: Canadian Independent College.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

Interfaith Community Counselling Centre For more than 25 years, Interfaith Community Counselling Centre has been helping people with personal issues and conflicts by matching them with a specialist to fit their individual needs. Fees to service users account for their income, ensuring that cost is not a barrier to accessing help.

Wilmot Family Resource Centre Founded in 1980, the Wilmot Family Resource Centre provides valuable social services and programs for Township residents as well as residents of Wellesley. Notable programs include the after‐school program, early years program, food bank, parenting support, and more.

Adult Lifestyle Communities Wilmot is home to three notable adult lifestyle communities: Foxboro Green, Morningside, and Stonecroft. These communities provide housing as well as social opportunities for local senior residents.

Healthcare Located in the urban core area of New Hamburg is the Nith Valley Family Health Clinc as well as a natural health centre.

Emergency Services The Township operates three fire stations in Baden, New Dundee, and New Hamburg. Under one full‐ time Fire Chief, the Department consists of one part‐time Fire Prevention office and 75 volunteer firefighters. Wilmot’s Fire Department provides the Township’s Community Emergency Management coordination and oversees the Township’s emergency preparedness. Additionally, the Township has recently completed and adopted a Fire Master Plan.

Region of Waterloo Strategic Plan Healthy and Inclusive Communities is one of five focus areas in the Region of Waterloo’s Strategic Plan.

The focus area recognizes that the dynamic character of the region’s population requires the delivery of “supportive, caring, inclusive and accessible services” to ensure social wellbeing (p. 17). The strategic objectives and actions to implement this vision can be found on pp. 17‐18 of the strategic plan. Social wellbeing is also addressed throughout the region’s Official Plan, but primarily in Chapter 3, Liveability in Waterloo Region. Policies pertaining to housing and services such as social assistance, pre‐employment services, child care and health care are outlined in this chapter.

Post‐Secondary Education Post‐secondary institutions are one of the Region’s foremost strengths. Kitchener‐Waterloo is home to the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University, and Conestoga College. These institutions provide nearby high‐quality educational opportunities for Wilmot’s residents.

The Region of Waterloo oversees library services in all of its municipalities. It operates three branches in Wilmot: Baden, New Dundee, and New Hamburg.

Healthcare Facilities and Region of Waterloo Public Health Though there are no hospitals located in the Township, there are hospitals and other healthcare facilities in Kitchener‐Waterloo and nearby Stratford.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

Region of Waterloo Public Health is one of Ontario’s 36 public health units. Public Health delivers a variety of health promotion and disease prevention‐related programming ranging from education about healthy lifestyles to health inspections of restaurants.

Emergency Services In Wilmot, police and paramedic services are provided by the Region. Waterloo Region Police have a station in New Hamburg, while Waterloo Emergency Medical Services operates an ambulance station in Baden.

7.2 Where are we weak?

Township of Wilmot Lack of a “Wilmot Brand and Identity” Within Wilmot are many different communities with which its residents identify more greatly with than the Township as a whole. This has created a need for a greater collective identity and brand within the Township. Establishing a Wilmot Brand and Identity could help to unify the Township and could also be used for promotional and marketing purposes.

Lack of Public Transit Linkages Presently, there are no public transit linkages in the Township of Wilmot. With many employment opportunities and necessary services located in Kitchener and Waterloo, this limits the ability of some of the Township’s youth, low‐income individuals, and seniors to access these important opportunities. The Township however has made a request to the Region to investigate transit services.

7.3 What are our opportunities?

Township of Wilmot Recreation The Township plans to capitalize on recreational opportunities. For example, it is planning on constructing a splash pad and an accessible playground, and has forecasted the enhancement of soccer fields in 2014. Moreover, the Township has forecasted undertaking a Recreation Master Planning process in 2015 to continue to define the future of recreational services, programs, and facilities in the municipality.

Mobility There are many opportunities in the Township to increase the overall ease of mobility for residents. For instance, the Region operates an extensive transit system in Cambridge, Kitchener, and Waterloo, and as Wilmot’s population grows and as residents continue to travel to the Region’s larger urban centres, transit linkages may become feasible over time. This is something the Township has already asked the Region to begin investigating.

