An action plan to welcome newcomers to Saugeen Shores includes creating a welcome package, a new residents website and a local marketing campaign.
Saugeen Shores councillors heard a staff report presentation about a welcoming community action plan Monday evening.
Saugeen Shores’ population grew 16 per cent between 2016 and 2021.
Economic Development Officer Heather Hyde told councillors, some of the main goals are to, “Help immigrants in the community, new Canadians in the community, and we’re also focusing on residents in the community who are part of underrepresented groups.”
It also suggests applying to be recognized as a Rainbow Registered organization through the 2SLGBTQI+ Chamber of Commerce, which is a national group that promotes and advocates for 2SLGBTQI+ owned and operated businesses.
The website to be developed would include information about local resources. It would also have a digital welcome package which would have information about municipal services like water, garbage and recycling, as well as tax information, a list of service clubs, groups, sports, and cultural and heritage groups. It would also offer information about doctors, dentists and trades.
It also suggests working with local businesses to provide products specific to the needs of underrepresented groups in Saugeen Shores.
It emphasizes a continuation of relationship building with Saugeen First Nation both through the Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI) and other initiatives, as well as continuing to participate in Grey Bruce Local Immigration Partnership (GBLIP) meetings and the Belong Subcommittee.
BGLIP has welcome package templates developed in English, French, Arabic, and Ukrainian.
Mayor Luke Charbonneau remarked during the meeting, “I think it’s high time we have things like a welcome package for new residents to our community a web page to guide them to the details that they need to know about our community as they come here and things like LQBTQ2S+ friendly policies and things that we can put out, and initiatives led by the municipality. We’ve been heading that way for a lot of years, it’s nice to have it formalized.”