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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-2023-088 - 2023-2026 Strategic Plan Development - Prioritizing Strategic Goal Areas REPORT TO: Special Council DATE OF MEETING: February 27, 2023 SUBMITTED BY: Dan Chapman, CAO, 519-741-2200 ext. 7350 PREPARED BY: Kathryn Dever, Director, Strategy and Corporate Performance, 519-741-2200 ext. 7370 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All Ward(s) DATE OF REPORT: February 21, 2023 REPORT NO.: CAO-2023-088 SUBJECT: 2023-2026 Strategic Plan Development Prioritizing Strategic Goal Areas RECOMMENDATION: For discussion. REPORT HIGHLIGHTS: The purpose of this report is to provide Council a progress update on work underway -2026, with a focus on engaging Council in a discussion to establish a set of strategic goal areas for the Strategic Plan. Staff continue to work with Compass Kitchener to implement meaningful, inclusive and enhanced community engagement to inform the Strategic Plan, with the Resident Panel actively underway. This report supports the creation of a new Strategic Plan with key goals and actions for the next 4-year timeframe, and goes further as the work includes developing a new 20- year vision for the City of Kitchener to proactively plan for the future. There are no financial implications associated with this staff report. BACKGROUND: four-year term of Council towards our long-term community vision. The 2019-2022 Strategic Plan yielded tangible achievements and results, informing the annual Business Plan and decision-making on capital and operating budget investments. The Strategic Plan represents a commitment to the public to move forward on those things that are most important to them. The new term of Council represents an opportunity to set a new four-year agenda that builds on the progress made, while planning for the future to take advantage of *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. new opportunities to better serve the community and respond to emerging issues, trends and shifts in citizen priorities. These discussions have deliberately spanned the previous and new terms of Council, to access both the depth of knowledge gained over the previous term, and connect with Council following the municipal campaign and election. At the February 27 Council strategic session staff will engage in a discussion around key goal areas to be included in the Strategic Plan. The goal areas established by Council will be used by staff to identify indicators of success, and potential actions in which the City could make progress over the life of the Strategic Plan, for discussion at a future Council session. REPORT: Strategic Plan Workplan Progress The workplan to define the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan has six stages as shown below; we are currently in stage 4: Given the increasing complexities facing the city, Kitchener is innovating new approaches to develop the next Strategic Plan, by working with the REFOCUS team and their Enterprise Evolution approach which combines scientific knowledge and management processes to pursue economic, equity and environmental objectives. A working group of 20+ staff representing all departments and various levels is engaging in a series of progressive sessions with REFOCUS to learn and apply these methods. The staff group is generating ideas, options and making recommendations together with the Corporate Leadership Team to develop a proposed 2023-2026 Strategic Plan. Council Leadership To support Council in its leadership role to oversee and direct development of the 2023- 2026 Strategic Plan, staff have identified several points for discussion and direction in Council strategy sessions throughout the process. Council and staff have already held four meetings in relation to the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan; a summary direction to date, and how it has shaped the planning process in a meaningful way is summarized in Appendix A. Strategic Planning Roles and Inputs The Strategic Planning process includes a variety of inputs from a number of groups outlined in the visual below. Compass Kitchener, Staff and the Resident Panel each contribute different perspectives, functions and develop deliverables for Cderation. Key learnings are being shared between the various groups, and all of these inputs are considered by Council in its leadership role to oversee development of the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan. As noted in the January report and discussion with Council on Compass Kitchener community priorities, there is a high degree of alignment between inputs and aspirations gathered from the various phases of community engagement completed and still underway which are reflected in the Strategic Goal Areas featured in this report. The Strategic Plan Resident Panel is a new role and input shown in the diagram. The Panel is an innovation in engagement that staff and Compass Kitchener have brought into this planning cycle, and it was formally launched following in November. The Resident Panel is a group of approximately 40 Kitchener residents who, after responding to a call for volunteers and detailed role description, were randomly chosen to reflect the demographic profile of Kitchener. Designed as an