Moreover, the Township is working to increase active transportation opportunities as well. For instance, the Township is currently in the process of developing a Trails Master Plan, which was identified as a top priority in its 2002 Recreation Facilities Needs Study. The ten year capital forecast also includes $85,000 annually for investment in sidewalks. As new development and road maintenance occur, the Township could consider exploring ways to facilitate alternative forms (e.g., transit, walking, cycling, etc.) of transportation.

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Appendix A: Needs Assessment and Environmental Scan

7.4 What are the threats?

Township of Wilmot Loss of Funding Recreational and cultural programs face the prospect of decreasing funding allocations from senior levels of government looking to reduce operating deficits and balance their budgets.

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Appendix B – Community Engagement Summary Council Approved – June 3, 2013

Appendix B: Community Engagement Summary

Introduction The content of Wilmot’s Strategic plan is reflective of the input received over the course of its development. Accordingly, the contents of the Sustainable Strategic Plan – The Vision, Mission Statement, Goals, Strategies, and Actions – stem from engagement efforts.

Community Engagement and Outreach Methods A wide variety of community engagement and outreach methods were used throughout the course of the Strategic Plan’s development, and are summarized in the table below. Following the table, further detail is presented for each mechanism.

Mechanism Strategic Planning Steering Committee Lura Consulting presentations to Council Places and Spaces Events (e.g., New Hamburg Fall Fair) Classroom Presentations Comment Cards Online Surveys Ambassador Program Town Hall Meetings Workshop‐in‐a‐Box Telephone Town Hall Township Staff Review of Draft Plan

Total 6 Meetings 3 3 2 (totalling >60 students) 86 received (>2,000 distributed) 110 17 Ambassadors New Hamburg: 5 participants St. Agatha: 4 participants Baden: 17 participants New Dundee: 27 participants 1 submission (see Telephone Town Hall section in this report for more information) 1 individual meeting with each Department Head and 2 group sessions 10 comments received

Strategic Planning Steering Committee A Strategic Planning Steering Committee, consisting of members of Township Staff and Council, was formed to guide the development of the Strategic Plan. Over the course of eight months, the group met six times, working closely with the project consultants at key project milestones. The Strategic Planning Steering Committee consisted of Mayor Les Armstrong, Councillor Jeff Gerber, Councillor Peter Roe, Grant Whittington, CAO, Scott Nancekivell, Director of Facilities and Recreation, Barb McLeod, Director of Clerk’s Services, Harold O’Krafka, Director of Development Services, and Rosita Tse, Director of Finance.

Municipal Council Municipal Council was also involved throughout the Planning Process. The consulting team provided an introductory presentation to Council on September 24, 2012. An interim update presentation was delivered by the Consulting Team on January 14, 2013. The final Strategic Plan was presented to Council on April 22, 2013. Additionally, members of Council attended the Town Hall Meetings.

1

Appendix B: Community Engagement Summary

Places and Spaces Events To launch the project and raise immediate awareness, members of the consulting team attended key community events in September and distributed comment cards to residents. This included the Ambassador of the Fair event on September 14, 2012, the ribbon cutting ceremony for Phase II of the Wilmot Recreation Complex on September 16, 2012, and the demolition derby at the New Hamburg Fall Fair on September 16, 2012.

Classroom Presentations The consulting team was invited to Waterloo‐Oxford District Secondary School on October 16, 2012 to facilitate workshops with two classrooms. Over 60 students were asked to reflect on their thoughts about the future of the Township of Wilmot, with their input being integrated into the overall planning process.

Comment Cards and Online Survey More than 2,000 comment cards were distributed throughout the Township, and 86 people provided input into the Plan’s development using this method. Drop boxes with comment cards were available at the following locations:

 

  

  

Municipal Office in Baden Wilmot Recreation Complex Baden Library Foxboro Green Adult Community (Baden)

Lifestyle



New Dundee Library New Hamburg Library St. Agatha Post Office (Stop to Shop) Stonecroft Adult Lifestyle Community (New Hamburg)

Morningside Adult Lifestyle Community (New Hamburg)

In addition, an online survey (completed by 110 individuals) that mirrored the comment cards was available on the Township’s website. For each, questions asked residents:

