Leadership

Community Building

Strategic Plan2014 – 2018

Innovation

Integrity

Caring

Environment

Accountability

Transparency

Volunteerism

Strategic Plan2014 – 2018

Table of ContentsMessage from the mayor 2

Message from the city manager 3

Introduction 4

Overview 5

Strategic framework 7

• Vision

• Mission

• Values

• Goals

• Outcomes

Conclusion 14

1

Message from the MayorAs residents of the City of Leduc, we are favoured with a strong economy, continuing growth, and a bright future. And our role – as citizens and as councillors – is to ensure that we do our best to plan ahead, make wise choices and ensure that our city continues to be a strong community and a wonderful place to live.

These choices do not happen by chance. Your council starts each term by renewing a strategic plan that will guide our activities and decisions for the four years of our mandate. This plan is based on our best understanding of the environment in which we live and informed by the needs and desires of our citizens. We work hard to identify the key areas we must address over our term, and set a high standard for the accomplishments we must achieve.

The results of that deliberation are summarized in this plan.

We thank you for your interest and participation in this planning process and invite you to ‘follow along’ as we move forward. Together we can sustain Leduc as a strong, supportive and attractive community.

2

Message from the City ManagerLeduc, Alberta is one of the most exciting municipalities to administer - strong growth, great community spirit, and committed staff. We have accomplished a great deal in the last five years –the Leduc Recreation Centre, improvements in both public transit and LATS (Leduc Assisted Transportation Service), Wm. F. Lede Park updates, 50 Avenue widening, and advancing the importance of the 65 Avenue interchange, to mention just a few.

However, the rapid, sustained growth in Leduc has put pressure on everyone in your civic administration as we have worked to provide increased service with systems and resources better suited to the thriving city we have become. It has been a challenge. One of the best ways to deal with this kind of pressure is through robust planning. That is what this strategic plan is all about – identifying the key initiatives that we must address, moving ahead, that will help us continue to be a great community.

We are proud to be part of this process and are looking forward to working with the goals identified by council.

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IntroductionThe City of Leduc is continuing its commitment to outcomes-based strategic planning, founded on strong stakeholder involvement and knowledge of the challenges to be faced. The planning process has been in place since 2007 and has provided a solid baseline of community and council prioritization, goal setting and administrative accomplishment.

The planning process is particularly important given the growth and complexity that the City of Leduc will experience over the next decade. Leduc has become an attractive mid-sized city, playing a key leadership role in the capital region. The demands upon the Leduc taxpayer are steadily increasing, and it’s important to ensure that resources are used in the most strategic and economical way possible.

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EconomyLeduc is well positioned to benefit from Alberta’s strong growth. Its main strengths include:

» Location: near major transportation hubs and economic areas

» Quality of life: full range of services available within the municipality

» Potential growth: affordable, developable land and a leader in the sub-region

Leduc snapshot

» Named one of the top 25 places to do business in Western Canada

» Second fastest growing city in the country

» 65 per cent of Leduc companies are established in international markets

» Close proximity to Edmonton International Airport (EIA) – fifth busiest airport for passenger traffic

» Leduc’s Sport and Agri Tourism has generated a local economic impact of nearly $10.4 million between 2010 and 2013

» City of Leduc had its second highest total value of building permits in 2013, with a total of just over $277 million

Population growth

» 2013 population of 27,241, a 6.9 per cent increase over 2012

» 60.6 per cent increase in residents since 2006

» Growth will continue at 3 – 5 per cent annually, levelling off beyond 2025 to 2 per cent annually

» Growth is driven by employment growth in the sub-region at EIA, Port Alberta and Nisku

OverviewStatistics » Current population: 27,241

(2013 municipal census)

» Second fastest growing city in Canada

• 6.9 per cent increase over 2012

• 26.1 per cent increase since 2009

• 74.2 per cent increase in the last 10 years

» Leduc’s average age is 34

» 32.7 per cent of population is between 20 and 39

» Almost $2 billion in new construction in the last decade

» Growing residential and non-residential base

» Increasing economic development capacity

» 69 per cent of citizens are employed locally (Nisku, EIA and Leduc)

5

Community CharacteristicsCouncil took a hard look at this city’s community characteristics and resulting realities, positive and negative, to truly identify goals and develop outcomes to address areas for improvement.

Safety

Council recognizes the challenges that accompany growth and is committed to community safety and wellness. This means engaging our residents, providing opportunities to participate in programs and fostering a caring community.

