Council Reviews Strategic Plan Progress and Initiatives for 2023

Our City, Our Future, the City’s 10-year strategic plan, enters its fifth year in 2023. To date, 114 initiatives have been completed; 24 initiatives were completed in 2022. 53 initiatives are in various states of implementation for 2023.

Read the new report

Since the last report, twelve initiatives have been completed, including the annual intersection safety program; five new projects under the annual traffic calming program; eight new standard operating procedures in Regulatory Services; and several actions to support the Economic Development Framework. We have reviewed and updated our accident review process and implemented strategies to divert waste from the landfill. In 2022, the City also completed a conceptual design for the new Bowring Park skating surface; launched a new City website; opened the cycling pump track at Quidi Vidi Lake; and completed the 2022 Resident Satisfaction Survey.

“We are also very pleased with the progress that has been made on our Corporate Climate Plan and in implementing the Resilient St. John's Community Climate Plan,” noted Mayor Danny Breen, Council lead for Governance and Strategic Priorities. “As we make progress towards net zero by 2050, implementing the climate plan will continue to be a top priority for 2023.”

New Initiatives for 2023

This year, the City plans to undertake 39 new initiatives. While these initiatives begin this year, some projects may have multiple phases and take several years to complete. New projects include:

Creating an Enterprise Risk Management Framework
Creating an Information Management Governance Framework
Establishing preventative maintenance and inventory management systems for fleet at St. John’s Regional Fire
Implementing a new e-learning system for employees
Improving reliability of the public transit service by upgrading the communications system
Completing flood hazard mapping for six streams (contingent on funding)
Advancing plans for a regional economic development agency
Improving access to information on the inspection permit application
Advancing a digital strategy for online service delivery
Completing the 2023 Employee Engagement Survey

“In 2023, we will complete the final construction phase in the Water Street Infrastructure project and achieve targets for three intersection safety projects, eight traffic calming projects, two pedestrian signals plans and three pedestrian crossings,” said Mayor Breen. “We are very pleased to see several projects that advance the Cycling Plan including connecting existing shared use paths, public engagement and design for future shared use paths, and construction of phase one of both Canada Drive and Kelly’s Brook.”

Update on Continuous Improvement

Since the last report, the City has completed three continuous improvement projects:

Improve the parking permit application
Review the process for temporary housing occupancies
Standardize the archival records management process

Continuous improvement projects aim to reduce waste in processes (activities that do not add value from a customer perspective), thereby improving lead time, turn-around time, saving hard costs and ultimately improving employee engagement and customer experience.

Continuous Improvement: Progress at a Glance

Overall Plan Progress

Our City, Our Future includes four strategic directions and 12 goals which are reviewed with each term of Council. Annually, staff identify initiatives that advance the goals and directions, considering such things as the results of the biennial Resident Satisfaction Survey, employee engagement survey results, existing plans and strategies and emerging priorities.

Since the launch of the plan:

88% of Sustainable City initiatives have been achieved
82% of initiatives supporting the City that Moves strategic direction have been achieved
93% of initiatives supporting the Connected City have been achieved
90% of the Effective City initiatives have been completed.

A public dashboard shows real time progress overall on the plan’s strategic directions and goals as well as initiatives.