More than 95 per cent of the 62 action items in Whitby's Community Strategic Plan are now underway or complete, according to the mayor's 2024 year-in-review newsletter, posted on whitby.ca.
Mayor Elizabeth Roy called 2024 "a banner year for Whitby" in the newsletter, crediting Town staff, council and resident engagement for the progress.
Community Strategic Plan
Creating the plan was one of Roy's biggest priorities for the term of office, the newsletter said. Public engagement began in 2023, drawing more than 8,500 visits to the Connect Whitby project page and over 3,000 people completing online surveys or attending engagement sessions.
Council endorsed the final plan in June 2023. Its 62 action items reflect resident priorities including the waterfront, healthcare, green spaces, community safety, economic growth, and social needs such as homelessness and food security.
"We're delivering on the priorities our residents told us matter most," Elizabeth Roy wrote in the newsletter.
The newsletter said every accomplishment highlighted in the year-in-review ties back to an action item in the plan.
Hospital advocacy pays off
Healthcare dominated Whitby's headlines in 2024, according to the newsletter. The Town launched a campaign pressuring the province to deliver a long-promised hospital, an effort covered by CTV News Toronto.
That was followed by Premier Doug Ford's announcement, made in Oshawa, that a new Whitby hospital would be built — a decision Durham Region's news outlet described as ending years of waiting for residents. The Toronto Star also profiled the mayor's advocacy work.
The year also saw the Whitby Health Centre open. According to DurhamRegion.com, the four-storey clinic includes 57 physicians and an urgent care clinic.
Other highlights
The newsletter pointed to other milestones that made news in 2024, including a waterfront beer garden pop-up at Whitby's historic Pump House and funding for the Town's new green and inclusive sports complex.
A virtual self-guided tour of the Fieldgate Sports Complex is available on the Town's website.
Roy also highlighted her office's focus on open and transparent communication. Hosting regular roundtables with key stakeholder groups has been one of her top priorities for the term, the newsletter said, calling each session a chance to hear about issues facing the town and work together on solutions. The number of roundtables increased in 2024.
Residents who want to weigh in can reach the mayor's office by email at mayor@whitby.ca or by phone at 905-430-4300 ext. 2203.
