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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCAO-2023-250 - Strategic Plan 2019-2022 - Compass Kitchener Report Card REPORT TO: Committee of the Whole DATE OF MEETING: May 29, 2023 SUBMITTED BY: Kathryn Dever, Director Strategy and Corporate Performance, 519- 741-2200 ext. 7370 PREPARED BY: Angie Fritz-Walters, Engagement and Program Manager Strategic Plan, 519-741-2200 ext. 7059 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All Ward(s) DATE OF REPORT: May 18, 2023 REPORT NO.: \[Report Number\] SUBJECT: Strategic Plan 2019-2022 Compass Kitchener Report Card RECOMMENDATION: For Information REPORT HIGHLIGHTS: This report provides the Compass Kitchener Advisory Committee implementation of the City of Kitchener 2019-2022 Strategic Plan. Compass Kitchener evaluated 5 projects completed in 2022 as well as progress on the entire Strategic Plan. Compass Kitchener has made observations and recommendations related to be considered in the next strategic plan, currently under development. Two key areas noted for future consideration are tracking key data, and keeping the public informed. There are no financial implications associated with this report. This report helps demonstrate 2019-2022 Strategic Plan. BACKGROUND: The 2019-2022 Strategic Plan was approved by Council in June 2019. The Compass Kitchener Citizen Advisory Committee has the mandate to annually report directly to Council with their evaluation of the This report includes the evaluation of 5 projects completed in 2022, along with observations and recommendations as delivery on the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan timeframe comes to a close. *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. Compass Kitchener representatives will be making a presentation to Council. The report is included inAppendix Aofthis report. REPORT: Compass Kitchener took the viewpoint of interested citizens and considered timing, impact, accountability, and budget criteria in undertaking their evaluation. Compass Kitchener considered evaluation criteria for the strategic actions developed in consultation with Appendix A is the Compass Kitchener Report Card - Projects Completed in 2022 and 2019-2022 Overall Reflections. Within their report, an appendix is included with the 2021 Report Card for reference. In 2021, thirteen projects were evaluated by Compass Kitchener. This report includes the evaluation of 5 additional projects that were completed in 2022, with the remaining seven projects scheduled to be completed in 2023, and one in 2025. STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT: The Strategic Plan states: -2022 Strategic Plan contains measurable, specific actions and a timeline for completion. Our long- term financial plan, budgets and annual business plans will be aligned to implement the Strategic Plan. We will measure and report on our progress to council and the public throughout the life of this plan. We will report to council three times a year and share results Kitchener Citizen Advisory Committee will review and assess our progress, and publicly report on an annual basis how well we a FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: Capital Budget The report has no impact on the Capital Budget. Operating Budget The report has no impact on the Operating Budget. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM the council / committee meeting. COLLABORATE Compass Kitchener members collaborated throughout the development of this report. Small groups evaluated each of the 5 projects contained in their report, and collaborated to develop their observations and recommendations. All members contributed meaningfully to the report included, and approve of its contents. PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES: CAO-21-005 Compass Kitchener Strategic Plan Evaluation APPROVED BY: Dan Chapman, Chief Administrative Officer ATTACHMENTS: Attachment A Strategic Plan 2019-2022 Report Card Projects Completed in 2022 and 2019-2022 Overall Reflections 0 STRATEGIC PLAN 2019-2022 REPORT CARD Projects Completed in 2022 and 2019-2022 Overall Reflections 1 Executive Summary Compass Kitchener Compass Kitchener consists of citizen volunteers and serves as an advisory committee appointed by and reporting to Kitchener City Council. It creates and leads Strategic Plan public engagement processes, determines community concerns, and identifies priorities for action. The Committee also monitors and evaluates progress on implementation of the Strategic Plan and achievement of the community vision and reports to Council on the outcome of this evaluation. This Report Card This is the second report card from Compass Kitchener evaluating completed Strategic Plan 2019-2022 projects. It focuses on: a cumulative summary of all the Strategic Plan 2019-2022 projects completed to date; detailed evaluation of the five strategic plan projects completed in 2022 and related notes for the future; and overall observations on implementation of the 2019-2022 Strategic plan and related notes for the future. Previous Report Card In December 2021, Compass Kitchener presented to Council its 2019-2022 Strategic Plan detailed evaluation of the 12 strategic plan projects that had been completed by that date. Six of the 12 projects exceeded expectations and the balance met expectations. A copy of the 2021 Report Card is included in Appendix A. 2022 Project Evaluation Findings Five completed projects from the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan are reviewed in this report card: o Energy Efficiency Reserve Fund o Urban Forest Strategy and Tree Canopy Target o Waste Diversion Strategy to Increase Waste Diversion in Public Spaces/Events o Huron Community Centre o Set and Communicate Service Levels Two projects exceeded expectations, one project met expectations, and two projects did not meet the expectations of the committee. Eight projects remain to be completed - seven targeted for completion in 2023 and one in 2025. 2 Note: The Customer Experience Review Program was completed in 2022 after Compass Kitchener had carried out its evaluation of the first 12 completed projects and was not reviewed during the 2023 evaluation process. It will be evaluated when the remaining projects in the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan are reviewed. 3 Overall Observations and Looking Ahead Progress despite COVID: Compass Kitchener commends the City on the impressive advancement of the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan, despite major disruptions caused by the pandemic. While COVID-19 presented unprecedented challenges for the City, 17 Strategic Plan projects were completed, eight of which Compass Kitchener found exceeded expectations, seven of which met expectations, and two of which did not meet expectations. Between this report card and the previous report presented to Council in December 2021, Compass Kitchener highlights the exceptional successes achieved on: the Cycling and Trails Master Plan and 3 km increase in trails with year-round access; the Affordable Housing Strategy; the Make it Kitchener 2.0 Strategy; the Online Customer Service Portal; the Corporate Climate Action Plan; the Corporate Equity and Anti-Racism Strategy; the Huron Community Centre; and the Urban Forest Strategy + Tree Canopy. The Committee provides a number of observations and suggestions based on its review of the past four years and looking ahead to the next Strategic Plan. The main issues, focusing on: Housing Affordability; Public Engagement Processes; Data Collection; Delayed or Deferred Projects; Website Improvements; Strategic Plan Project Budgets and Expenses Incurred; Communication Progress on Strategic Plan Projects; A More Adaptive Strategic Plan; Localizing United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); and SMART Objectives for Strategic Plan projects. 4 Tracking Key Data and Keeping the Public Informed While some of the above recommendations apply specifically to one issue, concerns about information stand out as a consistent theme throughout our evaluation. Three issues arise with respect to information. First, there is value in tracking more data related to key initiatives and areas in which the City is working to effect change. Having more data in specific areas will strengthen both decision-making processes and evaluation of the impact of initiatives. Second, information collected in the future should be driven by an effort to identify meaningful outcomes that can be used for evaluation. What changes and/or benefits does the City expect from its efforts to advance its strategic plan? The identification of outcomes and their indicators will better assist with the collection of useful information that can be used for improvement. Third, the City needs tokeep the public better informed by making more information publicly available. Many of the issues community members rank as high priorities are very complex, and their resolution requires the participation of multiple levels of government. Providing citizens with a succinct outline of which levels of government are involved with an initiative and the roles they play will enhance public understanding of the whole picture and enable engaged citizens to focus their input specifically on what the City can do to address an issue. , and initiatives, the importance of the City making use of a variety of means of sharing information with the community is clear. 5 Table of Contents Executive Summary _________________________________________________ 1 Compass Kitchener Advisory Committee _________________________________ 6 Evaluation Approach ________________________________________________ 7 2022 Project Evaluations _____________________________________________ 9 ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP _____________________________________________9 Energy Efficient Reserve Fund ________________________________________________________ 9 Sustainable Urban Forest Tree Canopy + Tree Planting ________________________________ 10 Waste Diversion Strategy ___________________________________________________________ 11 CARING COMMUNITY ____________________________________________________12 Huron Community Centre___________________________________________________________ 12 GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE _______________________________________________13 Set and Communicate Service Levels _________________________________________________ 13 Overall Observations and Looking Ahead_______________________________ 14 Appendix A - 2021 Report Card _______________________________________ 18 6 Compass Kitchener This report has been prepared by the following members of the Compass Kitchener Advisory Committee: Judy Stephens-Wells (Chair) Troy Glover (Vice-Chair) Kim Brabazon Alide Forstmanis Wasai Rahimi Linda Terry Lee-Ann Thompson Lori Trumper James Young 7 Evaluation Approach Approach Compass Kitchener took the viewpoint of interested citizens and considered timing, impact, accountability, and budget criteria in undertaking this evaluation. Compass Kitchener considered Leadership Team. Answering the following questions guided the evaluation. 