Future Guelph: Strategic Plan 2024-2027 be approved. That the costs associated with the implementation of Future Guelph: Strategic Plan 2024-2027 be referred to the 2024-2027 multi-year…

9:09This one, it's the Future Guelph Strategic Plan. It's our, our OUR, it's everybody's strategic plan here that we've been working on for several months together as a team.

9:20And I would just say that's a team of input from, yes, the community of course, but for both our staff and council together.

9:29And this is really our, our, our guidebook for the next few years together as a team about the things that we know are important for everybody and are going to help guide us as we make decisions.

9:42And, you know, it's been a lot of heavy lifting, I would say, to get us to this point. I think it's, it's really exciting.

9:49And I'll have a bit more to say about it, obviously, but we do have presentation, several presenters from our staff that are going to kind of walk us through it on where we've landed a couple delegations as well.

10:00And then we'll come back to us hopefully to approve. It'd be a great document to see established. So at this time we'll turn over to our CAO, Scott Stewart to kick us off.

10:11Great. Thank you very much, Mr. Marin. I'm especially pleased with your last comments there as well. So let's not forget that, but good afternoon, Council.

10:19Today, I'm excited to present to you the city's strategic plan for 2024 to 2027 Future Guelph.

10:26I'm of course joined by our executive team and several members of our general managers or our corporate management team to take you through the strategic themes and objectives, as well as to highlight a few strategic initiatives.

10:39Future Guelph is the next evolution of the 2019 to 2023 Guelph Future Ready strategic plan.

10:46And while we're transitioning to a new chapter, Future Guelph carries forward long-term initiatives from Guelph Future Ready initiatives like the climate adaption plan and projects like the South End Community Center.

10:58They are still council priorities and part of Future Guelph as they will help us shape our city for years to come.

11:06Over the next four years, Future Guelph will be an important tool for communicating council priorities to city staff in the community.

11:13And Future Guelph is a living document and as things change and progress, it is designed to be flexible and adaptable and sure and we're ready for the future.

11:22And we can change when needed.

11:24Before we move into the presentation, I certainly like to thank members of council and staff for the important contributions made over the last nine months to get us here today.

11:33I'm very articulated.

11:34I can't thank you enough.

11:36We've spent lots of time on it, but we needed that time and we're here with this final product for you today.

11:41Just as a little reminder, after the April 25th strategic plan council workshop, individual follow-up happened with council through staff that worked diligently to incorporate your feedback.

11:52So I'd also like to recognize the incredible work done to buy our community to develop Guelph's community plan.

12:00So again, a lot with us, but also a lot with community members.

12:03And so that community plan, a united vision and the community engagement team in the work done across our master plan and projects.

12:11The voices that have guided that work are embedded in Future Guelph.

12:16The participation and support across the organization as well as the community over the last few years have led to the creation of a plan that we can proudly call our own.

12:25One that is truly Guelph-y.

12:28I speak for staff and myself when I say that I'm excited to work alongside council to see the actions in Future Guelph come to life and continue to make Guelph a great place for people to live, work and play.

12:39Now, just before I jump into this strategy, I want to speak for a moment about how important the plan is, especially in light of how quickly things can change around us.

12:50We've been experiencing some of that lately.

12:52The plan are collective ambition.

12:54You've heard of how to call it our North Star.

12:57And whether it's leading with accountability to increase trust and transparency in local government or maintain in our city's healthy financial position.

13:05This plan is built on a solid foundation that we will rely on to guide us through all kinds of change and certainly in times of these change.

13:14So let us move into the main event.

13:16First, let's look at the overview of Future Guelph.

13:20On page five, our strategy at a glance covers the major parts of the plan.

13:24Mission, vision, values and the strategic themes and objectives.

13:29These postcards that are before you, all these little postcards here, pocket sized versions of the plan.

13:35And a well structured strategic plan begins with its vision, mission and values set in a tone for how we go about doing our business.

13:42While objectives and initiatives can change over the years, our vision, mission and values are long term.

13:49Our vision, the overarching direction for our organization is for Guelph to be an inclusive connected, connected, prosperous city where we look after each other and our environment.

14:00Our mission, the purpose of our organization is working together to deliver responsible, responsive and professional public services to Guelph's grown and diverse community.

14:12And our values, the approach we take in our decisions and actions are embedded in five areas, integrity, service, inclusion, wellness and learning.

14:21So when we begin the strategic plan and process for Future, when we began it for Future Guelph, we engaged staff on how relevant our vision, mission and values were.

14:30And we were thrilled to hear that staff overwhelmingly indicated that they still resonated with them and it regularly helped them guide their work.

14:39Our vision, mission and values carries us forward into the future.

14:43To guide us through the rest of the Future Guelph strategy at glance, I'd like to invite Jody Sales, our general manager for strategy innovation and intergovernmental services to run us through the rest of it.

14:53Jody.

14:54Thanks, CAO Stuart. And for those of you following us at home, the page numbers that we will be referring to throughout the presentation can be found on attachment one of our presentation today.

15:07As mentioned Future Guelph is an evolution of our previous plan. Immediately you can see that our pillars have evolved into what we're now calling strategic themes.

15:15We actually have one less theme than before and that's because navigating our future has been combined with building our future into what we're calling city building.

15:23This helps us tell a more holistic story about how our objectives are a team effort from across the corporation.

15:30Our themes for Future Guelph are foundations, city building, environment and people in economy.

15:36And on page three of the plan you'll see definitions of the components of our strategy.

15:41Our strategic themes are the broad areas we're focusing on that connect the strategic initiatives and actions together.

15:47The strategic objectives are how we're achieving the vision and our council priorities.

15:53The initiatives are those supporting actions and what we're doing to realize those objectives.

15:58Future Guelph's themes, objectives and initiatives are all interconnected and as you'll hear the progress made in one theme supports progress made in the others.

16:07I'm now thrilled to turn it over to my colleagues who are going to guide us through a deeper dive into each strategic theme.

16:14I'll first introduce Stephen O'Brien, general manager of the city clerk's office to talk about our foundations.

16:20Thanks GM Sales and I can say that it was a really exciting and beneficial and rewarding opportunity to be involved in the development of the strategic plan.

16:34On page six you'll find the foundations theme.

16:38It's an important theme for staff as it focuses internally on how we do things as an organization and where we need to improve.

16:45This foundation or this theme story is how we as an organization prioritize culture and staff, advocate for issues affecting wealth and improve ourselves internally to make better decisions.

16:57It is how we responsibly manage our resources and assets and how we work to provide excellent service to our community.

17:03While we won't have time to review every initiative in Future Guelph, we will be highlighting a select few to counsel that help us tell the story of each theme.

17:11So for the foundations theme under lead with accountability on page 10, we have initiative 3.4, which is foster a culture of continuous improvement.

17:20Continuous improvement is an important part of our city and embodies our corporate value of learning that Scott Stewart spoke about earlier.

17:27By fostering this improvement culture, we strengthen the mindset that helps us more value, sorry, that helps us provide more value to the community.

17:36Since the continuous improvement office first opened in 2019, their lean belt program has been a positive force in our organization.

17:43Last year the lean yellow belt program helped my own team and my own department establish an improved commenting process for planning applications, minor variances and consents.

17:53And as an international team excellence award finalist, led by a gentleman sitting at the center of the table there, Mr. Juan de Silva.

18:01The project saved 4.75 hours of staff time per cycle and reduced extra staff communications by 72%. And that's well above the 15% target that we had.

