Organizational Strategic Plan
Connecting People, Place and Community Voice
Who We Are
nuSarnia is a community-led organization focused on strengthening human connection by shaping people-centred streets, neighbourhoods, and public spaces. We believe strong communities are built when people feel safe, welcome, and connected to one another and to the places they share. Through placemaking, advocacy, and citizen-led initiatives, we work to create environments that make it easier to meet, linger, and belong.
Why This Work is Necessary–Not Optional
Sarnia is at a pivotal moment. Like many mid-sized cities, it is experiencing growing isolation, declining youth independence, and neighbourhoods that were largely designed around convenience rather than everyday human interaction.
Downtown and core areas have hollowed out, while many residents feel distant from civic decision-making and unsure how to participate.
At the same time, current growth patterns challenge long-term resilience. Isolation, and loneliness are increasing, and policies or bureaucracy can make it harder than it should be for residents to take positive action. Together, these trends point to a broader issue–not a single problem to fix, but a gradual social fragmentation and erosion of community connection that nuSarnia’s work aims to rebuild.
Sarnia is entering a period where many of the systems that shape the city over the past 50 years are beginning to shift.
Economic transitions, demographic changes, rising loneliness, and evolving expectations around quality of life are reshaping what residents want from their communities. Increasingly, people are looking for places where they feel connected—not just where they live. At the same time, smaller cities across North America are competing to attract and retain young families, skilled workers, and creative talent. Community vibrancy, walkable neighbourhoods, and strong civic culture are becoming key differentiators.
nuSarnia exists to bridge that gap. By activating public spaces, supporting citizen-led initiatives, and demonstrating new ways people can connect in everyday places, the organization helps rebuild the social fabric of the city at a neighbourhood scale, building the kind of civic environment that makes people want to stay, invest, and participate in the city’s future.
The timing matters because the choices communities make now about public space, mobility, housing, and civic participation will shape the experience of living in Sarnia for the next generation.
What is Connection–And What We Mean By Connection
Connection is the foundation of thriving communities.
When people connect to one another, to their neighbourhoods, and to their city–communities feel safer, healthier, more inclusive, and more resilient, with a strong emphasis on equity in access, participation and outcomes. Walkable streets, vibrant public spaces, and thoughtful beautification transform neighbourhoods into shared places where people meet, linger, and interact.
Connection is not only a social benefit; it is essential to human well-being. Strong social ties are associated with lower rates of loneliness, anxiety, and depression, and higher levels of life satisfaction and overall health. In this way, connection is a public health necessity that supports both mental and physical well-being across the lifespan.
Communities with strong social connection are also safer and more caring. When people know and trust one another, neighbours are more likely to look out for each other, public spaces are better used and cared for, and local initiatives are easier to organize because people already share a sense of belonging. Connection also helps reduce inequality and exclusion by bridging divides across generations, cultures, and income levels, ensuring more people feel seen, heard, and valued in community life.
At its deepest level, connection gives life meaning. When people feel connected to one another, they are more likely to feel connected to their place, leading to greater civic pride, stewardship, and care for the streets, parks, and neighbourhoods they share.
When nuSarnia talks about connection, we mean the everyday conditions that make these outcomes possible: people meeting and interacting in daily life; neighbours feeling welcome and comfortable in shared spaces; children and youth moving safely and independently through their neighbourhoods; residents feeling heard and able to influence decisions; and communities taking pride in places that reflect their shared identity. If our work makes these experiences more likely, we are on the right track.
Connection is not a “nice-to-have.” It is a foundational infrastructure for human well-being. nuSarnia exists because everyday connection should be easy, not accidental.
For this reason, connection is nuSarnia’s most important measure of success. Our strategy is built on strong, community-centred processes that enable focused action across neighbourhoods and the city as a whole. Each strategic pillar supports one overarching outcome: stronger human connection across Sarnia whether through safer streets, more inviting public spaces, clearer information, or empowered residents.