Social wellness

On average, Leduc has fewer low income families and individuals compared to provincial and national statistics. However, we’ve experienced an increasing use of social services in this community. On Page 12, council identified Goal 2 - Community Wellness to support a safe, healthy, active and caring community. Three of the four outcomes support social wellness efforts that are to be achieved in the next five years.

Demographics

» Population is younger than both Alberta and Canada median

» Almost 75 per cent of residents are third generation Canadians

» English is predominantly the only language spoken

» 44 per cent of Leduc residents also work in Leduc

» Leduc median earnings outrank both Alberta and Canada

6

The City of Leduc 2014 – 2018 Strategic Plan is based on council’s and the community’s vision of what the City of Leduc could and should be.

This vision driven process emphasised developing a true strategic framework that:

» Identified four to six focus areas that would make a significant difference to the City of Leduc in the future; and

» Prioritized other activities, and developed a schedule of activity

This process centered around creating and supporting the best possible method to address issues in a strategic way; to incorporate the relevant and related planning documents; to engage the public and key stakeholders in a way that gave them a meaningful voice in the deliberations; and to ensure a clear pathway directing the administration to action. The end result is a five-year strategic plan, generated and created by the citizens of Leduc and their leaders, informed by the appropriate end-users, and integrated and aligned with related plans and processes already developed in the City of Leduc.

Strategic Framework

7

Vision

Environment: Public outdoor

spaces

Complete community -

keeping the close community feel

Safety

Transportation

FamilyRegional

leadership and collaboration

8

VisionA vision describes a realistic, credible, attractive and inspiring future for the organization. It paints a picture of the long-term future to which the organization aspires—that is, the broad targets the organization would like to achieve.

The illustration on Page 8 is a summary of the key elements the community felt should be represented in a vision statement.

Leduc’s new vision statement is:

“Well situated in an economic region, Leduc is a safe community where residents value the close community feel and availability of comprehensive services, quality infrastructure and good neighbours.”

Mission “Our mission is to protect and enhance the quality of life in our community and the unique environment of our area through effective, innovative, responsible leadership and consultation.”

ValuesCouncil governs with the vision and mission of the City of Leduc in mind. In order to execute on the vision for the community, Leduc has a number of guiding values that advance our community towards this aspirational future.

Community Building

Integrity

Transparency

Caring

Environment

Accountability

Leadership Volunteerism

Innovation

9

Living our values: » Leadership: Leduc is committed to the highest standards of conduct in our

interactions with citizens, neighbours and stakeholders. Leduc is at the forefront of best practices and in the decisions that guide municipal government.

» Environment: Leduc works towards the environmental sustainability of our community.

» Caring: All citizens of our community are valued, their opinions heard, and considered in municipal decision making.

» Volunteerism: Volunteer activities are essential to the success of our community.

» Innovation: Leduc is at the forefront of innovation and embraces a continuous improvement approach to all projects, programs and services.

» Integrity: The City of Leduc acts with integrity in all its dealings.

» Accountability: We are responsible for our actions and deliver on our promises.

» Transparency: The city is open, fair, consistent and transparent in its dealings.

» Community building: The City of Leduc is a community where people get together to make things happen. We all have a role to play to build this community to its fullest potential – we are its champions.

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GoalsAfter considering input from the community and staff, and reviewing the best available information on the challenges ahead, council identified six key goals for the 2014 – 2018 Strategic Plan.

» Our streets, open spaces, parks and buildings reflect our heritage, values and lifestyle. We expect excellence in design that facilitates vibrant, diverse and active community spaces and neighbourhoods.

» We invest in strategic community-building projects and programs that allow for ongoing municipal operations and continually enhance our culture.

Community Character

» We support a safe, healthy, active and caring community.

» We support initiatives that contribute to a healthy and sustainable environment.

» We ensure quality opportunities to participate in all aspects of our community and foster a sense of belonging.

Community Wellness

» We build on our position as a transportation hub while offering multiple and effective modes of travel, including internal and regional transit.

» We effectively build infrastructure to promote transportation in the city and wider region.Transportation

» We effectively leverage our market strengths and opportunities to maximize economic development.

» We are a leader in economic development and promote the sub-region as Canada’s energy services leader.

Economic Development

» We are a trusted and effective partner in building a vibrant capital region through enlightened decision making, service provision and supportive actions.

» We work co-operatively with partners to optimize resources and ensure project success.

Regional Partnerships

& Governance

» We demonstrate fiscal integrity, efficiency and effectiveness.

» We understand the benefits and costs of the services provided to our citizens, choosing options that deliver value and ensure long-term financial sustainability.

Fiscal Sustainability

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OutcomesFor each goal, city council identified specific actions called ‘outcomes’ which describe in more detail, the activities that will be undertaken to achieve the described goals. Progress on the outcomes will form the basis for community reporting going forward.

