The City of North Vancouver has a bold vision: to become the “healthiest small city in the world”. To realize their vision, the City’s Mayor and Council have five key goals: to become a City for People, a Liveable City, a Vibrant City, a Connected City and a Prosperous City.
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In this COVID economy, some local businesses have been able to weather the storm, while others have been swept away by the waves. Even in a non-pandemic year, it’s a tough go. This is something I learned from my hometown, where, in 2012, the typical lifespan of a new business was two years. As a parish, we wanted to do something to help, so we started what came to be known as “Businesses We Love.”
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Soon after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, municipalities across the country began setting up COVID-19 recovery task forces. The majority of these task forces had one main purpose: to help local businesses recover from the financial devastation of the pandemic. While economic recovery is vital to ensuring our communities can bounce back, few communities are prioritizing the importance of social recovery. Rates of loneliness, social isolation, burnout, anxiety, and stress are rising nationwide. It’s clear now more than ever before that our social well-being needs to be prioritized alongside our economic well-being.
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Over the past three decades there has been a fundamental shift in informal social ties, tolerance and trust, political and civic engagement in our communities. Evidence shows that our actual experiences of being involved in a community has been steadily declining since the 1960s. This decline is evident if we look at the Canadian voting rates. We have an average of 63% of Canadians voting in the last 4 elections and in Ontario an average of 52%. Why are 40-50% of the population not voting? Is it lack of trust? Do people feel like they cannot make a difference?
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In May 2020, the Cities Deepening Community network welcomed Greenway-Chaplin Community Centre as a member. For over 30 years this organization, based in Cambridge Ontario, has been connecting community members to recreational, educational, supportive programs and volunteer opportunities. With the disruption of regularly scheduled programs due to COVID-19, they have responded by joining a collective of learners from across the country to reimagine their purpose.
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Have you ever needed to borrow a cup of sugar? Or wanted advice about your garden? Or needed someone to house sit while you were away? For these situations and so many others, your neighbours might your answer!
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