Our Role in the Community
nuSarnia acts as a connector, catalyst, and advocate for people-centred community change at the intersection of people, place, and policy. Our role is to create the conditions that allow human connection to happen naturally and often. We bridge residents, grassroots groups, local organizations, and decision-makers through cross-sector collaboration, combining data, lived experience, and storytelling to advance evidence-based, people-centred solutions. Through our involvement in planning, design, and policy processes, we help ensure decisions reflect real human needs. This work enables resident-led action, supports pilot projects and public-space initiatives, and translates community insight into visible, on-the-ground improvements to streets, neighbourhoods, and shared spaces.
nuSarnia is rebuilding the social infrastructure of Sarnia.
Cities invest billions in physical infrastructure like roads, bridges, and buildings. But the infrastructure that actually determines whether people feel connected, engaged, and proud of where they live is social infrastructure—the spaces, programs, and civic culture that bring people together. nuSarnia focuses on that layer of city-building by activating neighbourhood spaces, empowering residents to lead local initiatives, and creating opportunities for everyday interaction.
Our role is not simply to run programs, but to normalize a culture of community participation where residents actively shape their city.
Our Long-Term Vision
nuSarnia envisions a community intentionally designed for people of all ages and abilities, prioritizing accessibility, safety, and inclusion. Where streets, neighbourhoods, and public spaces are welcoming, safe, and engaging, and where everyday social interaction is part of daily life.
Daily life is local. Children move safely and independently through their neighbourhoods, while residents of all ages benefit from people-centred streets, shared amenities, and vibrant public spaces. Streets, parks, and plazas are lively destinations, places where community pride grows and everyday relationships are formed.
Residents are empowered as active co-creators of their neighbourhoods, shaping joyful, inclusive, and community-driven public spaces that reflect local identity. Physical design, policy, and public space work together to support trust, connection, and a deep sense of belonging, creating a healthier and more resilient community over the long term.
Our Approach (Values)
nuSarnia is intentionally structured as a platform rather than a program-delivery organization.
Many of the most significant challenges facing cities today—isolation, declining youth independence, reduced civic participation, and fragmented neighbourhoods—cannot be solved by policy alone. They require cultural change and visible demonstrations of alternative ways communities can function.
nuSarnia addresses this gap by acting as a civic experimentation platform. Through small-scale, replicable projects that activate public spaces and empower residents to shape their neighbourhoods, the organization demonstrates how connection-focused community design can work in practice.
These projects serve three purposes:
- They strengthen real social connection between residents.
- They build local leadership and civic participation.
- They generate proof-of-concept models that influence planning, policy, and community expectations.
Over time, this creates a multiplier effect where small interventions shift broader systems—from how streets are designed to how residents participate in civic life.
In this way, nuSarnia is not simply improving individual programs or spaces. It is helping shift the long-term trajectory of how Sarnia grows, connects, and functions as a community.
nuSarnia applies a consistent, community-centred approach across all of our work. We centre community voice through listening, learning, and engagement; use clear, accessible data to build shared understanding and accountability; and work collaboratively across sectors to align people, place, and policy.
This approach guides how we work, how we prioritize and resource initiatives, and how all six of nuSarnia’s pillars are unified and implemented to remain community-driven, accountable, and responsive to local needs.
Curious:
We continuously build our awareness, capture data, and turn it into knowledge that supports positive change. Always asking why allows us to create solutions.
Collaborative:
We value the fact that only when we are prepared to be collaborative can we truly be connected to the community. Constructive feedback is a gift, and we always take the time to understand.
Connective:
We are connected to the community in which we reside. We believe it is critically important to be connected and we work diligently to deepen those relationships and improve the well-being in our community.
Detailed activities, tools, and outcomes related to nuSarnia’s approach and each strategic pillar are provided in Appendix A.
From Action to Impact–All Roads Lead to Connection.
Pillar 1: Safe, Social & Child Friendly Neighbourhoods
nuSarnia works to transform neighbourhood streets and public spaces into safe, welcoming environments where residents—especially children—can move independently, gather easily, and build everyday relationships close to home. By advancing people-centred design and practical, community-informed solutions, we reduce barriers to connection and improve neighbourhood quality of life. This work strengthens social ties, local pride, and trust among neighbours.
Pillar 2: Healthy Neighbourhood Growth
nuSarnia supports well-planned growth that strengthens neighbourhoods and quality of life. We build public understanding of how housing, amenities, and development patterns shape communities, and advocate for inclusive, people-centred policies informed by lived experience and local context. This work supports more constructive dialogue, responsive bylaws, and development outcomes that serve both current and future residents.
