Town of Laurentian Hills Strategic Plan

Laurentian Hills, Ontario

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Appendix A . . . TOWN OF LAURENTIAN HILLS Adopted by By-law 26-19 Corporate Strategic Plan 2018-2021 1 COMMUNITY PROFILE The Town of Laurentian Hills was incorporated on January 1, 2000 and is the amalgamated Townships of Rolph, Buchanan, Wylie & McKay and the Village of Chalk River. The Town comprises the communities of Chalk River, Point Alexander and Rolphton. The Municipal office is located in Point Alexander on Highway 17 just north of the Town of Deep River and is approximately 200 km north west of the City of Ottawa and is 147 kms south of North Bay. The municipality surrounds the Town of Deep River on the north, west and south. According to the 2016 Statistics Canada census, the municipality is comprised of 642 square kilometres. Of the total land base, 51.8% is made up of Crown or Federal lands (Military training areas, Forestry Institute). There are 1,490 households in the Town of Laurentian Hills and the population density is 4.6 per kilometre The Town of Laurentian Hills is located in the heartland of Ontario's Recreation system, situated in the beautiful Valley of the Ottawa River bordered by the Laurentian Mountains and Algonquin Provincial Park. The Town has a population of 2,961. The majority of the population resides in the settlement areas of Chalk River, Point Alexander, and Rolphton. The balance of the residents resides along the Highway 17 corridor and along the shoreline of the Ottawa River. This narrow and linear pattern of settlement is confined by the Ottawa River to the east, the Petawawa Forestry Institute and Military Reserve to the south and Algonquin Provincial Park to the west. The area provides seasonal recreational opportunities such as fishing, swimming, boating, paddling, hunting, cross-country skiing and API activities. You can easily travel the Ottawa River to Pembroke. The Pembroke/North Bay Top A snowmobile trail connects to the many well-groomed local trails throughout the municipality, providing miles of enjoyment for the snowmobile enthusiasts. The Ottawa Valley Recreation/Algonquin Trail is the former abandoned CP Rail corridor which runs 296 kms between Smith Falls and Mattawa. The County of Renfrew is developing the rail corridor as a full multi use trail. The Algonquin Trail runs throughout the municipality. The Town of Laurentian Hills' real estate is reasonably priced with affordable new and - resale housing. The Municipality is an easy commute to Garrison Petawawa and CNL is located at end of Plant Road in the Village of Chalk River. Chalk River is also home to St. Anthony's Elementary school and currently has an enrolment of 138 students. Municipal water and sewer treatment plants provide services for the Village of Chalk River. Water and sewer for the remainder of the municipality is provided by private septic and well systems. The Town has two Fire Halls one in the east end and one in the west end of the Municipality. 2 Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) is the area's largest employer. It is located within the geographical area of the Town of Deep River at the municipality's boundary and accessed through the Town of Laurentian Hills municipal road located in Chalk River. The Village of Chalk River also borders the northern edge of Garrison Petawawa. CNL is a global leader in nuclear science and technology; an organization that is commercially successful, respected for its scientific capabilities, and home to world- leading expertise based out of a modern, efficient and collaborative campus environment. CNL's long term strategy includes a renewed science and technology mission reflective of globally important priorities. This is being delivered in parallel with constructing new infrastructure, decommissioning redundant facilities and performing environmental remediation. This plan is underpinned by a defined government funding commitment from Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), which provides very important stability over the coming years. CNL is busy with its infrastructure renewal program for the Chalk River campus. This includes a new $370 million Advanced Nuclear Materials Research Centre, a complex which will include new shielded facilities, and many advanced active laboratories for research involving active or irradiated materials. Updates to important enabling infrastructure are also planned or underway, a new electrical switchyard, expanded natural gas service, potable water lines, and sanitary sewer system and the construction of modern, energy efficient facilities to accommodate maintenance and operations activities, logistics and security, and a new business centre. Economic and Development Trends The business directory on the municipality's website identifies businesses, organizations and points of interest throughout the area. There are several businesses in Deep River that Laurentian Hills' residents can access and do support due to the close the proximity of the Town of Deep River to Laurentian Hills. The distribution of the employment in the Municipality reflects the service industry associated with the Highway 17 corridor and the specialized employment and related services of CNL and Garrison Petawawa. Service Clubs and Volunteers The Chalk River and Area Lions Club and Branch 532 of the Royal Canadian Legion are located in the municipality. The Rolph Buchanan Wylie & McKay Historical Society volunteers maintain the School House Museum located in Point Alexander. The museum contains unique collections of artifacts and photographs as far back at the 1800's illustrating the history of the Upper Ottawa Valley, including the Town of Laurentian Hills and the Town of Deep River. 