A Caring Future Stratford

In the future, thoughtful decisions will have been made by municipal officials to care for the citizens of Stratford, its history, the environment and natural spaces.

Affordable housing, mixed use neighborhoods where a variety of housing options exist, infrastructure built to net zero standards will allow residents to live, shop, learn and work comfortably within a neighborhood without always needing to drive somewhere. Planning for neighborhoods and new infrastructure could include new heating options such as heat pumps, geothermal and solar. Building more densely within current city boundaries will conserve farmland, and repurposing old buildings will preserve architectural heritage.

Better transportation options, including public transit, connected active transport infrastructure and charging stations for EVs will be effectively planned. The core of the city can become car-free, making it safer for pedestrians, quieter and more room for green space. Explore ways to have walkways, bridges, roads near rivers be heated enough to melt snow and ice, making getting around safe without causing salinification of our streams, rivers and lakes. This would provide years of payback in eliminating need for plowing, the cost of salt applied and damage from salt to infrastructure.

A caring future Stratford will value and protect its green areas, parkland, natural areas and biodiversity. Connect these features with easily accessible trails, but protect the green spaces from inappropriate uses, invasive species and encroachment so that everyone has the ability to appreciate nature. Make Stratford a bird-friendly city, requiring that new builds have glass to prevent bird window collisions. Require that builders planting trees in any new neighbourhoods plant species native to Ontario. Convert plantings in parks to feature mostly native plantings that will support our native pollinators.