18:12Imagine what we could accomplish as we support and promote these types of improvements on an ongoing basis.

18:19The fostering of a continuous improvement culture will continue to help us build on how we do things across all of the city's service areas.

18:27Moving on to page 12. Our next initiative is 5.1 improve customer service through the service simplified strategy.

18:33And what I can say is ongoing implementation of our service simplified strategy. As you well know, will help us work toward ensuring employees understand the city's commitment to customers and colleagues, wealth, good service standards, and how we as an organization collectively meet those standards.

18:49By working together, we can increase the public's trust in city government, which is foundational to service simplified through good service experiences.

18:56Using performance data and customer feedback, the city can improve how we design and deliver services, meaning that our customers can receive consistently good service using whatever their preferred channel is, whether that's online, by email, phone, or in person.

19:10Service simplified is what we're doing internally to benefit everything we do as a city.

19:15I'll turn your attention out to page 13. An important part of provide excellent service is initiative 5.3, which is remove barriers by integrating Guelph's equity lens into everything we do.

19:26Our community plan acknowledges that racism, discrimination, and exclusion unfortunately exist in many forms.

19:34As an institution, we need to strive to eliminate racism and colonialism that's embedded in our structural systems.

19:40Building on this acknowledgement, our equity lens is the first step in taking concrete actions toward eliminating barriers that are embedded in city policy, programs, and services.

19:50The equity lens will help us ensure that everyone in our community feels welcomed and able to meaningfully participate in all the places and spaces that we offer that participation.

20:01As you can see, foundation supports and enables the other three theme areas. It aims to improve everything we do as a city.

20:09If progress does not happen in this theme, there will be limited success in the other themes identified city building environment and people in economy.

20:17At this point, I'll hand it over to my colleague Terry Gaiman, general manager of engineering and transportation services to discuss city building. Thank you.

20:31Thank you, Mr. O'Brien and good afternoon council. I'm excited to be here to talk about something that is near and dear to my heart and that is city building.

20:39The city building aspects of the strategic plan are incredible and you have an incredible city staff that is very passionate about this line of work and about making meaningful change in our community.

20:49For those of you who've seen me speak before, you know that I'm passionate about this work as well and we work hard to deliver in this space every day.

20:56So let's jump in starting on page 14 city building focuses on supporting housing growth and wealth.

21:02While also investing in city infrastructure and programming to grow our services and improve how we get around.

21:09They also look at the people aspect of city building by celebrating culture and improving our cities parks and recreational services.

21:17So let's jump to page 19 and the objective make it easy to get around.

21:22I'll direct your attention to initiative 8.2 improve movement across the city by implementing the transportation master plan, which is focused on building a local transportation network that can work for everyone, no matter how you move around our city.

21:36While navigating is no longer a theme in future golf, it still plays a significant role in city building and the transportation master plan informs infrastructure improvements, policy developments and programs to establish alternative transportation, like biking, walking and taking transit.

21:53This also means we're improving golf active transportation network through investments, and we're also improving transit and trails.

22:00And it's important to note that this initiative is made up of supporting actions that are needed for its success.

22:05Our first supporting action is to make it easier for people getting around through vision zero.

22:10Bringing this global initiative to go up will help ensure everyone gets around more safely by changing our road system designs and policies. We can help reduce the chance of death or serious injury from collisions.

22:23Next, we'll align our fair structure for transit parking and other potential paid transportation options like e scooters to make it more appealing for people to choose alternative methods of transportation.

22:34This will help us achieve Council's directives for managing congestion and achieving our race to zero carbon reduction goals.

22:41It's truly amazing how many strategic alignments there are with this particular set of work.

22:47Our third action is to ensure wheeling and walking routes are available and accessible year round so people have easy and affordable transportation options any day of the year.

22:57And lastly, we'll make transit more affordable, attractive, accessible and equitable by connecting this work through Guelph Transit Future Ready Action Plan and Transit's Fair Strategy.

23:08We'll improve commute times, lessen congestion and reduce harmful vehicle emissions.

23:13Initiative 8.2 is another great example of how initiatives from one theme, in this case city building, help contribute to the success of another theme like environment.

23:23As we improve transportation across Guelph, we make it easier for people to walk to work or bike to the park.

23:29These activities improve people's health, reduce emissions from driving and make it better for the environment overall.

23:36I'll now hand it over to Doug Godfrey, General Manager of Operations to cover the rest of the city building highlights.

23:42Thank you, Mr. Gaman. Let's now flip to page 18 and take a look at grow and care for our community spaces and places.

23:55Initiative 7.1, Building Self End Community Center.

24:00This is a major infrastructure project that will support growth in the south end of Guelph as well as improve the health and wellness of the surrounding community.

24:08With construction expected to begin in fall 2023 and doors opening in late 2026, this multi-use facility will provide the community with more access to recreational services and a community hub for people to gather, connect and engage with the community.

24:24Interconnected with our environment theme, the South End Community Center is also designed to be a net zero carbon standard helping mitigate climate change.

24:37The South End Community Center will further improve the quality of life and well.

24:43Another large component of the grow and care for our community spaces and places on page 18 is initiative 7.3.

24:52Attract more people to our parks and programs by making them easier to access and enjoy.

24:59Parks and recreation spaces play an important role in supporting the physical and mental well-being of our community.

25:05With our facility spaces being well used and loved by the people of Guelph, they will also provide venues for larger sporting and non-sporting events supporting our people and economy theme.

25:18Communities also need parks, recreation facilities and programs that are inclusive, adaptable and have the built-in ability to respond to a growing and diverse community.

25:29As these things help connect people to each other and promote healthier living.

25:34It is important to note that this initiative is made up of supporting actions that are needed for its success, bringing together actions for both parks and recreation.

25:44Our first supporting action is to complete our outdoor sport field and surface strategy.

25:49This strategy will provide guidance on where and how to invest in our outdoor sports facilities to support the health of our community including outdoor sports services like soccer, baseball, cricket, tennis and pickleball.

26:06The next supporting action is to implement our culture plan 2030.

26:10Arts and culture contribute to a vibrant, healthy and safe community where people feel connected, included and celebrated.

26:18We expect Guelph's culture plan to increase opportunities for artists to create and present their work and for locals and visitors to engage in cultural experiences that are accessible, inclusive and thought-provoking.

26:31Artists and presenters will have access to funding, coaching, space and other resources that contribute to their success, making Guelph an ideal community for creative people and events.

26:43Our last action under growing care for our community spaces and places is implementing our Guelph Trail Master Plan.

26:51Trails are essential for recreation, health and mobility.

26:54The development of an inclusive, connected, sustainable trail network offers the community diverse experiences, fosters an active and healthy lifestyle and showcases Guelph's natural and cultural assets.

27:07In 2027, Guelph's active transportation network will connect the city from all points with a 54-kilometer network of paths and trails.

27:17People of all ages and abilities will be able to use the network all year round, supporting the reduction of harmful vehicle emissions.

27:25What we accomplish in city building also elevates what we will work toward an environment as well as in people and economy.

27:42Let's over to our next theme, beginning on page 20, the environment.

27:46This theme focuses on the city's role in environmental stewardship to reduce corporate greenhouse gas emissions and energy use, protect and improve our green spaces and support community climate change action.

28:00Our corporate responsibilities to address climate change include several exciting things like expanding our tree canopy, investing in green technology, and ensuring our assets and infrastructure are ready for the impacts of a changing world.

28:14Looking at page 23, be a leader in climate action is an initiative that is near and dear to me.

