A new Strategic Plan for the City of Thunder Bay will be presented to City Council on Monday, July 17, for adoption. The “Maamawe, Growing Together” Strategic Plan was created to guide strategic decision-making for the City. It identifies top priorities and provides the framework towards achieving them.

“We set out to develop a transformational strategic plan,” explained City Manager Norm Gale. “This plan builds on the successes of the past and focuses on what matters most to enhance the quality of life for everyone in Thunder Bay.”

A focus on quality of life helps to advance improvements in the most impactful ways. It leads to better outcomes, better decisions, a long-term perspective, ongoing improvement, and stronger democracy. Communities with a higher quality of life experience both higher employment and population growth than similarly situated communities.

The “Maamawe, Growing Together” Strategic Plan is City Council’s plan to guide the direction of the City. It was created using their input and informed by consultation, review, and reflection. “Our community spoke loudly and clearly. They told us what is most important to them – and what they need from a strategic plan,” said Tracie Smith, Director – Strategic Initiatives & Engagement. “Citizen surveys, engagement, research, and listening and learning – all of these inputs told us what to prepare for, and how to respond: with a bold and focused strategic plan.”

The Strategic Plan focuses on three Strategic Pillars:

  • Maamawe – All together. We honour the truth and reconcile for the future.
  • Safety and well-being. Our community is healthy, safe, and strong.
  • Prosperity and sustainability. We advance a thriving economy and environment.

“Each strategic pillar is connected to the others. Progress in one area supports success in another,” said Gale. Also before Council is a recommendation to extend the Strategic Plan timeline to December 31, 2027, rather than expire with the term of the current City Council. “This will support a seamless transition of strategic priorities while the 2026 Council settles in,” noted Gale.   

The strategic plan includes goals and objectives within each strategic pillar to guide internal departments and divisions. Once the plan is adopted by Council, action planning will begin. The action plan will set out milestones, overall time frames, project leads and indicators of success.

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Contact:           Tracie Smith, Director – Strategic Initiatives & Engagement – 807-625-3859, tracie.smith@thunderbay.ca