Pillar 3: Complete Streets & Citywide Active Transportation
A connected city requires a connected network. nuSarnia advances a safe, accessible, and enjoyable active transportation system that supports everyday movement, recreation, climate resilience, and access to opportunity. By advocating for consistent progress, informed investment, and people-centred street design, we help create a citywide network that connects neighbourhoods and supports daily life.
Pillar 4: Activation, Placemaking, Beautification & Public Life
Public spaces are where community life unfolds. nuSarnia enhances existing spaces and helps create new ones, especially in underused areas, to encourage people to slow down, interact, and share experiences that reflect local identity. Through placemaking, storytelling, and creative interventions, public spaces become places of belonging, pride, and connection while also strengthening local economic vitality. Well-designed and actively used public spaces support small businesses, increase foot traffic, encourage longer visits, and contribute to vibrant main streets and neighbourhood centres. By shifting space toward people and everyday social life, we help create environments that are not only socially welcoming, but economically resilient and attractive for residents, visitors, and local entrepreneurs alike.
Pillar 5: Grassroots Leadership & Resident Empowerment
Strong communities are built by people who feel empowered to act. nuSarnia reduces barriers and provides tools, resources, and support to build resident capacity for community-led action so residents can lead community-driven projects and shape their shared spaces. This work strengthens local leadership, increases equity in participation, and fosters connection through shared responsibility and action.
Pillar 6: Youth Engagement & Future Stewards
Youth are essential to the future of healthy communities. nuSarnia engages young people as participants, advisors, and storytellers, fostering confidence, belonging, transferable skills, and long-term stewardship through real-world involvement. By supporting youth leadership and connection to place, we help build the next generation of community stewards.
How We Assess Progress And Connection
nuSarnia balances evidence with lived experience to understand whether our work is strengthening human connection across neighbourhoods, streets, and public spaces. We track progress over time using standardized indicators while also capturing real stories of belonging, trust, and everyday interaction. Together, these forms of insight help us understand what is working, adapt our approach, and demonstrate the social impact of people-centred design, policy, and public space.
Our impact is measured through a combination of quantitative and qualitative indicators that reflect both visible change and lived outcomes, including:
- Participation in engagement, neighbourhood, and citizen-led projects.
- Implementation of safety, traffic calming, and active transportation improvements.
- Use, quality, and visibility of streets, parks, and public spaces.
- Policy, planning, and bylaw changes influenced by community input.
- Stories of connection, belonging, civic pride, and neighbourhood identity.
By pairing data with stories, nuSarnia recognizes that building connection is a long-term process. Success is measured not only by what is built or changed, but by how people experience their city and one another over time. These insights guide decision-making, inform advocacy, and support transparency and accountability to the community. These indicators guide internal priorities, inform advocacy positions, and support evidence-based collaboration with partners and decision-makers.
nuSarnia’s full framework for assessing connection—including definitions, examples, and learning processes—is outlined in Appendix B: How We Assess Progress and Connection.
Detailed goals, objectives, KPIs, and action sequencing are used internally to guide implementation and are not part of this public-facing plan.
Our Commitment
We believe that strong communities are built for people. Infrastructure is important—but people matter more. Design should serve human connection, and communities are strongest when residents feel seen, heard, and included.
That’s why we ask one simple question of everything we do: Does this help people connect?
If the answer is yes, we know we are moving in the right direction.
nuSarnia is committed to building a more connected, welcoming, and people-centred Sarnia one neighbourhood, one street, and one relationship at a time.
Looking Ahead
This organizational Strategic Plan provides a unified framework for nuSarnia’s work across neighbourhoods, streets, and public spaces. By centring connection as both the goal and the measure of success, the plan guides thoughtful planning, investment, collaboration, and advocacy that translate into meaningful, on-the-ground change.
Looking ahead, nuSarnia will continue working alongside residents, community partners, and decision-makers to strengthen relationships, create safer and more welcoming spaces, and support a city where connection is part of everyday life—now and into the future.
