Where the River Begins: Our Path to Sustainability

The Village of Petitcodiac wanted to complete an Integrated Community Sustainability Plan (ICSP) in partnership with outlying unincorporated areas, to make the ICSP a regional effort. In 2007, Petitcodiac had lost its major employer, a lumber mill. The ICSP aimed to strengthen the community’s capacity to deal with new realities by building on its tangible and intangible assets. The village began with several goals for the plan: explore business development opportunities and attract businesses to the region; build human capacity; maintain or enhance the local environment; integrate village departments, infrastructure and policy planning; and engage residents and stakeholders. The steering committee planned to work with staff from Mount Allison University’s Rural and Small Town Programme (RSTP). After clarifying the project’s goals and work plan, the team reviewed existing planning frameworks, relevant reports and data. Citizens of all ages were actively involved in the planning process and the implementation stage. The project team held four focus groups and 12 key informant interviews. Community stakeholders and focus group participants identified key sustainability issues and provided input on the community vision, values and goals. RSTP staff analyzed the information and prepared a draft sustainability plan, which was reviewed by the steering committee and then finalized. The village expected to use sustainability tests to guide its planning process and to evaluate its progress. The village’s rural land use plan and rural plan bylaw were to be updated based on the new ICSP.

(Project description from original funding application)