1. What do you love about Wilmot?

2. What is your vision for Wilmot’s future?

3. What would improve Wilmot?

Ambassador Program Seventeen Township residents served as Ambassadors for the Strategic Plan initiative, helping to distribute comment cards to fellow residents. We would like to extend a thank you to those who volunteered as Ambassadors:   

Warren Bechthold, Petersburg Audrey Cook, Stonecroft, New Hamburg John and Lou Cull, Haysville

  

Elliot Fung, New Dundee

Sherry Pfohl, Morningside, New Hamburg

Glen Lichty, Baden

2

Appendix B: Community Engagement Summary    

Greg Murtagh,, Stonecroft, New Hamburg Dennis Mighto on, New Dund dee Lyynn Perrin, New Dundee Maureen Pasic M chnyk, St. Agaatha

    

Robert Prrice, Foxboro Marilyn aand Lynn Saraarus, New Du undee John Stevvenson, Lisbo on

Ron Web ber, Petersburrg Mike Weiler, Baden

Town H Hall Meetin ngs In Novem mber 2012, residents were invited to paarticipate at any of four Town H Hall Meetingss to brainstorrm Vision and Misssion Stateme ent ‘ingredie ents’, develop Goals, identify the Township p’s strengths and weaknessses, and nd threats. Meetings forecast coming opportunities an saw varying participatiion levels, as follows:

New Ham mburg: 5 partticipants St. Agaatha: 4 participants Baden: 17 particip pants w Dundee: 27 7 participantss (pictured rigght) New

Worksh hop‐in‐a‐B Box A Worksh hop‐in‐a‐box was created that mirrore ed the objec tives of the Town Hall M Meetings. This was designed to allow residents to facilitate their ow wn workshopps at their leiisure. The Wilmot Horticu ultural ubmitted their input via this mechanism m.

Society su

Telepho one Town n Hall The Town nship of Wilm mot hosted itss first Telephone Town Haall meeting on January 29 9, 2013. Durin ng the event, participants fro om across the e Township w were invited tto join in an hour long disscussion abou ut the p’s pending Sttrategic Plan. At 7:00 p.m m., 5,952 callls were simultaneously pllaced to Tow wnship Township residents.. In total, 2,7 713 people accepted a the call and parrticipated for an average time of nearrly 17 minutes. TThe figure be elow shows th he number off participants on the call ovver its duratio on.

3

Appendix B: Community Engagement Summary The Telephone Town Hall included the opportunity for participants to ask questions to Mayor Les Armstrong, as well as provide input into the Strategic Plan through polling questions. During the call, 28 participants were able to pose their question live to the Mayor, and 14 left a question on voicemail once the call ended.

The results from the Telephone Town Hall’s polling questions are presented later in this report.

Municipal Staff Each of the Township’s Department Heads met individually with the consulting team to discuss ongoing and potential actions that would help to achieve the community’s Vision and Goals. The Management Team then met twice collectively to further refine actions.

Communications Key project milestones were regularly announced to the community through press releases, while the Township’s website was routinely updated with relevant project information. Moreover, residents who provided their email address were kept up‐to‐date on upcoming events relative to the Plan’s development. Twitter was also used to share project updates.

Review of Draft Plan The draft Plan was available online for public review from March 25, 2013 to April 12, 2013. During this time, ten comments were received, with necessary revisions reflecting the input received.

3

Appendix B: Community Engagement Summary

Engagement Results Goal and Strategy Areas The figure below represents the frequency whereby the four Goal areas for Wilmot’s Strategic Plan were mentioned as part of the input received. These results do not include the Telephone Town Hall, which is presented separately.

Goal Areas Proportion of all responses (%)

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Quality of Life

Community Engagement

Economic Prosperity

Natural Environment

The four figures below represent the frequency whereby the strategies within the four Goal areas of Wilmot’s Strategic Plan were mentioned as part of the input received.