informed, consensus-based, and representative voice of the public, the p Work alongside members of City of Kitchener staff, the Compass Kitchener Advisory Committee and the REFOCUS consulting team. Work together collaboratively, to understand facts surrounding key issues/ considerations by reading information, hearing from experts and talking as a group. Develop and agree through consensus on recommendations for potential goals and actions to be considered for inclusion in the Strategic Plan. Advise staff and Council on the Strategic Goals and Actions that will make up the Strategic Plan by developing recommendations that could include trade-offs or compromises. The Resident Panel is a method to deeply involve the community in stages of the strategic planning process where typically there has been very little engagement - creating the opportunity for meaningful contributions around goals and actions, while building understanding and trust in the work of the City. Having met twice so far, and with two sessions to come, the panel has already provided rich and meaningful feedback, which led to staff amending the proposed Strategic Goal Areasto includea distinctEconomic focus, reflected in this report. Strategic Plan Components aspirations and commitments for Kitchener as outlined in the visual below; we are currently defining Strategic Goal Areas as the focus of this report and Council discussion. The Vision is our 20-year community vision for a desired future of Kitchener and what we as a City organization are striving for on behalf of the community. Within this 20-year timeframe the City establishes a series of Strategic Plans aligned to each term of Council, to make meaningful progress on what is possible to achieve over that 4-year cycle. Strategic Goal Areas are focus areas in which the City can take action to make change in themes that are important to the community in the 4-year cycle, and aligned to the Vision. Actions outline the specific commitments and progress the City will make within the Goal Areas, often reflected as projects in the annual Business Plan. Strategic Goal Areas Proposed for 2023-2026 Strategic Plan The proposed Strategic Goal Areas for the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan represent the community priorities. As part of our work in the Enterprise Evolution approach and new to the process in this planning cycle, staff also considered a broader system view of social, environmental, economic and organizational domains in addition to community input, and questions such as: What could Kitchener influence as a community to ensure resilience and sustainability into the future? What is the current momentum and motivation to make progress in certain areas? What value could be generated within each area, including across the community, society and the environment? Staff developed a list of 21 potential Strategic Goal Areas from community input and the system-wide approach. Through a series of iterative analysis, discussion and prioritization, as well as feedback from the Resident Panel, staff arrived at the following proposed grouping of 5 to guide action and progress over the life of the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, with the definitions and potential value of each included in Appendix B: Note: Letters refer to items as detailed in Appendix B which were grouped into broader Goal Areas. Italics refer to additional items of interest to Council and the community that could be included within the Strategic Goal Area GOAL #1 BELONGING AND PARTICIPATION: Enable community and citizen wellbeing and thriving by providing greater access to responsive City programs and services, welcoming and embracing newcomers as a community, and involving and empowering citizens through meaningful engagement with the City. Includes the following: Civic Engagement (A) Community Connection and Belonging B) Newcomer Experience (C) Healthy and Active Community (E) Reconciliation GOAL #2 HOUSING, LAND USE AND MOBILITY: Plan and provide a built environment that meets the needs of all by improving housing access and affordability, enabling mobility through a variety of transportation modes, and preserving valued green space while growing smartly. Includes the following: Housing (F) Transportation (J) Sustainable Land Use and Urban Growth (K) Parks, Outdoor Spaces, Trails, Active Transportation, Traffic GOAL #3 ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE ACTION: Make transformational efforts towards environmental sustainability and resilience by planning and providing infrastructure and programs to respond to climate change, transitioning toward low- carbon, renewable energy sources, and supporting residents to make sustainable choices. Includes the following: Climate Adaptation & Mitigation (H) Energy Mix (I) Tree canopy, Natural systems and areas GOAL #4 ECONOMIC PROSPERITY AND OPPORTUNITY: Strengthen the economic ecosystem in Kitchener by way of meaningful engagement between the City and business community, building an environment where a diverse community of businesses and entrepreneurs are connected and well-supported. Includes the following: Employment (D) Innovation culture (External) (L) Private Sector Health (M) Workforce (External) (N) Entrepreneurship/Small Business Community Health (O) Private