Strategic Directions

Vision

Harness the power of people and place in Southern Georgian Bay to grow social, environmental, and economic prosperity and be the smartest, greenest, healthiest and most caring region in Ontario.

Mission

Connect and engage the talent and aspirations of all residents, and leaders in business, government, nonprofits, and philanthropy. We promote collaboration in five interconnected priority areas – arts and culture, social justice, the environment, business and social innovation, and health and wellbeing. We achieve our mission through:

  • CONNECTING PEOPLE – sharing community knowledge, engaging everyone, and facilitating Community Conversations,
  • CONDUCTING RESEARCH and PUBLISHING REPORTS – identifying needs and opportunities through research, sharing knowledge through reports, and identifying community indicators for measuring progress and success,
  • FOSTERING COLLABORATION – collaborating on initiatives and solutions that align with our vision and mission.

Strategic Directions

Network creatives in Southern Georgian Bay to collaborate, support, and empower the arts and culture community to thrive

Collaborate with three lead Network partners – Blue Mountains Foundation for the Arts, South Georgian Bay Tourism, and Theatre Collingwood to roll-out items in the Regional Arts Strategy published in 2021

  • Launch the new South Georgian Bay – SGB Arts Network through our newsletter promotion, and connect to our audience of 400+
  • Develop an online forum to showcase the breadth, role, and value of this sector
  • Embark on the first of an initial set of activities – fall forum
  • Support with online event(s)

Connect people from across the region to share data and learn about financial models to support the range of housing stock required in our communities

  • Facilitate the Social Finance and Housing Working Group bi-weekly meetings
  • Explore access to capital and land options through the Social Finance & Housing Working Group
  • Create and implement a communications plan to help all residents, and business, government, and nonprofit leaders identify the housing stock required to ensure our communities are sustainable
  • Hold on-line event(s)
  • Participate in the National Housing Lab hosted by Social Innovation Canada and Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation
  • Focus attention on the tools, policies, and strategies available to small and medium-sized municipalities to support housing development that meets community needs
  • Explore the creation of a community investment fund to support the kind of housing that we need

Work with all sectors on developing Local Sustainable Economies  

  • Develop an innovation group focusing on Local Sustainable Economies
  • Identify essential elements for sustainable economies (eg. Housing) and highlight interconnections between issues
  • Align objectives and partner with municipalities to encourage our business sector to become more engaged in SDG 11 milestones towards sustainability
  • Engage the community to identify data indicators to measure progress towards sustainability – hold event
  • Collaborate on and deliver an online series of events to showcase best practices for developing Local Sustainable Economies
  • Create a map of Social Enterprises in our region and develop a plan to nurture more
  • Explore the feasibility of a Green Economy Hub for Southern Georgian Bay
  • Strengthen the Collingwood Carbon Footprint Challenge and support its expansion across the region