Vision Grand Falls/Vision Grand-Sault

The Town of Grand Falls will develop a sustainable community plan to increase community involvement in municipal planning, address core sustainability issues, ensure sustainable policies and decisions, build capacity for innovation, and improve community infrastructure and services. The plan will be used during the review and renewal of the municipal plan and zoning bylaw in 2010 to integrate sustainability considerations into these planning documents. The Town of Grand Falls is considered the most bilingual town in Canada, with over 80 percent of residents speaking both French and English. The town is primarily an agro-industrial community with forestry and tourism industries also playing important roles in the local economy. The town itself has a population of 5,650, but it serves as the local service centre for Victoria County, encompassing eight communities with a combined population of approximately 30,000. Although the plan will consider and to a large extent be affected by the Town's relationship with neighboring communities, the plan is for the Town of Grand Falls. Community consultations will occur throughout the development of the plan and will feature focus groups and public sessions. High-level and detailed recommendations will emerge through the consultation process, including a vision, priority planning areas, key goals, actions and indicators. All town departments will be involved in consultations, and town staff will provide direct input into target setting and will help to establish the implementation and monitoring plan. The town will develop the plan using an adaptive management framework that allows flexibility throughout the planning process. It will support changes to municipal policy and development bylaws and the development of infrastructure projects. The plan will address environmental issues such as climate change mitigation and adaptation, brownfield redevelopment, energy efficiency, sustainable transportation, sustainable tourism, waste management, and water quality.

(Project description from original funding application)