8 Evaluation Rating After completing the evaluation process Compass Kitchener rated completed actions as: Exceeds Expectations; Meets Expectations; or Does Not Meet Expectations. The following chart explains the classification for the three rating categories: 9ǣĭĻĻķƭ aĻĻƷƭ 5ƚĻƭ bƚƷ aĻĻƷ 9ǣƦĻĭƷğƷźƚƓƭ9ǣƦĻĭƷğƷźƚƓƭ9ǣƦĻĭƷğƷźƚƓƭ -Set and met challenging -Models values of caring, -Late delivery of objectives and showed innovation, and vibrancydeliverables without initiative in meeting themexplanation or valid - Achieves specified criteria reasons - Proactively planned, - - problem solved and - Poor quality of performance reputation initiated solutionsdeliverables (lack of clarity) - Contributes positively to - Stepped outside of - Poor quantity of the success of the City existing responsibilities to deliverables add value - Non-delivery of - Puts the public at centre deliverables of work - Identifies breakthrough concepts - Is regarded as a knowledgeable resource - Exhibits mastery - Impacts exceed specified criteria - Elevates strategic plan - Is an exceptional contributor to strategic plan success 9 2022 Project Evaluations ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP Achieve a healthy and livable community by proactively mitigating and adapting to climate change and by conserving natural resources Energy Efficient Reserve Fund Energy Efficiency Reserve Fund Report Card Strategic Goal Action: Starting in 2019, leverage the Energy Efficiency Reserve Fund and other resources to reduce consumption and emissions at our facilities and in our operations Compass Report on the number and type of projects and their planned and actual impact Overall Evaluation: Meets Expectations Highlights Investments in energy savings projects are having a positive effect on the budget Several projects have come in under budget, which is good There is a healthy balance for future investment On time and on budget Notes for the Future Continue to look for efficiencies and opportunities to keep costs down for the City As maintenance and replacements of buildings and equipment is undertaken, look for efficiency opportunities within reasonable costs 10 Sustainable Urban Forest Tree Canopy + Tree Planting Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy - Tree Canopy + Tree Planting Report Card Strategic Goal Action: Implement the Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy with a focus on establishing a tree canopy target by 2020 and eliminating the current (2018) tree planting backlog by 2022 Number of trees planted and amount of backlog reduction reported annually Overall Evaluation: Exceeds Expectations Highlights Urban Forest Strategy A well-developed comprehensive strategy that clearly outlines the strategic goals and actions Demonstration of clear and meaningful engagement with the community that will continue on an ongoing basis Effective communication of key themes and highlights of input received through public engagement Strong public education and partnership with residents pertaining to tree planting on private property Visually appealing strategy that is easy to understand for the general public ongoing engagement with the public Strategy was delivered in a timely fashion Tree Canopy Target Target is reasonably ambitious and achievable, placing the City in the mid- range of targets set by other cities in the area Approval of full recommended budget (without reduction) was an important step in ensuring tree planting and canopy target goals can be achieved Intuitive informative technical report from 2021 is shared in a clear way Tree Planting Backlog Over 2600 trees were planted from 2019-2022, eliminating the planting backlog on schedule On Time (delayed due to Covid, but completed within 4-year Strategic Plan) and on budget Notes for the Future The Urban Forest Strategy should include a reporting scheduleto evaluate s There is a 2017 report card, but it is unclear what comes next with the new Urban Forest Strategy The availability of information regarding the Tree Canopy Target could be It is unclear if or when the tree canopy will be re-evaluated to track progress 11 Waste Diversion Strategy Waste Diversion Strategy Report Card Strategic Goal Action: Reduce waste diverted to landfills by implementing new diversion programs at our facilities and events by 2021 Report on quantities of waster reduced or diverted and innovation used to reduce waste Overall Evaluation: Does Not Meet Expectations (Acknowledge that the scope was reduced due to COVID) Highlights Based on the pilot results, the decision to not continue is a good one Interesting collaboration on this project between the City of Kitchener and Sustainability Through an Inclusive Lens (STIL/STIL Solutions) researchers at Wilfrid Laurier University On time; unclear whether it was on budget Notes for the Future For special events moving forward, provide recycling and compost receptacles Continued efforts to educate the public on which receptacles are appropriate for typically discarded items would be beneficial Looking at waste management more broadly, concern was noted regarding the inefficiency of the City of Kitchener being responsible for disposal of waste/recycling generated at its facilities and outdoor spaces, while the Region has overall responsibility for waste/recycling management, can this be reviewed and renegotiated in order to improve efficiency and avoid duplication of services? 12 CARING COMMUNITY spaces and programs; betterengaging, serving and supporting our diverse populations and helping to make housing affordable Huron Community Centre Huron Community Centre Report Card Strategic Goal Action: Better utilize existing facilities, provide relevant programming at community centres, support the equitable distribution of leisure programs and resources across neighbourhoods.Start work on Mill Courtland Community Centre expansion by 2020 and the Rosenberg Community Centre by 2021. Compete the Huron Brigadoon Community Centre and an Open Space Strategy by 2021 Beautiful and welcoming community facility meets needs of community and is well used Overall Evaluation: Exceeds Expectations Highlights Strategic collaboration with school and other facility partners Shared spaces used by the school, Early ON and community centre based on different peak times Complementary and integrated program offerings Evidence of learnings from other community centres and other community centre builds Contemporary features, such as individual universal washrooms, adult changing tables Multi-use facility design Cost effective and on budget as a result of partnership with school board (more amenities built because of economies of scale) On time and on budget Notes for the Future Use Huron Community Centre as a model for future recreation centre builds, especially its use of partnerships to offer meaningful programming, economies of scale, and a community hub for the neighbourhoods it serves Continue to ensure recreation and leisure spaces/community centres keep up with growth and are in line with that growth. Ensure the Strategic Plan and strategy are flexible enough to adapt and respond to emerging needs 13 GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE satisfaction, trust and engagement with the City by providing friendly, easy and convenient services. Set and Communicate Service Levels Set and Communicate Service Levels Report Card Strategic Goal Action:Set specific and clearly communicated service levels for frequently asked about or accessed City services, including tree maintenance, parking, property standard complaints, snow clearing and grass cutting by 2022 Impact Criteria Publish nature and number of service standards set each year and the percentage of services completed as per service levels set Overall Evaluation: Does Not Meet Expectations (Acknowledge that the (small) Customer Service Team had 5 goals in the Strategic Plan and were re-deployed during COVID) Highlights Focus on the top 5 most asked about issues makes sense as a first step to set service levels Snow Clearing interactive map identifying priority streets, updates on snow clearing progress during snow events is a great information sharing tool for the public & social media has been well done Grass Cutting Information is education tool, which is helpful Tree Maintenance Good to know dangerous/damaged trees are addressed immediately Replacement of boulevard trees improved process for staff to look up addresses and see when trees are scheduled to be replaced Good to know an option to search online for this information is being considered. Applaud the partnership between departments to improve information sharing with residents On time and on budget Notes for the Future Would like to see proactive communication of the service standards with members of -site) While standards are communicated to residents effectively at the time of a complaint, they could be shared more broadly in support of accountability Would like to see information on how service level performance is measured and reported to the public as a next step, with scheduled updates as appropriate Continue this good work beyond the existing Strategic Plan, with a focus on Customer Education and Experience, along with Accountability 14 Overall Observations and Looking Ahead Progress despite COVID Compass Kitchener commends the City on the impressive progress made on projects in the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan despite major disruptions caused by the pandemic. COVID-19 presented unprecedented challenges for the City, necessitating adoption of some new priorities and the shifting of others, implementing layoffs that affected a number of staff and redeployednumerous othersto differentroles and responsibilities. Even so, 17 Strategic Plan projects were completed, eight of which we found exceeded expectations, seven of which met expectations, and two of which did not meet expectations. Between this report card and the previous report presented to Council in December 2021, Compass Kitchener highlights the exceptional successes achieved on: the Cycling and Trails Master Plan and 3 km increase in trails with year-round access the Affordable Housing Strategy the Make it Kitchener 2.0 Strategy the online Customer Service Portal the Corporate Climate Action Plan the Corporate Equity and Anti-Racism Strategy the Huron Community Centre the Urban Forest Strategy + Tree Canopy Housing Affordability Compass Kitchener lauds the City for the work accomplished on this important initiative and looks forward to continued progress in this area. Suggestions for continued effort: Regularly update data regarding the need for affordable and attainable housing so that decisions are based on current data. Educate the public relative to that of its partners. Seek means of protecting affordable and attainable-priced housing longer term. Use the City development and planning skills and expertise as resources with which to develop a holistic urban plan that considers where affordable housing could flourish within the city considering services, partnerships, transit, opportunities to co-develop, to achieve the desired outcomes for the city as a whole and for increased and sustainable affordable housing. influence with respect to the Regions homelessness and housing plan. Are there opportunities to co-create community that includes deeply- subsidized affordable housing and other types of affordable, attainable and market housing, all within the broader community of the City? Within the discussion about affordable housing, recognize that Community Housing requires deep subsidy which is provided by various levels of government. It will be important for the City to identify and focus on those areas in which it can truly influence and improve the affordability of various options along the housing needs continuumand help the public understand the rationale behind that focus. 