Uxbridge, a municipality of about 21,000 in Durham Region, started its Downtown Revitalization project in 2020 with support from the Rural Economic Development program. Their successes lay in building a solid foundation from the start by bringing many diverse groups to the steering committee.  

They undertook a comprehensive community engagement process, which included surveys with 1,977 residents, visitors and business owners. Visioning sessions and design workshops enabled Uxbridge to gather additional input on the community’s wants and needs for revitalizing their downtown.  Using this input a strategic plan was developed that was based on four pillars

• Dedicated leadership
• Revitalization of Lower Brock
• Safe, Walkable Downtown
• Downtown as a Destination

Council approved the Strategic Plan and Action Plan in 2022 and now the community is undertaking actions to support the revitalization.

Some of the actions that the community has undertaken include:

• Establishing a downtown revitalization advisory committee as a standing committee of council
• Reviewing and revising the Uxbridge Downtown Community Improvement Program
• Reducing long-haul truck traffic through downtown with traffic calming measures
• Allocating a yearly budget from a tax levy to support downtown revitalization

Between 2022 and 2023, the community of Uxbridge experienced a 63 per cent increase of people employed in their downtown. Additionally, $1.5 million worth of physical improvements were made to downtown buildings in 2023. These investments were enabled by the successful initial phase of Uxbridge’s Downtown Revitalization initiative that is being implemented to foster a vibrant and thriving downtown.

“With support from the RED program, Uxbridge is actively creating a vibrant and thriving downtown. The recent Council decision to apply for the expropriation of three properties at the main intersection is a significant step in redeveloping Lower Brock. This move aligns with the Township’s Downtown Community Improvement Plan, Official Plan, and the 2020 Downtown Uxbridge Vision.” Mayor Dave Barton

Through an inclusive and collaborative revitalization process the community managed to strengthen local businesses and consumer markets, improve security of local investments and create new employment opportunities.

Uxbridge’s success is a testament to the power of an interdisciplinary, collaborative, and deliberate process to engage in community-led revitalization, as can be seen in this video.

Working in collaboration with communities and their partners, the ministry recommends a four-point approach to Downtown Revitalization planning that includes:

•  harnessing leadership & management
•  investing in physical improvement
• economic development
• marketing & promotion

If you are interested in learning more about how you can engage in Downtown Revitalization in your community visit their website.

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