3 There is a strong sense of community in Laurentian Hills due to its healthy volunteer base. Recreation Facilities The Town of Laurentian Hills has a number of municipal facilities for use by residents, visitors and local businesses. Travelling from west to east, you will find Tee Lake Beach - a hidden jewel located in Rolphton. Pt. Alexander is home to a play structure, an outdoor rink and rink building. Burke's Beach is a beautiful sandy beach on the Ottawa River and is located at the end of Burke's Road. A revitalized playground located in the McKee Subdivision is a safe fenced in area for children to play. The Glenfiddich Subdivision located on Gutzman Road has a small open playground and paved surface that is used as both a basketball and pickleball court. Mountain View Subdivision is home to another playground and an outdoor rink. The Village of Chalk River boasts many outdoor recreational areas. Tenna-Brise Park is home to the Hudson Stone. Anne Crosson Park on Railway Street provides children with a safe, fenced play yard with various climbing equipment and will soon be home to a natural book tree. The Chalk River Ball Park is a popular spot in the summer thanks to the revamped minor ball program. The mixed adult league also enjoys this facility. The outdoor rink and rink building are well used throughout the winter. Bob Seguin Drive has a fenced outdoor playground that is also enjoyed by many children! Corry Lake Beach is a federally owned beach. The Town maintains the access to this area allowing people to utilize the boat launch at this very popular fishing area. The Town's outdoor rinks can also be used in the summer for various sports including pickle ball, basketball, and ball hockey. The Town has a team of dedicated volunteers that keep the rinks maintained and flooded in the winter season and assist with the ball program. Our volunteers are one of the Town's best assets. 4 . Administration - Corporate Services is responsible for most of the administrative duties of the municipality. This would include municipal treasury such as accounting, budgeting and reporting and tax collection. The Clerk's department is responsible for record keeping and management, preparing Council agendas and minutes and elections. Other duties that fall under Corporate Services are human resources, development of policies, implementing Council direction and initiatives, communications, coordination of land use planning and by-laws, cemeteries, lottery licences and marriage licences. Waste Management The North Renfrew Waste Disposal Site is located on Baggs Road just off of Plant Road in the Village of Chalk River. The Site is a joint effort between the Towns of Laurentian Hills and Deep River. The operations of the site are looked after by the North Renfrew Landfill Operations Board. The Board consists of two members of council each from Laurentian Hills and Deep River and one resident. Following the guidelines of the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Control, the Board is dedicated to diverting as much waste as possible from the site through various programs such as the tire recycling, the re-use area, the household hazardous waste - area, a scrap metal area, brush and wood chipping programs, mattress grinding as well as a textile drop off box. All construction and demolition waste are deposited at the Town of Deep River's Miller's Road Waste Site. Municipal Services Corporate Services - Clerk's Department - Treasury - Human Resources - Information Technology Environmental Services - Solid Waste Management Recreation and Culture - Parks - Community Centres!Halls - Chalk River and Point Alexander Libraries Roads Planning and Development Planning Protective Services - Fire Protection and Prevention - By-law Enforcement - Policing - Building 5 The Municipality provides curbside garbage pick-up on a weekly basis and curbside recycling is picked up weekly on an alternating schedule (containers one week and carboard the next). Roads The municipality is responsible for maintaining 156 kilometres of roads. Building and Planning The Chief Building Official is a full-time permanent employee of the municipality and is also the Planning Coordinator. The municipality will be repealing its Official Plan and joining the County of Renfrew's Official