Shaping a Sustainable Future
Shaping a sustainable future is about balancing and bridging contrasts – the contrast between Thunder Bay’s size and richness of opportunity, between stability for today and growth for the future, between a local focus and international profile, and across and between different perspectives and experiences
- Collaboration with a diverse range of voices and needs
- Creating and maintaining a foundationally healthy and livable city
- Investment in future-focused growth and opportunities
Vision
To grow prosperity, population and profile through partnership, knowledge and resources in support of our community and development ecosystem.
Mission
The CEDC’s mission is to nurture: small city character, welcoming community and love of local with big city opportunities to grow, thrive and bring aspirations to life for all.
Values
- Partnership-based
- Inclusive
- Innovative
- Professional
- Integrity
Strategic Pillars
Natural Resources
Goal: Grow, expand and promote Thunder Bay as the regional centre and world leader for mining and forest products services, supply and manufacturing.
- Position and market Thunder Bay as the regional hub for services and supplies for NW Ontario exploration and mining projects
- Attract investment ready projects in manufacturing, mining, commodity processing, agriculture and energy and promoting the added values of Indigenous partnerships
- Support research, innovation and the commercialization of natural resource based commodities, products and energy
Workforce and Immigration Development
Goal: Attract, integrate and retain a highly skilled workforce focusing on our youth, national and global immigrants and regional Indigenous communities.
- Develop a labour attraction and growth plan to meet the current and future needs of employers
- Expand immigration attraction and integration services
- Work with partners to support Indigenous employment agencies and training organizations
- Through Thunder Bay's education system attract and retain local and Indigenous youth to enhance our future's workforce
Tourism Development
Goal: Becoming Canada’s premier outdoor city, weaving our connectivity to our natural environment to our signature urban culinary and cultural attractions to create memorable leisure, corporate and sport event experiences for visitors.
- Expand and improve year-round visitor experiences through an increased focus on destination development
- Increase the economic impact of tourism through enhanced visitor attraction and retention strategies
- Supporting Indigenous tourism development and promotion
- Improving visitor movement through improved wayfinding
- Support our tourism Industry with the tools they need to start-up, diversify and expand
Strengthen Community
Goal: Drive the growth and progression of Thunder Bay into a safe, welcoming community where people work, live and play while having access to comprehensive health care, education and employment opportunities with an affordable, high quality lifestyle.
- Make Thunder Bay a place all people want to live and do business
- Promote the quality of Thunder Bay's lifestyle to outside markets to attract new residents, workers and business
- Support infrastructure needs of our community through building partnerships and seeking funding assistance for critical projects
- Through community and Indigenous partnerships identify initiatives to create welcoming neighbourhoods and public places for business
- Maximize Thunder Bay's position as the regional centre for health services in Northwestern Ontario
Business Support
Goal: Be a cornerstone and catalyst for local and regional entrepreneur support to help drive the creation of new business, and higher quality employment opportunities that offer new services and products to markets everywhere
- Strengthen succession planning services to address challenges and needs for small business owners
- Provide supports to generate new business start-ups and encourage entrepreneurship
- Through Indigenous partnerships, expand program development to address Indigenous small business challenges and needs
- Build a welcoming community for new and expanding businesses
- Enhance newcomer to Canada support systems
