Council seeking feedback on City’s Strategic Plan

City Council wants to hear from residents and businesses on ways to improve and strengthen the City’s Strategic Plan.

Following last year’s municipal election, the Office of the Chief Administrative Officer conducted individual interviews with Councillors to help determine how community needs have changed following the COVID-19 pandemic. It was an opportunity to hear about priorities, concerns, and their vision of what success looks like for the City in the long-term. Staff then recommended Council undertake a Strategic Plan refresh.

As part of the public engagement component, a short survey has been launched on EngageSTC. It was developed out of an Oct. 18 meeting involving Council and the City’s Senior Leadership Team.

Established in 2019, the current Strategic Plan is centred on five pillars: Economic Prosperity, Social Well-Being, Environmental Stewardship, Cultural Vibrancy and Organizational Excellence. The plan provides a foundation for priority setting, development of staff work plans and resourcing through municipal budget processes. 

“We look forward to engaging with the community about this very important topic and what community members view as priorities for the City going forward,” said Deputy CAO Erin O’Hoski. “The Strategic Plan is a key document which essentially acts as a road map, used to guide the work and budgets of the City of St. Catharines.” 

Once refreshed to align with emerging community needs and Council priorities for the current term, the plan will be a more effective road map to help Council achieve its goals, prioritize use of municipal resources, and report on progress and results.