15 Recognize the risk of gentrification and its effect when creating a holistic plan for the development of affordable housing. Displacement from the core has serious consequences to the people living in Community Housing. If, under Inclusionary Zoning, developers are able to make contributions in support of off-site affordable housing creation rather than including such units onsite, develop a reasonable contribution formula to arrive at the level of contribution needed to meet the Inclusionary Zoning requirements. Recognize that current building costs for a unit of housing (a.k.a., as a door) ranges from approximately $420k to $500k. While requiring a developer to allocate a percentage of units for affordable housing in their builds or towers is well intentioned, however, recognize it may not net the results expected because that type of development is the higher cost class of asset. Are there steps the City could take to incentivize developers to make a contribution to affordable housing to generate the greatest benefit? Public Engagement Continue to refine approach to public engagement and identify best practices that can be applied across the board by striving to ensure that participants feel: o they have been heard and understood; o public input influenced decision-/policy-making; and o the time they spent providing input through engagement processes was time well-invested in thei. When gathering public input on a topic/issue, provide sufficient information to ensure that participants understand the areas in which the City may not be able to consider changes due to constraints imposed by other levels of government (i.e., Planning Act, Municipal Act, CRA regulations) or budgetary constraints. Such clarity the City has control. residents informed about the full spectrum of development projects being approved, otherwise it is difficult for the public to gain a picture of what is happening overall and their understanding is limited to the specific projects highlighted in the media Ensure that all staff who are called upon to plan and implement public consultation processes have sufficient background or receive the training needed to successfully plan and facilitate these processes. Data Collection Collect more data in key areas in which City is striving to realize change to strengthen decision-making and evaluate the impact of initiatives. Projects Deferred or Delayed Compass Kitchener is very pleased to see work on all eight incomplete 2019-2022 Strategic Plan projects will continue throughout 2023 and beyond. 16 Website Improvements We are impressed to see continued efforts to make information more easily users identify new challenges accessing information and/or inactive links. When posting links todocuments that include many photographs and/or design elements (e.g., tinted backgrounds on full pages), enable people to choose between downloading the document as originally presented or in a printer-friendly version that uses less ink and paper. The Make It Kitchener 2.0 strategy set a great standard in this regard. Project Budgets and Actual Expenditures If possible, make available project budgetsand data regarding actual expenses incurred. Doing so would enable a more effective evaluation of completed projects and the assessment of whether the project was completed on budget. Communicating Progress on Strategic Plan Projects Compass Kitchener appreciates the Strategic Plan dashboard now available on the . It provides better communications and accountability in an easy-to- understand format that is regularly updated and includes links to key documents that are informative about the completed projects. More Adaptive Strategic Plans In the context of the 2023-2026 Strategic Planning process, we note with interest the current adaptive planning discussions and support the concept of setting clear goals and allowing for some flexibility over the 4-year implementation period. This direction arises due to: recent experience regarding the challenges for strategic projects when a major unforeseen crisis (such as COVID) arises; the number of strategic projects in the 2015-2018 Strategic Plan that were awaiting completion at the end of 2018; and t found in current literature, which underscore the importance of being able to fine- tune/adjust plans and priorities as significant new circumstances, obstacles, and opportunities arise over the four-year term of strategic plan. To ensure accountability when moving to a more adaptive strategic plan, regular and clear communication with the community both through the Strategic Plan Dashboard along with a range of other means of communication will be of even greater importance to keep the public apprised of project completion and/or adjustment, alterations in priorities and the addition of new projects. Localizing United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Compass Kitchener welcomes the inclusion of Sustainable Development Goals in the Strategic Planning efforts as these goals are important for the progression of the City in a larger construct, as part of overall wellbeing. 17 SMART Objectives for Strategic Plan Projects Compass Kitchener : o include clear articulation of desired measurable outcomes for each strategic plan; o include evaluation metrics that address measuring the impact a project has had on community members; and o collect data to assess the extent of progress toward the targeted outcomes. be challenging to define and assess, but believe it to be valuable. Tracking Key Data and Keeping the Public Informed While some of the above recommendations apply specifically to one issue, concerns about information stand out as a consistent theme throughout our evaluation. Three issues arise with respect to information. First, there is value in tracking more data related to key initiatives and areas in which the City is working to effect change. Having more data in specific areas will strengthen both decision-making processes and evaluation of the impact of initiatives. Second, information collected in the future should be driven by an effort to identify meaningful outcomes that can be used for evaluation. What changes and/or benefits does the City expect from its efforts to advance its strategic plan? The identification of outcomes and their indicators will better assist with the collection of useful information that can be used for improvement. Third, the City needs to keep the public better informed by making more information publicly available. Many of the issues community members rank as high priorities are very complex, and their resolution requires the participation of multiple levels of government. Providing citizens with a succinct outline of which levels of government are involved with an initiative and the roles they play will enhance public understanding of the whole picture and enable engaged citizens to focus their input specifically on what the City can do to decisions, and initiatives, the importance of the City making use of a variety of means of sharing information with the community is clear. 18 Appendix A - 2021 Report Card Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Contents Comments from the Chair ...................................................................................................................................................... 3 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................................................ 4 Report Card ............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Approach ............................................................................................................................................................................. 5 Evaluation Rating ................................................................................................................................................................ 6 Evaluation Results ................................................................................................................................................................... 7 Completed Actions .............................................................................................................................................................. 7 Exceeded Expectations ....................................................................................................................................................... 7 Cycling & Trails Master Plan Strategic Plan Action ......................................................................................................... 8 Affordable Housing Strategy Action ................................................................................................................................ 9 Make it Kitchener 2.0 Strategy...................................................................................................................................... 10 Online Customer Service Portal Development ............................................................................................................. 11 Corporate Climate Strategic Action Plan ...................................................................................................................... 12 Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy ........................................................................................................................ 13 Met Expectations .............................................................................................................................................................. 14 Community Climate Action Plan ................................................................................................................................... 14 Multi-Language Customer Service ................................................................................................................................ 15 Customer Satisfaction Program .................................................................................................................................... 16 Reduce Social Stigma and Support Safe Consumption and Treatment Facilities ......................................................... 17 Complete Streets Guideline .......................................................................................................................................... 18 Urban Design Manual ................................................................................................................................................... 19 Projects to be Completed ..................................................................................................................................................... 20 Recommendations and Conclusions ..................................................................................................................................... 21 Budget and Project Management Accountability ......................................................................................................... 21 Website ......................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Progress Reports and Presentations ............................................................................................................................. 21 Affordable Housing ....................................................................................................................................................... 22 Public Engagement ........................................................................................................................................................ 