Strategic plan’s midpoint shows strong progress in Kawartha Lakes

DARRYL KNIGHT Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for The Standard

KAWARTHA LAKES: A midpoint review of the municipality’s four-year strategic plan shows significant progress, with more initiatives now moving from planning into delivery and completion.

At a council meeting, on Tuesday, March 10th, Josh Dunsworth, Manager of Strategy and Innovation for the City of Kawartha Lakes, presented the 2025 annual update and midpoint review of the 2024–2027 Strategic Plan. The report highlighted steady advancement across departments and stronger alignment between strategy and day-to-day municipal operations.

According to the update, completion of strategic initiatives has increased from 33.7 percent to 56.5 percent, since the last report, while 97 percent of all initiatives are now either complete or on track.

“Over the past year, we’ve seen work move from planning into delivery,” said Mr. Dunsworth. “The organization has strengthened governance, improved coordination across departments, and focused on converting initiatives into measurable results for the community.”

The strategic plan was formally approved by council, on March 19th, 2024, through a resolution, moved by Councillor Mike Richardson and seconded by Deputy Mayor Tracy McDonald, committing staff to provide annual progress reports, as part of the municipality’s guiding principle of openness and transparency.

Since the August 2025 update, the overall portfolio of initiatives has grown slightly, from 196 to 200 projects, as new priorities were incorporated. At the same time, the number of initiatives not yet started has been cut in half.

The report also highlighted improvements to how progress is tracked and communicated. Enhanced reporting tools, electronic scorecards, and stronger alignment between staff work plans and strategic priorities have made it easier to connect municipal activities with the goals outlined in the plan.

Progress indicators are now also being used, to link municipal work with broader community outcomes, including: housing supply, environmental performance, job growth, customer experience and waste diversion.

“These measures help demonstrate how the work being done internally translates into real outcomes for residents,” Mr. Dunsworth explained.

The update showed progress across all four pillars of the Strategic Plan. Under the priority of A Healthy Environment, environmental planning initiatives have advanced with the completion of the Active Transportation Plan and the launch of the Source Separated Organics program, across four urban centres. A new Tree Inventory Program is also establishing a baseline, to protect and expand the urban forest canopy, while work has begun on a municipal Climate Change Strategy.

For An Exceptional Quality of Life, the report highlighted housing and community service milestones. Thirty new deeply affordable housing units, at 106 Murray Street, in Fenelon Falls, are now complete and occupied, while the municipality has achieved 80 percent of its housing targets, under its Municipal Housing Pledge, for 2023 and 2024. Expanded EarlyON programming, increased childcare spaces. Permanent provincial funding for Community Paramedicine were also noted.

Economic development initiatives were also highlighted under the Vibrant and Growing Economy pillar. Council recently approved a refreshed Economic Development Strategy which will guide priorities through 2029. Secondary plans are now in force across all urban settlement areas, including: Lindsay, Bobcaygeon, Fenelon Falls and Omemee, while the Development Concierge Program continues to support local business expansion.

Under the Good Government priority, the municipality has expanded digital permitting services and launched new municipal, tourism and library websites, aimed at improving accessibility and the customer experience. The update also noted progress on the public access portal, paramedic dispatch modernization and improvements to planning infrastructure, such as GIS road network mapping.

Mayor Doug Elmslie said, the progress demonstrates strong momentum, halfway through the four-year plan.

“This report shows the municipality is delivering on the priorities council and the community identified,” Mayor Elmslie said. “We’re seeing real progress in areas like housing, environmental sustainability, digital services and economic development, which are all critical to the future of Kawartha Lakes.”

Mayor Elmslie added, maintaining transparency through annual reporting helps ensure residents can see how strategic priorities are being implemented.

“As we reach the midpoint of this plan, it’s important residents understand the work which is underway and the results being achieved,” he said. “There is still more to do, but the progress we’re seeing is encouraging.”

Viewed across the entire organization, completed initiatives have increased, from 66 to 114, bringing the overall delivery rate to 57 percent. At the midpoint of the plan, 40 percent of initiatives are currently progressing, and only three percent remain not started.

With two years remaining in the Strategic Plan cycle, staff said, the focus will be on completing the remaining high-impact initiatives, advancing environmental resilience priorities and continuing to strengthen performance measurement and reporting.

“The plan remains active and disciplined,” Mr. Dunsworth said. “Our goal over the next two years is to continue delivering results [which] improve quality of life for residents while supporting sustainable growth across Kawartha Lakes.”