28:20Initiative 9.5 reduced Guelph's carbon footprint by investing in zero emissions vehicles for our fleet. This supports our commitment to meet our race to zero target.

28:31Well, first electric bus is currently on the road as we speak.

28:35I had the privilege of riding in it with many members of council when it arrived earlier this year.

28:41Electrifying and scaling Guelph's fleet helps reduce Guelph's carbon footprint and is an investment in green infrastructure that supports long term city growth.

28:50This initiative brings electric buses, electric and hybrid light vehicles, electric ice surfacers, resurfacers and electric work utility carts to Guelph with simpler EV designs reducing maintenance costs throughout its life.

29:04These investments set the stage beyond 2027 as technology matures to transition our heavy works vehicles and equipment such as sweepers, backhoes and waste trucks.

29:15Our electric buses are just some of the things we're doing to become leaders in climate action.

29:19As I said, Guelph is the first Canadian property to receive the Nova bus LFSE plus large battery bus.

29:26We now have three on property and lead smaller municipalities in the industry and get our orders fulfilled.

29:33I would like to introduce, I would now like to introduce Nectar, Tampa, Coppola's general manager of environmental services to further discuss our environment.

29:47Thank you very much, Mr. Godfrey.

29:49Well done on the name.

29:51Continue on page 23 with be a leader in climate action. We have initiative 9.3 mitigate the impacts of climate change by increasing tree canopy coverage.

30:05Focusing on the expansion of Guelph's tree canopy coverage.

30:08Our trees for a part of the city's green infrastructure, which sustains the community by filtering air pollution, providing shade contributing to flood control.

30:17Reducing local energy use and sequestering carbon and bringing nature to the city.

30:22Long term investments in Guelph's tree canopy requires new funding models and leveraging grants and partnerships for its success.

30:30Improving the sustainability of Guelph's urban forest includes increasing Guelph's canopy covered to 40% of total land area in the city by 2070.

30:40While a sustainable urban forest provides environmental benefits.

30:44It also adds social cultural and economic benefits as our community continues to grow.

30:50You cannot have a healthy city without healthy people.

30:53So while this lives under the environment theme, our trees are also crucial to city building.

30:58Moving to page 25 under empower the community to help create a sustainable city.

31:04We have initiative 10.2 make homes.

31:08More energy efficient by implementing the Guelph greener homes program.

31:13This is how we're supporting the community to invest in green technology to reduce climate change impacts.

31:18Until now we have focused on what we're doing to address climate change.

31:22Here is where we focus on what we're doing to empower our community.

31:26The Guelph greener homes program will assist residents reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and make their homes more energy efficient.

31:33Comfortable and climate friendly.

31:36This program will help spur economic growth within the city's clean tax sector.

31:40This program is an important step toward bringing the city and community together to make Guelph a greener, more sustainable city.

31:47As we advance our environmental theme and our race to net zero goals.

31:51Our recently released environmental sustainability report highlights our outcomes, accomplishments and opportunities for improvement.

32:00Now to take us through our final theme. I'd like to introduce Stacy Dunnegan acting general manager for economic development and tourism.

32:13Thank you, Mr. Dan, preropolis.

32:15I'm excited to kick us off for the people and economy theme. So let's start on page 26.

32:21This theme focuses on what we're doing to support our people, including creating a healthy downtown with beautiful community spaces and convening to address systemic gaps, challenges and opportunities in Guelph.

32:33In addition, by supporting our businesses through various means, including circular economy work, we make Guelph more attractive for new and existing businesses.

32:43So let's go to page 28 initiative 11.1 support businesses, tourism and investment attraction to Guelph by implementing the economic development and tourism strategy.

32:54Focused on our next steps for supporting the economy and how we're addressing obstacles faced by our local businesses.

33:01From that strategy, we're working toward becoming a backbone organization for local business intelligence and coordination.

33:08This helps us inform grow Guelph partners such as the innovation Guelph and the University of Guelph as we collectively build a resilient economy and make policy and programming decisions together.

33:20We're also taking action by developing marketing plans for investment attraction and tourism.

33:26This will help us communicate Guelph's value proposition and raise our profile to attract visitors and businesses.

33:34As Guelph continues to grow, we're proactively working to connect our landowners to potential investors to see underutilized land developed to bring in new jobs and businesses and innovations.

33:46And as we look to diversify and strengthen our economy, we're establishing targeted training and support for the tourism industry to help businesses become more resilient, connected and well informed.

33:59This helps our tourism industry become more competitive and contributes to Guelph becoming a must see visitor destination.

34:07Finally, by focusing on public space planning, design and management and investing in infrastructure that contributes to Guelph visitor experience, Guelph becomes a city where people want to live, work, play and visit.

34:20To take us through the people side of people and economy and some of the things we're doing there, I'd like to invite Miss Sales.

34:26Thanks, Miss Dennegan. We're almost there.

34:32So now let's look at page 29 as we shift our attention from what we're doing to support our economy to what we're doing to support our people.

34:38Initiative 13.1, convene the community to advance the goals of Guelph's community plan under support community well-being.

34:45Focuses on our role as conveners together with local organizations, governments, communities and people to collaborate on achieving our community vision.

34:54With Guelph's community plan as the guide, we seek to create a cycle of convening, identifying and co-creating equitable solutions that call upon organizations, stakeholders, communities and people to come together to bring about positive and lasting change.

35:09Our role as conveners helps achieve the objectives of future Guelph and is an important way that we can support Guelph's community plan goals.

35:17What we do in people and economy is interconnected in our city building and environment themes.

35:23For example, Miss Dennegan mentioned the growing number of local businesses involved in the circular economy.

35:29When this happens, we help our businesses grow, we promote the reuse of materials and we reduce the environmental impacts of waste.

35:37To wrap this up, I'll add that while our general managers have presented a few initiatives from each of our strategic themes, we all work together both across the organization as well as through our community to achieve future Guelph's objectives.

35:50We're one city with a shared purpose, but we know our future successes will be achieved together.

35:56So let's discuss the next steps for future Guelph.

35:59Upon council's adoption of the plan, staff will begin the process of departmental business plans and work plans, having already begun our multi-year budget planning.

36:07These phases are in line with our strategic planning cycle where first we plan, then we budget, later on we report.

36:14The strategic planning cycle is a recognized best practice to keep planning, budgeting and reporting interconnected.

36:19And we continue to enhance and adopt this approach and improve it. We take pride in knowing that our efforts are being recognized by local municipalities who've reached out to us to ask us for advice in how they can.

36:32Adapt their planning and multi-year budgeting and reporting processes.

36:36Over the summer, staff will also work to refine and update the key performance indicators for future Guelph.

36:41An information report will be shared with council in the fall regarding the final key performance indicators, including targets for the next four years.

36:48And with that, I'll hand it over to Miss Baker to talk about the 2024 and 2022-2027 multi-year budget process.

37:00Thanks. So over the two years, we've worked to align our budget with the strategic plan to complete the full cycle strategic planning, the full circle of strategic planning.

37:11Future Guelph will be the guiding plan for the city's first four-year multi-year budget. And like it's always been, it will be the tool that sets the pace and scope at which we can action the plan.

37:22This approach will help us to balance affordability with progress.

37:27Our collective commitment to balance progress with affordability and fiscal responsibility is part of Future Guelph.

37:34Initiative 4.1 foundations maintain our financial health.

37:39The budget process with council starts in October, beginning discussions on how Future Guelph will be resourced.

37:45Our commitment is that the budget requirements, the timing and expected outcomes from that investment are clearly presented for council to make informed implementation decisions.