22 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) .............................................................................................. 22 Strategic Plan Dashboard .............................................................................................................................................. 22 Overall Conclusion ........................................................................................................................................................ 23 2 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Comments from the Chair I am pleased to present Compass Kitchener’s 2021 Report Card on the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan. The COVID-19 virus has, over the past 20 months, led to a multitude of changes in cities and workplaces across Canada, and throughout that time the City of Kitchener has demonstrated its ability to adapt to unexpected circumstances. Despite having to make a number of temporary staffing changes, laying off some of its staff and diverting other staff to emergency tasks during COVID-19, the City has now completed 13 of the 25 projects outlined in the Plan - definitely an accomplishment to be celebrated! One of Compass Kitchener’s roles is to evaluate and advise Council on the City’s implementation of its Strategic Plan. Compass Kitchener designed its evaluation process following consultation with representatives of all the City of Kitchener’s Advisory Committees and with members of the City’s Corporate Leadership Team. This report outlines the Committee’s approach to evaluation, the criteria relied upon throughout that process, and the recommendations that the Committee felt would further strengthen the City’s results. Using criteria outlined in the report, each project was evaluated and categorized, determining whether it “Exceeds Expectations”, “Meets Expectations”, or “Does Not Meet Expectations”. Compass Kitchener committee members were very impressed to find the evaluation process revealed that of the 13 completed projects it evaluated, six projects exceeded expectations, the other six met expectations and one we have not yet evaluated. Notable as well is the fact that many of the completed projects were exceptional in addressing needs and concerns that intensified during the period of the pandemic in areas including: Building the City’s economy and recovery from COVID Creating new ways to do business with the City online Setting out plans for climate action Supporting human-powered transportation and recreational use of trails Having advocated for social issues to be included in the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan, Compass Kitchener was very impressed with the outstanding City work on: Initiatives addressing homelessness and access to affordable housing Initiatives addressing equity and anti-racism Compass Kitchener congratulates Council and staff on the leadership shown in implementing the Strategic Plan and looks forward to evaluating the remaining projects upon their completion. Judy Stephens-Wells Compass Kitchener Chair 3 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Introduction The City of Kitchener’s vision is "Together we will build an innovative, caring and vibrant Kitchener." To help achieve this vision, the Strategic Plan approved by Council in June 2019 contains 5 goals and 25 action statements. Compass Kitchener, a citizen advisory committee reports directly to Council with an evaluation of how well the City is doing in implementing the Strategic Plan. Compass Kitchener developed evaluation criteria in collaboration with the Corporate Leadership Team in 2019 and reported to Council on their evaluation approach in 2020. Compass Kitchener consulted with representatives from all citizen advisory committees on the evaluation of progress in implementing the strategic plan in 2021. This report presents Compass Kitchener’s 2021 Report Card on the 2019-2023 Strategic Plan which covers progress made in 2019, 2020 and 2021. Compass Kitchener did not report in 2019 because the plan was approved in June 2019 and launched in September 2019. Compass Kitchener did not report in 2020 because Advisory Committee meetings were not held for most of 2020 due to the pandemic. Compass Kitchener is pleased to report that of the 13 actions completed to date, 6 exceeded expectations, 6 met expectations and one we have yet to evaluate. The six projects that exceeded expectations are illustrated below. The report concludes with Compass Kitchener’s recommendations for suggested improvements. 4 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Report Card Approach Compass Kitchener takes the viewpoint of interested citizens and considered Timing, Impact, Accountability and Budget criteria in undertaking the evaluation. Compass Kitchener considered evaluation criteria for the strategic actions developed in consultation with Kitchener’s Corporate Leadership Team. Compass Kitchener also reviewed progress reports staff provided to Council, information on the projects included on the website, presentations from staff and input from representatives from the other citizen advisory committees in preparing the evaluation. Answering the following questions guided the evaluation. •Were strategic actions completed in the expected timeframe? Timing •How did strategic actions deliver on anticipated or desired impacts? •How did progress on, or completion of strategic actions make a difference in the city and for citizens? Impact •How well did the City do on presenting progress reports that were relevant, timely and publicly profiled? •How well did the City do in making progress on developing a Strategic Plan Dashboard to improve reporting? Account- •How well were the public engaged? ability •Were strategic actions completed on or within budget? Budget December 2021 5 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Evaluation Rating After completing the evaluation process Compass Kitchener rated completed actions as: Exceeding Expectations Meeting Expectations, or Not Meeting Expectations The following chart explains the classification for the three rating categories. •Set and met challenging •Late-delivery of •Models values of objectives and showed deliverables without caring, innovation initiative in meeting them explanation/valid and vibrancy •Proactively planned, reasons problem solved and initiated •Achieves specified solutions •Poor quality of criteria •Stepped outside of existing deliverables –lack responsibilities to add value •Meets the city’s of clarity •Puts the public at the center high-performance of work •Poor quantity of reputation •Identifies breakthrough deliverables concepts •Contributes •Non-delivery of •Is regarded as a positively to the knowledgeable resource deliverables Meets Expectations •Exhibits mastery success of the city Exceeds Expectations •Impacts exceed specified criteria •Elevates strategic plan implementation -Is an exceptional contributor to strategic plan success Does Not Meet Expectations December 2021 6 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Evaluation Results Completed Actions It was very positive to see action completions across the five Strategic Plan goals. Twelve of 25 strategic actions have been completed to date. Three actions were completed in 2019, three actions were completed in 2020 and 6 actions were completed in 2021. Completion of strategic plan actions by goal and date is illustrated in the following chart: Exceeded Expectations The following six projects exceeded expectations: Cycling and Trails Master PlanAffordable Housing StrategyMake It Kitchener 2.0 Customer Service Portal Corporate Climate Action Plan EDI Strategy Our evaluation of the 12 completed projects we evaluated follows. December 2021 7 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Cycling & Trails Master Plan Strategic Plan Action Strategic Plan Goal: People Friendly Transportation Exceeds Action: Improve connectivity and year-round maintenance to multi-use trails and pathways as Expectations prioritized through the Cycling and Trails Master Plan with an initial target of providing year- round access to a minimum of an additional 3 km of existing trails by 2022. Completion Status: Completed in 2021 ahead of schedule and exceeded target with year-round access provided to an additional 5+ kms of existing trails. The Cycling & Trails Master Plan – Project Overview The Cycling & Trails Master Plan guides development of safe and convenient active transportation options. It focuses on creating networks for all ages and abilities that reflect current best practices. The Plan helps the City reduce automobile dependence and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, provide more recreation and leisure options, increase physical activity and improve public health outcomes, increase social connections, and reduce infrastructure demands. The implementation strategy is action-oriented and identifies immediate priorities over the next 3 years, and short-term priorities within 10 years to build momentum for cycling and trail use through strategic investments in engineering as well as education and encouragement. Developed over a fifteen-month period through four phases, a Summary Report and 5 component reports make up the Master Plan. (link) Award Winning The Master Plan won an Award of Merit from the Canadian Institute of Planners based on its excellence, innovation, impact on the profession, implementation potential and overall presentation. The jury noted that “all signs point to increasing the use of cycling and other forms of personal mobility over time in Kitchener with the roll out and implementation of the plan. It could certainly change the trajectory of travel patterns in the City of Kitchener and improve health and modal split.” The Master Plan was also named the Transportation Planning Project of the Year by the Ontario Traffic Council (OTC). The award recognizes excellence in transportation planning by highlighting projects that display innovation, support sustainability and contribute to people’s quality of life. Compass Kitchener Evaluation Project information is available on city website, linked from the strategic plan page. An effective and meaningful public engagement strategy was employed. Throughout the process, the City engaged with over 3,200 residents. The 3 km target has been reached ahead of schedule and exceeded. It was excellent to see involvement of Grand River Accessibility Advisory Committee given the challenges some users have previously encountered with multi-modal trails. Impressive to see work sped up on some aspects of work on trails during COVID, when there was a clear need for safe forms of outdoor recreation and transportation, and when special COVID funding could be leveraged It would be wonderful to see the City’s smart technology lighting used to monitor the level of usage of the trails (to help measure impact) Way-finding can still be a challenge using the trails - many would find paper maps of assistance (as opposed to struggling with technology while biking) December 2021 8 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Affordable Housing Strategy Action ExceedsStrategic Plan Goal: Caring Community Expectations Action: Create an Affordable Housing Strategy for Kitchener by 2020 in collaboration with the Region of Waterloo, community groups and the development industry. Completion Status: On Time -December 2020 Affordable Housing Strategy – Project Overview Housing for All, Kitchener’s affordable housing strategy, declares that housing is a human right