Plan as part of its Five-Year Update. The Draft Revised County Official Plan has been posted on the County website. A new zoning by-law to conform with the County Official Plan will be developed and adopted and will be the primary means of implementing the policies of the new official plan. The Renfrew County Planning Division is the approval authority for subdivisions and the County Land Division Committee is the approval authority for consents. Zoning amendments, site plan control agreements and minor variances are approved by the municipal council. Protective Services Fire Protection and Prevention The Town of Laurentian Hills has fire halls in Chalk River and Point Alexander, allowing its volunteer department to respond to any emergency within the municipality in minutes. The volunteer department is headed by a Fire Chief, who is a part4ime employee, and a complement of 39 volunteer Fire Fighters. Policing Policing is provided by the Ontario Provincial Police through the Upper Ottawa Valley Detachment located in Petawawa. By-law Enforcement By-law enforcement services are provided by the Chief Building Official. Ambulance The County or Renfrew provides paramedic service for the municipalities in the county, including Laurentian Hills. The services include 130 front-line Paramedics supported by an additional 9 qualified Supervisory staff who also maintain their annual certification status. The fleet consists of 19 Ambulance Vehicles, 5 Emergency Response Vehicles an Emergency Support Unit and has drone capacity to assist with emergencies. 6 Municipal Government The Town of Laurentian Hills is governed by a five-member council comprised of a Mayor and a councillor for each of the four wards. The Deputy Mayor is appointed by way of a vote by council members at the inaugural meeting. The Municipality budgeted for $7.7 million in expenditures for 2017 which included the amounts collected for and paid to the County of Renfrew and School Boards. Property assessment values as of 2017 was $352,909,825. The upper tier is the County of Renfrew, which is headquartered in Pembroke, Ontario. The Mayor represents Laurentian Hills on County council. The county provides the following services: - Paramedic Services - Long-Term Care - Social Housing - Children's Services - Ontario Works employment services and financial assistance - Planning and Economic Development - Land Use Planning - . Economic Development - GIS Mapping Strategic Planning Process Members of Council and senior staff met on March 9, 2017 to participate in a strategic planning exercise facilitated by Penny Sharman of Sharman Municipal Consulting. The participants completed a SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats); identified the municipality's Decreasing and Increasing Pressures; developed a wish list of strategic actions and concluded the session by prioritizing that wish list. The consultant presented a report to Council on April 19, 2017 to review the results of the prioritization. Council and senior staff reviewed the report and in July 2017 provided the consultant with comments/amendments and permission to proceed to write the draft strategic plan. Proposed Vision and Mission Statements were developed by a committee consisting of the Mayor, Deputy Mayor and two senior members of staff on October 11, 2017. The proposed statements were included in the draft plan for consideration by Council. - The draft plan was reviewed by the Committee of the Whole of Council on 2 October, 2018 and it was recommended that a Public Meeting be held. Public input regarding the draft plan was received at a Public Meeting held on November 28, 2018. The Strategic Plan was adopted by Council on September 18, 2019. 7 Introducing the Strategic Plan Components The Strategic Plan for the Town of Laurentian Hills is divided into four areas which comprise the main elements of any good strategic plan. Vision, which describes what the Town of Laurentian Hills is striving to become Mission, which describes the role of the Town of Laurentian Hills in realizing the municipality's vision Focus Areas which describe the key areas of interest and Strategic Actions, which identify the activities within each of the focus areas demonstrating the way that the township will contribute to making those results happen. . . 8 . VISION & MISSION STATEMENTS The municipality is committed to the delivery of cost-effective services, ensuring policies are in place to foster a healthy natural environment, promoting and supporting recreation activities, as well as encouraging economic development opportunities. . . 