Part 1: Strategic Plan Priorities, Housing, Agriculture, and Climate Goals – 07/25/2023

The County councillors gathered at Shire Hall on July 25, 2023 for a Special Committee of the Whole meeting focused entirely on shaping the County’s new Strategic Plan. The meeting was chaired by Councillor Phil St.-Jean (Picton) and brought together council members and senior staff to work through draft priorities, proposed goals, and amendments that will guide County decisions for the remainder of this term. The session followed an earlier strategic planning discussion in June and was designed as a working meeting rather than a final decision point.

After a brief delay to reach quorum, St. Jean formally opened the meeting and explained that any motions passed would not be final until the full Council meeting scheduled for August 29. Chief Administrative Officer Marcia Wallace and the County’s leadership team led council through the draft strategic framework, organized into five pillars, each representing a major area of municipal focus.

© PEC Council (YouTube)

View the entire PEC Council meeting, or continue to speaker comments and councillor votes>

The first pillar focused on transparent, effective, and efficient local government. Council revisited earlier discussions about budgeting, governance, and internal operations, then turned its attention to the working relationship between council and staff. Several councillors emphasized the importance of strengthening corporate culture, improving collaboration, and supporting long-term staff retention. Amendments were discussed and approved to explicitly recognize these goals, with staff noting that tools like employee engagement surveys could later help measure progress.

This section also returned to the question of how residents understand municipal services and budgets. Councillors raised concerns that residents often struggle to see how service levels connect to tax decisions. As a result, the discussion highlighted the need for clearer communication and more opportunities for resident feedback, framing transparency as a two-way conversation rather than just information sharing.

Protecting Rural Character and Agricultural Lands

The second pillar addressed the County’s rural and natural setting. Discussion centred on how growth pressures intersect with agriculture and rural land use. Councillors spoke about the importance of tracking what is lost, not just what is built, as development continues. A new goal was introduced to preserve and protect agricultural land, with an accompanying measure to report annually on agricultural hectares lost to development. The tone of the discussion reflected a shared concern about balancing growth with the long-term identity and economic foundations of the County.

Housing, Infrastructure, and Growth Pressures

Much of the meeting was spent on the third pillar, which deals with infrastructure and economic foundations. Housing dominated this portion of the conversation. Staff outlined goals related to increasing affordable and attainable housing, including a target tied to projects under the Affordable Housing Corporation.

Councillors questioned feasibility, density expectations, and how new development aligns with affordability, especially in light of provincial policy changes.

Planning staff explained how housing density, infill development, and housing mix are being approached through the Official Plan and upcoming secondary plan reviews. The conversation made clear that increasing density is seen as a way to expand housing options beyond single-family homes, particularly in settlement areas. Council supported amendments that explicitly encourage infill development as part of this approach.

Infrastructure discussions extended beyond housing. Councillors reviewed goals tied to parks and recreation, road maintenance, emergency services, and broadband expansion. Amendments emphasized serving underserved communities, improving transparency around road maintenance, and making sure residents understand service level expectations tied to infrastructure decisions.

Climate Action and Environmental Stewardship

The fourth pillar focused on climate change and environmental protection. Staff outlined goals connected to greenhouse gas reduction targets, sustainable procurement, and expanding the County’s tree canopy. Questions centred on the scale of investment required to replace lost trees, particularly due to emerald ash borer impacts.

Staff shared that replanting rates have exceeded minimum targets so far and that a more detailed strategy is in development.

This section also touched on electric vehicle charging infrastructure and water bottle filling stations. Councillors relayed resident feedback about charger locations and discussed how environmental initiatives could align better with tourism, downtown activity, and park planning.

Caring for People and Building Community

The final pillar addressed community well-being, equity, and inclusion. Council discussed goals related to poverty reduction, youth engagement, volunteerism, and attracting health care workers. Staff described ongoing partnerships with youth organizations and schools, stressing collaboration and co-design rather than traditional top-down engagement. There was broad support for making youth participation more meaningful and adaptable to different groups of young people across the County.

Health care staffing, particularly at H.J. McFarland Memorial Home, was also discussed. Staff acknowledged recruitment challenges but shared that partnerships with schools and early recruitment efforts are beginning to show positive results. The discussion reinforced why workforce attraction remains a strategic priority for the municipality.

Before adjourning, CAO Wallace outlined next steps. Staff will consolidate the approved amendments and return with a clean, public-facing version of the Strategic Plan for Council consideration on August 29. Once endorsed, the plan will guide reports, budgeting, and future decision-making, with annual progress updates to council.

Key Takeaways

1. The County is refining its priorities with a strong focus on clear communication, collaboration, and accountability, both internally and with residents.

   
   

2. Housing, agriculture, and infrastructure are being tackled together, with an emphasis on affordability, rural protection, and long-term planning.

   
   

3. The Strategic Plan is intended to be a living document, shaping budgets and decisions year by year rather than sitting on a shelf.

---

Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 2:24:16. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.