37:57By December, it's anticipated the budget will have been adopted with Future Guelph implementation moving forward immediately following.

38:04While the public budget process starts in October, behind the scenes staff across the entire organization are doing full-scale budget planning now.

38:13We have listened to you and the community and made adjustments and improvements to the process.

38:18We will continue to provide a variety of options to engage with staff and the community during this process. Budget education sessions, town halls will all be part of that.

38:28We have developed a new website that is more contained, easier to navigate and more streamlined for that budget material for your review.

38:37And finally, while we are maintaining a strong alignment with Future Guelph, we will also return to a more departmental layout in the dashboard that we heard loud and clear was a significant challenge in navigation.

38:52So like always, the continuous improvement approach to budget builds confidence in our process, enhances clarity and transparency of our budget process, and enables council to make informed decisions.

39:04Future Guelph is our North Star, a living document and our budget spanning the same timeframe is the tool that puts it all into action.

39:12I like, I like many other staff are proud to have been part of the development of Future Guelph.

39:17The collective work of both council and staff have helped to set the stage for meaningful budget conversation and decisions.

39:25And 2024 will be an exciting year when we can begin or continue these initiatives in Future Guelph. Thank you for your time and attention this afternoon.

39:34And I'll now hand the floor back to our mayor.

39:41All right. Hey, thanks everyone for walking us through that with the highlights really, really appreciate it.

39:47And for those at home, you aren't holding, you know, the actual hard copy in your hand of holding it up here but I know it's part of our package but just good work on the printing of this it's a nice little document to have and again thank you for everyone all the work that you've done.

40:05We do have a couple of delegations. And so I'm going to start with John Fisher who's no known here.

40:18And John is with the Guelph Hiking Trail Club, wanting to speak on the strategic plan in front of us here. John, thank you very much for coming.

40:29And I will, you have everyone has five minutes and I will start the clock as soon as you start talking. John again, thank you. Go right ahead.

40:40Sorry, John, I'm going to stop the clock there just to hit the button there for the green to go on. There you go. You start you go ahead.

40:46Mr. Mayor, councillors, city staff.

40:50Congratulations on the on the work you did on the on Future Guelph. It's a wonderful document.

40:57I want to talk about the Future Guelph strategic plan refresh and its relationship to the G to G gap. A segment of the Guelph Trailway.

41:06The strengths weaknesses opportunities and threats attachment number six specifically named the Guelph to Godridge trail as an example to improve connections to other communities.

41:18To take advantage of that opportunity. The city has to safely close the G to G gap between Woodlawn and Silver Creek.

41:26The Future Guelph document informs departmental planning work plans and the 2024 2077 multi year budget.

41:35Parks have place marked funding to address the G to G gap beyond the 2027 multi year budget window.

41:44In 2021, council approved the trails master plan that made closing the G to G gap. The number one city building trails priority.

41:55It was number one, because it was a high impact project with a high profile because it connected a stranded piece of the transgender trail.

42:04And because it had a huge public appeal and support. The city cannot let the number one priority be a future ready tomorrow initiative.

42:15It's not just a parks opportunity. Closing the G to G gap requires the Guelph junction railway to be an active participant.

42:24The 2022 G J R annual report mentions grading improvements and trail connectivity opportunities that are being taken into consideration for a potential trail system between Woodlawn Road and its end of track in 2023.

42:43A safe G to G connection is critical now because the historic informal trailway pedestrians and cyclists used to use to access the G to G is closed.

42:54Closure is the result of G J R installing rail infrastructure for a new trans loading customer.

43:02G J R has a responsibility to the city of Guelph taxpayer, another key customer to complete the grading and connectivity improvements, which are a prerequisite to building the new trail on their R o W independent of other customers development timing.

43:20Parks needs to complement that construction timeline, which means it must cycle. Economic and development and tourism, which includes G J R would all benefit from closing the gap.

43:38For example, tourism, a priority sector for economic development has targeted initiatives like bike tourism expansion, Ontario by bike, bike friendly Guelph. All those initiatives would benefit from a safe, intuitive G to G downtown connection.

43:57The transport master plan says the city will support the ongoing enhancement of a bicycle network, which includes providing bicycle paths along rail lines.

44:08It also says the city will support connections to and from provincial and regional cycling routes that facilitate opportunities for tourism and travel to from and through Guelph.

44:24Separated trailways like the G to G are the holy grail of bike infrastructure. We already have separation from Mcdonald's speed bill. We can add to that network by completing the G to G gap and positively impact vision zero, mode share targets and race to zero.

44:45The trail user groups ask that council make this connectivity link part of this future ready strategic plan by directing staff to adhere to the trails master plan number one priority.

44:58Close the gap and pull forward that the place mark funding from his current status as a tomorrow project to inclusion in the 2024 2027 multi year budget.

45:12The safety, health and economic vibrancy of citizens and businesses, businesses of the city of Guelph will all benefit from your leadership. Thank you.

45:24Thank you. Great. Thank you, John. Appreciate you coming and presenting today. Let me just see if there's a follow up before we go to our next delegation.

45:32Okay, not at this time, but thank you very much. Thank you.

45:36And the next one is Lorenz.

45:39Lorenz. I think joining us by video, if I recall. So yeah, Lorenz, it's Mayor Guthrie. There you are. I can see you. I just want to make sure we can hear you. Can you just check your audio for me?

45:56Can you hear me?

45:58Yeah, you're coming through great. I'm just going to start the clock here for you whenever you're ready. And again, you have up to five minutes if you need it. Go right ahead.

46:04Hello, everyone. My name is Lorenz Calcagno. I'm the chair of the Guelph Trailway, which is the Guelph section of the Guelph to Godrich Rail Trail, a charitable nonprofit.

46:14The rail trail is roughly 145 kilometers to Godrich from here. It's also a spur connector of the Trans Canada Trail, the G to G, and it's broken into five sections.

46:24The smallest lands in the city en route ours, Guelph. It's 7.6 kilometers long, which connects downtown Guelph to the Kissing Bridge Trailway.

46:34The Guelph section is the gateway for the Golden Horseshoe to the Toll G to G. However, as mentioned, there's a three kilometer missing section that puts users onto Silver Creek Parkway.

46:44Therefore, many users bypass Guelph altogether and begin their journey of the Guelph to Godrich Rail Trail outside of Guelph, starting on Silver Creek.

46:54That includes most Guelphites and a few counselors I've seen. It's worth mentioning that this missing gap is the only missing piece of the Trans Canada Trail in Ontario.

47:04Funding is available to complete this, but the city hasn't sought it yet.

47:07We, the G to G organization of volunteers, resurfaced the G to G Rail Trail from Silver Creek to Godrich in 2020 with a complete roadbed foundation rebuild between Elmira and Milverton at a cost of $253,000 with $76,000 grant from Amaphrah,

47:27and which included wayfinding signs every kilometer.

47:31We currently hold 20 legal landowner agreements with an additional 60 curated handshake agreements. Our partners in this project, as you mentioned earlier with John Fisher and the Guelph Hiking Trail Club, hold 48 legal landowner agreements.

47:46I've been working with this Guelph City staff since 2019 to complete this three kilometer missing section of the G to G TCT connection.

47:57As you know, future Guelph sets the direction and goals for Guelph's coming budget.

48:02Although the G to G TCT connection has been in trail master plans since 2005 and was scheduled to have been completed in 2010, it still has no budget allocation in this next multi-year budget.

