Strategic Plans help us…

• be proactive rather than reactive
• instill a shared sense of responsibility
• increase operational efficiency among leadership
• improve staff satisfaction and retention
• manage expectations 
• build trust  

Background

In 2022 Council and Senior Staff undertook a strategic planning exercise that built upon the 2020 Action Plan as adopted by Council. At a subsequent meeting staff provided Council with a summary of the priority items that were determined during the planning exercise. It was discussed at that time the need for a fulsome strategic planning exercise for the 2022-2026 Council term.

At the 2023 Budget discussion held on February 28, 2023, Council supported the costs for the development of a 5-year Strategic Plan under the General Administration budget. 

In March 2023 Staff prepared a request for proposal (RFP) for outside firms to serve as the facilitator of our strategic planning exercise.  The facilitator will guide our strategic planning team (Senior Staff & Council) through the process, keep discussions on track, and enable everyone to participate. It is important for the facilitator to be from outside the organization and have no vested interest in the outcome.  

In April 2023 Council accepted the proposal from Optimus SBR for the development of the 5-Year Strategic Plan. Optimus SBR is an independently owned management consulting firm that helps leading firms get done what isn't.

In July 2023 Optimus sbr consultants completed community engagement through an online and paper survey, as well as an in-person Town Hall that saw over 120 residents attend to provide their feedback on the Township strategic direction. 

Town Hall Session | July 19, 2023 7:00 p.m. Kingsbridge Centre 

This Town Hall Session was open to all residents and landowners within the Township of Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh. Consultants from Optimus sbr led this Town Hall. An announcement of the date and time for this session was mailed out to all landowners within the Township on Friday June 30, 2023.

The purpose and objectives of the Town Hall Session was:

• To create awareness and provide an understanding of the strategic planning process to the community
• To effectively involve resident and community representatives to provide inputs on the strategic planning process
• To create a sense of community cohesiveness and belonging with the municipality

Activities Completed 

• Project Kick-off
• Data and Document Review 
• Discover Interviews
• Council Presentation
• Senior Management & Council Interviews
• Staff Survey
• Online Survey for Residents
• Community Engagement
• Townhall Meeting (Wednesday July 19, 2023 at 7:00 p.m. held at the Kingsbridge Centre)

Ongoing or Upcoming Activities

• Strategic Planning Session with Senior Management & Council 
• Preparation of Final Document

Stay tuned for more information and have your say!