Goal 1 - Community CharacterAs a community, we define Community Character to be:

» Our streets, open spaces, parks and buildings reflect our heritage, values and lifestyle. We expect excellence in design that facilitates vibrant, diverse and active community spaces and neighbourhoods.

» We invest in strategic, community-building projects and programs that allow for ongoing municipal operations and continually enhance our culture.

Outcomes to be achieved over the next five years include:

1.1 Successfully host the 2016 Summer Games - COMPLETED

1.2 Plan and construct Telford Lake amenities

1.3 Complete Phase 2 of Leduc’s Downtown Master Plan

1.4 Invest in arts and culture

1.5 Preserve the City of Leduc’s history including buildings, individual stories and artifacts

Goal 2 - Community WellnessAs a community, we define Community Wellness to be:

» We support a safe, healthy, active and caring community.

» We support initiatives that contribute to a healthy and sustainable environment.

» We ensure quality opportunities to participate in all aspects of our community and foster a sense of belonging.

Outcomes to be achieved over the next five years include:

2.1 Implement initiatives identified in the Environmental Sustainability Plan

2.2 Develop and implement a youth engagement strategy

2.3 Maintain a strong and resilient community by understanding social, health and community trends and providing appropriate programs and resources

2.4 Reach new residents by establishing community-based programs and spontaneous, accessible opportunities to participate

--- 2017 ---

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Goal 3 - TransportationAs a community, we define Transportation to be:

» We build on our position as a transportation hub while offering multiple and effective modes of travel, including internal and regional transit.

» We effectively build infrastructure to promote transportation and economic development in the city and wider region.

Outcomes to be achieved over the next five years include:

3.1 Advance the importance of the 65 Avenue interchange with stakeholders

3.2 Evaluate and optimize Leduc’s transit system and service 3.3 Represent Leduc’s interest in Airport Vicinity Protection Area

(AVPA) regulation review3.4 Support regional transportation initiatives

Goal 5 – Regional Partnerships and GovernanceAs a community, we define Regional Partnerships and Goverance to be:

» We are a trusted and effective partner in building a vibrant capital region through enlightened decision making, service provision and supportive actions.

» We work co-operatively with partners to optimize resources and ensure project success.

Outcomes to be achieved over the next five years include:

5.1 Maintain and strengthen relationships with key stakeholders in Leduc region, including Leduc County, the Capital region, City of Edmonton, school boards, EIA and other stakeholders

5.2 Continue Leduc’s pursuit of regional collaboration and governance initiatives

5.3 Participate and influence the annexation/EIA Inter-jurisdictional Airport Accord process based on city council’s principles

5.4 Effective transition of the new city council team

Goal 6 – Fiscal SustainabilityAs a community, we define Fiscal Sustainability to be:

» We demonstrate fiscal integrity, efficiency and effectiveness.

» We understand the benefits and costs of the services provided to our citizens, choosing options that deliver value and ensure long term financial sustainability.

Outcomes to be achieved over the next five years include:

6.1 Continue to seek revenue generation and cost-saving opportunities

6.2 Foster all types of development that result in a sustainable, healthy residential / industrial assessment base

6.3 Implement and maintain fiscal sustainability plan

6.4 Regular review of select services for efficiency/ effectiveness

6.5 Enhance Leduc’s attractive and competitive tax advantage

Goal 4 – Economic Development As a community, we define Economic Development to be:

» We effectively leverage our market strengths and opportunities to maximize economic development and tourism.

» We are a leader in economic development and promote the sub-region as Canada’s energy services leader.

» We promote diversification in economic development to include other sectors, such as agriculture, manufacturing and energy.

Outcomes to be achieved over the next five years include:

4.1 Capture the economic advantages of Leduc’s proximity to the Edmonton International Airport (EIA)

4.2 Participate in and evaluate joint economic development opportunities with regional partners, including more collaborative and co-ordinated marketing

4.3 Implement a strategy to capitalize on Leduc’s competitive advantages, including diversification

4.4 Foster opportunity-specific post-secondary education, adult learning and non-traditional training opportunities

4.5 Pursue implementation of the Aerotropolis Viability Study’s recommendations

4.6 Research broadband infrastructure that supports growth and economic development

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ConclusionThe City of Leduc remains committed to strong stakeholder engagement and outcome-based strategic planning led by the council and influenced and guided by community members. The goals and outcomes outlined for moving forward are a visionary and ambitious plan to bring Leduc towards its vision as a safe community where residents value the close community feel and availability of comprehensive services, quality infrastructure and good neighbours.

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