Investment in Kitchener (P) GOAL #5 GOOD GOVERNMENT: Enhance the core programs and systems which underpin the City organization and workforce by investing in skill enhancement and development, leadership capabilities, employee attraction and retention to build a strong and diverse workforce committed to public service, with the City consistently being regarded as an excellent place to work. Includes the following: Data Management (Q) Employer Identity / Value Proposition (R) Financial Health (S) Organizational & Leadership Capability (T) Stakeholder Relationships (U) Innovation culture (internal) At proposed Strategic Goal Areas as focal points for the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan including the following: 1. Have staff accurately summarized Council and Community priorities in these five goal areas? 2. Within these goal areas, where would you like to see particular emphasis placed as we establish term-of-Council priority actions? which the City might undertake in the next 4 years to make progress; these will be shared with Council at a future session for discussion. Next Steps in the Strategic Planning Process: Development of final recommendations for strategic actions informed by Resident Panel, staff and Compass Kitchener (March-April 2023) Refinement of draft strategic goals, options, actions through an iterative process with Corporate Leadership Team direction and guidance (March-May 2023) Council engagement on new 20-year Vision, prioritizing actions, and receiving Resident Panel report/recommendations (May 2023) Final online public survey (EngageKitchener) and targeted engagement on draft strategic goals and actions (May-June 2023) Final Council approval of 2023-2026 Strategic Plan content including actions (June 2023) Strategic Plan launch and communications (fall 2023) STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT: This report supports the development of the 2023-2026 City of Kitchener Strategic Plan. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Capital Budget The recommendation has no impact on the Capital Budget. Operating Budget The recommendation has no impact on the Operating Budget. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: CONSULT AND COLLABORATE This report highlights some of the broad and diverse community engageme- 2026 Strategic Plan, including a new 20-year Vision for Kitchener, community priorities, and potential goals and actions for the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan. INFORM This report has been po the council / committee meeting. PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES: CAO-2022-160 Preparing for the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan CAO-2022-198 Results of Environics 2022 Survey of Kitchener Residents CAO-2022-413 Strategic Foresight and Community Engagement Update CAO-2023-047 Compass Kitchener Advisory Committee Community Priorities APPROVED BY: Dan Chapman, CAO ATTACHMENTS: Appendix A - Summary of Council Input into the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan to Date Appendix B - Potential Strategic Goal Areas Considered for 2023-2026 Strategic Plan Appendix A: Summary of Council Input into the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan to Date At the March 2022 discussion about the overall strategic planning approach, Council advised on two key items as important to include in preparing the strategic plan and related community engagement: Include a focus on core City services: An overview of services the City of Kitchener is responsible was incorporated in online and in-person engagement tactics. Educational components have been included in each of the Engage page ideas boards to provide responsibilities was included as context for the Neighbourhood Conversations sessions. 2022 is continuing, with social media and physical banners and signage throughout the community building awareness of key City services in an engaging way. Apply broad/open approaches and engage through different means: A broad variety of online and in-person means were used to engage residents, with a focus on open- ended questions, exploratory discussions/exercises, use of new tools within the Engage online platform, and a staff street team doing pop-up engagements at more community locations and events than previous strategic planning cycles. During the May 2022 review of the Environics survey results Council requested staff ensure the following through the next phases of community engagement: Seek a broad range of voices and equity deserving groups: Engagement reached a broader diversity of Kitchener residents, provided a variety of ways for people to participate in-person and online, maximized community connections to encourage participation from equity deserving groups; the current Resident Panel was selected to mirror the demographic diversity of Kitchener. Learn more about satisfaction with City services, public engagement processes, sustainability, housing affordability and recreation programs: These topics were all included as key topics in the engagement. Exploring willingness to pay more for services / satisfaction with value for tax dollars formed part of engagement later this year to support the 2023 Budget. In the August 2022 discussion on broad community engagement efforts underway, and