Yarmouthians want more access to healthcare.

As the town reviews its municipal planning strategy and land-use by-laws, a ‘What We Heard’ report was recently presented to council.

Medical clinic locations continued to be a talking point, right now they’re only allowed to operate downtown.

A poll in the report showed 77 percent of respondents are in favour of removing restrictions on where clinics can operate.

Last year, the Yarmouth Mall on Starrs Road looked into the option of medical offices at their location.

Mayor Pam Mood says they need to have balance.

“There’s always a reason for doing things the way we do, while still listening to what can happen in the future, and how we can make that work,” said Mayor Mood.

“You can’t have your cake and eat it too. You can’t have vibrant pieces of the community and have everything spread out.”

Mood calls downtown ‘tremendously important’

The report also calls for more affordable housing, better parking access and more vibrancy downtown.

Mood says preserving the downtown is key.

“I can remember almost getting lost in the people downtown back in the day. Times are different, there’s online shopping now, and shops downtown can’t be successful if everyone is doing that. We want a strong downtown.”

Mood says it also impacts tourism.

“A tourist is going to a place with a lively downtown where they can walk the streets and eat at restaurants and visit shops that are different from theirs. Our downtown is pretty much closed after 5 p.m, and that won’t serve any purpose at all for growth.”

When it comes to affordable housing, Mood notes that it’s not the town’s mandate, they just set the table for developers or organizations to come in and do amazing work.

“We want more housing, we want all of these things, it just has to all come together.”

More engagement on the planning documents are planned in the spring, the final plan will go into effect this fall.