Array
(
[id] => 510
[active] => 1
[city_id] => 157
[city_name] => Stratford
[contact_name] => Zac
[contact_surname] => Gribble
[contact_email] => zac@visitstratford.ca
[organisation] => Destination Stratford
[website] => https://visitstratford.ca/
[environmental_description] => The City of Stratford has committed to ambitious goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and has established interim targets for 2030 and 2040. The municipality aims to be a leader in environmental sustainability and climate action within the region, and the province of Ontario. With these goals in perspective, the city is applying two-pronged approach toward addressing environmental sustainability and focusing on mitigation and adaptation together to accelerate decarbonization and build community resilience to address climate change impacts. Striving to create complete communities, decarbonizing the existing building stock with retrofits, aiming for net zero new construction, exploring alternative modes of transportation for residents and tourists alike, enhancing communications around waste management and working with partners to are a few strategies being considered. Most recently, the municipality has hired expert staff to lead these initiatives using a climate lens throughout corporate and community-wide programs. Tourism has a significant impact on our community and drives economic growth. As an important partner in this process to embed sustainability within the tourism sector, Destination Stratford is championing sustainable initiatives to render Stratford as a low-carbon vacation destination.
Our response to climate change is shaped by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Action 13- Climate Action. Guided by the County-wide Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan, the City is currently developing its Climate Action Plan tailored to the needs and requirements of Stratford – to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and work toward a healthy future for our communities.
[social_description] => Our initial diversity, equity and inclusion project goals to engage and empower leaders within the Destination Stratford business, public and community catchment area to identify and dismantle personal and systemic racism and other biases within organizational structures, practices, and policies; and provide internal Destination Stratford board members and stakeholders access to learning experiences (skills, language, and tools) designed to understand how to identify and dismantle racism and bias, were completed as of May 2021. In 2022 and 2023, we collaboratively defined what it means to be a “welcoming community” and brought this definition to Stratford City Council for formal recognition to continue EDIAR awareness and action within our community, especially for our front-line tourism teams and residents.
With the help of the community, the City of Stratford and Destination Stratford recently completed Stratford’s first Municipal Cultural Plan. The Municipal Cultural Plan offers guidance on the long-term and short-term growth of Stratford’s Cultural fabric and community and will knit together policies covering a wide range of areas and cultural sectors into a growth strategy that sets the city on a path towards its desired long-term vision. The 4 pathways that will be pursued are Strive for Creativity and Innovation, Celebrate Diversity and Support Inclusion, Instill Community Pride Through the Promotion of a Shared Authentic Identity, and Further Truth and Reconciliation. A local organization that is setting the pace for programming and support is the Stratford Public Library with their continuous awareness of women, IBPOC, 2LGBTQQIA+, and other equity-deserving members of our community.
The City of Stratford has built new affordable housing, geared toward low-income individuals. Being commissioned as a high-performance building that embeds the principles of Passive House, this development as built will be healthy, climate-resilient, affordable, and energy-efficient. Passive House is a high-performance building standard that sharply reduces greenhouse gas emissions and provides resilient structures that can withstand extreme weather related to climate change- and that is how we are embracing equity in our future planning.
To assist in many aspects that the City is considering implementing, Stratford City Council establishes Advisory Committees and Boards to fulfil various mandates and make recommendations to Council. Advisory Committees give advice and feedback to City Council on a variety of issues, including active transportation, accessibility, heritage, and the environment.
[supplier_description] => Our newest meeting space is the LEED Gold Certified Tom Patterson Theatre, a sustainable event/meeting space. The Stratford Festival is embracing energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, environmental awareness through their supply chains, and amplifying this awareness to its patrons and the community.
Stratford does not currently have a sustainable event program; however, we are actively pursuing opportunities to enhance our program offerings with minimal impact to the environment.
