Updates for City Council's Strategic Plan up for review at tonight's meeting

The evolution of the blue print for Council's plans for Prince Rupert will continue tonight, as the Council members receive a report from City Manager Rob Buchan, the document detailing some of the changes to the City's Strategic Plan for 2023-26.

As the City Manager outlines in his report, the changes to the wide ranging document come out of a Strategic Planning workshop that the Council took part in on January 22nd. 

The current strategic plan, which was adopted in 2023, charts the Course forward for City Council and outlines its Vision statement towards municipal government for the community.

Towards their workshop of January, Council identified 17 items for priority attention and amendment. 

Those are listed below along with the priority ranking that Council has given them:

Pursue amendment to landfill authorization on Watson Island to allow us to accept soils and generate funds for closure accruals --1 

Develop community renewal/maintenance strategy to complement infrastructure renewal --1 

Align local policies and programming with Indigenous Engagement Requirements within the Emergency and Disaster Management Act (EDMA), as per Provincial Directive (Section 55 of EDMA) -- 1 

Develop City strategy to advocate for quality local health care services -- 1

Develop an affordable housing strategy to complement Housing Acceleration Plan pursuant to new Provincial legislation -- 1

Align local policies and bylaws with Provincial legislation on housing density (in line with implementation of Housing Acceleration Plan + Affordability initiatives) -- 1

Align policies and bylaws with Provincial legislation on short-term rentals  -- 1

Update to Housing Needs Assessment to comply with Provincial directives  --1

Update to Official Community Plan to comply with Provincial directives  -- 1

Review developer incentives for effectiveness  -- 2

Update Solid Waste Management Bylaw to improve waste disposal controls -- 2

Update Fire Protection Bylaw -- 2

Exploration of paid parking implementation with proceeds towards downtown renewal -- 2

Develop Complete Communities Plan -- 2

Develop funding guide to assist with implementation of strategic goals -- 2 

Clarify roles/responsibilities with respect to Council Committee appointments -- 2

Address restrictive covenants on select City held properties (999 year leases) -- 2

The report also lists the items from that Strategic Plan that have seen progress since it was introduced in 2023.

Council members will have opportunity to comment on the proposed amendments as part of the discussion  period following the introduction of the report tonight. 

You can review the City Manage's Full Report to Council from the Agenda Package starting on page 16.

More notes related to tonight's City Council Session can be reviewed through our Preview here.

A look at some of their past discussion themes at City Council can be reviewed here.