Culture is increasingly being recognized as essential to prosperous, liveable and sustainable cities and communities in the 21st century. 

Municipal cultural planning supports local economic development and that’s why the Government of Ontario is encouraging municipalities to integrate cultural planning into their daily business; to emphasize local arts, cultural industries, heritage and libraries as they plan for the future of their communities.

Planning for culture in our communities 

Culture adds to the wealth of a community in many ways, such as attracting tourists, creating jobs, revitalizing neighbourhoods and attracting new businesses. 

We’re encouraging municipalities across Ontario to identify their cultural assets and use them to improve the economic, social and environmental health of their communities.

What is municipal cultural planning?

When communities develop their municipal plans, we want them to:

• Include culture as part of public planning
• Consider culture when planning for other municipal priorities, such as –
• land use
• tourism
• youth engagement
• economic development
• transportation projects
• downtown revitalization projects.

We call this municipal cultural planning.

How do communities practice municipal cultural planning?
The municipality – municipal staff and elected officials – works with the community to identify its cultural assets.  

Cultural assets can include  –

• Performing arts, visual arts, media arts
• Libraries and archives
• Local folklore and heroes
• Festivals and events
• Historic districts and museums
• Commercial arts, such as architecture and graphic design
• Waterfalls, ancient trees and natural assets

These cultural assets are then used to develop creative solutions to the community’s widespread economic, social and environmental needs and goals. 

What can we do for you?
We can show you how your community’s cultural assets might generate wealth and offer creative solutions to local challenges.  
We can also help you find examples of what a community – similar to yours – is doing to weave culture into their local plans and into the lives of their residents.

You can choose one or all of the resources available to you, including:

• Practical advice from ministry staff
• An information kit to help you get started

Other resources
The Municipal Cultural Planning Partnership promotes municipal cultural planning in the province. 

The partnership can help you:

• Organize a municipal cultural planning information session or workshop tailored to your community or region
• Develop a municipal cultural planning session, or identify a speaker, for a local, regional or national conference or event
• Contact people who practice municipal cultural planning
• Learn more about municipal cultural planning through additional information and resources

Municipal Cultural Planning Partnership
Telephone:  519-888-4567 x35057
Email: info@ontariomcp.ca
Website: http://www.ontariomcp.ca