[dmo_description] => The City is exploring opportunities with a wide array of stakeholders and partners as we create specific programs and initiatives including but not limited to energy conservation and demand management, sustainable tourism, education and awareness campaigns, waste reduction and diversion from landfill, an efficient public transit network intracity and within the region. Residents and industry representatives routinely participate in these conversations through advisory committees such as energy, environment, active transportation, city planning and heritage assets, and to champion what the community is most interested in pursuing and contribute toward a sustainable city.
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[high_env_1] => 0.3
[high_env_2] => 14
[high_env_3] => 99
[high_soc_1] => 77.7305
[high_soc_2] => 88.17
[high_soc_3] => 74
[high_sup_1] => 0
[high_sup_2] => 0
[high_sup_3] => 0
[high_dmo_1] => None
[high_dmo_2] => 0
[high_dmo_3] => None
[created_at] => 2023-10-05 07:33:07
[updated_at] => 2023-12-07 12:02:18
[year] => 2023
)
Array
(
[id] => 510
[year] => 2023
[city_id] => 157
[city_name] => Stratford
[score_type] => city
[Total] => 18.9
[Total_rank] => 100
[Environment] => 18.64
[Environment_rank] => 56
[Social] => 71.05
[Social_rank] => 13
[Supplier] => 4.88
[Supplier_rank] => 68
[DMO] => 1.46
[DMO_rank] => 75
[longitude] => -80.98785351415535
[latitude] => 43.369192624486914
[population] => 34500
[country] => Canada
[region] => North America
[created_at] => 2023-10-05 07:31:00
[updated_at] => 2023-10-05 07:31:00
)
Stratford 2023 GDS-Index Report
Stratford, Canada
2023 Performance Overview
DMO
Supplier
Social
Environmental
Performance Highlights
Summary
Environmental
Supplier
Social
The City is exploring opportunities with a wide array of stakeholders and partners as we create specific programs and initiatives including but not limited to energy conservation and demand management, sustainable tourism, education and awareness campaigns, waste reduction and diversion from landfill, an efficient public transit network intracity and within the region. Residents and industry representatives routinely participate in these conversations through advisory committees such as energy, environment, active transportation, city planning and heritage assets, and to champion what the community is most interested in pursuing and contribute toward a sustainable city.
The City of Stratford has committed to ambitious goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and has established interim targets for 2030 and 2040. The municipality aims to be a leader in environmental sustainability and climate action within the region, and the province of Ontario. With these goals in perspective, the city is applying two-pronged approach toward addressing environmental sustainability and focusing on mitigation and adaptation together to accelerate decarbonization and build community resilience to address climate change impacts. Striving to create complete communities, decarbonizing the existing building stock with retrofits, aiming for net zero new construction, exploring alternative modes of transportation for residents and tourists alike, enhancing communications around waste management and working with partners to are a few strategies being considered. Most recently, the municipality has hired expert staff to lead these initiatives using a climate lens throughout corporate and community-wide programs. Tourism has a significant impact on our community and drives economic growth. As an important partner in this process to embed sustainability within the tourism sector, Destination Stratford is championing sustainable initiatives to render Stratford as a low-carbon vacation destination.
Our response to climate change is shaped by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Action 13- Climate Action. Guided by the County-wide Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan, the City is currently developing its Climate Action Plan tailored to the needs and requirements of Stratford – to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and work toward a healthy future for our communities.
Our newest meeting space is the LEED Gold Certified Tom Patterson Theatre, a sustainable event/meeting space. The Stratford Festival is embracing energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, environmental awareness through their supply chains, and amplifying this awareness to its patrons and the community.
Stratford does not currently have a sustainable event program; however, we are actively pursuing opportunities to enhance our program offerings with minimal impact to the environment.
