Few cities in Canada have undergone the transformations that the City of Greater Sudbury has from its modest beginnings as a lumber town to a world-recognized leader in mining innovation and a growing regional capital for northern Ontario. For the City’s next chapter, Urban Strategies was retained to prepare a Master Plan and Delivery Strategy to direct the ongoing evolution of the city’s downtown.

To strengthen the performance of the downtown, the Master Plan established an agreed Vision for how this northern downtown should evolve. Through a mix of area-wide and site specific recommendations (including actions, initiatives and design guidelines), the plan reinforced the downtown’s role as the biggest and brightest downtown in Northern Ontario. Strategies were prepared for improving the downtown’s level of economic, cultural and retail activity, enhancing its sense of place and expanding its role as the urban centre for the region. The Plan was supported by a clear Delivery Strategy that articulated the steps required to deliver the plan, related project costs, necessary partnerships, funding opportunities and a phasing plan.

Over the course of the study, more than a thousand creative ideas were shared by a diversity of interests. Hundreds of Sudburians participated in project workshops, interviews, open houses, community forums and social media events. Outreach events included three major Community Forums, regularly scheduled Community Liaison Group meetings, a series of interactive Visioning Workshops, a hands-on Design Charrette, targeted youth consultation, thematic round tables and several days of face-to-face interviews.

Downtown Sudbury Master Plan

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