48:15The G to G Rail Trail wishes to take this opportunity to emphasize the values outlined in future Guelph's strategic plan to ensure that Council's explicit wishes and direction for the number one priority project of the Guelph Trails Master Plan has funding in this coming budget.

48:30So it might be implemented in a timely manner.

48:33As it currently stands, it will not be completed in the career span of the current staff overseeing it.

48:39Very few parks and trails projects can boast a return on investment. This one can.

48:44And more than most other city projects.

48:48An entire town in Florida boasts its economic success is completely due to investing in a rail trail that ran through it.

48:55It's important to know that the largest population cohort, the ones with all the money, the ones with pensions and paid off homes, the baby boomers, they are all mostly retired and they want to stay active.

49:07By and large, their knees aren't great and they like to ride bikes.

49:10They don't like traffic and they're not fond of hills.

49:13They're vacationing and touring around, visiting interesting places and spending their money.

49:18Rail trails are full of gray-haired people who have no problem getting a comfy room and a lovely dinner before heading out again the next day.

49:26Guelph is missing out on all of that and we have the data to support it.

49:31We delivered economic impact statements from those jurisdictions inside Canada and the U.S. that show an incredible return on investment for rail trail development.

49:38I worked with John Regan, the head of economic development to illustrate the great gains for the city and he assured me he would bring these findings to Council Mayor, senior staff and other departments.

49:50I hope you've seen those.

49:52For less than the price of a soccer field or a baseball dime, this project can be completed.

49:56This needs to be in the parks trails budget now.

49:59However, this is also an economic development tourism project, a downtown project as well.

50:03It needs the cooperation from multiple departments and city-held assets.

50:09Speak with anyone from the following towns en route and you'll be told of the positive economic impact from the GDG.

50:16Elmira, Wallenstein, Linwood, Millbank, Milburton, Monkton, Walton, Blythe, Auburn and Godrich.

50:22And they'll also ask you, why hasn't Guelph finished its section yet?

50:26The only thing left to do is to complete the Guelph section of the GDG to open the gateway to this proven economic success.

50:33Please follow the strategy outlined in the future Guelph strategic plan and ensure the multi-year budget has funding to complete the Guelph section of the GDG.

50:43Thank you very much. It's a really good plan and I appreciate all the work everyone's done on it.

50:48Thanks, Lorenz. I appreciate it.

50:51I have one question from Councillor Klassen. Please stay on the line.

50:55Sure.

50:57Hi, Mr. Calca. I appreciate the delegation.

50:59I do have a question. You mentioned funding opportunities and I was just curious if you could elaborate a little bit on that.

51:09I'm assuming they would be external to city funding. Is that correct?

51:14That's correct. Yeah.

51:16Through the TransCanada Trail, I'm not there, certain are official moniker, but applications can be made, I believe, federally and provincially for the TransCanada Trail.

51:27I know there was a lot of programs available during the pandemic for exactly this kind of project as well.

51:34Okay. Thank you for the elaboration.

51:37And just to stay with me as well, Councillor Busuttil has a follow-up.

51:42Okay.

51:44Thank you very much. Can you hear me okay? Yeah, thank you.

51:47Yeah, thank you. So I'm one of the new councillors. I'm in Ward 4. And I guess when I hear your presentation, I, what resonates for me is, you know, the individuals in the families that I work with who are not able to delegate language and a number of other barriers.

52:02And when we, when I have conversations about connectivity, it's about basic need, getting to public services, doctor's appointments to a job and so on.

52:12So can you help me understand or your understanding of how this benefits Ward 4 that has absolutely no connectivity, absolutely no underpass and things like that.

52:23And just for context, I was an avid cyclist, you know, through Egypt and Turkey and Greece all over the world. So cycling and hiking is not something that I'm opposed to.

52:35But where I sit now in terms of equity and priority, and you know, this being number one for me, I'll be very honest, is absolutely not number one.

52:44Okay. I can appreciate that.

52:45It's interesting to note, I think if you go into our parks, provincial parks, our municipal parks and the G to G, you will see it on the weekends in the evenings during the day packed with new Canadians.

53:01New Canadians are using this, a lot of these parks more than a lot of the historic families in the area.

53:09It's, we have videos of just someone riding down the whole trail. The diversity is incredible.

53:19It's quite something to see.

53:22Now, specifically to Ward 4, very interestingly, this project was the number one priority, you're correct.

53:29During the deliberations of the updated trails master plan, Council directed one connection to move up ahead of this, which was the connection to Ward 4.

53:44The Guelph Hiking Trail Club actually worked to try to make that connectivity to Ward 4 because you're right.

53:53And previous Councillors before you also were very upset that that connection had not been made and it had been on the table for years and everybody wants it to be connected.

54:04So there has been some work done to make that connection to bring the trail network, the multi-use path network closer to you.

54:16It hasn't been done without the help of the volunteer organization.

54:23And I would say the first delegation, John Fisher was primary in getting that done.

54:30If it's not done to a greater liking for yourself and your constituents, I think you should bring that up with Guelph staff because we've been working on it as hard as we can with zero funding.

54:46So I agree with you.

54:47And once that connection is made even better from Ward 4 into the regular multi-use path system and we have a connection, like I said, it's only three kilometers and we're talking about less than the price of a soccer field.

55:02And like I said, if you please get out there and have a look at these things, they're used all day long, whereas a lot of our sports fields are sitting empty all day long.

55:11And for at least the winter months, they're completely unused in a lot of our bigger facilities.

55:20You will see these trail systems used by everybody all year long and the diversity I cannot emphasize is well represented.

55:30Thank you, Lawrence. And I guess I should have clarified that the part of Ward 4 is, you know, the Willow Westwood Road area where social determinants high poverty.

55:39And these are people who don't have access to bikes, no place to park bikes and so on. So at some point we can have a conversation around there. But again, the priority for me is.

55:49I'm totally on side with that. In fact, I'm working. I'm also the president of Gorba and I've been working with city staff to make sure that your neighborhood is accessible.

55:58And I've been fighting for a bike park in your neighborhood for a very long time because there are a lot of, you'll know this, a lot of young men, young women don't have the same experience.

56:09And I think the way they're doing access is a lot of folks in the other parts of the city. But if they, they will be riding a bike of some sort and that is their main transportation. They don't have parents taking them around or skateboards is another one they like to use.

56:23So access from that point of view, that infrastructure needs to be in place for those young people. Absolutely.

56:29Thank you. Okay, I don't see any more, I think. So thank you.

56:36Oh, did Leanna, I saw Leanna's.

56:40I didn't see your, your hand go right ahead.

56:45Same lines as Councillor Bousseteal's question is, as you know, and we've discussed this.

56:50Lorenz is the barrier along Silver Creek to get to the south end of the city, which isn't necessarily a G to G issue is getting over the speed limit.

57:00And so, I think that's the priority of the G to G trail for the G to G trail for its economic development.

57:08For two decades since MTO constructed the Hanlon overpass, the city has had this as a priority and something I've advocated, linking word for to word five, getting on both under the Hanlon and over the speed.

57:18And so, I think that's a great way to get a supporter of the G to G trail for its economic development and the packages that it provides. But my priority, and I know again we've talked about it is we've got to get people to work and to school.

57:34And that connection over the speed and under the Hanlon is linked to our employment lands, but it's also linked to the G to G. So, when we're looking at resources to fund trail connections and bridge connections.

57:48My question is, how can we balance the need to have both recreational and tourism priorities overlap with our with our active transportation get people from point A to point B.

