IndEco is working with the County of Oxford, in the heart of Southwestern Ontario, and its 8 local municipalities to develop a comprehensive Community Sustainability Plan. The plan represents a vision of how Oxford’s communities can work together to build a sustainable, resilient, and vital future for Oxford. Extensive corporate and community events will connect and engage Oxford’s community to inform and inspire the vision, goals, actions, and targets that will contribute to the plan.

In working towards a collective vision for a sustainable future … [t]he goal is to connect and engage as much of Oxford’s community as possible [in] the County’s Sustainability Plan.”

Chris Friesen, Chair, Community Sustainability Steering Committee

Engagement events include:

  • A “Future Oxford” essay-writing contest where participants will share their vision for sustainability within the County
  • A series of World Café events where participants can discuss, brainstorm, and develop themes and a shared vision for the plan
  • An online forum, Ideascale, that enables people to submit, vote and discuss ideas on themes identified in the World Cafés
  • A wiki where community members can comment, edit and revise the draft plan (a wiki is a website that allows collaborative editing of its content and structure).
  • A celebratory reception that will be held at the completion of the plan.

The Community Sustainability Plan will be founded on a decision-making framework that balances the County’s collective social, environmental and economic interests. The resulting framework will provide an integrated lens through which to evaluate key issues, challenges and initiatives, including new landfill development, source water protection, caring for an aging population, waste management, and other concerns.

More information about the Plan and engagement activities can be found at: www.futureoxford.ca