and sets out tools that the City can use to help make housing a reality for all. While still in the early stages of implementation, Housing for All is already responsible for the development of over 100 units of new supportive housing. To create the plan, Kitchener brought together a diverse group of people to provide advice on developing the strategy, including people with lived experience, the non-profit community, the development community, academics, members of Council and city and regional staff. A Needs Assessment report presented to Council in January 2020 documented the complete range of housing needs in Kitchener across the housing continuum. Targets to meet the needs were developed. The strategy is called, “Housing for All” sets out the objective that everyone has a home and the actions within the strategy outline a clear course of action to meet housing needs and the targets, and address issues over a five-year period. (link) Award Winning Housing for All won the Peter J. Marshall Innovation Award – “a visionary plan with more than 40 actions to help support the right to housing in Kitchener”. “Kitchener’s innovative approach to housing is an excellent example of how municipal decision making can help contribute to a more equal society.” Compass Kitchener Evaluation Complete information on the website, including implementation progress, is linked on the strategic plan page Impressive collaborative effort and important inclusion of people with lived experience. Lots of opportunity for input through workshops, Engage Kitchener surveys, 1 on 1 interviews etc., with about 500 people involved. Successfully switched from in-person to virtual engagement enabling timely project completion viewed as exceeding expectations due to challenges posed by COVID Given the level of concern regarding homelessness and access to affordable housing voiced through the consultation leading up to the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan, we were very impressed by the comprehensiveness of the strategy. Through developing the strategy, Kitchener pioneered providing people with lived experience a voice in influencing the planning decisions that affect them the most. Importantly, understanding of the affordability problem was expanded to address affordability across the whole spectrum of housing - from homelessness through affordability of both rental accommodation and home ownership. Recognizes housing as a human right, priority on homelessness & supportive housing, advocates for people in encampments – consistently uses a people centered approach. Impressive to see "Quick wins"- provided temporary site for A Better Tent City when displaced from Lot 42, committed land for YWCA supportive housing, tiny homes allowed and then promoted through a design competition. The increase in affordable housing stock that matches community need and demand, with the objective that everyone has a home, can be measured. Progress needed on implementing Inclusionary Housing 9 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Make it Kitchener 2.0 Strategy Strategic Plan Goal: Vibrant Economy Exceeds Action: Develop the Make it Kitchener 2.0 Strategy by 2020 with a focus on transformative Expectations actions to ensure the attraction, success and retention of diverse businesses, talent, and arts/culture across the city. Completion Status: On Time 2020 Make it Kitchener 2.0 - Project Overview Make it Kitchener 2.0 is an ambitious plan to support economic recovery and to propel our community and economy forward by investing in catalytic growth opportunities and creating a resilient future where everyone can make a difference. It has four components: Made by our Community, Our Call to Action, A Transformative Investment Strategy and The Path Forward. Approved by Council on Oct 26, 2020. (link) Compass Kitchener Evaluation Good Info on website linked from Strategic Plan. Broad engagement - including 100 1-1 Interviews, 13 round table discussions (5-10 participants each), Online Survey - 494 respondents - 600 ideas, 80 facilitated workshops - 150 participants - 700 ideas & comments Completed on time viewed as exceeding expectations given the challenges posed by COVID-19 Compass Kitchener was impressed with the bold, innovative and aspirational tone of the strategy: “It’s not just about doing more, it’s about doing better! We need to solve major societal challenges such as affordable housing, environmental sustainability and the elimination of systemic barriers. We need to aspire to have our own distinct vibrancy and vibe. We need to focus on growing employment sectors: health and social innovation and creative industries.” The plan is structured very well - Shows exactly what the strategy is and how the funding allocation is divided between the 5 areas. Shows what is immediate and what is longer term and explains the impact. While maintaining and supporting a vibrant active city is emphasized, one concern is that references to "makers" seems to place great emphasis on "Creative Industries" – which often focuses primarily on commercially oriented creative endeavours by private companies and excludes the visual, performing and other artforms by not-for-profit entities. The strategy’s photographic images are not inclusive of the significant contribution that this sector makes to animation of our community and the number of people that it employs. Pleased to see that the recovery plan refers more specifically to arts and culture (a term which includes private sector and not-for-profit arts components). It is excellent that the plan was written at a time that made it possible to address Post-COVID recovery - given the challenges so many businesses have faced during COVID. The Make it Kitchener 2.0 recovery document sets out a clear list of Initiatives and their status. Hopefully detailed documents outlining plans and SMART goals for the other aspects of the MIK 2.0 Strategy will also be developed. Compass Kitchener appreciates that the plan does not rely on any tax increases – instead it is innovative in using other sources for funding that won't impact residents and businesses. Encouraged to see the proposed support of businesses addressing the UN SDGs - which aligns well with the City's interest in localizing the SDGs to the Kitchener context. 10 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Online Customer Service Portal Development ExceedsStrategic Plan Goal: Great Customer Service Expectations Action: Enhance customer experience online by delivering custom information, providing easy access to services, and allowing financial transactions by 2021. Completion Status: On Time 2020 Online Customer Service Portal Development – Project Overview A centralized online service portal “MyKitchener” was launched in March 2021 in tandem with an updated website, where citizens can access their e-services in one place through a personalized, single sign-on account. MyKitchener is unique among municipal customer service portals in Canada because people can create a highly personalized and customized experience for themselves, setting up their own individual accounts to include services they interact with. Based on their address, MyKitchener also pulls information people may be interested in, including their nearest park, community centre, swimming pool, road closures in their area etc. The City released the portal recognizing that additional work was needed and citizens can provide input so there is continuous improvement as changes are made. Accessibility is enhanced as the portal works with Google microphone, making it possible to access the portal using Alex or Siri. Accessibility is also enhanced by a multi-language translation service. Staff have already made improvements driven by customer feedback, including: improving the address finder feature, adding an “unsubscribe all” feature to notifications, and adding a support widget that links to the 24-7 Corporate Contact Centre team and MyKitchener email. (link) Compass Kitchener Evaluation Lots of information on the website but no link from strategic plan page Substantial community consultation and input throughout the design process, with over 5000 citizens and consulted. Well documented public participation. The new portal is excellent. It was identified as one of the top highlights of the Strategic Plan accomplishments at the May 2021 All Advisory Committees meeting. Easy to navigate. 76% of users say they find the portal easy to use. Big Improvement over previous website. Bigger font would be appreciated. To date, MyKitchener has been highly successful with 8,582 registered accounts by August 20, 2021 (just under 5 months) – far exceeding expectations for the first year to have 3,500 people create accounts by end of 2021. Compass Kitchener is impressed that new widgets and functionality will continually be developed and launched on MyKitchener over time and customer experience improvements will continue to be driven by feedback from citizens through the City’s Customer Satisfaction Program. Being able to have improvements to the City's website implemented while the portal was being launched and on an ongoing basis is very good and will make the site more user friendly, engaging and effective. As there is really no easy vehicle for communicating regarding a concern/complaint (if you try to look up options for doing that there are just a few specific links, eg. bylaw complaints), Compass Kitchener was pleased to learn that this “Report a Problem” widget is under development. Compass Kitchener was really impressed to learn that the MyKitchener experience has made the City a leader in online municipal services in Canada. Staff involved in the development of the project are frequently asked to speak at conferences and to other municipalities who are now considering development of a similar online experience. 11 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Corporate Climate Strategic Action Plan ExceedsStrategic Plan Goal: Environmental Leadership Expectations Action: Launch and implement a Corporate Climate Action Plan by 2019 to achieve an absolute greenhouse gas emission reduction of at least 8% by 2026 Completion Status: On Time 2019 Corporate Climate Action Plan – Project Overview The Corporate Climate Action Plan is a detailed strategy to reduce the city’s corporate greenhouse gas emissions by 8 per cent by 2026. Numerous changes in five key areas will allow the city to mitigate its contribution to climate change and adapt the city’s infrastructure to protect against increasingly unstable weather. The five key areas identified as opportunities are: Buildings, Pumping Stations, Fleet, Outdoor Lighting and Waste. The Corporate Climate Action Plan was approved by Council April 15, 2019. Reporting annually on greenhouse gas emission reduction has commenced and continues to 2026. (link) Compass Kitchener Evaluation Story Board on the city website is engaging way to reach the public with info. Public engagement incorporated a combination of staff, stakeholder and public engagement, including interviews and group work, workshops, staff survey, front line visits and discussions intranet, steering committee, stakeholder review, greencity committee, environmental committee, and the Mayor’s State of City Address in 2019. Compass Kitchener is impressed that Kitchener took a leadership role and modeled behaviour to reduce greenhouse gas emissions with concrete actions and changes on this very important issue. The 2019 progress report notes greenhouse gas emissions have been reduced by 27 per cent since 2010. The 2020 progress report notes emissions fell well below that goal, more than 20% below our benchmark year (2016). This is due to the pandemic, which closed many facilities and altered the way the City provides service. Although 2020 was not a typical year, it has shown reductions can be achieved. The Vision, Goals and process of data gathering are explained well. Compass Kitchener was pleased to see that the Annual Reports talk about ties to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The Action Plan is visually well laid out and graphically pleasing. The Action Plan covers a lot of ground. However: This is a very technical report with lots of parts that are difficult for a lay person to understand. It has to be read several times for understanding. Explanations are needed with graphs. Report would be easier to navigate if it had page numbers. Summary that explains - what does this mean for me as a citizen - would be helpful. Progress reports could be more succinct or have a short summary/coherent story. 