Strathconaona CounCountyCou 2009 Annual Report recap ReportLiving to the Community July 2010 Message from your Mayor and County Council staying the strategic course… in uncertain times In this edition of Strathcona In 2009, Council updated Strathcona County’s County Living, we present Strategic Plan. This plan has, and will continue to our Report to the Community guide us in creating and maintaining a prosperous, — a digest of some of our sustainable community, based on applying balanced key accomplishments of the social, economic and environmental perspectives to last year, and progress into our planning and decision making. 2010. This issue complements We continue to consult with our residents and Mayor Cathy Olesen the Strathcona County businesses across our sphere of responsibilities and 2009 Annual Report, which work proactively to put in place, maintain and presents Financial Statements for the year ended improve the services, infrastructure and facilities Strathcona County Alberta, Canada December 31, 2009. we need in balance with growth and demand. The world recession of 2008-2009 was certainly felt We are also working closely with neighbouring here in Alberta. In Strathcona County, businesses municipalities at coordinating planning and select and individuals have been affected to varying services to improve the quality of life in the County degrees. While still somewhat of a roller coaster on and the region. the global front, things are beginning to look up at All in all, Strathcona County’s fi nancial outlook staying the strategic course… in uncertain times home and economic recovery has begun. remains strong and continues to position the County For the most part, Strathcona County was able to well for the future. The following pages highlight weather the economic storm. We can attribute our several achievements in our efforts to serve the resilience partly to the momentum we had going residents of Strathcona County. with construction of the Shell upgrader expansion — Cathy Olesen 2009 Annual Report and numerous industrial, commercial and civic Mayor projects. In addition, our municipality’s strong Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2009 strategic and fi scal foundation buoyed us during turbulent times. You can find the full 2009 Annual Report at www.strathcona.ca, or call 780-464-8053 to obtain a copy. Awards County in the top 10 for business Communities in Bloom Award – International Cross-country ski operator of the year In 2009, Strathcona County was named as one of In 2009, Strathcona County won The Strathcona Wilderness the top 10 places (number three) to do business in the large category International Centre was named 2009 Alberta, by Alberta Venture magazine. Competition with an overall score Cross-country Alberta Ski Using data and testimony from municipalities, of 89.9 per cent and received a Facility Operator of the businesses, developers, landlords and individual business fi ve-bloom rating. It competed with City of Aberdeen, Year. The honour recognized people, Alberta Venture compared 25 municipalities Scotland; City of Charlottetown, PEI; Edogawa City, the centre for demonstrating across Alberta on the basis of fi ve criteria: Japan; Minatozaka Community Shingu-machi, Japan; excellence in its programs • costs • market access and Chapelfi eld Norwich, Norfolk UK. The County and service to the public, schools and community • taxes, regulation and • labour pool was also recognized for the Emerald Hills Partnership groups. bureaucracy • special considerations. initiative, with its environmental and sustainability Green Routine a win again The 2009 magazine article said, “No community initiatives. offers everything to every business, but Strathcona The Green Routine County comes pretty close.” Communities Choosewell overall high achiever won the 2009 3Rs Strathcona County has been recognized as the award for In the 2010 results, recently released, Strathcona Overall High Achiever for Northern Alberta municipalities. The County was again named as one of the top 10 for its progress and achievement towards a award recognizes — making it the fourth consecutive year our healthy community in the latest province-wide outstanding municipality has received this recognition. Communities Choosewell initiative. contributions to waste reduction, recycling and resource conservation in Alberta. Highlights of our progress …helping guide the way Environmental Sustainability Framework Cultural Services Policy charts exciting path Affairs and resulted in two addendums submitted approved In 2009, the County conducted a comprehensive on October 31, 2009 and December 31, 2009. In June 2009, Strathcona review of its 2002 Cultural Policy with input from The plan was built on two principles: County Council approved our community stakeholders and the public. This • reduce the development footprint by focusing the Environmental new approved policy charts an exciting path for arts, growth Sustainability Framework, culture and heritage development. • create a region that will be economically, socially a strategic foundation Older Adults Plan approved and environmentally sustainable into the future that sets priorities and The board’s most signifi cant work focused guides planning and programs to improve our Strathcona County’s Older Adults Plan was approved by Council in on the future growth of the region and the environment. The framework sets out 10 development of a land use plan. Key questions recommendations including: June 2009. The plan promotes aging well, with the independence that were addressed such as the location of growth, • create an integrated transportation master plan residents desire. It emphasizes population densities, employment centres, housing, to address effi cient multi-modal travel providing the right programs, services and necessary transportation and transit links, buffers and • develop a water conservation plan related to supports to meet the needs of the spectrum of older environmental areas. County practices adults. Two of the plan’s fi rst initiatives were the pilots On March 11, 2010, the Government of Alberta • develop a greenhouse gas inventory and for Snow Busters, a snow removal program for announced its formal acceptance of the the Capital management plan low-income seniors, and an outreach program for Region Growth Plan. It aligns very well with • establish a waster management policy vulnerable older adults and their families. Strathcona County’s Municipal Development Plan The framework establishes guiding statements that (MDP), approved in 2007. describe success relating to fi ve themes: land, air Census 2009 emissions, energy, water and material use. To measure The 2009 Municipal Census was Community Heritage Legacy Framework progress in these areas, specifi c goals and indicators conducted on May 1, 2009. The approved have been established to evaluate and achieve greater County’s offi cial population is In December 2009, environmental sustainability for our community. 87,998, with 61,660 residents in Council adopted Strathcona County’s new Economic Sustainability Framework Sherwood Park, and 26,338 Community Heritage Strathcona County wants residents in the County’s rural areas, a 2.9-per-cent Economic Legacy Framework to a healthy, innovative and population growth between 2008 and 2009. promote efforts that sustainable economy — For the fi rst time, residents were given the option increase awareness of our one that complements of completing a census form online. This option distinct past. The plan social responsibility and proved a popular choice with 56.6 per cent of engages the community in capturing and the environment. In 2009, households using this method. Feedback was very conveying its history and heritage, and identifi es Strathcona County began work on an Economic positive from the 48 per cent of the people who tools to do so. Two key partners are the Sustainability Framework to guide decisions that responded online. Common responses included: Strathcona County Museum & Archives and will foster and sustain a healthy economy that convenient, excellent, quick and easy. Strathcona County Library. benefi ts residents, business and industry. Capital Region Board The Economic Sustainability Framework, together This framework focuses on intangible cultural Alberta’s Capital Region Board (CRB) was offi cially with the Social Sustainability Framework approved heritage, which includes customs, traditions, established on April 15, 2008, consisting of mayors in 2007, and the Environmental Sustainability knowledge and skills, such as traditional farming and reeves from the 25 municipalities in the Alberta Framework approved in 2009, will complete methods, preserving and preparing food, plus Capital Region. The board was created to jointly Strathcona County’s triple-bottom-line approach to community activities. The idea is to have those develop a long-range regional growth management guide sustainability. people who are the “carriers” of this form of heritage plan, which was submitted to the province on demonstrate it and share it with the next generation. The Economic Sustainability Framework is March 31, 2009. On June 11, 2009, a preliminary expected to be presented to Council for approval response was provided by the Minister of Municipal in late 2010. …safety and access in transportation Bus replacement New local transit pass for seniors Urban Priority 4 road snow clearing As part of a three-year plan (2007-2009), the In 2009, a new bus pass became available to In September 2009, County