Sustainability Report Card: Clarenville-Bonavista-Isthmus Region*
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Sustainability Report Card: Clarenville-Bonavista-Isthmus Region* Sustainability means keeping our communities alive and supporting them into the future. What is a Sustainability Report Card? A sustainability report card is a check-up on the well-being of a community or region based on a common vision for the future. This Report Card is a snapshot in time of the region, which includes 3 distinct smaller regions shown to the left. This Report Card is meant to lead to strategic planning and collaboration across communities to take action on these findings. The top identified priorities for regional sustainability are shown below. Top Sustainability Priorities Meeting basic needs, tackling poverty, and promoting equity Map adapted from work on Functional Economic Regions by A. Simms and J. Ward, Department of Geography and Harris Centre Regional Analysis Lab, Memorial University, Maintaining sense of place, physical & St. John’s NL. cultural identity Map includes municipalities and local service districts only. Intergenerational equity Regional Fast Facts Governance and participation Integration of environmental, social, and Population 28,255 economic factors Photo credit: homeaway.ca (bottom left), College of the North Atlantic Number of Communities** 109 (top left), Robert Berdan (upper right), Maurice Barry (bottom centre), Random Age-Friendly Communities (top centre), Town of Sunnyside (bottom right). Source: Community Accounts, 2016. *Regional boundaries correspond with Clarenville-Bonavista Rural **Includes incorporated and unincorporated communities Secretariat Region as defined by the NL Office of Public Engagement Regional Overview below, that this Report Card uses as Where We Are Now The Clarenville-Bonavista-Isthmus its compass for measuring the Region extends from Bonavista to Port region’s progress. Meeting Basic Needs, Blandford, Swift Current, and Long Tackling Poverty, & Harbour. The region has a rich cultural The vision of the Promoting Equity heritage and unique identity found in 3 distinct sub-regions: the Bonavista Clarenville-Bonavista- Peninsula, the Clarenville region, and Isthmus Region is of a the Isthmus of Avalon. These smaller sustainable region with Status: Moderate regions each have their own unique cultural and economic character, but healthy, educated, remain interdependent. The regional prosperous people living economy, based historically in fishing in safe, inclusive Sense of Place, Physical & and fish processing, now boasts a Cultural Identity diversified mix of services, manufactur- communities. ing, primary industries, office profes- sions, and other sectors. Much How We Measure Progress economic growth has occurred around In this Report Card, we use 22 services, tourism, and mineral pro- indicators shaped by a two-year cessing and energy sectors in recent Status: Good public engagement process to show years. At the same time, communities how well the region is doing in are working hard to preserve their rich achieving its sustainability vision. We history and the culture of outport have rated each of these indicators communities and fishing. on a scale shown below, using both Intergenerational Equity Top 5 Sectors of the Regional public perspectives and data from a Economy wide range of sources. Each indicator No. of % of % has benchmarks, including a target Sector Employees Workforce Change for how much we hope it will Services 3,535 24% +2.9% improve, and a limit that warns us that we need to work harder to im- Status: Good Construction 3,115 21% +4.5% prove it. Recent trends are shown by arrows. To the right are images Fisheries* 2,070 14% -25.1% showing how we are doing in each of Office 1,585 11% +36.6% the region’s 5 sustainability priority Governance & areas. The figure below shows the Participation Manufactur- 875 6% +5.4% scale we have used to evaluate the ing region’s indicators, ranging from ex- Source: Community Accounts 2016 cellent (green) to poor (red). Reference years 2001-2006 due to change in Census data. *Fisheries employment includes both harvesters and fish processing workers. A Common Vision for the Region Status: Good Sustainable development for the Clarenville-Bonavista-Isthmus region must be rooted in a holistic and attainable vision for the future that Integrating people across the region can believe Environmental, Social, & in. This should include a wide range of Economic Factors social, environmental, and economic goals shaped by the values of the region’s residents in order to guide a common agenda for action. The Regional Council has expressed a Image credit: Telos Brabant Centre for Sustain- able Development, Netherlands. Benchmarks Status: Moderate holistic sustainability vision, shown