Mayor’s Welcome
The 21st century ushered in an age where culture and quality of life take precedence in cities and urban regions. This change is about creating places where people want to live as well as make a living. Cities that combine culture, economic opportunity and lifestyle are having the most significant economic impact. And Stratford has all three.
Ours is a picturesque community characterized by Victorian architecture, tree-lined streets, safe neighbourhoods, and extensive parks and gardens as the setting for the Stratford Shakespeare Festival – North America's largest repertory theatre company presenting Shakespearean and other classical and contemporary works. Residents take great pride in Stratford’s historic, artistic, cultural, and recreational attributes, and these qualities naturally extend to the creativity and enthusiasm of the local business community.
Stratford is also dedicated to building on these strengths through the effective planning and delivery of a wide range of community services and local participation. Together, we are celebrating diversity, building a cohesive community and fostering civic identity.
Stratford’s reputation as a prosperous and competitive business centre also continues to strengthen. Our two leading economic sectors – manufacturing and tourism – complement each other and offer a climate where small and medium sized businesses thrive alongside large corporations. There is a new vision for Stratford involving a diversified economy with greater emphasis on the City as a prime, strategic location for creative companies. Companies in the creative economy use intellectual capital as their primary input in the production and distribution of goods and services.
Creativity and innovation are becoming the new economic staples with routine manual labour falling by the wayside. Creative companies that employ new technology and invest in human ingenuity are the most dynamic companies in the world and are more resilient in times of economic crisis. The creation of the University of Waterloo digital media campus and the location of RBC’s new computer centre instantly establish Stratford as a centre for technology and innovation.
Thank-you for spending time here on our website, but we hope you’ll also consider visiting Stratford personally – it’s a rich atmosphere and welcoming climate you are sure to appreciate and enjoy.
Best wishes,
Dan Mathieson