The Town of South Bruce Peninsula has approved a new branding strategy for Sauble Beach.
The new Brand and Economic Positioning Strategy was presented to council Tuesday after months of development.
Council decided a new strategy was needed after confusion brought on by the transfer of ownership of a stretch of shoreline to Saugeen First Nation, now named Saugeen Beach.
Danielle Edwards, Manager of Economic Development, said the rebrand was truly shaped by the community.
"The strength of this brand is that it was built through the voices of our community," she said. "Throughout this process, we heard from residents, business owners, stakeholders, tourism partners, and visitors about what Sauble Beach means to them. Their input shaped every stage of the strategy, ensuring the brand authentically reflects the character of the community while providing a strong foundation to support economic development, tourism, investment attraction, and long-term resilience."
Developed by tante consulting inc. the strategy will "reinforce Sauble Beach's identity as a welcoming, nature-connected, and family-friendly destination," but will widen the focus beyond just the beach to broaden the visitor experience, strengthen the downtown core and attract businesses that complement the local economy.
The plan includes ideas for public art initiatives, new signage, developing shoulder season programming, and more. However, CAO Bill Jones said this does not mean a major expense to the Town in the coming year.
"Just beacuse we have a new strategy doesn't mean right away, all of those things are going to come down and we're going to have to spend all this money to reinvent things," he told council. "As those pieces reach end of life or grants become available... thats how this will kind of come into play. So there's not this huge dollar amount right upfront that's going to be requested of council to change the entire look of Sauble overnight."
Council said community stakeholders will identify some priorities from the plan to be a part of budget talks this year.
"This strategy is about protecting what makes Sauble Beach special while ensuring we are building a stronger future for our community," said Mayor Jay Kirkland. “This work provides a clear direction for how we can strengthen our economy, support local businesses, enhance the visitor experience, and create opportunities that benefit residents year-round."
The full strategy can be found online on the dedicated project page.
