Louise Portelance: Capital

CITY COUNCIL ADOPTS VISION, MISSION, VALUES, GOALS AND PRIORITIES FOR 2002

During its regular meeting held on February 28th, City Council reaffirmed its Vision, Mission and Values for the City of Greater Sudbury and adopted Broad Goals and Strategic Priorities for 2002. The City will remain focused on its vision of becoming “a growing world-class community bringing talent, technology and a great northern lifestyle together.”

“By establishing a clear direction and identifying priorities, the City made tremendous progress in its inaugural year,” said Mayor Jim Gordon. “Mapping the Vision 2002 builds on this success and provides the blueprint to guide us in the coming year.”

Councillor Louise Portelance, Chair of the Mapping the Vision Committee, presented highlights of 2001 achievements. “In order to move forward, it’s important that we look back and reflect on how far we have come,” said Councillor Portelance. “2001 was a year of achievements, a year that we can all be very proud of. We established a solid foundation on which to build for the future.”

2001 achievements included the effective integration of city services, implementation of the City’s new visual identity, the opening of the Call Centre (671-CITY) and Citizen Service Centres, and the harmonization of transit fares. There was also significant progress in economic development and the digital revolution with the news of the Northern Medical School, the expansion of the Call Centre industry, and support for Dynamic Earth, to name a few.

Mapping the Vision 2002 provides the framework for ongoing progress this year. “We will embrace the digital revolution to be an attractive location for information and communications technology-based businesses,” said Councillor Portelance. “We will build on our strengths as the centre for innovation in mining, health care and education and actively pursue emerging opportunities in the environmental and renewable energy sectors to be recognized as one of the smartest, greenest, most sustainable communities in the world.”

In 2002, City Council will focus on the following strategic priorities:

• Fostering growth in the Information and Communications Technology Sector by growing the telecommunications industry, capitalizing on broadband technology and encouraging the development of .com and software companies, in partnership with the provincial and federal governments as well as the private sector.

• Seeking new environmental and renewable energy opportunities in order to play a leadership role in developing industries of the future through the Community Energy Plan and other priorities identified by EARTHCARE SUDBURY.

• Ensuring our citizens have access to health services in the community by identifying new opportunities in research, education and health care arising from the Northern Medical School,
continuing our efforts to recruit and retain physicians, and encouraging the timely completion of the Sudbury Regional Hospital.

• Meeting our infrastructure needs for today and tomorrow through long-term financial planning, partnerships and a sustainable policy framework to complete priority projects.

• Implementing the principles of the Healthy Communities movement by supporting the development of Community Action Networks and a Healthy Communities implementation framework.

• Engaging young people to develop strategies for attracting and retaining youth.

• Adopting a governance model appropriate to the City of Greater Sudbury and a policy approach to issues management.

With Mapping the Vision 2002 now approved, City departments will ensure that their annual Business Plans reflect Council’s priorities for the year. Each plan will include strategies and measurable objectives for pursuing Council’s priorities. Once the 2002 Budget is set by Council, staff will revise their Business Plans as required and develop Work Plans that will detail planned actions on Council’s priorities.