58:05Yeah, that's a great question. I think, as you know, the multi use path system that's in place the ones that are getting the great use that they're getting.

58:17And the numbers are high.

58:19Not because people are just picking them as recreation they're using them to get around town.

58:26Most of us are age folks on council. We rode bicycles to school. If you go to a bike school right now you won't see the kind of bike racks and bike numbers that we saw parents don't want their kids riding on the roads with bicycles the off road.

58:45Separated bike lane multi use past system is the golden standard for sure gold standard and the networks we have are being used far beyond recreational use. It is how people are choosing to get through through the city.

59:02And there is great electronic data available to give you time of day, gender, age, direction, it's it's phenomenal.

59:13What's available and we can provide that a staff has been given some of these tools. They haven't taken them up. It's available for municipalities and nonprofits.

59:23I'm not sure why they haven't taken that up but the reports are quite quite astounding. So some of those paths might have been built with recreation in mind, but the fact is they're being used as commuter routes as well, because people are staying off of the roads where they can.

59:40Now, obviously, they're not thorough and complete throughout the city, but where they can and the more we can add the better off. I think our active transportation network becomes now, you know, versus one project versus another.

59:57This one and I believe you're going to get some more economic impact data coming up this stuff that I'm talking about this one particular connection out of 100 and almost 50 kilometers.

1:00:12We're talking we're the last three kilometers is not done every community along the way has managed to get it and do it and install it and finish it except us for three kilometers. That's all we're talking.

1:00:23And these things make money on average. The $1 in is $7 out. Some jurisdictions are going way above that and the economic impact stands and it's there. So you it's almost like I would prioritize this because this will pay for other things.

1:00:42We're installing all sorts of other parks and rec facilities that, you know, we need them because that's what we do with our taxpayers dollars for ourselves. And do they have that kind of return on investment? Of course not.

1:00:58But we know that's what we need. We have baseball diamonds sitting empty during the day.

1:01:05Soccer fields sitting empty during the day.

1:01:08Is that fine? Absolutely, because we want to use them at night. Now, if we could say that about something else that people will use another recreation. This isn't just for a few people.

1:01:19This is for hundreds of thousands of people a year and it and I would rival it against most of our other parks facilities from my like I said, you're going to get some economic data shortly and the numbers are there to support it.

1:01:34Once you see it, it's almost wise not to invest in it. It makes this city money. We've also joked that there's people who don't like bikes and it's like great invest in this because it's not for the bikes.

1:01:46It gets them off your road or it it takes money out of their pocket and it puts it back into the coffers of the whole city, the whole population.

1:01:54I think it's it's an investment that's hard to ignore and it will help facilitate and pay for other investments or other projects.

1:02:06Thank you, Councillor Caron.

1:02:11All right, seeing nothing further, I believe. Thank you, Lorenz for joining us in your presentation. Okay.

1:02:18And we're going to move on to make a make Thurburn.

1:02:26And just before make speaks, I just want to respectfully remind Council, we are here about a strategic plan.

1:02:35We need to kind of hone ourselves and focus ourselves at a higher level today.

1:02:40Okay, we are not here to pick apart a potential project specifically on something that can be discussed at budget time within the entire context of a budget.

1:02:54That's where we should be having conversations like that.

1:02:57So I just want to make sure I'm reminding everybody about that, not just because of the delegations, but because we could be hours here about our favorite little thing that we want to talk about.

1:03:06I don't want that because it's not right. We need to be here about a strategy at a strategic level. That's why it's called the strategic plan. Okay.

1:03:14So with that, Meg, can you hear me okay? It's Mary Guthrie.

1:03:18Yes, I can hear you.

1:03:19Thank you so much for joining us. Are you going to turn your video on or did you want to just do.

1:03:23Oh yeah, I'll turn it on. There we go.

1:03:25Okay, no problem.

1:03:26Yes, there you are. Thank you for joining us and I'll start the clock as soon as you start speaking. Okay, go right ahead.

1:03:30Okay. Thank you, Mr. Mayor, members of council and staff. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to speak.

1:03:37And I also want to thank you for your excellent work on the future wealth strategic plan and I'll quickly apologize because I am going to go on this one specific project a little bit more.

1:03:48I'm the chair of the wealth trail user groups coalition and hearing your questions. I want to try to shift your lens about the G to G connection.

1:03:56I said, well, cost of it, but it's a moneymaker for the city in your package is an economic impact analysis. I prepare for completing the G to G wealth trailway also known as the TCT connector.

1:04:07As mentioned, like my colleagues, this project has been listed as a top priority for the city since 2005, yet nothing has happened.

1:04:15We have to wonder why the thought perhaps that if you understood what an economic winner it is, you might develop the political will to make it happen.

1:04:22Quickly, what are my qualifications to do this analysis? I'm a retired professor of epidemiology with the university of Guelph, who's were concluded microeconomics with an emphasis on economic decision making.

1:04:33I've completed benefit cost analysis from multiple levels of government in several countries and on the side through my involvement with the trail organizations throughout the province. I have specifically authored some full trail system, trail system feasibility and economic impact studies.

1:04:47Future Guelph outlines the strategic directions and objectives for Guelph over the next four years and informs the multi-year budget. That's why we came today.

1:04:56The parks department has not included the G to G TCT gap in its four year budget. We argue that no other possible tourism or recreational project in Guelph can yield greater economic benefits than this one.

1:05:09It needs to be in parks trail budget, but it isn't just a parks project. It also falls under economic development and tourism and culture and recreation and demands cooperation and transparency from GJR.

1:05:21It is a future Guelph project. There are hundreds of studies documenting the positive impact, economic impact of rail trails and rails with trails. I have briefly summarized several of them in the submitted paper.

1:05:33All of these studies show net gain with an annual return on investment of over $7 per dollar spent.

1:05:40I base the estimates in my analysis on those studies that have rail and through trails, most similar to the G to G in terms of population density, trail length and level of remoteness.

1:05:51The estimates I've provided are conservative. In the initial years alone, closing the gap will lead to approximately $1.4 million per year in increased revenue to local merchants.

1:06:05Other economic benefits which have been thoroughly documented from hundreds of trail towns include new businesses, increased property values, job creation and increased tax revenue, among others.

1:06:18Don't be fooled thinking closing a gap will just benefit a few cyclists and hikers.

1:06:23Think of downtown Guelph, the closed storefronts, the struggling businesses and I suspect the declining property tax revenues.

1:06:30Cycling tourism is huge and growing exponentially. The difficult and unsafe nature of riding from downtown Guelph currently deters visiting cyclists from starting their journeys there.

1:06:42Picture instead if we had a welcoming route from our center. With our vicinity to the Golden Horseshoe, we would become a magnet for thousands and thousands of cycling tourists.

1:06:51The majority of whom are retirees with disposable incomes looking for a whole experience which involves dining, shopping and accommodation at the start and finish of the journey.

1:07:02I have not taken the time to describe the many non-economic benefits of trails. The physical, mental and emotional health benefits that Guelph residents will derive from easy and safe access to a lengthy and delightful trail.

1:07:14I hope you already understand those.

1:07:17One of the themes in future Guelph is people and economy. By closing the G2G and TCG gaps, the Guelph trail way will profoundly and positively impact three items within that component.

1:07:30Bro Guelph's economy make downtown a vibrant place for everyone, support community well-being. Please make this happen. Thank you.

1:07:41I have to stop the clock there. Thank you very much. And anybody else have a question at this time? No, okay. Thank you very much, Meg. Have a great rest of the day.

1:07:53Thank you.