12 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy Strategic Plan Goal: Caring Community Exceeds Action: Create a comprehensive Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy by 2020 to combat Expectations systemic barriers to full economic and social participation in the city. Completion Status: The strategy was originally scheduled to be complete by December of 2020, but shortly after the COVID-19 pandemic began in March of 2020, the work was paused and then Task Force engagement shifted to an online format, with the end date revised to June 2021. Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy - Project Overview The strategy is now called the Corporate Equity and Anti-Racism Strategy. (link) Given the urgency of the issue, the Mayor’s Task Force with the support of staff directed and completed work on developing the strategy and implementing its actions and deliverables. The strategy consists of the following 9 deliverables: 1.A full-time permanent staff team to lead equity, anti-racism and indigenous Initiatives (Complete) 2.An Equity, Inclusion & Anti-Racism Policy which outlines the corporate commitment and specific expectations for leadership, staff and volunteers to support this commitment (Complete) 3.A fund for Black, Indigenous & Racialized Groups for community-led actions to decrease inequities and increase opportunities and well-being for racialized communities (Complete) 4.A Corporate Equity & Anti-Racism Training Strategy (Complete) 5.A Demographic Data Collection Strategy to better understand and help identify systemic barriers and opportunities to make the workplace and services more inclusive (underway) 6.An Equity & Anti-Racism Communications Guide for staff and leadership (underway) 7.A Human Resources Equity Audit and implement recommendations (underway) 8.Recommendations for a revised Youth Mentorship Program for low-income youth 9.An Equity & Anti-Racism Advisory Committee to Council (Complete) Compass Kitchener Evaluation While there was extensive and innovative involvement of Task Force members including 17 representatives from community organizations, 20 community members representing diverse groups, perspectives and lived experience, support of 13 staff and participation of 3 members of Council, broader public engagement was limited. Social issues like equity, inclusion and diversity are very important to Compass Kitchener. We advocated to Council for the Strategic Plan to include addressing social issues that were not considered in previous strategic plans. Given the diversity of Kitchener’s population and the importance of issues of equity, diversity and inclusion in our community, Compass Kitchener is very pleased to see the work accomplished by the Mayor’s Task Force and the development of the City’s Corporate Equity and Anti-Racism Strategy. The community representation on this Task Force was the most significant driving force for the success of this work, which had a clear focus on action-oriented items that can be feasibly implemented to set the foundation for sustained, meaningful change throughout the city administration. The nine actions chosen by the Task Force represent the strategy. The actions went to Council individually for approval or were addressed by staff, rather than having the strategy approved by Council. Six of the nine actions have already been completed which is an incredible accomplishment. This demonstrates a clear commitment to address inequity issues and exceeded expectations in reflecting a needed “Just Do It” attitude. Compass Kitchener looks forward to seeing more equity-based work come from the new staff team established to fully address systemic barriers to full economic and social participation in the city. 13 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Met Expectations The following six projects met expectations: Community Climate Action PlanCustomer Satisfaction ProgramComplete Streets Multi-language Customer Service Reduce Stigmas through staff training Urban Design Manual and CTS support Community Climate Action Plan MeetsStrategic Plan Goal: Environmental Leadership Expectations Action: Develop a Community Climate Action Plan with partner organizations by 2020. Completion Status: Delayed from 2020 to 2021 completion Community Climate Action Plan – Project Overview The Community Climate Action Plan, entitled Transform WR, outlines the community path to an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and identifies actions within the region to reduce emissions by 30% by 2030. Local councils endorsed the strategy and Regional Council approved it in June 2021. The strategy aligns with Kitchener’s strategic plan and commitment to environmental leadership. The strategy has been developed through the ClimateActionWR collaborative lead by Reep Green Solutions, Sustainable Waterloo Region and funded by the cities of Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge as well as the Region of Waterloo. (link) Compass Kitchener Evaluation The plan itself is available online - which is good. However, if a person looks to the City’s website in trying to find out about the City of Kitchener's work on a community climate action plan, it is very difficult to find. City staff were part of a strong collaborative effort engaging the Region, municipalities, townships and environmental non-for-profits with input from over 1,600 people. It is a bold plan with many objectives - people will be pleased to see that. Until the specifics regarding implementation and planned actions are developed and widely shared it is not possible for people to see how the objectives will be achieved. The plan itself is a very lengthy document. Many people do not have time to read a document of this length. It would be helpful to have a short accessible summary of the strategy to share with the public. For the strategy to be effective, not only do people need to be aware and engaged, but this has to happen early enough in the process to factor in longer-term decisions people will be encouraged to make e.g. investments in more environmentally friendly home heating equipment; decisions regarding proximity of home to work and the mode of transportation used to travel between the two. Given the broad collaboration, large number of entities involved and the impacts of COVID it is understandable that the timeframe was extended. 14 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Multi-Language Customer Service Strategic Plan Goal: Great Customer Service Meets Action: Provide on-demand customer service support in many languages through the Expectations Corporate Contact Centre by 2020. Completion Status: 2021 Delay due to staff redeployment in pandemic Multi-Language Service – Project Overview The introduction of this service eliminates the need for customers experiencing language barriers to struggle to be understood, to have to bring family or friends who speak English to their interactions with the City, or to have to make appointments to return for what they need so that an interpreter can be present. On-demand multi-language interpretation, which will link customers to an interpreter in their chosen language within 1-2 mins, ensures that all customers can have equitable, comfortable and consistent service experiences as they interact with City services. While progress on the introduction of multi-language interpretation was delayed by the pandemic, staff secured a vendor and are finalizing training content for customer-facing staff in 35 City facilities. Staff training is underway with multi-language interpretation services being advertised and offered to the public later 2021. The new on-demand interpretation service will enable customers experiencing language barriers to have on-the-spot access to an interpreter in the language of their choice, for telephone and in-person interactions, in more than 200 languages, 24-7. Compass Kitchener Evaluation Compass Kitchener could not find information about this action on the website. We understand that the need for this service was well documented in earlier public engagement. It is very positive to see that this initiative has started. Our understanding is that it had to be started with fewer languages and narrower scope than first intended – and Compass Kitchener looks forward to the City pressing on with making available interpretation in the full range of languages and broader scope as originally planned, when possible. It will be important to have good vehicles for gathering feedback about users’ experience with interpretation services in order to address any challenges identified. It will also be important to have an effective plan to publicize the availability of these interpretation services - carefully designed to reach the audience that will benefit from this service. If people are not made aware that this interpretation service is available, the language barrier will still stand as an obstacle. 15 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Customer Satisfaction Program Meets Strategic Plan Goal: Great Customer Service Expectations Action: Introduce a corporate-wide Customer Satisfaction Program that will allow for collection of real time feedback from customers accessing city facilities, programs, and services by 2020. Completion Status: 2020 On time Customer Satisfaction Program – Project Overview Introduced in late 2020, the Customer Satisfaction Program allows the City to check in regularly with customers by collecting just-in-time/real-time feedback about our programs, services and facilities whether online, in-person or by phone. Customer feedback about satisfaction, ease of use and open-ended comments are used to identify improvements to the customer experience and are shared directly with service areas and senior management. Compass Kitchener Evaluation Despite being launched in the midst of a pandemic, staff were able to adjust the program to reflect the new service delivery models and limited-service offerings. At the time of our evaluation, the program has collected more than 5,500 responses about 23 City programs, services and facilities. This feedback provided by customers has helped staff identify more than 20 recommended improvements, 7 of which have been fully implemented, as well as a number of additional suggested improvements under consideration by service areas. This is a great start, but we would like to see more done to enhance public awareness of this Great Customer Service initiative - ensuring that there are a variety of ways for people to submit their feedback - e.g. surveys or questionnaires available at community centres, feedback forms circulated to participants in various City programs and activities e.g. youth night. It is difficult to find a vehicle on the City’s website for voicing a concern or complaint other than for specific items like By-Law complaints. We wonder how will the public learn about this Customer Satisfaction Program and how can they provide their feedback? We were pleased to learn that this program, which enables the City to make data-driven decisions about customer improvements, is leading edge for Canadian municipalities and will continue to grow and evolve over time. Note: Compass Kitchener was advised that the Great Customer Service strategic action: Implement a comprehensive Customer Experience Review Program to help ensure services are easy and convenient to access from the customer’s perspective by 2022 has been completed after our evaluation was completed. Compass Kitchener will evaluate implementation of this action in 2022. 