Together with its staff and Board of Directors, the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) is delighted to launch its new 2021-2031 Strategic Plan.
At the October Full Authority Meeting, the Board of Directors approved the 10-year plan which sets strategic direction for the next decade of conservation action in the Niagara Peninsula watershed. The plan envisions a healthy and vibrant environment with shared greenspace and clean water that sustains life for future generations and prioritizes result-oriented actions to make well-informed decisions.
“The completion of a new strategic plan is a monumental occasion for the NPCA,” says Brenda Johnson, NPCA Board Chair. “This plan is guided by principles based on a conservation-first philosophy, collaboration ethics, and an importance of innovation rooted in science. It sets the foundation necessary for the NPCA to move toward many important actions ahead.”
The development of the strategic plan reflects the value of collaboration between people, communities, and organizations on a collective response to a changing landscape. Accordingly, from March to August 2021, the NPCA engaged with its staff, Board of Directors, the watershed community, partners, Indigenous peoples, and other stakeholders to obtain input toward a shared vision of conservation in the Niagara Peninsula watershed.
The 2021-2031 Strategic Plan charts the course for conservation-inspired actions and collective outcomes through six overarching strategic priorities related to:
- healthy & climate resilient watersheds;
- supporting sustainable growth;
- connecting people to nature;
- strengthening partnerships;
- financial sustainability; and
- organizational Excellence.
“This new strategic plan will guide our actions toward a vision of a watershed with robust nature, thriving agriculture, and resilient urban areas,” adds Chandra Sharma, NPCA CAO & Secretary-Treasurer. “The strategic planning process has helped us build meaningful connections and we look forward to further strengthening these relationships with partners and the community while maintaining this momentum for change.”
With the Board of Directors’ approval, the NPCA now enters into the implementation phase by developing an operational plan that sets out actions to meet established goals.
Recognizing that it must remain flexible and adaptable throughout the next ten years, the NPCA will update its operational plans annually to reflect organizational and environmental changes, meet the updated Conservation Authorities Act requirements and its regulations, and ensure it remains responsive to the evolving needs of the watershed and communities it serves. Each strategic priority will be continuously measured and evaluated against established Key Performance Indicators, and progress will be monitored and shared publicly through the NPCA’s Annual Report.
The 2021-2031 Strategic Plan: Nature For All is available online at www.npca.ca/about. Hard copies are available upon request. To learn more about the development of the strategic plan, visit https://getinvolved.npca.ca/2021-2031-strategic-plan.
For more information about the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority, visit www.npca.ca. Follow Facebook and Twitter for more updates.
About NPCA:
The Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA) is a community-based natural resource management agency that works to protect, enhance, and sustain healthy watersheds. With 60 years of experience, the NPCA offers watershed programs and services that focus on flood and hazard management, source water protection, species protection, ecosystem restoration, community stewardship, and land management.
The NPCA is one of 36 Conservation Authorities in the Province of Ontario and manages 41 Conservation Areas within the Niagara Peninsula watershed held in public trust for recreation, heritage preservation, conservation, and education. These natural and shared greenspaces marry nature, culture, and adventure to create limitless opportunities for discovery.