key development, Council noted the following: Ensure focus on what the City can do or influence within its mandate: Staff and Compass Kitchener continued to hear broad ideas and aspirations as wider community engagement concluded; staff will filter these to actions that the City can take to respond, bility. Key trends impacting Kitchener include belonging, placemaking, sustainability, housing affordability, innovation, technology and institutional trust: Staff incorporated these key trends into scenario development toward a proposed new 20-year Vision (which will be shared with Council in May), and the proposed strategic goal areas highlighted in this report. In January 2023, the Compass Kitchener Advisory Committee provided Council their community priorities for the new Strategic Plan. While no direction was sought at that meeting, Council engaged with the committee Chair and Vice-chair to explore the priorities a bit more deeply, while noting the close alignment to what Council heard during the election campaign. Appendix B: Potential Strategic Goal Areas Considered for 2023-2026 Strategic Plan NAMEDEFINITIONPOTENTIAL VALUE # SOCIAL Public engagement can support resident involvement and empowerment, and build institutional trust, while positively impacting City leadership around programs and service delivery. The City is experiencing declining participation in People's participation in community-building, democratic engagement, voter some formats of City-led engagement opportunities as well as municipal involvement in municipal elections, and engagement in City decisions that impact elections, and there is a need and opportunity to improve equitable and diverse Civic Engagement them.engagement. A A significant part of people's wellbeing comes from being connected socially with others, and this was magnified during the pandemic. The City can play a role to Community Connection The connection, relationships and activity happening in the community which provide and increase access to social and other opportunities that enhance a and Belonging contribute to individual and collective belonging.sense of belonging. B Kitchener continues to be a City where many newcomers choose to locate and Being a place where newcomers are welcomed and strongly supporting in settle, and the City can play a role to become a more welcoming place for Newcomer Experience realizing their potential.newcomers, and increase feelings of safety within the community. C A range of employment opportunities are critical to the local economy and people's individual wellbeing. The City can play a role to ensure an environment of success for companies who provide jobs, to ensure a diversity of job Employment refers to the kinds of job and career opportunities that are available opportunities across multiple sectors, and build a community that attracts top Employment to support residents of Kitchener.talent. D The physical health of residents is critical to the individual wellbeing and overall Access to parks and recreation opportunities that support physical activity which wellbeing of the community. The City's role is to provide access to programs, Healthy and Active protects against chronic disease, increases mental health and wellbeing, and indoor and outdoor spaces and infrastructure that support opportunities to be Community reduces loneliness and isolation.physically active. E Issues exist locally across the range of the housing continuum and this is a key Housing affordability, homelessness, and having a mix of housing options for priority for residents, while Kitchener continues to be one of the fastest growing Housing residents of Kitchenerurban centres in Canada, with specified housing growth targets to achieve. F Kitchener residents benefit from the services offered by a diverse collection of non-profit organizations, who contribute to a healthy community. The City as an The overall health of the local non-profit sector, and the mix of services offered organization can be called upon to provide additional community supports when by these organizations, often as front line service providers and for the most the non-profit sector is negatively impacted (e.g., insufficient funding, Non-Profit Sector Health vulnerable in the community. recruitment, governance). G NAMEDEFINITIONPOTENTIAL VALUE # ENVIRONMENTAL The effects of climate change have significant impact on all aspects of City services, from infrastructure upgrades to storm preparedness to supporting The energy mix and related generation and distribution available within Kitchener vulnerable populations who are more effected by extreme heat. The City can put Climate Adaptation & with a focus on growth of renewable, sustainable sources, and a specific focus on in place measures to respond to current climate impacts, and also be proactive to Mitigation the City of Kitchener as a utility provider to residents and businesses.invest for the longer term. H Climate adaptation refers to adapting building development, infrastructure, and The City has committed to achieve community and corporate targets related to service delivery in response to climate change. Climate mitigation is about about GHG emissions, including specific actions related to de-carbonizing its natural gas Energy Mix consumption and related emissions. Climate