Our initial diversity, equity and inclusion project goals to engage and empower leaders within the Destination Stratford business, public and community catchment area to identify and dismantle personal and systemic racism and other biases within organizational structures, practices, and policies; and provide internal Destination Stratford board members and stakeholders access to learning experiences (skills, language, and tools) designed to understand how to identify and dismantle racism and bias, were completed as of May 2021. In 2022 and 2023, we collaboratively defined what it means to be a “welcoming community” and brought this definition to Stratford City Council for formal recognition to continue EDIAR awareness and action within our community, especially for our front-line tourism teams and residents.
With the help of the community, the City of Stratford and Destination Stratford recently completed Stratford’s first Municipal Cultural Plan. The Municipal Cultural Plan offers guidance on the long-term and short-term growth of Stratford’s Cultural fabric and community and will knit together policies covering a wide range of areas and cultural sectors into a growth strategy that sets the city on a path towards its desired long-term vision. The 4 pathways that will be pursued are Strive for Creativity and Innovation, Celebrate Diversity and Support Inclusion, Instill Community Pride Through the Promotion of a Shared Authentic Identity, and Further Truth and Reconciliation. A local organization that is setting the pace for programming and support is the Stratford Public Library with their continuous awareness of women, IBPOC, 2LGBTQQIA+, and other equity-deserving members of our community.
The City of Stratford has built new affordable housing, geared toward low-income individuals. Being commissioned as a high-performance building that embeds the principles of Passive House, this development as built will be healthy, climate-resilient, affordable, and energy-efficient. Passive House is a high-performance building standard that sharply reduces greenhouse gas emissions and provides resilient structures that can withstand extreme weather related to climate change- and that is how we are embracing equity in our future planning.
To assist in many aspects that the City is considering implementing, Stratford City Council establishes Advisory Committees and Boards to fulfil various mandates and make recommendations to Council. Advisory Committees give advice and feedback to City Council on a variety of issues, including active transportation, accessibility, heritage, and the environment.
Summary
The City is exploring opportunities with a wide array of stakeholders and partners as we create specific programs and initiatives including but not limited to energy conservation and demand management, sustainable tourism, education and awareness campaigns, waste reduction and diversion from landfill, an efficient public transit network intracity and within the region. Residents and industry representatives routinely participate in these conversations through advisory committees such as energy, environment, active transportation, city planning and heritage assets, and to champion what the community is most interested in pursuing and contribute toward a sustainable city.
Does Destination Stratford have a Sustainability Strategy?
Does Stratford have a sustainable destination certificate?
Does Destination Stratford report on its sustainability performance?
Environmental
The City of Stratford has committed to ambitious goals of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050 and has established interim targets for 2030 and 2040. The municipality aims to be a leader in environmental sustainability and climate action within the region, and the province of Ontario. With these goals in perspective, the city is applying two-pronged approach toward addressing environmental sustainability and focusing on mitigation and adaptation together to accelerate decarbonization and build community resilience to address climate change impacts. Striving to create complete communities, decarbonizing the existing building stock with retrofits, aiming for net zero new construction, exploring alternative modes of transportation for residents and tourists alike, enhancing communications around waste management and working with partners to are a few strategies being considered. Most recently, the municipality has hired expert staff to lead these initiatives using a climate lens throughout corporate and community-wide programs. Tourism has a significant impact on our community and drives economic growth. As an important partner in this process to embed sustainability within the tourism sector, Destination Stratford is championing sustainable initiatives to render Stratford as a low-carbon vacation destination.
Our response to climate change is shaped by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, specifically Action 13- Climate Action. Guided by the County-wide Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan, the City is currently developing its Climate Action Plan tailored to the needs and requirements of Stratford – to reduce our greenhouse gas emissions and work toward a healthy future for our communities.
OF ELECTRICITY FROM RENEWABLES
HECTARES OF GREEN AREA PER 100 000 POPULATION
Supplier
Our newest meeting space is the LEED Gold Certified Tom Patterson Theatre, a sustainable event/meeting space. The Stratford Festival is embracing energy efficiency, water conservation, waste management, environmental awareness through their supply chains, and amplifying this awareness to its patrons and the community.
