The City of Abbotsford’s 2019-2022 Strategic Plan provides the foundation for aligning all municipal planning decisions; provides direction for municipal business plans and budgets; and enables City staff to continually monitor progress toward desired outcomes. It is the City’s roadmap for service, project and program delivery, ensuring the City of Abbotsford is purposefully moving forward as one organization.
The Strategic Plan sets out the Vision, Mission and Values for the City of Abbotsford:
VISION: The City of Abbotsford is the Hub of the Fraser Valley. As the regional centre of the Fraser Valley, Abbotsford will be home to centralized services and agencies including health care, courts, transportation, university, airport, provincial and federal government, entertainment & cultural facilities, and commerce. We are diverse, inclusive, and connected; we are green, prosperous, and healthy; we are a vibrant and beautiful community.
MISSION:
We strive to continually improve the quality of life within our community by delivering key services for current and future generations.VALUES:
By living its values the City of Abbotsford strives to be an organization recognized for its excellence in city governance and employee, citizen and customer relations. To provide excellence in service delivery, we have a role in understanding our business and fostering a corporate culture that sets the highest standard of integrity, professionalism and ethical behavior. We act with character and integrity and do our best to understand the perspectives of Abbotsford residents while delivering services.- Respect: We respect others.
- Integrity: We act with character. We are fair, ethical and honest.
- Openness: We are accessible, accountable and transparent.
- Collaboration/Teamwork: We welcome and encourage the opinions and expertise of our residents, businesses and other stakeholders.
- Inclusivity: We honour and celebrate our diversity and seek to engage citizens in our decisions.
- Trust: We continuously build trust with our staff, the community and our stakeholders. We are proactive in practicing our values.
The Strategic Plan will be used by the City of Abbotsford in the following ways:
- Align all Municipal planning decisions: All City activities will be guided by the Cornerstones identified in the Strategic Plan. Council’s evolving priorities and other corporate initiatives will provide the inputs to the revision of Strategic Plan Cornerstones and Principles.
- Provide direction for departmental business plans and budgets: The Strategic Plan will guide departmental business planning and budgeting efforts. The strategies, actions and initiatives of departments, along with departments’ budgets will be aligned to achieve the Cornerstones of the Strategic Plan.
- Continually monitor progress towards desired outcomes: The 190+ priority actions for implementation that are identified in this document are the key issues that Council and Administration of the City of Abbotsford will focus on for 2019-2022. Each Council Cornerstone is accompanied by a statement of desired outcome, a listing of Principles and corresponding Council Direction. We will use performance results to evaluate our progress and help to inform Council’s cycle of decision-making. To measure our success we will establish key performance indicators and targets for the issues being addressed.
Structurally, the 2019-2022 Strategic Plan sets out the goals, priorities and actions for the City through 4 Cornerstones which reflect a balanced approach to the municipal organizational planning process. Each Cornerstone has a statement of description followed by Principles and Priority Actions items:
VIBRANT ECONOMY:
The City of Abbotsford is a regional hub of creativity and innovation where talent, investment and business thrive.
View Principles and PrioritiesCOMPLETE COMMUNITY:
The City of Abbotsford is a community of inclusive, safe, green neighbourhoods, connected to convenient and affordable transportation and vibrant commercial centres, built on the foundation of our cultural heritage and natural beauty.
View Principles and PrioritiesFISCAL DISCIPLINE:
The City of Abbotsford is transparent and accountable to citizens, information is easily accessible and residents are well informed on Council priorities.
View Principles and PrioritiesORGANIZATIONAL ALIGNMENT:
The City of Abbotsford has strong consistent governance and aligned operations.
View Principles and PrioritiesBelow is a list of the completed priority items from 2019:
VIBRANT ECONOMY
- Developed Intergovernmental Relations Advocacy Strategy
- Completed the Special Study Areas Review
COMPLETE COMMUNITY
- Completed the Green Fleet Strategy
FISCAL DISCIPLINE
- Launched an online Community Engagement Portal
ORGANIZATIONAL ALIGNMENT
- Developed Customer Culture Strategy
- Conducted Council Committee Review
The following current priorities have been identified by Abbotsford City Council for 2020:
VIBRANT ECONOMY
- Update Economic Development Strategy
- Develop our new Abbotsford Water Source Project (Collector Wells)
- Continue development of Abbotsford International Airport
- Complete the AgRefresh Project
- Update Joint Use Agreements with School District 34
COMPLETE COMMUNITY
- Develop Urban Forestry Strategy
- Build Fire Hall #6/Social Housing Project
- Complete Transit Maintenance Facility
- Develop Culture Strategy
- Finalize Ledgeview Golf Course Clubhouse Project
- Update Homelessness in Abbotsford Action Plan
- Complete update of Affordable Housing Strategy
- Develop Heritage Inventory
- Update the Diversity Strategy
- Develop Arena Services and Infrastructure Strategy
FISCAL DISCIPLINE
- Update Development Cost Charge (DCC) Bylaw
- Establish a 25-year Long Term Financial Plan
- Update Asset Management Strategy
- Develop Allocation Policy
ORGANIZATIONAL ALIGNMENT
- Develop Bylaw Compliance Strategy
- Update Zoning Bylaw (Phase 1)
- Update Development Services Bylaw
- Create a Digital Strategy
- Develop Employee Engagement Strategy
- Develop Succession Plan(s)
- Development Process Review (Building Permits 2020)
- Update outdated Parks, Recreation & Culture Agreements
An important step in the Strategic Planning process will be the development of key measurement indicators. Performance measures that support the goals articulated under each of the 4 Cornerstones and report on the City’s progress will provide ongoing feedback and support further planning, budgeting and management decisions. These indicators will also fulfill the City's Annual Report (published each year by June 30th) requirements to the Province as set out in the Community Charter.