Social Resources Element
Access to healthcare, nutrition, and healthy environments, quality education, diverse community services and facilities, and cultural opportunities are essential to a prosperous and complete community. All are critical to individual and community well-being and Ontario’s ability to attract residents and investors. However, direct control over delivery of healthcare, education, social services, and cultural opportunities is in the hands of outside organizations. Therefore, the City must leverage the efforts of service providers within the region.
Purpose
The Social Resources Element:
- Identifies quality and accessible health care, education, community services, and cultural activities as critical components to achieving Ontario’s Vision.
- Provides guidance on addressing community issues that by their nature require extensive coordination and collaboration with outside agencies.
- Addresses critical community issues that are not typically included in City policy plans.
Principles
The City believes:
- The health, wellbeing, education, and enrichment of its citizens are key components to making Ontario prosperous and a desirable place to live.
- Access to healthcare, education, community services, and cultural resources encourages community engagement and healthy lifestyle choices.
- Coordination and collaboration with service providers is essential to a comprehensive system of high quality health, education, cultural activities, and community services in Ontario.
- A diverse range of community and cultural resources, programs, and facilities help make Ontario a more complete and prosperous community.
Ontario recognizes that there is a strong link between health and individual and community prosperity. The City is committed to strengthening this critical link through collaboration with health-related public, private and nonprofit organizations. The City can have a positive impact on the health of residents by providing information on and access to, resources for healthcare, fitness and good nutrition.
While the policy foundation for improving residents’ health is found throughout the Policy Plan, this section focuses on the issues of access to healthcare providers and facilities, prevention and wellness, safe neighborhoods, and monitoring health in Ontario.
| Goals | |
| SR-1 | Residents have access to information, services and goods that improve their health and wellbeing. |
| Policies | |
| SR-1.1 |
Partnering for Healthcare. We work with healthcare providers, and local, regional, state, and federal agencies to attract and retain a diversity of affordable, quality healthcare and facilities for the entire community. |
| SR-1.2 |
Nutrition Choices. We support the promotion of equitable access to affordable healthy food choices in the community, including community gardens, farmers markets, and cooking classes. |
| SR-1.3 | Health Education. We promote equitable access to health education, including disease prevention, mental health, nutrition, and physical fitness. |
| SR-1.4 | Physical Activity. We encourage activities and community design that improve the physical fitness of our community members, with an emphasis on the provision of activities and facilities in environmental justice areas. |
Ontario’s prosperity is determined, to a great extent, by its ability to provide a skilled and educated workforce capable of meeting the requirements of business. A key factor for businesses and residents deciding whether or not to locate in Ontario is the availability of quality preschool, elementary, middle and high schools, colleges and vocational training. Ontario fosters lifelong learning so that its citizens can lead more fulfilling and productive lives by providing access to libraries, culture, community events, and activities.
| Goals | |
| SR-2 | A range of educational and training opportunities for residents and workers of all ages and abilities that improves their life choices and provides a skilled workforce for our businesses. |
| Policies | |
| SR-2.1 |
Educational Partners. We partner with educational institutions throughout the region in order to expand the range and quality of educational offerings available to the community. |
| SR-2.2 |
Workforce Training. We will work with industrial organizations, businesses, and educational institutions to create opportunities for workforce training. |
| SR-2.3 | Joint Use of Facilities. We partner with public and private educational institutions to jointly use facilities for both City and educational purposes. |
| SR-2.4 | Access to Schools. We work with local and regional partners to improve the safety in and around schools and to improve access for citizens of all ages and abilities to schools and community services, such as after school and other programs. |
| SR-2.5 | School Facilities. We plan and coordinate with school districts for designing and locating school facilities to meet the City’s goals, such as for health, walkability, and safety and to minimize impacts to existing neighborhoods. |
| SR-2.6 | Language. We promote broad outreach in languages used by the community for proposed projects that could negatively affect environmental justice areas. |
| SR-2.7 | Community Engagement. We promote targeted outreach and education to historically underrepresented groups to encourage meaningful participation in decision-making process for projects whose outcomes will affect land use in environmental justice areas. |
Ontario takes pride in having an excellent choice of classes, excursions, events, and special programs for its citizens to learn, recreate, and socialize with friends, family, neighbors, and others in their community. In addition, there are a variety of nonprofit community-based organizations and religious institutions that provide services and activities to members of the Ontario community. Community and leisure activities play an important role in linking Ontarians to their community, neighborhoods, and commercial areas.