Stratford does not currently have a sustainable event program; however, we are actively pursuing opportunities to enhance our program offerings with minimal impact to the environment.
OF HOTEL ROOMS SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
OF VENUES SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
OF PCOS/DMCS SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFIED
Social
Our initial diversity, equity and inclusion project goals to engage and empower leaders within the Destination Stratford business, public and community catchment area to identify and dismantle personal and systemic racism and other biases within organizational structures, practices, and policies; and provide internal Destination Stratford board members and stakeholders access to learning experiences (skills, language, and tools) designed to understand how to identify and dismantle racism and bias, were completed as of May 2021. In 2022 and 2023, we collaboratively defined what it means to be a “welcoming community” and brought this definition to Stratford City Council for formal recognition to continue EDIAR awareness and action within our community, especially for our front-line tourism teams and residents.
With the help of the community, the City of Stratford and Destination Stratford recently completed Stratford’s first Municipal Cultural Plan. The Municipal Cultural Plan offers guidance on the long-term and short-term growth of Stratford’s Cultural fabric and community and will knit together policies covering a wide range of areas and cultural sectors into a growth strategy that sets the city on a path towards its desired long-term vision. The 4 pathways that will be pursued are Strive for Creativity and Innovation, Celebrate Diversity and Support Inclusion, Instill Community Pride Through the Promotion of a Shared Authentic Identity, and Further Truth and Reconciliation. A local organization that is setting the pace for programming and support is the Stratford Public Library with their continuous awareness of women, IBPOC, 2LGBTQQIA+, and other equity-deserving members of our community.
The City of Stratford has built new affordable housing, geared toward low-income individuals. Being commissioned as a high-performance building that embeds the principles of Passive House, this development as built will be healthy, climate-resilient, affordable, and energy-efficient. Passive House is a high-performance building standard that sharply reduces greenhouse gas emissions and provides resilient structures that can withstand extreme weather related to climate change- and that is how we are embracing equity in our future planning.
To assist in many aspects that the City is considering implementing, Stratford City Council establishes Advisory Committees and Boards to fulfil various mandates and make recommendations to Council. Advisory Committees give advice and feedback to City Council on a variety of issues, including active transportation, accessibility, heritage, and the environment.
78
SDG IMPLEMENTATION SCORE
88
SCORE ON SOCIAL PROGRESS INDEX
74
SCORE ON CORRUPTION PERCEPTION INDEX
About the Global Destination Sustainability Movement
The Global Destination Sustainability Movement (GDSM) brings together the sustainability pioneers of the business and leisure tourism world, working with destinations to co-create their tourism and events strategies, benchmark and improve their sustainability performance and transform value chains in order to catalyse regeneration.
Our purpose is to engage, inspire and enable the business events and tourism industry to become more sustainable and regenerative.
Our Methodology
In 2022 the GDS-Index used 70 indicators that evaluate destinations sustainability performance across four key areas. If you are interested, you can read our benchmarking methodology in detail here.
Environmental
Performance
Climate, Energy and Emissions
Circularity and Waste
Water
Air Quality
Transportation
Biodiversity
Social
Performance
SDG Alignment
Corruption
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Health, Safety and Wellness
Accessibility
Resident Engagement
Supplier
Performance
Hotels
Airport
Agencies (PCOs & DMCs)
Restaurants
Venues
Academia
Destination
Management
Performance
Destination Strategy
Governance and Reporting
Policy and Certification
Capacity Building
Measurement, Impact and Reporting
Marketing and Communications
Diversity, Equality and Inclusion
Ownership
The GDSM is not owned by any one organisation. It is operated as a multi-stakeholder partnership founded and endorsed by IMEX, MCI, the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) and City Destinations Alliance (CityDNA). Gubi Consulting and Guy Bigwood are responsible for the management of the Secretariat.