1:07:54All right, everybody. That is our delegations for our strategic plan.

1:08:05And just before I look to have a mover and a seconder for this, he already got a little bit of a sneak peek into my preamble.

1:08:14We're here at a strategic level, council.

1:08:17Months of work to get to a strategic document that is going to be the guidebook on what we're looking to do.

1:08:24The specifics and the drill down can happen at the appropriate time and that is budget within the whole context of a city budget that will be in front of us. Okay.

1:08:35So let's just remember that as we start to get into this. The other thing I would just say is we've done a lot of kind of, I would just high level say word smithing, you know, over the last several months.

1:08:44And this, this to me at this time is not the time to be getting into wordsmithing like this is the this is the document now that I think we need to be trying to rally around as best we can.

1:08:55And there's, you know, there's three, I think. Yeah, there's three motions here for us. And so rightly so there might be questions about costs. Well, guess what the second motion speaks specifically to that again we're going to see it in the context of the budget.

1:09:12And then there's things about KPIs again, everyone's in favor of that that's coming in the fall. And there's the context that will help us with that before we move into the multi year budget. So at that with those kind of preamble remarks.

1:09:27I just want everyone to try to focus as we discuss this and look to consider approving and I am going to go to counselor all to said that he would be willing to move the strategic plan for us and Clawson is willing to second thank you.

1:09:42And let's stick to questions only questions only please on the start with alt. Is that right.

1:09:49Actually, I don't have any question I have a comment. I will go to you first for comments but boost it till I'm going to go to you for questions.

1:09:57This is in reference to the budget comments that were made about all the improvements and so on. I just would like some acknowledgement from staff that I have asked for a budget binder and I didn't hear that.

1:10:11And I know my learning style is different and some other counselors have asked as well if I can get a comment on that please.

1:10:17So through the chair I can confirm yes that is part of the improvements and we are working on that currently and hope to have that available prior to the education session in October.

1:10:33Thank you.

1:10:34All right.

1:10:37Perfect. We've got our fingers dirty in that binder. I know we will.

1:10:41Corrine is next and then a Rourke.

1:10:47Actually, it's not a question. It's just a congratulations. I know we've seen several draft iterations as we've enrolled this and I feel really inspired by the final product.

1:11:00I hope our community sees that reflected in the budget and big two thumbs up for staff for bringing this to us today and I hope it gets lots of media attention and I'd be circulated to the community as part of our communications outreach.

1:11:15Great. Thank you, Councillor Alder put you second.

1:11:20Councillor O'Rourke questions.

1:11:23I do have questions. Thank you, Marga, through you to staff. First, I think probably to Mr. Brian who's moved so it might be somebody else.

1:11:30Just looking at the removing barriers in the service simplified piece.

1:11:35Do we have confirmation that we're going to be AODA compliant by 2025, which is the deadline for the legislation. So, you know, I just want to make sure that that's really top of mind because it happens in this window.

1:11:48I can start. I know that staff are working diligently towards AODA compliance. I believe that that's so the AODA compliance lives outside of the city clerk's office and the service simplified work.

1:12:01It's more it's much more broad and more corporately focused. It lives in our infrastructure development enterprise family, but I can say that my understanding is that they are working towards AODA compliance.

1:12:12But I will defer to executive team members or Miss sales if there's any further comments.

1:12:17So you Mr. Mayor. Yes, we'll be in compliance.

1:12:20Perfect. Thank you. And through you, Marga, through just another question. So I love, especially the one pager sort of the really high level. I think it hits everyone shared goals.

1:12:31I had a question with respect to the foundations piece 3.4, which is the culture of continuous improvement.

1:12:38So the language talks about improving service processes and servicing customers, etc.

1:12:46My concern and so I'm asking, well, we see that on the KPIs. My concern is that does this become a list of things that we are going to do?

1:12:53Regardless of the cost, because this is our checklist for the next four years. We used to have some language around sort of affordable taxation.

1:13:03And we, we know what's coming down the pike with different changes. So is there an opportunity to strengthen some language around affordability of taxes and sort of fiscal restraint?

1:13:17My concern is we start pulling on the blanket in terms of what gets paid for.

1:13:22And is there opportunity to be able to include stronger language around a concern for what it all costs.

1:13:28So through the mayor to council or work, I'll, I'll start here and then the miss Baker wants to join in. So, although we aren't talking about KPIs this evening, I can tell you that one of the KPIs that we are going to bring forward as part of future wealth is total tax and rate burden as a percentage of household income.

1:13:47And that is currently our affordability measure for the current strap plan and for consistency purposes will continue to be our affordability measure for the next strap plan. I'm not sure if.

1:14:00Does that answer your question? Are you looking for some more clarity?

1:14:06Well, I'm just watching miss Baker nod. So I didn't know if she had something to add.

1:14:10So through the mayor, I don't have anything more to add. I would just re just confirm that that's the intention that we'd continue to have that KPI as affordability target.

1:14:21Thank you. So three America three.

1:14:24When we're going to get to the KPI stage, I know some of them are going to be sort of higher order KPIs, right? They help us make governance decisions. Will that KPI be one of the sort of high level KPIs to help guide us in our decision making?

1:14:39Yes, it's absolutely will be reflected as part of the strategic plan measurement set that you'll see every June as part of our annual reporting.

1:14:47Thank you.

1:14:48Thank you. Is there any other questions? Councillor Billings, please.

1:14:54I know I've asked this before, but it was brought up again with the multi year budget. It's great. We're going to get a binder. However, with the strategic planning initiatives, will we have something.

1:15:09That is easy to read. So, for example, with all the initiatives, there'll be like a chart with all the costing so that we don't have to go from department to department or way through the capital to try to find one thing.

1:15:23All the initiatives would be there, say, for example, in chart form. Will we will.

1:15:29Will council be presented with something that's that's easy and clear to to read and decipher.

1:15:35Through the mayor to council or Billings, one of the improvements that we're working on as part of the strategic plan leading into the multi year budget process is that we absolutely want to identify and make it more clear both for council and for the public how investments that are being made through the budget process advance the strategic plan.

1:15:54So, absolutely where there's an investment proposed as part of the strategic plan through the multi year budget, that connection will be made quite clearly as part of the presentation. So we're going to outline it from the get go going forward.

1:16:09And I think Miss Baker may have some additional comments about the budget process.

1:16:15So, yeah, we're working really hard. Sorry, through through the mayor to council buildings, we're working really hard to make sure that that presentation is very clear and serves council in terms of decision making and clear linkage to the strategic plan.

1:16:29Just in terms of the clarity on the binder.

1:16:32It won't be, I mean, it'll be a printable document you could put in your binder into a binder, but I just wanted to clarify that that we're working on that to be released in advance for more of the, the foundations of budget development and how we do it.

1:16:47And it'll be a reference document and then as we get into the budget itself, it will continue to be a web based product and that's really where the website investment was coming from so I just really want to clarify that that what will be kind of splitting it into two phases.

1:17:01And, and yeah, and the focus continues to be on the strategic plan and making that linkage really clear.

1:17:08Okay, thanks very much.

1:17:10Okay.

1:17:13Councillor Aldo start with you if you have any comments.

1:17:16Thank you, Mayor Guthrie and my, my comments are merely complimentary, but I think that they are very important. I do want to thank staff, both for this particular document and also for the exercise that we've gone through.

1:17:30I certainly won't speak for any of the new counselors, but I do believe that this has been extremely beneficial for new counselors, some of whom said to me, what the heck is this strategic plan thing anyway, when they first got elected.

