The City of Cambridge Community Development Department serves the citizens and businesses of Cambridge in a variety of ways. The department's main services include:

  • Protecting our natural environment
  • Providing opportunities for citizens to live well
  • Providing a climate for businesses to thrive
  • Building a foundation so the community can grow
  • Providing accessible services and programs that encourage participation, increase access and reduce barriers

The department strives to meet the community development needs of Cambridge residents and businesses in a reliable, sustainable, cost-effective and environmentally responsible manner, always with community growth and improvement in mind.

Service areas

The following Divisions support the Community Development Department:

  • Engineering & Transportation Services - ensures the built and natural environment is maintained - includes the planning, design, and re-construction of our transportation systems
  • Recreation & Culture - provides a range of programs and cultural activities relevant to our city, including recreation, aquatics, galleries, Cambridge Centre for the Arts and the Cambridge Farmer's Market
  • Planning Services - plans the future land use of our community ensuring the city is ready to meet the needs of future growth and industry changes
  • Building Services - administers and enforces Ontario's Building Code
  • Administration - provides centralized support for divisions and acts as liaison with other departments

Department goals

The Community Development department has several key goals, including:

  • Accountability and transparency. Be accountable and transparent by automating our processes and transactions in order to make information available and accessible

  • Accessibility. To provide accessible services that encourage participation, increase access and reduce barriers

  • Responsive to community needs. To respond to community needs by providing relevant recreation, parks and cultural programs and services
  • Sustainability. Ensure sustainability by caring for the built and natural environment and supporting the short and long term growth

Values

The Deputy City Manager of the Community Development department uses the following principles to guide the department's actions:

  • Establish, maintain and promote cooperative positive relationships with elected officials, departments and the public, while demonstrating the City's core values
  • Care for built and natural environment in a responsible manner to ensure preservation for future generations
  • Promote a customer service oriented culture
  • Accountability to our community through transparent reporting
  • Innovation and efficiency in the service areas and projects

Roles and responsibilities

The Deputy City Manager has the following expectations for the functions of the department:

  • Ensuring timely and effective communications with its clients
  • Pursuing continuous improvements for all citizens to benefit from
  • Ensuring the built and natural environment is cared for
  • Supporting the growth of a thriving local economy
  • Ensuring that the City can grow and build upon its success in the coming years
  • Engage as many people as possible in the facilities and programs the department offers
  • Use staff resources to ensure Cambridge is a community where arts, culture and events are celebrated, encouraged and recognized

The City's Strategic Plan is implemented by focusing on; people, place, prosperity.