A County that works together

• + Going above and beyond the call to provide care for patients

  Oxford County Paramedic Services established a community paramedicine program in 2014 that formally trains paramedics to assess and refer patients to other community-based care providers. As part of Community Referrals by Emergency Medical Services (CREMS), paramedics work with the Community Care Access Centre and other primary health care partners to move clients more quickly through assessment and on to service or care More

• + A plan for sustaining child care

  The 2014-2016 Child Care Plan sets out the direction for family and children services in Oxford County for the next three years. The plan responds to challenges shared across the province, including implementing the new child care funding formula, providing special needs resources, and recruiting and retaining early childhood educators More

• + Expanding affordable housing options

  Construction continued in 2014 on renovating the former Harvey Woods factory in Woodstock into a 54-unit affordable housing complex with an anticipated opening in 2015. The project, led by Indwell (formerly Homestead Christian Care), is partly funded by Oxford County. Once complete, the "Harvey Woods Lofts" will create new affordable housing spaces for people in the community who are living with a disability. More

A County that is well connected

• + "Share the Road" for safety

  The Share the Road bike safety awareness campaign asks motorists and cyclists alike to give space, be patient, communicate, be visible, and be predictable. In 2014 new cycling lanes and signage were added to several County roads as part of the strategy to improve travel options beyond the personal vehicle. More

• + A Trails Master Plan

  Oxford County's Trails Master Plan will guide trail development, operation and maintenance for the next two decades. The Trails Master Plan was created with input from the public, community groups, area municipalities, conservation authorities, the Oxford County Trails Association and County Councillors. More

A County that thinks ahead and wisely shapes the future

• + Our path towards sustainability

  Once completed, the Community Sustainability Plan will guide a range of decisions that impact quality of life in our communities for generations to come, including sustainable energy options, new landfill development, source water protection, caring for an aging population, waste management and more. Getting citizens involved in creating the plan was the focus of the Future Oxford community engagement campaign. www.futureoxford.ca

• + Responding to concerns about air quality

  County Council approved the Beachville Area Air Quality Assessment in June 2014 in response to community concerns about air quality in this area. Continuing through to mid-2015, this project will collect new, independent air quality data and examine scientific research on whether or not aggregate operations impact air quality and affect human health. More

• + Source water protection

  The Catfish Creek Source Protection Plan was approved by the province, Catfish Creek Conservation Authority and Oxford County in 2014. The plan outlines policies and programs that will protect municipal wells serving Brownsville and South-West Oxford Township. The measures ensure Oxford County is meeting the objectives of the Clean Water Act More

• + Reducing the County's carbon footprint

  Three Oxford County facilities have been outfitted with solar panel systems as part of the ongoing provincial microFIT program. The solar panels will supply clean, emission-free electricity, helping Oxford County towards its goal of reducing carbon emissions by 10% by 2019 as part of the Energy Management Plan. More

• + Maintaining core infrastructure

  Oxford County owns and operates more than $1.5 billion (replacement value) of core infrastructure, including roads, bridges, vehicle fleets, water and wastewater facilities and more. The County's first Asset Management Plan, required of all Ontario's municipalities, maps out how the County will manage these physical assets in a way that is cost effective and efficient for services. More

A County that informs and engages

• + Putting the Strategic Plan vision into action

  When the County's first Strategic Plan was approved in 2013, six "Vision to Action" employee teams were formed soon after to work on the first set of Council's priorities. The first Vision to Action progress report was released in the fall of 2014 as a summary of the many activities taking place over the past 18 months to meet the aims of the Strategic Plan. More

• + Seeking greater community input

  When the County released its first Strategic Plan in 2013, an early priority was developing an "inform and engage" strategy to improve communication effectiveness and seek greater feedback from the community on County activities. The staff guideline, "Inform and Engage: A Guideline for Effective Communication and Public Participation at the County of Oxford" outlines expectations and strategies on how the County can better prepare citizens to participate in local government. More

A County that performs and delivers results

• + Employee task teams to bring Strategic Plan to life

  One of three key guideline documents released in 2014 as actions on the Strategic Plan, "Service Excellence" represents the next step in the County's customer service philosophy in which regard for our citizens and each other is ingrained in everything we do. More

• + Improving service options for waste management

  For two years, Oxford County worked to shape a waste management strategy that would serve as a road map for reducing, handling and disposing of waste. The final strategy approved by County Council in 2014 reflects broad public input through surveys, comments, public meetings and more as part of the "Let's Talk Trash" campaign. The consultations informed a series of improvements to create a more efficient, environmentally friendly and cost effective program. More

• + Committing to long-term care

  Conducting regular service reviews is one of the ways the County committed to performing and delivering results under the Strategic Plan. The Woodingford Lodge service review, started in 2013, examined different options for providing long-term care. The final 2014 report affirmed Woodingford's commitment to quality care and its continued operation of the County's three long-term care facilities. The review also identified opportunities for provincial regulatory reform that would improve cost efficiencies without risking high quality resident care. More

• + Oxford County Library service enhancements

  Oxford County Library monitored customer service performance and reviewed performance indicators such as wait times. In response to demand, Sunday open hours were instituted in Ingersoll and Tillsonburg from October through May each year. The Library responded to the growth in demand for electronic resources available 24/7 by increasing its suite of free electronic resources available through the ocl.net website. More

A County that is an employer of choice

• + "Our People, Our Strength"

  One of three key guideline documents released in 2014 as actions on the Strategic Plan, the Our People, Our Strength Plan outlines how the County will strengthen its people culture and build a work environment that is able to attract, retain and develop quality staff. More

• + Employee Engagement survey

  Working towards being an employer of choice was a priority in the 2013 Strategic Plan. In January 2014, County staff took part in an employee engagement survey to set a baseline level for employee engagement and to help develop action plans to work towards this strategic direction. More

• + Promoting a culture of appreciation and recognition

  A key action towards becoming an employer of choice, the new Applauding Commitment and Excellence (ACE) program was designed to promote a culture of informal, day-to-day recognition for employees as well as to formally celebrate staff contributions. The Awards of Excellence give staff the opportunity to nominate co-workers for excellence in demonstrating corporate values. More