A three-year action plan for addressing some of the city's social issues is one of the goals of the city's new social planner.

John Stark, who has 15 years of experience in social planning, recently started working as a social planner for the City of New Westminster….

Stark, who started working in city hall Aug. 7, hopes to meet with various community representatives to examine local issues. While there are a "lot of things happening" locally, he said many of them are happening in isolation of each other.

"Setting priorities is important," he said of the city's role. "There is a lot of issues out there. There is a limited amount of funding." …

In his report, Stark indicated he intends to: review all relevant background documentation related to social planning in New Westminster; begin to define an appropriate role for the city on social issues and refine the terms of reference for his position; hold a working session with community and social interests in the city; update the city's website regarding social planning; hold meetings with various departments and community groups; consolidate information regarding assets, opportunities and the issues related to the social environment in the city; and develop a three-year action plan - including short-term achievables - after meeting with the community to determine the city's priorities for action.

Stark's goals also include setting a time frame for a number of reports and studies, such as the social services directory that's included on the city's website but is based on 2000/2001 information. He noted the New Westminster Housing Strategy was done in 1996 and the child-care strategy was completed in 1995.

Stark will also consider the development of a "social lens" that will inform the development review process.

"More specifically, it could examine the possible impacts on the social environment arising from major new developments, while examining how they can contribute to or facilitate social development," said his report. "A comparable example within the city is the voluntary amenity contributions."

With the goal of achieving a high quality of life, major new developments would be examined from the perspective of their possible impact on the social environment, which includes demand for affordable housing, child care and community services. It could also consider how they could contribute to and facilitate social development, such as new affordable or non-market housing, new child care facilities/spaces, and new community amenities.

Stark also plans to start working on a "social status report" that will track a number of social indicators, including community services, education, health, housing, income and safety. It will be used to provide a snapshot of social conditions, inform social policy and track progress in addressing social issues.

Coun. Lorrie Williams, who met with Stark to discuss New Westminster's child care needs, would like the city to become a model for child care in British Columbia. Coun. Bill Harper, who chairs the community and social issues committee, said agencies are "really happy" to see that a social planner is in place.

"I don't think you really know how big your plate is going to be loaded," he told Stark.

Harper noted that affordable housing, child care and immigrant services are but a few of the social issues that should be considered by the city. … With a social planner in place, it's expected the city will be able to move forward on the homelessness policy and the child care strategy, and to set a timeframe for updating other reports and studies.

"The new social planner will be instrumental in ensuring that new growth and development contributes to community and social well-being, while strategically and proactively addressing social issues (e.g. homelessness, substance misuse, etc.) that threaten the city's economic prosperity and livability," said the report. "He will also be instrumental in lobbying the senior levels of government to do more in addressing the underlying causes of many of the social issues which are facing the city, while seeking coordinated, regional response to social issues such as homelessness."