Appendices
Appendix A
Our Approach:
This approach is intentionally iterative, using pilot projects, testing, and lived experiences to refine solutions over time. These approach principles also guide internal prioritization, resourcing, and sequencing of work across nuSarnia’s strategic pillars.
Purpose: We believe good decisions start with listening. nuSarnia makes community input a normal and expected part of planning and advocacy, ensuring community experiences and needs are at the centre of planning and decision-making.
What We Do:
- Collect quantitative and qualitative data through surveys, counters, demographic analysis, and face-to-face engagement.
- Gather lived-experience stories that reflect the human impact of streets, public spaces, and neighbourhood design.
- Support and amplify City-led engagement efforts to expand reach, inclusion, and participation.
- Gather project specific resident feedback through public consultations and on-the-ground engagement.
What’s The Outcome:
- Stronger representation of community priorities.
- Increased trust and participation.
- Better-informed planning and advocacy.
- People feel seen, valued, and more willing to engage with others and their city.
Connection Test:
- Does this activity help residents feel heard, seen, and more connected to decision-making and to one another?
Purpose: Transparency builds trust. We use reliable, inclusive tools for information tracking and sharing to ensure governance, community engagement, community collaboration and efficiencies. Making progress visible to residents through open data and storytelling, sharing results or engagement summaries helps improve transparency and builds trust and credibility amongst the community. nuSarnia is committed to making information accessible, understandable, and meaningful to the public.
What We Do:
- Track progress using standardized tools and share results through open data, plain-language summaries, and storytelling.
- Share progress and results through open data, plain-language summaries, and storytelling.
- Report meaningful trends to residents, partners, and City Council.
- Demonstrate transparency and accountability within nuSarnia’s own governance and operations.
What’s The Outcome:
- Improved public understanding
- Increased credibility and trust
- Clear evidence of impact
- People feel confident participating and collaborating
Connection Test:
- Does this information help people understand what’s happening and feel more confident engaging with others?
Purpose: Lasting change happens when people work together. nuSarnia actively builds partnerships to strengthen community impact through coordinated action. We participate in meaningful collaborations to represent ourselves as trusted subject matter expert and advisor to various community groups, allowing us to have an influential voice representing the members of our community.
What We Do:
- Work with City staff and Council as a trusted advisor offering partnership, advocacy, and informed input.
- Participate in relevant City committees and citizen-led groups, contributing constructively and collaboratively.
- Act as a connector among public, private, and community organizations to align goals and coordinate action.
- Advocate for continuous improvement to policies and bylaws using real-world examples, lived experiences, and pilot projects.
What’s The Outcome:
- Stronger cross-sector partnerships.
- More responsive, evidence-based policies.
- Greater collective impact.
- Institutions and communities work together, not apart.
Connection Test:
- Does this collaboration meaningfully connect people, organizations, and decision-makers toward shared goals?
Our Impact Areas:
Purpose: Neighbourhood streets and public spaces shape everyday life. nuSarnia works to transform neighbourhoods into safe, welcoming places where residents–especially children–can move independently, gather easily, and build trust, connection, and a shared sense of identity close to home. By identifying and removing barriers to everyday movement and gathering–and by supporting simple, practical enhancements–we help neighbourhoods become safer, calmer, and more socially connected.
What We Do:
- Advocate for safer, more attractive routes for children to walk and cycle to school, and support school-based and neighbourhood programs that encourage active travel.
- Identify and advance traffic calming opportunities in existing and future neighbourhoods, advocating for proven measures that slow traffic and improve safety.
- Support pilot projects and tactical urbanism interventions to test solutions, using data and community feedback to inform long-term street design improvements.
- Promote neighbourhood street design that prioritizes safety, comfort, accessibility, and everyday social interaction.
What’s The Outcome:
- Increased neighbourhood-led activity and stronger interaction, resulting in stronger social ties.
- Greater resident confidence, local ownership, and pride.
- Slower streets and improved safety for children and families.
- Increased walking, cycling, and use of public space, including travel to and from school.
- More vibrant, welcoming, healthier and connected neighbourhoods.
- People move freely, meet more often, and build everyday relationships.
Connection Test:
- Does this activity help children and youth move more safely and independently, and help families feel confident using neighbourhood streets?