16 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Reduce Social Stigma and Support Safe Consumption and Treatment Facilities Strategic Plan Goal: Caring Community Meets Action: experienced by those living with mental illness and addiction in our community through Expectations staff training and supporting the creation of appropriate safe consumption and treatment facilities in Kitchener. Completion Status: No Timing noted in Strategic Plan - Action is complete as of 2020 Reduce Stigma through staff training – Project overview An anti-stigma learning program for City staff was launched in the fall 2020 learning catalogue, with focus given to addressing both mental health and addiction topics. The number of participants since 2020: 37 staff (as of January 2021) The City is now providing Anti-stigma training as a core learning program with ongoing evaluation and customization as required to meet the diversity of staff needs throughout the organization and to ensure the content is relevant to evolving community needs. For 2021 the City partnered with Sanguen Health to provide updated Anti-Stigma training. This is a local, “boots on the ground” organization that will offer more relevant training four times in 2021. This course provides an introduction to harm reduction, recognizing overdose and overdose risk, reducing stigma toward those who use substances and how to respond to people in complex mental health situations with compassion, dignity and respect. Compass Kitchener Evaluation Information is not available on the city website about the training initiative Valuable experience was gained through the initial offering of training which has led to updating and strengthening the relevance of the program through development of a partnership with Sanguen Health to provide the training. Compass Kitchener looks forward to seeing more City staff participate in this training program. Given the time and thought that has gone into development of this program Compass Kitchener wonders if any of the City’s anti-stigma training could be made available to others in the community, beyond City staff (i.e. shared with people from other organizations that deal with the public) - especially if training is done online. Support Consumption and Treatment Services (CTS) - Project Overview Kitchener Council support for CTS at Duke St was approved in 2019. CTS interim use of the Duke Street site became operational in October 2019 and full use began in 2020. (link) A Regional report on the first year of operation reported few impacts on neighbours. 80% of Community Advisory Group members agreed or strongly agreed that the CTS feels like part of the community. 90% agreed or strongly agreed the CTS and its partners are responsive to addressing concerns with the CTS. When asked if the CTS has negatively impacted the community, 70% disagreed or strongly disagreed. Community Advisory Group members said more CTS locations and more rehabilitation services are needed in Waterloo Region to support people using substances. When asked about what could be improved at the CTS, clients said: They’d like the site to be open 24 hours a day. They are also concerned about stigma if others see them enter the site. Compass Kitchener Evaluation Info on the regional website is good but downloading is difficult. We suggest the City’s strategic plan page link to the regional information. Not clear how availability of service at CTS is publicized. How do people find out about it? The Region conducted public engagement and with its operating partner Sanguen, circulated info and held information sessions for neighbours and stakeholders. It is encouraging to see that a number of the initial community concerns raised have not been realized since the CTS commenced operation Compass Kitchener is pleased that the CTS in Kitchener was quickly set up and is addressing a critical need in the community. 17 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Complete Streets Guideline Meets Strategic Plan Goal: People-Friendly Transportation Expectations Action: Develop a set of Complete Streets (safe and comfortable) guidelines and an associated evaluation scorecard by 2020 to apply to roadway construction projects Completion Status: 2019 - Ahead of schedule Complete Streets – Project Overview The plan for Complete Streets is to move away from car-centric designs to ones that make it safer and easier for pedestrians, cyclists and transit. The guidelines and scorecard were approved by Council on October 21, 2019. (link) City staff partnered with Wilfrid Laurier University’s CMEG 305 Community Engagement and SE 330B Social Innovation in the City classes to deliver community engagement for Complete Streets. Staff, students and advisors worked together to plan and execute community engagement tactics and analyze and summarize the feedback provided by the community. Having Complete Streets guidelines in place is expected to help the city avoid costly retrofits for traffic calming, sidewalk infill and cycling facilities that often occur years after a street is built, because these features were not included in the original scope of capital projects. Slight increases in capital funding may be required for higher order streets with enhanced pedestrian crossings and cycling facilities. These will be assessed on a case-by-case basis and will be guided by the Cycling and Trails Master Plan. The Guidelines note that Complete Streets can have increased maintenance costs. Compass Kitchener Evaluation There is a link to the Complete Streets project page from the strategic plan page on the city website and it includes a number of transportation projects. Two phases of engagement were conducted to gather initial feedback and confirm the Complete Streets guidelines are reflective of community priorities. During the first phase, a variety of engagement tactics were conducted to reach a broad cross-section of the community and hear from a variety of perspectives including over 600 residents, city advisory committees, stakeholders. The guidelines and scorecard are quite technical. The full report is 134 pages, however there is a 20-page Community Edition which is helpful and more understandable for the public. It was positive to see that during the pandemic the City accelerated implementing some “slow streets” features that advanced the complete streets philosophy. While the Complete Streets guidelines outline an ambitious plan designed to make the City a better place to move around, it is too early to assess the impact of the guidelines or to see an increase in the number of complete streets demonstrated through mapping. 18 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Urban Design Manual MeetsStrategic Plan Goal:Vibrant Economy Expectations Action: Complete a new Urban Design Manual by 2019 that expresses city building and design expectations to ensure vibrant new development throughout Kitchener. Completion Status: 2019 – On time Urban Design Manual -Project Overview The Urban Design Manual spells out what the city expects from the designs of new construction and infill throughout the city, in the designs of everything from green space to highrises, parking garages and new neighbourhoods. The manual calls for the innovative use of technology, whether in the street or a public meeting: things like using augmented reality 3D models at public meetings, so that people can get a much better sense of what a future development would look like. Part A contains guidelines which set the direction for urban design in Kitchener. Applicable guidelines from Part A will be referenced in an Urban Design Report accompanying a Development Application, where required. Part B contains supplementary guidelines completed through other studies such as streetscape master plans. Part C contains design standards. These provide detailed guidance for elements such as parking, landscaping, lighting, accessibility and more. Council approval: September 9, 2019. (link) Accountability may include a development review scorecard to grade implementation, periodic industry and public surveys, and audits of approved projects. Reporting to be provided bi-annually, to accompany the Kitchener Great Places Awards starting in 2021. Compass Kitchener Evaluation The website includes the manual but not the process to develop it, or the staff report. The guidelines were developed utilizing the feedback, comments and collaborative efforts of public and local stakeholders throughout the process. This included: 26 stakeholder and committee meetings, 6 coffee shop chats, an open house at Doors Open Waterloo Region, 6 design charrettes with central neighbourhoods and a survey on Engage Kitchener. Draft guidelines were presented to stakeholders twice -- once in April 2018 and again in February of 2019. The commenting period was followed by stakeholder interviews with interested parties, and more than 300 written comments were received. The guidelines are quite technical and written for a professional audience. It would be helpful to have a more public oriented summary. Although the new Urban Design Manual sets out a great vision for designing our City going forward, there is growing public concern regarding the number of tall, high density developments currently being built which exceed various City guidelines, and the perception that the City has received little from developers in return for these structures that exceed guidelines - i.e. little received in terms of affordable housing, parks, vibrant public spaces/streetscapes, cultural amenities – amenities that would improve the quality of life for the growing population in our community. The concern is about both how much control the City actually has to attain developers’ compliance with its guidelines, and the scarcity of compensating resources received from developers when projects do exceed the guidelines. 19 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Projects to be Completed Twelve of 25 strategic actions listed below are underway but not yet complete. They will be evaluated on completion. EVALUATION PROJECTS TO BE COMPLETED TIMING TBD Vibrant Economy strategic action: Complete a comprehensive review of city-owned properties Delayed due by 2020 to determine how they could be effectively used to advance city strategic objectives. to pandemic TBD People-Friendly Transportation strategic action: Encourage and incentivize alternative modes of Delayed to transportation by developing and subsidizing a bikeshare program by 2021. 