Scottish Canals launches new three-year vision

Scottish Canals has pledged to inform policy decisions that lead to better health outcomes for those living next to canals as part of a new three-year vision for the organisation, according to Scottish Housing News.

The new Corporate Plan for 2020-23 illustrates how Scottish Canals will undertake its statutory duties and how it will contribute to the Scottish Government’s National Outcomes.

Four priorities steer the strategy

• Transform our canals
• Create new opportunities
• Excel at what we do
• Respond to global challenges

According to Scottish Housing News, a crucial part of this is ensuring the 200-year-old waterways can continue to thrive in the future, through careful maintenance and improvements, in addition to adapting to future challenges such as climate change. This year, a partnership with Glasgow City Council and Scottish Water will see Scottish Canals commission Glasgow’s Smart Canal; integrating predictive weather and sensor technology with the historic Forth & Clyde Canal to manage surface water which will allow for up to 3,000 new homes to be built in the area, whilst reducing the city’s carbon footprint.

“Our 2020-23 Corporate Plan builds on the key priorities and successes achieved to date,” says Andrew Thin, chair of Scottish Canals board. “By doing all we can to maximise the public value of these incredible working heritage assets, use them imaginatively to benefit everyone in Scotland, play our part in addressing the climate emergency and ensuring that we continue to focus on good governance and financial sustainability.

“A vital part in achieving this is continuing to deliver our pioneering Asset Management Strategy 2018-30, taking an agile approach to how we use the canals and being able to demonstrate the broad public value that Scotland’s canals deliver for us all.”

Scottish Canals’ Environment Strategy 2015-25 is also a key element in the delivery of the three-year plan, defining a clear route to delivering sustainable benefits for customers, the canal network and wider environment. Taking steps to reduce Scottish Canals’ own carbon emissions through increasing the proportion of electric vehicles and supporting active travel through the provision of e-bikes, tackling the invasion of non-native species on the canal, and encouraging low carbon travel along towpaths are just some of the ways Scottish Canals will achieve this.

Through continued partnership working, engaging with communities, and investing in canal infrastructure and the regeneration of rural destinations along the canals, Scottish Canals is confident it can do more to evidence the impact of canals socially, environmentally and economically.

Read the full story online.