1:17:42The broad strokes. I think it's great. And, and I think that's all that we need to know about the strategic plan rate now.

1:17:49I think that we need to look at what the flow of this particular document is we move from strategic plan to assessing reassessing our priorities to the multi year budget.

1:17:59And I could make all sorts of comments on connectivity net zero downtown cycling and active transportation related to this document, but the most important thing that I feel about this is that I have a hard copy.

1:18:14And I truly do request that we get hard copies out as much as possible as much as I don't like cutting down trees. I think there's a real value in this that I can keep it here and then I can flip through it.

1:18:27So thank you very much. This is great and appreciate all the effort that's gone into it.

1:18:33Thank you so much and Councillor Gibson I saw your hand go up for a comment.

1:18:41Yeah, thank you through Mr Mayor just to comment to staff I think the strategic plan balance as well the sort of the corporate goals that we felt needed to be needed to be in a strategic plan around, you know, being a being a hiring being an employer of choice and those goals I think are well established in the plan, but

1:19:00I think it also covers off some of our more ambitious desires as a council over the next four years or three, three, four years to sort of achieve some of our dreams and some of our bigger picture so unless we put it on paper as a goal it can't be realized so I think it's a good balancing act and job well done.

1:19:22Closs and then a rock.

1:19:24Thank you. I'll be very brief but I really appreciated the strap planning process. I thought it was really great to be involved in and I think I've said it to number of you I love strap planning and I think it's amazing. I really just wanted to say thank you as well to see a

1:19:39great group of people for the comment regarding that fact that it's a living document. You know, we're going to be revisiting these over the next four years and some of the objectives will change and maybe we'll need to expand some of them and grow as well.

1:19:52And I'm excited for that it's, you know, these that things are to help guide us forward not necessarily like drag us down as if we if we can't accomplish them so thank you for everyone for your for your inputs and I also love the pictures.

1:20:07Thanks. Thanks, Councillor Councillor work.

1:20:11Thank you, Margarit through you to staff.

1:20:14It is a great document I think it really clearly lays out the extraordinary transformation we're going to see in this city over the next four years so four years from now Baker Street will be complete will have a south end rec center.

1:20:25We will have seen some the beginning at least of downtown revitalization.

1:20:30Clearly improving the housing supply is number one in this plan and so is leadership and climate action so it sets us up really for a very ambitious transformation the city in the next four years a lot of these things have been teed up for the last 20 or 10 or five years but it's really exciting to see them

1:20:47to fruition.

1:20:48And I'm especially happy to see the prevalence of economic development as a key focus we know that our economy was growing slowly compared to our regional peers.

1:20:58And then in 2021 our economy grew by 5.4%, which almost offset the pandemic related contraction, but was not actually expanding so real focus there on great jobs in the city.

1:21:10We got a great start with Conestoga coming to the cooperators building but I mean the downtown in five, seven, 10 years will be totally different in this city and I think that's really exciting so I appreciate they're on this path.

1:21:23I appreciate that we have some levers to guide how quickly we get there and and how we're doing that strategically but really happy to see economic development there and also moving some big blocks.

1:21:34Thank you.

1:21:37Thank you.

1:21:42Thank you.

1:21:43Through you, Mr. Mayor.

1:21:45So I was really, really happy with the process.

1:21:48Same with Councillor Klassen.

1:21:51And I also really appreciated seeing all of the mentions of equity and diversity, especially the anti racism and the mentions of our hiring processes and within our corporation.

1:22:05I'm really looking forward to seeing the more tangible pieces that are going to come out in separate documents later on, but I just wanted to say thank you very much for including those.

1:22:15And I felt that the process was really, really great.

1:22:20Thank you. And chew.

1:22:24Yeah, just a quick word of thanks to staff for facilitating this process. I think you brought all of us together and that's not an easy task that a job well done for that.

1:22:35I just want to highlight to members of the public what the real intention of the strap line is.

1:22:41Like I'm very simple minded. So I really think of the strap plan as a dictionary. It's a living document a dictionary for us to speak the same language. And I think that's half the battle already right just being able to use the same verbiage when we talk about priorities

1:22:57things that we care about that we want to pursue for their activism towards and there's also real commitment pieces while like the South and rec center, which Councillor Ork and I are very proud of

1:23:06be set in stone in language and also for folks in the downtown Baker Street library for myself personally I really am happy that we there are not the transportation master plan and work around vision zero.

1:23:23That for me personally is a success and a takeaway that I can bring to my constituents at the door and tell them hey we're actually being intentional about how we're going to about road safety so folks that down the

1:23:39road, they have some hope that we're actually going to consider something long term and feasible for the folks over there. So again thank you so much for all the work that has been put in and like Councillor Klossin I love the

1:23:54imagery as well.

1:23:56Most of us are visual people so a job well done and that department.

1:24:01Thank you and a boost until I think I saw your hand go up there for a comment go ahead.

1:24:06Yes, thank you I didn't want to I wanted to say ditto to everything else all my colleagues have said, but I think for me, I want to really think the staff for creating a safe space in the street.

1:24:20I think I have a couple of questions about equity. Yes, then the strategic plan but also, you know, looking forward to that in the budget process as well. And thank my colleagues for all of our conversations are collaboration on this and to the staff

1:24:35for I think it's an excellent document and the consultant. I love the current trends and the SWAT analysis all of that analysis that substantiated the strategic plan so thank you ditto.

1:24:49And ditto ditto right back at you. Thank you. Okay, I don't hear anything else. So you just get me so good. Lucky you get to hear me say ditto to everything that's been been said. So there's only one thing left to say because I don't need to repeat what

1:25:04everyone else said. And that's actually I just want to speak to my colleagues on Council. One of the things I would really like to see us do is as much as we hold this document up for speaking to our citizens or our businesses.

1:25:17When we are bringing ideas forward as a team over the next few years, we need to clearly state out and show each other where does it align with the strategic plan.

1:25:28And we need to hold each other accountable to that as we move forward. So if you have an idea, if I have an idea, and I bring something forward, show us in your motion or in your preamble, where does it align with the strategic plan.

1:25:41It will make it as much more accountable to as because we're going to be talking to our constituents and our citizens about what is in or what is not in based on what we're approving here today.

1:25:51The same thing goes for for me and for you as well. So as we're trying to trying to come up with new ideas that will naturally happen over the next few years, show in the document show where it actually aligns.

1:26:04And that will make the conversation, I think a lot easier for all of us to get around new ideas that will all bring together as a as a as a group, because it's it's actually shown in the in the document that we're trying to align to.

1:26:16Okay, so that's the only thing I would say on that. And with that, I will call the vote. Is anybody against the new strategic plan for this Council 2024 to 2027 hearing and seeing none unanimous is I am thrilled with that.

1:26:33That is a message to our community that we are very aligned. I'm really, really pleased. I'm sure staff are too. So thank you very, very much.

1:26:42And to all the staff that aren't in this room that might listen to this later on or hear about it, if you could spread the word, we as a Council we see you.

1:26:50We see you in the strategic plan. You are the ones you are the feet on the ground, the hands at work that are going to be implementing this.

1:26:59You are important to how this gets implemented in our city in everything that you do. So I want you to be, I want you to know you're seeing in this, your fingerprints are all over this to and they will be over the next two years as we collectively try to reach our goals.

1:27:15So thank you very much to staff really, really appreciate it.

1:27:19Okay, let me move on. I think I'm out of here.

1:27:24I am.

1:27:26Am I out of here?