Significant progress was made this weekend toward developing Council’s first Strategic Priorities Action Plan (SPAP), Mayor Scott Gillingham said today.
The retreat took place on Treaty Two Territory, the land and waters home to several Anishinaabe, Cree, and Dakota communities, and the Red River Métis of the MMF North West Region, and includes their traditional and commercial hunting, fishing, and agricultural economies.
“I want to thank my City of Winnipeg Council colleagues for their commitment to the strategic planning retreat this weekend,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham. “This was an important step for all of Council to develop our first Strategic Priorities Action Plan. With open hearts and minds, we were able to use the retreat to listen and understand each other in a respectful and constructive manner. This allowed us to build initial consensus on key priority areas that Council can pursue over the course of our term to improve the lives of the people we have been elected to serve.”
Through facilitated workshops, City of Winnipeg Council members worked to build initial consensus on key themes and actions they will further refine through the SPAP process. Key themes focused on:
- a city that works for residents through improved customer service
- a strong economy
- a livable, safe, healthy, happy city
- the downtown
- a green and growing city with sustainable renewal of infrastructure
“We appreciate the leadership and collaboration to build a strategic plan for the City of Winnipeg. We value the opportunity to work together to create a vision for the city and the residents we serve,” said members of Council.
All members of Council signed this press release (see attached) as a commitment to working toward achieving and conducting the work on shared priorities.
The SPAP process, adopted by Council in September 2022, sets a framework following civic elections through which newly elected Councils can develop and approve a strategic plan. The strategic planning process and plan provide an opportunity for Council to identify shared priorities and actions to be undertaken over their four-year Council term
“All of Council would like to thank the Public Service for their hard work in preparing for and helping us to identify our common priorities,” said Council.
Once considered and approved by Council in the coming months, the SPAP will also provide direction on the preparation of the next four-year, multiyear balanced budget (2024-27), and will be the basis on which mandate letters are prepared for Standing Policy Committee chairs.