action is taken in response to both.utility. There is a role and expectation that the City make progress in this area. I How people move around the City in various modes with a focus on moving Transportation continues to be a top concern for Kitchener residents, and the effectively and efficiently, safety, and people-friendly transportation options City could do even more to enhance its role as a leader in progressive,people- Transportation including sidewalks, trails and bike lanes.friendly transportation. J Kitchener is one of the fastest growing cities in Canada, with targets for additional growth and intensification in the coming. The City has a role to Land use has to do with policy and planning, and what lands remain protected. carefully manage this growth so our community continues to have thriving Sustainable Land Use & Urban Growth is about urban planning and how we densify while providing neighbourhoods and a strong economy, without losing the character that makes Urban Growth access to parks and green spaces, and making places attractive and functional.our city unique. K ORGANIZATIONAL How innovative groups and organizations are in the community, which require A local innovation culture is important so Kitchener remains competitive, and for access to capital and a skilled workforce to instill and enhance innovation the technology and other business communities to thrive. The City has a strong Innovation Culture capabilities and progress. (Does not refer to the internal innovation of the City of foundation of supporting local innovation and could play a more supportive or (External)Kitchener organization).different role. L Economic diversity is essential to creating meaningful and well-paying careers, spurring external investment and ensuring Kitchener is less vulnerable to Private Sector Health Refers to the economic diversity and health of businesses across many sectors.downturns in a single sector. M The City could enhance its role in working with local partners to draw The skills, experience, and workforce supply available to meet demand for investment, help entrepreneurs grow, and provide a compelling community to workers in community, as well as access, affordability and compelling nature of draw and support potential employers, employees, and post-secondary Workforce (External)our community to workers.institutions. N The City could enhance its role in investments that support entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurship and small business success including access to entrepreneurial programs and space, Small Business Community Refers to well-supported enterpreneurship and a thriving small business affordable and attainable housing, and creating a vibrant, active city with a Health community as essential aspects of a diverse, resilient economy. thriving arts community. O NAMEDEFINITIONPOTENTIAL VALUE # Private investment in Kitchener and the broader local region helps support a diverse and resilient economy with a variety of business and job opportunities. Private Investment in The scope and diversity of private financial investment and how attractive it is to The City could enhance its role within its municipal mandate to create and Kitchener invest in a community.influence conditions that make Kitchener appealing to invest in. P ECONOMIC The City currently lacks good frameworks and consistent approaches for cdata Governance, systems and approaches to collect, analyze and manage data within management, and improving in these areas would enhance the City's ability to the City as an organization, and enabling practices for program evaluation, understand service performance, drive effective evidence-based decision- Data Management evidence-based decision-making and communication.making, and communicate results effectively to citizens. Q The level of attractiveness and appeal of the City of Kitchener as an employer Attracting and retaining top talent to deliver excellent service to residents is Employer Identity/Value including workplace culture, employee engagement, and related programs to becoming increasingly challenging and a focus on this area will ensure the City of Proposition support and develop employees, and recruit and retain top talent.Kitchener is an employer of choice. R Sustaining the financial health of the City as an organization is essential to ongoing provision of critical and valued services, delivery on strategic initiatives Financial Health The financial health of the City as an organization.and projects, and expansion of strategic partnerships. S Sustaining and growing capabilities will ensure the City continues to provide Organizational & The skills, knowledge, abilities and competencies for the City as an organization valued services, embrace innovation and change, and evolve to adapt to changing Leadership Capability and its leadership staff.circumstances and citizen expectations. T Important city-building work is enhanced and accelerated when all levels of government, community organizations and residents work together. The City The relationships and partnerships the City needs to sustain, build and leverage could enhance its focus on building and maintaining these relationships, and Stakeholder Relationships to achieve shared strategic goals.ensuring effective collaboration. U