Proportion of all responses (%)

40 35 30 25 20

15 10 5 0

Quality of Life

Community Engagement Proportion of all responses (%)

20 18 16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2 0

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Appendix B: Community Engagement Summary

30

25

20

15

10

5

0

Economic Prosperity Proportion of all respones (%)

Proportion of all responses (%)

Natural Environment

Controlled growth

Rivers/lakes

35 30 25 20 15 10 5 0

Resources

Telephone Town Hall Polling Question Results During the Township’s Telephone Town Hall, residents were asked a number of polling questions. The first question was to confirm the comfort level of residents relative to the Township’s draft Vision. The following four questions were designed to establish a sense of residents’ priorities within each of the Goal areas. The sixth and final question asked residents their opinion of the Telephone Town Hall.

These results are presented separately from the above results.

Question 1: The draft Vision for the Township of Wilmot’s Strategic Plan is “Wilmot is a cohesive, vibrant and welcoming countryside community.”

On a scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being the most comfortable and 4 being the least, how comfortable are you with this Vision for the Township?

9% 29% 17%

Most Comfortable Somewhat Comfortable Not That Comfortable Not Comfortable At All

45%

(222 responses) 5

Appendix B: Community Engagement Summary Question 2: Quality of life is one of the goal areas for the Township’s Strategic Plan. Tell us your top priority for improving quality of life in Wilmot:

14%

Providing Recreation Opportunities for Everyone

19%

Ensuring People's Safety

15%

Enhancing Our Mobility

25%

27%

Promoting Our Rich Cultural Heritage Supporting Community Events and Celebrations

(209 responses) Question 3 Community engagement is one of the goal areas for the Township’s Strategic Plan. Tell us your top priority for supporting community engagement in Wilmot:

Communicating Municipal Matters

20% 27%

Strengthening Customer Service Involving Volunteers and Integrating Community Groups 32%

21%

Establishing a Well‐ recognized Brand and Identity

(140 responses)

6

Appendix B: Community Engagement Summary Question 4 Economic prosperity is one of the goal areas for the Township’s Strategic Plan. Tell us your top priority for ensuring economic prosperity in Wilmot:

17%

Investing in Our Downtowns and Commercial Areas

18%

Developing Our Industrial and Employment Lands Bustling Year‐round Tourism

19%

Thriving Agriculture and Agri‐business 4%

42% Maintaining Our Infrastructure

(176 responses) Question 5 Natural environment is one of the goal areas for the Township’s Strategic Plan. Tell us your top priority for caring for our environment in Wilmot:

Planning for Growth While Protecting Farmland and Green Space

33% 45%

Preserving Our Landscape Using Our Resources Responsibly Caring for Our Rivers and Lakes

13% 9%

(164 responses)

7

Appendix B: Community Engagement Summary Question 6 Do you like this form of outreach?

8%

Yes No

92%

(169 responses)

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Appendix C – Staff Reports to Council Alignment Checklist Council Approved – June 3, 2013

Appendix C: Staff Reports to Council – Alignment Checklist

Introduction Integrating the Strategic Plan into day‐to‐day Township operations, and aligning future initiatives with its vision, goals, and strategies, are critical components of the Plan’s successful implementation. To help staff demonstrate the Strategic alignment of all Reports to Council, this checklist can be completed and included as an appendix to any Staff Report.

Which aspect(s) of the Strategic Plan does this Report pertain to?

The checklists in the below tables include the vision, as well as the goals and their related strategies as defined in the Township of Wilmot’s Strategic Plan.

Which of the following vision, goals, and strategies do the recommendations in the Council Report contribute to achieving? (check all that apply) No

Yes Vision: Wilmot is a cohesive, vibrant and welcoming countryside community.

Goal: We enjoy our quality of life through…

Providing recreational opportunities for everyone

Ensuring people’s safety

Enhancing our mobility

Promoting our rich cultural heritage

Supporting community events and celebrations

Goal: We are an engaged community through…

Communicating municipal matters

Strengthening customer service

Integrating volunteers and involving community groups

Establishing a well‐recognized brand and identity

Goal: We have a prosperous economy through…

Investing in our downtowns and commercial areas

Developing our industrial and employment lands

Bustling year‐round tourism

Thriving agriculture and agri‐business

Maintaining our infrastructure

Goal: We protect our environment through…

Planning for growth while protecting farmland and green space

Caring for our rivers and lakes

Using our resources responsibly

1