- Does this initiative help neighbourhood streets feel calmer, more welcoming, and more supportive of everyday social interaction?
Purpose: nuSarnia builds public understanding of how housing, amenities, and development patterns shape everyday quality of life, and advocates for inclusive, people-centred neighbourhood development informed by lived experience.
What We Do:
- Provide education on the benefits and impacts of infill and missing-middle housing.
- Increase awareness of how housing diversity supports vibrant, resilient neighbourhoods.
- Share clear information on neighbourhood amenities, density, and people-centred design.
- Support residents in engaging constructively in planning and development conversations.
- Identify gaps and challenges in existing development policies and bylaws.
- Advocate for continuous improvement informed by lived experience, pilot projects, and neighbourhood-level evidence.
- Use neighbourhood-level case studies to inform policy recommendations.
- Collaborate with City staff and decision-makers to support incremental, evidence-based change.
What’s The Outcome:
- More informed and constructive public dialogue.
- Increased support for well-planned infill and amenities.
- Reduced misinformation and resistance to change.
- More flexible, responsive bylaws aligned with community needs.
- Improved development outcomes that strengthen neighbourhoods at a human scale.
Connection Test:
- Does this work help residents better understand how growth affects daily life—and feel more confident participating in neighbourhood change?
- Does this work make it easier for people to live near what they need, stay in their neighbourhoods over time, and feel represented in growth decisions?
Purpose: nuSarnia advances a safe and enjoyable citywide active transportation system that supports everyday movement, recreation, and access to opportunity. We ensure active transportation investments are informed, accountable, and consistently embedded into city systems and decision-making.
What We Do:
- Advocate for the development of a fully interconnected cycling and walking network aligned with the Active Transportation Master Plan and Complete Streets principles, supporting safe and enjoyable everyday travel and recreation.
- Enhance the network with functional and engaging features that support comfort, safety, and widespread use of walking and cycling.
- Engage local subject-matter experts and active transportation advocates to review upcoming infrastructure projects and provide timely, evidence-based input on street design and network improvements.
- Advocate for consistent capital funding to advance active transportation priorities.
- Encourage public transit as part of a seamless, multimodal network integrated with walking and cycling.
- Execute highly visible public initiatives and partnerships that promote cycling and active transportation.
- Ensure physical signage, wayfinding, and promotional materials are consistent, legible, and supportive of everyday use.
- Keep digital mapping and information tools current, accessible, and easy to use.
- Advocate for repurposing car-centric streets to support walking, cycling, and gathering.
What’s The Outcome:
- Improved connectivity between neighbourhoods.
- Stronger alignment between plans and implementation.
- Increased walking, cycling, and transit use for daily trips.
- A safer, more legible citywide network supported by consistent progress on active transportation priorities.
- Improved accessibility, user confidence and awareness of the citywide network.
Connection Test:
- Does this action meaningfully improve the safety, connectivity, or consistent implementation of Sarnia’s citywide active transportation network?
- Does this initiative increase the visibility, confidence, or everyday use of walking, cycling, or transit across the city?
Purpose: Public spaces are where community life unfolds. nuSarnia enhances existing spaces and creates new ones—especially in underused areas—to encourage people to slow down, interact, and share stories that reflect local identity and values.
What We Do:
- Enhance and beautify existing public spaces through placemaking and public art.
- Repurpose underused or vacant spaces into new public gathering places.
- Integrate storytelling, cultural mapping, and neighbourhood narratives into public spaces.
- Promote public spaces as destinations for residents and visitors.
- Advocate for City resources that enable citizen-led placemaking initiatives.
- Support community partners in executing public space projects and initiatives.
What’s The Outcome:
- Increased street life and public space use.
- Increased time spent in public places.
- Stronger neighbourhood identity and pride.
- More active, inviting and engaging public environments.
- Streets become places where relationships are built: people gather, share experiences, and feel a sense of belonging.
- Neighbourhood stories, culture, and identity are visibly reflected in public spaces.
Connection Test:
- Does this initiative create space, time, and reasons for people to slow down, interact, and build relationships?
- Does this initiative shift space from car-dominated or inactive use toward people gathering, slowing down, and interacting?
