The City of Hamilton recently released a new document called the “Connected Communities Strategy,” which is reportedly “a citywide plan that connects people, neighbourhoods and technology to make Hamilton a more inclusive, sustainable and forward-thinking city.”
The full strategy is 71 pages long and can be read here.
It is unclear how much it cost to develop the strategy, including how many staff hours were spent on the project.
The city’s website says that the plan’s approach is grounded in three core principles: Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA), public engagement, and transparency and accountability.
The document is split up into three different strategic pillars, each with four different focus areas.
The first pillar is “Physical Connectivity,” with the four focus areas being “Climate Resilience, Energy, and Resource Management,” “Smart Mobility and Transportation,” “Water and Solid Waste Management,” and “Parks and Green Spaces.”
The second pillar is “Digital Connectivity,” with the four focus areas being “High-Speed Internet Connectivity and Broadband,” “Open City,” “Digital Services and Public Engagement,” and “IoT Integration and Analytics.”
The third pillar is “Social Connectivity,” with the four focus areas being “Economic Growth and Community Partnerships,” “Education, Job Creation, and Workforce Training,” “Innovation,” and “Healthcare and Social Services.”
Each section appears to simply list other city initiatives that are already in place or local organizations that are making advancements.
For example, under the healthcare heading, the document lists “Hamilton Health Sciences” and provides a description of the organization.
Another section links to the city’s Digital Strategy, which was written in 2023.
Indeed, a city press release states that “there are no new financial impacts tied to the strategy” and that implementation will simply “build on existing projects and staff resources, with opportunities for future collaboration and investment to be identified over time.”
Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath also touted the strategy in the same press release.
“This strategy brings people and ideas together so that every Hamiltonian can feel connected, supported, and proud to call this community home,” Horwath said.
City Manager Marnie Cluckie, who was appointed by Horwath, called the strategy “a collective roadmap that will help us better align resources, share information and support innovation across every neighbourhood.”
Based in Hamilton, he reaches hundreds of thousands of people monthly on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. He has been published in The Hamilton Spectator, Stoney Creek News, and Bay Observer. He has also been a segment host with Cable 14 Hamilton. In 2017, he received the Chancellor Full Tuition Scholarship from the University of Ottawa (BA, 2022). He has also received the Governor General’s Academic Medal. He formerly worked in a non-partisan role on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