9 Vision Laurentian Hills is a vibrant rural community that will continue to provide a strong fiscal government, embrace its natural environment, promote a healthy active lifestyle and welcome economic development opportunities Mission FOCUS AREAS . Capital Projects InfrastructureITangible Capital Assets Making the best possible decisions regarding capital projects and assets, whether it is for new construction, an upgrade or a repair Emergency Management To assist the municipality in meeting its emergency management goals by protecting people and property from hazards, minimizing losses associated with emergencies and ensuring a swift and effective recovery from disasters Good Governance and Effective Administration To provide effective and efficient municipal governance and administration Health, Recreation, Culture & Lifestyle . To promote healthy lifestyles and to meet the broad range of community needs Public Works Ensure residents are being served by an efficient and cohesive Public Works Department Waste Management To address the Waste Management needs of the municipality . 10 The focus areas for the Town of Laurentian Hills are: . EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT Protection of people and property from hazards Minimizing losses from emergencies Swift and from HEALTH, RECREATION, CULTURE & LIFESTYLE To promote health lifestyles and to meet the broad range of community I CAPITAL PROJECTS Making the best possible decisions regarding capital projects, whether it is new construction, upgrade or repair VISION Laurentian Hills is a vibrant rural community that will continue to provide a strong fiscal government. embrace its natural environment, promote a healthy active lifestyle and welcome economic development opportunities MISSION The municipality is commilled to the delivery of cost-effective services, ensuring policies are in place to foster a healthy natural environment, promoting and supporting recreation activities, as well as encouraging economic development opportunities GOOD GOVERNANCE & EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION To provide effective and efficient municipal governance and administration / PUBLIC WORKS Ensuring residents are being served by and efficient and cohesive Public Works Department 11 The following tables list the strategic actions within the focus areas: - 1. Determine the feasibility of building the Meilleurs Bay Boat Launch based on the results of the based on the McIntosh Perry engineering design report as well as costing and proceed if possible 2. Determine the feasibility of building the McConnell Creek Bridge based on the results of the report and costing from Valley Window and Doors and MADI bridges and proceed if possible 3. Repair Sewer Line at Chalk River Fire Hall 4. Upgrade Parks (McKee, Gutzman) 5. Upgrade Anne Crosson Park (Book tree) 6. Investigate the need to expand sewer capacity 7. Point Alexander Rink issues . 1. Develop a process for the effective collection of back taxes 2. Strive to keep all technology hardware and software current in order to respond to Municipal needs and changes 3. Review and update the appropriate By-laws to ensure the content is up to date and meets current needs and legislation. 12 CAPITAL PROJECTS (INFRASTRUCTUREITANGIBLE CAPITAL ASSETS) EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT 1. Tanker Repair 2. Replacement of Equipment Vans 3. Review and update the Town's Emergency Response Plan to ensure it is current and meets the needs of the Municipality and legislative requirements. GOOD GOVERNANCE AND EFFECTIVE ADMINISTRATION 4. Develop a Succession Plan . . . 5. Review and Update appropriate municipal policies 6. Continue to support ongoing training and professional development for staff and Council. Continuous professional development helps to ensure that staff and Council are engaged, knowledgeable, and possess the skills/training to meet the needs of changing legislation and the Municipality. 7. OEM Training/ CAO & Treasurer 8. Develop a process for an ongoing review of Infrastructure - specifically for Parks, recreational facilities, the Wastewater and Water Treatment Plants, and the Point Alexander Municipal office complex and garage. HEALTH, RECREATION, CULTURE AND LIFESTYLE 1. Continue to support the Recreation Committee in their current programs and encourage the development of future programs to meet the needs of the Community 2. Ensure existing facilities meet the recreational needs of the community 3. Support and encourage the development and construction of a senior housing complex in our community PUBLIC WORKS 1. Implement Road Needs Study 2. Equipment Replacement (truck, grader, tandem) 3. Investigate Creation of Turnarounds 13 WASTE MANAGEMENT 1. Complete a Waste Management Review of the Town's current garbage and recycling programs _____________ Implementing and Monitoring the Strategic Plan In order to implement and monitor the Strategic Plan, Implementation Tables have been established as an integral part of the plan itself. They are directly related to each strategic action and will assist Council and Staff in assessing the success of implementing the Plan. Quarterly reports will provide Council with up to date status on each strategic action. Appendix I -- Implementation Tables Appendix II -- Corporate Work Plan 2018-2021 -- is a graphical representation of the timeframes for each strategic action. Contact Information: CAO/Clerk, Town of Laurentian Hills . 14