The Planning Process

In 1992, the Town of Aurora established a Strategic Plan Steering Committee with the responsibility of developing the Town's first Strategic Plan. The Committee, consisting of both elected and appointed officials, met regularly in 1992 and 1993 with the assistance of a management consultant  to draft the Strategic Plan document. The Plan was developed based on public input received through the Official Plan and Leisure Services Master Plan consultation as well as a resident survey and adopted by Council in February 1994. Council also approved a process to update the Strategic Plan in both 1998 and 2006.

On March 29, 2011, Council approved a work plan for the update of the Town's Strategic Plan and directed staff to prepare and issue a request for proposal for professional consulting related to the update of the Plan. On April 27, 2011, Council awarded RFP CAO2011-34 to DPRA consulting. Subsequently, a Strategic Plan Steering Committee comprised of members of Council and staff was established to guide the development of the Plan.

Staff and the consultants have been working with the Strategic Plan Steering Committee to create a new Town of Aurora Strategic Plan since May 2011.  During this period, a draft Strategic Plan Framework was endorsed and used as the principal document to guide public consultation. The consultation process engaged hundreds of residents and stakeholders at community events and through stakeholder interviews, Town Hall sessions, focus groups, surveys and online through the Town's Strategic Plan website, including:

• Over 30 key informant interviews with community stakeholders, Councillors and staff;
• Intercept interviews with residents at various events including a Youth House League Soccer Tournament, Canada Day celebrations, Concerts in the Park, the Aurora Farmers Market, and Ribfest;
• A community survey at the Aurora Home Show;
• A Tea and Talk with seniors;
• An online survey hosted on the Town's website, and promoted through the Notice Board, Twitter and Facebook;
• A Council and staff Visioning Session;
• A focus group session with youth soccer players; and,
• Two community consultation sessions hosted at the Aurora Seniors Centre.

The information received was used to refine the Strategic Plan Framework and develop the Strategic Plan.