adapted from methods developed by Telos. Meeting Basic Needs, Tackling Poverty, & Promoting Equity Status: Moderate In order to become a sustainable region, we Clarenville Region must first ensure a good quality of life for Extended Seniors’ everyone. A public survey conducted in Transportation 2015, in which 299 residents of the region (CREST) participated, identified that residents’ top In 2013, the provincial gov- concerns included things like employment, ernment chose Clarenville affordable housing, access to healthy and for one of five pilot projects affordable food, and healthcare services. As for age-friendly transporta- economic growth transforms many tion. A group of local communities, we must ensure that people The CREST Bus. Photo credit: Brenda Reid. partners including the Town benefit equitably and can meet their needs. of Clarenville and Random Age-Friendly Communities came together to create a public bus service for seniors. Clarenville Region Extended Seniors’ Transportation (CREST) began operating on July 14th, 2014. The CREST bus, operated entirely by volunteers, provides affordable transportation to seniors aged 60+ and people confined to a wheelchair aged 25+. Covering a 20 km radius, the bus serves 12 communities including Clarenville, Milton, George’s Brook, Harcourt, Random Heights, Elliott’s Cove, Snook’s Harbour, Deep Bight, Adeytown, Hillview, North West Brook, and Queen’s Cove. The service costs $2 per ride. CREST relies on the hard work of over 90 volunteers and the support of partners like Co-op 50/50, the Clarenville Lions’ Club, Bell Aliant Pioneers, Odd Fellows, the Royal Canadian Legion, and the Rotary Club. Call 466 1114 to book a ride or for more information. Status & Indicators Examples Data Sources Trends The Come-by-Chance Community Garden. Photo credit: Roger Goobie. In 2006, average rent in Clarenville was National $500/month, which has increased by Household 30% while housing costs for homeown- Survey, 2011 Affordable ers have increased by 11%. Especially in Residents with Regular Access to a Doctor Housing the Clarenville area and the Isthmus, renters, seniors, and students are struggling to afford rising housing costs. Provincial Average 88% Since 2006, the employment rate has Community increased from 75% to 78%, but many Accounts, Employment businesses and organizations report that 2016 Opportunities they are struggling to fill vacant positions and attract job seekers. Region 85% In 2012 91% of residents had regular Community access to a doctor, while only 85% had Accounts, Access to access as of 2013. Several communities 2016 Source: Community Accounts, 2016 Primary have had doctors recently retire, and Healthcare residents outside of the Clarenville area have limited healthcare services within Median Housing Costs for Clarenville their communities. For every one of the region’s residents, Statistics there is 1.1 vehicles on average, although Canada, 2016 $843 $651 Access to many seniors must depend on friends Transporta- and family for rides and most communi- $843 $651 tion ties have no public transportation options. $575 $500 Since 2011, the proportion of individuals Community with a healthy body weight increased Accounts, Claren- 2011 Access to NL 2006 from 23% to 32%. However, many 2016 ville Good Food Level Level residents struggle to afford fresh, healthy and food which often must be purchased a Nutrition Homeowners Renters considerable distance away from their Source: Community Accounts, 2016 communities. Maintaining Sense of Place, Physical & Cultural Identity Status: Good The Clarenville-Bonavista-Isthmus region boasts a rich cultural heritage and identity. From Cape Bonavista, where John Cabot first landed in 1497, to a thriving contemporary arts community, to the rugged coastline dotted with traditional outport communities, the region’s The Sir William Ford Coaker Historical District, Port Union. Image credit: Jerry Mouland. heritage is a tremendous asset which has been the centrepiece of a strong cultural tourism industry. How- ever, continuing out-migration Residents who feel a 89% Region in 2010 and an aging population mean sense of belonging to their community Region Today 82% that we must find ways to preserve the region’s unique Source: Community Accounts, 2016. identity while promoting oppor- Integration tunities that will attract young Residents who feel Region in 2008 95% satisfied with life in people to stay in the region. general Region Today 92% Source: Community Accounts, 2016. Residents who feel Governance & their community is Town of Bonavista 96% Participation welcoming to newcomers Regional Average 85% Source: Clarenville-Bonavista Public Survey, 2015 Intergen Indicators Status & Examples Data Trends Sources Equ The new aquarium in Champney’s West. Photo Stabilizing The region’s total population