| Goals | |
| SR-3 | A range of community and leisure programs and activities provided by public, private, and nonprofit organizations that meet the needs of the community’s varied interests, age groups and abilities. |
| Policies | |
| SR-3.1 |
Partnerships. We partner with local and regional agencies, nonprofit organizations, and the private sector to provide a comprehensive range of community activities and events to citizens. |
| SR-3.2 |
Needs Assessment. We track the needs and priorities for community services and look for ways to meet demands and avoid duplication of offerings. |
| SR-3.3 | Program Outreach. We promote information about leisure activities, classes, special events, and other services and activities to our community. |
| SR-3.4 | Community Events. We plan and actively participate in regularly scheduled community events and seasonal or yearly citywide events. |
| SR-3.5 | Community Activities as Crime Deterrents. We promote and participate in community activities as part of our crime prevention efforts. (Link to Safety Element Policy S-7.3) |
Information and knowledge resources are fundamental for the residents of Ontario to live healthy and prosperous lives. Ontario’s libraries offer free access to collections of books and other media, computers and the Internet, and a range of programs and resources, making them key focal points in the community. Ontario has an ambitious, well-established, and functional library program that addresses a broad range of ages, abilities, interests, cultural backgrounds, and income levels.
| Goals | |
| SR-4 | City libraries that connect community members of all ages and abilities to a broad range of programs, communication, and informational resources. |
| Policies | |
| SR-4.1 |
Community Needs. We identify and monitor community needs for library services, technology, and facilities, and tailor them to effectively meet those needs. |
| SR-4.2 |
Interagency Coordination. We leverage relationships with outside agencies, educational institutions, and neighboring jurisdictions to share library resources to the benefit of Ontario residents. |
| SR-4.3 | Library Outreach. We outreach to the community to increase the patronage of the library. |
| SR-4.4 | Coordination with Other Community Services. We coordinate library programs with other recreational and community programs and facilities. |
| SR-4.5 | Focal Points of the Community. We design and program Ontario’s libraries as focal points of community engagement, including public outreach and community events. |
| SR-4.6 | Robert E. Ellingwood Model Colony History Room. We work with the Ontario Museum of History and Art in order to collect, preserve, and display artifacts and images from Ontario’s heritage and connect the City’s past to the present through the History Room. |
The availability of entertainment and culture helps define and promote the City’s image locally, regionally, and internationally. These social resources are necessary to become a complete community and are essential to attracting residents and investment. Ontario is committed to making entertainment, arts, and culture readily available to citizens of all ages. These resources promote opportunities for community engagement, personal inspiration, learning, and enjoyment.
| Goals | |
| SR-5 | Local heritage, entertainment, and cultural experiences that enrich the lives of Ontario’s residents, workers, and visitors and serve to attract residents and businesses to the City. |
| Policies | |
| SR-5.1 |
Provision of Entertainment and Culture. We support equitable access to a range of entertainment and cultural experiences such as public art, exhibitions, and performances. |
| SR-5.2 |
Local Heritage Education. We partner with educational providers to promote culture and heritage. (Link to Community Design Element, Historic Preservation Section). |
| SR-5.3 | Public Art. We encourage public art in buildings, parks, open spaces, and other public and private spaces. |
| SR-5.4 | Private-Public Sector Events. We partner with private and nonprofit sectors to provide and promote participation in cultural activities including fairs, festivals, and other events geared to neighborhoods, the City as a whole, and the region. |
| SR-5.5 | Promotion of Ontario Artists and Musicians. We promote awareness of entertainment and culture produced in Ontario. |