'Vision 2050: Future Owen Sound' - Full Survey Responses & Our Analysis
In 2023, the City of Owen Sound undertook a strategic planning process called Vision 2050: Future Owen Sound.
City Council allocated $100,000 to the project in 2024, including $80,000 for a public consultation survey conducted by a consultant, and $100,000 in 2025 for the implementation of recommendations.
On October 6, 2025, Owen Sound Council approved the Vision 2050 Strategic Plan:
The City has called it a “historic” 25-year strategic plan, with Mayor Ian Boddy adding that it “charts our City’s future” and “provides a compass bearing for current and future City Councils to set priorities and take action.”
Community Responses Blocked by City, But Obtained by FOIA and Published
In November 2024, following the publication of an initial survey report that summarized close to 5,000 written-in responses in just two pages, Owen Sound Current filed an information and access request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA) to obtain the full results.
We obtained those results at a cost of $517.50 paid to the City of Owen Sound. We have published the redacted document as it was received, to ensure residents have access to the same information used by their elected representatives to inform the Vision 2050 strategic plan.
Readers can use the search or filter tools to quickly find comments by keyword — for example, typing “housing” will pull up all responses that mention it, while filtering by “safety” or “downtown” makes it easy to see recurring concerns. The spreadsheet format also allows you to sort, copy, or analyze the data for your own research, reporting, or community discussions.
Please contact Miranda Miller at owensoundcurrenteditor@gmail.com with any questions.
Our Independent Vision 2050 Survey Results Analysis
You can see more of Owen Sound Current’s analysis of each set of written responses here:
Coverage of the Vision 2050 Strategic Planning Process
Owen Sound Council Approves Vision 2050 Plan After Defeating All Proposed Amendments
Owen Sound City Council received the outcome of its initial Vision 2050 strategic plan on Monday evening, approving a final report that contains the metrics against which future councils wi…
City Further Restricts Business Owners' Access to Downtown Safety Meeting
Despite framing the July 28 meeting as a key opportunity to hear from stakeholders, the City of Owen Sound already has access to extensive community input on these very issues—input it has not publicly shared.
Tues July 15 - News + Editorial: What It Takes to Be Heard in Owen Sound
EDITORIAL - We’re committed to continuing to share your perspectives and amplifying residents’ voices. Next up: your responses to the ‘Future Owen Sound: Vision 2050’ survey.
After spending $85,000 and countless staff hours on a consultant-led community survey last year, the City Manager’s Office ultimately chose not to release the survey responses to the public. Council, when informed, said nothing.
May 26 - Local News + Another Call for Municipal Transparency
EDITORIAL - We have a duty to ask questions when Owen Sound cannot complete this process in-house, cannot achieve it on a set timeline with a firm budget, and continues executing on plans made 10 to 25 years ago.
Here is the City of Owen Sound’s estimate for the six months of emails we requested for enlightenment into this Vision 2050 process: $7,587.50.
Letter: City of Owen Sound Needs Smart Use of Reserves & a Plan for Right Now
LETTER TO THE EDITOR - Ruth Lovell Stanners shares a letter she submitted to the Mayor and Council questioning their decision to use $100,000 from reserves for 'Vision 2050' recommendations.
City of Owen Sound Delays Public Access to Vision 2050 Survey Responses Despite FOI Approval
EDITORIAL OPINION -Intended as a cornerstone of open engagement, Vision 2050 survey results remain under wraps as Owen Sound stretches its timeline for release well past MFIPPA requirements.
Another $100,000 on Community Engagement for the City That Refuses to Engage Community
EDITORIAL POINT OF VIEW - Owen Sound Council greenlights an additional $100,000 for the Vision 2050 project, raising questions about transparency, accountability...
Weds July 3: Let's Talk About Owen Sound's 'Vision 2050' Project
EDITORIAL - Let’s talk about ‘Future Owen Sound: Vision 2050.’ The City of Owen Sound has engaged a consultant for up to $80,000 to help us collectively develop our vision of what this town could be 26 years from now.
Letter: How Can We Reverse Owen Sound's Decline?
LETTER TO THE EDITOR - As a downtown Owen Sound building owner, business owner and resident, I was disheartened to see that another long-term and much-respected business, DC Taylor, was leaving 2nd Ave E. The reason is not a secret, and one of their employees told me they were fed up with the state of our downtown, and the very visible presence of addicts and others clearly in need of assistance.
City's 'Vision 2050' Survey Open for Community Input
MEDIA RELEASE - Over the past few years, the municipal landscape has changed dramatically in terms of both challenges and opportunities. Future Owen Sound—Vision 2050 is responding to this new reality.