Community performance dashboard launches to track progress and support decision-making towards #Squamish2040 goals

The District of Squamish has launched a community performance dashboard that tracks 30+ indicators towards achieving the goals and objectives of the newly adopted #Squamish2040 Official Community Plan (OCP). An additional 16 economic indicators track data to support local businesses in decision-making. Collectively, the dashboard provides useful and insightful data to track Squamish’s progress across a range of topics from single occupancy vehicle mode share, to childhood vulnerability, to local employment as a percentage of total workforce. The dashboard has launched in conjunction with the District of Squamish Annual Report for 2018.

“This dynamic reporting tool will support decision-making by providing us with the data necessary to understand where we’re making progress, and where we need to take action in areas that impact our daily lives and the long-term livability and health of our community,” says District of Squamish Mayor Karen Elliott. “This is a huge step forward in helping us benchmark where we are today, understand how we’re tracking towards our future goals, and provide our citizens with a much more transparent and accessible way to measure our progress.”

The OCP dashboard focuses on the five goals expressed within the OCP – Resilience, Livability, Health, Connectedness and Engagement. It highlights identified measures pertaining to the environment, the economy and jobs, growth management, transportation, civic engagement and open government.  The dashboard is a key implementation mechanism for the Plan, and will be an evolving document over time.

An additional 16 economic indicators complement the OCP dashboard, and were created in partnership with the Squamish Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Squamish, with funding provided in part by the Province of B.C.

“These 16 indicators paint a picture of the Squamish business climate from year-to-year to provide local businesses and community partners with greater decision-making capabilities and empowerment through access to data,” says Squamish Chamber Executive Director, Louise Walker. “Providing business intelligence can help support growth and investment, and can help businesses improve processes and track their own progress in comparison. We’re excited to showcase this tool to our community.”

The economic development dashboard focuses on the three economic development pillars part of the District’s Economic Development Action Plan 2017-2019 – People, Business and Place, and includes data and analyses on workforce, local firms, cost of doing business, investment and employment space.

View both dashboards online by visiting: Squamish.ca/benchmarking.

June 20, 2019