2022 TBD People-Friendly Transportation strategic action: Install a continuous and protected cycling Underway network that connects adjacent neighbourhoods to the downtown by 2022. TBD People-Friendly Transportation strategic action: Develop a plan to create pedestrian-first streets Underway between Victoria Park and City Hall and between the ION and Kitchener Market by 2022. TBD Environmental Leadership strategic action: Starting in 2019, leverage the Energy Efficiency 2019 Start Reserve Fund and other resources to reduce consumption and emission at our facilities and in now on hold operations. TBD Environmental Leadership strategic action: Implement the Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy Underway with a focus on establishing a tree canopy target by 2020 and eliminating the current (2018) tree planting backlog by 2022. Strategy complete. Tree canopy target complete. Tree planting backlog underway TBD Environmental Leadership strategic action: Reduce waste diverted to landfills by implementing Delay due to new diversion programs at our facilities and events by 2021. pandemic TBD Vibrant Economy strategic action: Foster the creation of a city-wide network of incubators, Delay due to accelerators and co-working spaces by completing the buildout of 44 Gaukel in 2019, advancing pandemic work on a Creative Hub and undertaking business cases in 2019-2021 for the food manufacturing and health/med-tech industries. 44 Gaukel completed in 2019. Hub & business cases to complete TBD Vibrant Economy strategic action: Develop a vision for downtown Kitchener and continue to Delay due to position downtown Kitchener as a leading destination for redevelopment opportunities, with at pandemic least one new city owned-property brought to market by 2020. Finalize the Innovation District (Bramm Yards) Master Plan by 2021 and the Civic District Master Plan by 2022. TBD Caring Community strategic action:Better utilize existing facilities, provide relevant Delay due to programming at community centers, support the equitable distribution of leisure programs and pandemic resources across neighbourhoods. Start work on the Mill Courtland Community Centre expansion by 2020 and the Rosenberg Community Centre by 2021. Complete the Huron Brigadoon Community Centre and an Open Space Strategy by 2021. TBD Caring Community strategic action:Engage a broad cross-section of the community including Delay due to the arts and creative industry sector and multi-cultural comm unities to develop an inclusive pandemic arts and culture Plan by 2021. TBD Great Customer Service strategic action: Set clearly communicated and specific service levels for Underway frequently asked about or accessed City services, including: tree maintenance, parking, property standards complaints, snow clearing and grass cutting by 2022. 20 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Recommendations and Conclusions In the evaluation of each the completed projects Compass Kitchener noted suggestions for improvement. This section of the report summarizes the following seven areas that we recommend need attention. Budget and Project Management Accountability Public Engagement Websiteand Strategic Plan Accountability United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Progress Reports and Presentation Strategic Plan Dashboard Affordable Housing The report concludes with our overall conclusion. Budget and Project Management Accountability Evaluating implementation of the Strategic Plan was to include an evaluation of whether or not the work on each strategic action was on budget or not. Budget information was not readily available for most projects, so this was not possible to evaluate at this time. In the future it is important that budgeted cost of the project to be available and reported on as part of a project management plan or terms of reference for the project. Compass Kitchener found it more straightforward to evaluate implementation of strategic actions when they had a terms of reference or work plan that set out expectations for project before the project began. Website The public can access much information very well on the website, and the website improvements are impressive, however it is not clear how to access information on the key issues that Kitchener is addressing. The City recognizes that more work is needed on the website on an ongoing basis as people seek to find information. At the All Advisory Committees meeting we heard from people who regularly use the site or do research using the site indicating that it is hard to find materials they are searching for; that having found a document it is often hard to retrace one's steps to it; and that the links to documents contained in the website are often no longer functional. It was also suggested that adding some AI elements linked to searches would be useful - so that following a search, text would pop up saying something like " since you searched for xxxx, and you might find the following of interest..." In numerous City reports reference is made to Compass Kitchener and its recommendations, however, if one searches "Compass Kitchener" on the City's website, references to Compass Kitchener come up but not one that provides an explanation of what Compass Kitchener is and its terms of reference. It would be helpful to have the search function take a person to this info for each of the Advisory Committees. In instances where the City is providing links to documents that include lots of photos and/or design elements like tinted backgrounds on full pages etc., it would be very helpful if people could choose between downloading the document as originally presented or a printer-friendly version that uses less ink and paper. The Make it Kitchener Strategy does this but not many others. Progress Reports and Presentations Compass Kitchener appreciates that the Annual Business Plan and its regular progress reports are now more celebratory of the accomplishments and reflect a more reasonable number of projects that the City can actually accomplish. In completing our review of the Strategic Plan, the amount of information was challenging to absorb. We found it most helpful when staff presented on their projects to Compass Kitchener. We got a better sense of the project’s importance, 21 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan its key points, challenges and achievements through staff’s evident passion, pride and professionalism in addressing the strategic plan actions. Short videos of staff presentations or speaking about their projects would be helpful for the public. Staff and/or involved community members bring the projects to life and make the work relatable. We understand that staff were constrained during the pandemic, but we recommend this be given consideration in determining work priorities during the pandemic recovery. Affordable Housing To effectively address the affordable housing issue, it is critically important for the City to come up with clear definitions for "affordable" and "attainable" housing within the non-for-profit and market contexts, as it is only with clear definitions and the priority ascribed to each, that effective decisions will be made (regarding such things as inclusionary zoning), and that targets will be met at the various levels of need. It is also critically important for the City to develop legally binding agreements, that will ensure that when projects generate housing that can be purchased at an affordable price, those housing units remain affordable in perpetuity (i.e. not just affordable to the first purchasers of those units). Having gathered data that clearly outlines the need for affordable housing at various levels within the rental and ownership contexts, it will be important to ensure that that data is regularly updated and reported on to Council, so that future decisions will be informed by accurate up-to-date data. Public Engagement The City has placed great emphasis and done much work organizing community consultation processes around issues and projects and has often done so very successfully. There needs to be an emphasis placed on the importance of being sure to communicate back to on people how their input has been used or made a difference. We have heard people voicing frustration with consultation processes in a few veins: feeling that the views expressed through consultation processes made no difference to the City; feeling that some consultations are simply carried out so that the City can say it has consulted with people, when there is no commitment to giving serious consideration to the input provided; and frustration that a community meeting that might have been held regarding a specific project, didn't happen. Ensuring that consultation processes are managed well and lead to meaningful input is something we need to be sensitive to when we hear people raising these frustrations, it raises concerns. It underscores the need for the City to be even more vigilant in ensuring that people who provide input through consultation processes ultimately have an opportunity to gain a sense of how the overall input received impacted decision-making. United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Compass Kitchener is encouraged to see SDGs being referenced in work on several strategic plan actions and looks forward to seeing the Kitchener’s work on localizing the SDGs come to fruition. Strategic Plan Dashboard Compass Kitchener’s longstanding recommendation of a Strategic Plan Dashboard tracking progress on the projects in the Strategic Plan has not been addressed. The City’s Strategic Plan is not just a plan that sits on the shelf to be dusted off occasionally. It is meaningful and relevant to people. 22 Compass Kitchener 2021 Report Card City of Kitchener Strategic Plan Currently it is too difficult for citizens to access information about the work the City has done on the projects in its Strategic Plan - as a result, the City’s accomplishments can go unnoticed. Why have a Dashboard Provide citizens with an overview of the important issues the City has included in its Strategic Plan Enhance public understanding of the City's work done on each project in the Strategic Plan Provide easy access to more detailed information about the City’s accomplishments, without the frustration of conducting separate searches to try to track down information Ideal Format – cascading tiers of information Tier 1 - a short, simple description of the project and its current status Tier 2 - links enabling readers to view a few key documents indicating the project’s progress or completion (e.g. the draft strategy or final project report) Overall Conclusion We cannot stress enough how very impressive it is to see 12 Strategic Plan projects completed and extensive public consultation incorporated into many of the projects, despite the challenges posed by C0VID-19. Consistent project management standards, statement of desired impacts and clear articulation of budgets and timelines would strengthen project results, transparency and accountability. Consistent reporting on all Strategic Plan projects, on a Dashboard on the City’s website, would keep the public better informed of the City’s accomplishments. Compass Kitchener would like to work with CLT to refine the process of developing criteria for evaluating impact for the next Strategic Plan. It is very impressive that six of the twelve completed projects clearly exceeded expectations - an outstanding accomplishment that we want to recognize and celebrate! Congratulations to Council and staff and the many citizens who provided input on the excellent work to date. 23