Purpose: Strong communities are built by people who feel empowered to act. nuSarnia reduces barriers and provides tools, resources, and support so residents can confidently lead community-driven projects and shape the shared spaces that matter to them.
What We Do:
- Identify and reduce bureaucratic and knowledge barriers to community action.
- Provide clear guidance, tools, and resources, while actively connecting residents to programs, funding, and supports that enable community-led action.
- Offer micro-grants and direct support for grassroots initiatives.
- Celebrate and recognize resident-led efforts and leadership.
- Facilitate collaborative placemaking opportunities involving residents, artists, and local organizations.
- Provide clear guidance,and resources to help residents navigate municipal processes and permissions.
- Actively connect residents to existing programs, funding, and support opportunities.
What’s The Outcome:
- Increased grassroots, resident-led projects and community ownership of public spaces.
- Greater equity in participation.
- Stronger collaboration across sectors and stronger local leadership.
- People connect through shared action and responsibility, and pride.
Connection Test:
- Does this initiative make it easier for residents to initiate, lead, and complete community projects without needing insider knowledge or institutional power?
- Does this help neighbours know one another better, share responsibility, and feel proud of where they live?
Purpose: Youth are essential to the future of healthy communities. nuSarnia empowers young people as participants, storytellers, and advocates, fostering confidence, belonging, and long-term stewardship.
What We Do:
- Engage youth in hands-on placemaking and tactical urbanism projects.
- Support youth as advisors and storytellers within their communities.
- Foster independence, confidence, and belonging through real-world participation.
- Build understanding of civic systems and community care.
What’s The Outcome:
- Stronger youth–neighbourhood connections.
- Increased youth leadership.
- A new generation invested in community stewardship.
- Lasting relationships between young people and the places they live.
Connection Test:
- Does this initiative create real opportunities for youth to participate, contribute, and be visible in shaping shared spaces alongside others?
- Does this initiative strengthen youth’s long-term relationship to place, community, and civic life, increasing the likelihood they will stay involved over time?
Appendix B
How We Assess Progress and Connection:
We use a mix of simple quantitative measures and real-life stories to understand whether our work is helping people connect. This approach allows us to track visible change over time while also capturing how residents experience their neighbourhoods, streets, and public spaces.
We examine how many people are participating in community activities—and whether they continue to return and stay involved.
We track:
- The number of residents participating in neighbourhood projects and engagement activities
- Participation across different ages, neighbourhoods, and communities
- Repeat participation over time
- Youth participation and leadership outcomes
What this tells us:
People feel invited, welcomed, and motivated to take part in community life.
Because connection is personal, we ask residents directly about their experiences.
We look at:
- Resident feedback on feelings of connection to their neighbourhood
- Stories of new relationships, shared experiences, or increased trust
- How people describe their sense of belonging and inclusion
What this tells us:
Our work is strengthening real human relationships and social bonds.
Connected communities use their streets and public spaces differently.
We observe:
- Whether people are walking, cycling, lingering, and gathering
- Changes in how often public spaces are used before and after improvements
- Public feedback on whether spaces feel active, comfortable, and welcoming
- The number of public spaces activated or improved
- The number of placemaking or beautification projects delivered
What this tells us:
Streets and public spaces are supporting everyday social life and interaction.
When people feel connected, they feel safer moving through their neighbourhoods.
We track:
- Walking and cycling activity
- Traffic calming and safety improvements
- Parent and youth perceptions of safety and independence
What this tells us:
Streets feel safer and better support freedom, confidence, and everyday connection.
Strong connections lead people to take action together.
We look at:
- The number of resident-led or neighbourhood-driven projects
- Use of micro-grants and community resources
- Neighbourhoods initiating and leading their own ideas
What this tells us:
Residents feel empowered to shape their shared spaces and community outcomes.
Connection is also reflected in how community priorities influence systems and decision-making.
We look at:
- Policies, bylaws, or practices influenced or improved
- Capital funding directed toward people-centred projects
- Advisory or partnership roles held
- Case studies demonstrating policy informed by lived experience
What this tells us:
Connection is being embedded into institutional systems, policies, and decisions.
Download the Full Strategic Plan
Want to explore the details behind our work? Download the full strategic plan to dive deeper into our vision, priorities, and roadmap for building a more connected and vibrant community.