City of Burlington Draft Strategy · Overview and Context Setting The purpose of the facilitated strategy is to focus the City of Burlington’s energy on key choices that influence

City of Burlington Draft Strategy November 3, 2015

DRAFT FOR DISCUSSION

COW-17-15 File: 101-03

Project Overview

How to Read the Document

• The document presents four strategic directions for

the City of Burlington to 2040

• These directions clearly bound and organize the

strategic priorities of the City, and will help drive the

key planning decisions that will need to be made

during the short, medium and long term

• There are several initiatives listed to support the

strategic directions. These initiatives are not

exhaustive, however they represent key actions

required to execute the strategy at the initial stages

• The success of the strategy will depend on the

extent to which the strategic directions are kept top

of mind during decision making, and whether the

decisions that are made are “on strategy”

• The key performance indicators in this document

are indicative, as it would not be appropriate to

prejudge important staff work currently underway.

This current work will better inform these targets

once they are confirmed

Background

• The City of Burlington has a long history of

successful strategic planning, beginning in 1988

with the first strategic planning exercise

• The City of Burlington created a strategic plan

during the last term of council entitled “Burlington,

Our Future”

• After the most recent election, Council decided to

develop a new plan from first principles. This was

coordinated with an Official Plan update to inform

and align numerous other important planning

exercises underway

• Considering public and stakeholder feedback,

Council and the senior management group

undertook a series of facilitated sessions to

determine key strategic choices and options

• Secondary research was conducted and feedback

from various City departments was provided to

develop a realistic and rigorous approach to

strategic planning

Overview and Context Setting The purpose of the facilitated strategy is to focus the City of Burlington’s energy on key choices that influence the

quality of life and characteristics of the city that residents will experience and build together. True strategy is about

placing bets and making choices. The objective is not to eliminate risk, but to increase the odds of success of a

chosen goal

The strategy model

Progress KPIs

Performance KPIs

Operational plans and budgets

Results

Strategic goals

Strategic

intent

What we

want to be

What we

must achieve

to get there

How well will

achieve goals

How we will

implement

strategy

How we are

doing so far

Key: Progress KPIs: Measure progress towards

Strategic Goal

Performance KPIs: Measure performance vs.

plans and budgets

Strategy

Facilitation

Exercise

Strategy Tactics

Lead

Responsibility/

Other

Resources

Target

Timeframe

Strategic Priority 1:

1.1 • .

• .

• .

■ City management will support strategic directions and

formulate a detailed set of initiatives to drive

implementation

Key Strategic Directions Summary

A City that Grows

The City of Burlington continues to grow as a magnet for talent, good jobs and economic

opportunity while encouraging density and balanced, targeted population growth for youth,

families, newcomers and seniors

A City that Moves

People and goods will move throughout the city more efficiently and safely. A variety of

convenient, affordable and green forms of transportation that align with regional patterns will be

developed. Walkability within new/transitioning neighbourhoods and the downtown will be a

reality

A Healthy and Greener City

The City of Burlington will be a responsible steward of the environment while encouraging healthy

lifestyles

An Engaging City

Community members are engaged, empowered and well served by their city. Culture and

community activities thrive, creating a positive sense of place and community

Key Strategic Impacts Through achieving this strategy, the City will accomplish the following objectives:

Population Growth

• Focused and directed growth that will lay the foundation for a larger economy, more jobs, fiscal sustainability, better

infrastructure and public transportation

Targeted Intensification

• Higher densities in key intensification areas (including mobility hubs, urban centers, growth corridors and commercial plazas)

that will encourage neighbourhoods that are environmentally friendly, infrastructure efficient, walkable and transit oriented

Economic Growth

• A coherent and focused economic development vision that will help sustain a prosperous and complete city

Demographic Growth

• Attraction of younger demographic cohorts and newcomers so to help sustain the fiscal, social and cultural fabric of the City

Better Traffic Flows, More Public Transportation and Modal Splits

• Improved traffics flows within the City and Region through improved public transportation, active transit and intensification

that allow residents to get where they need to go more quickly and efficiently

A Healthier Environment

• Better environmental outcomes that will improve quality of life, economic competitiveness and will foster civic pride

Engaged Citizens and an Engaged Community

• An engaged community where culture, civic activities, neighbourhood initiatives and recreational activities enhance and grow

the sense of engagement, community, place and unity

PRELIMINARY STRATEGIC DIRECTIONS


Strategic Direction One: A City that Grows

Strategy Statement Visualizing 2040

The City of Burlington continues to grow as a

magnet for talent, good jobs and economic

opportunity while encouraging density and

balanced, targeted population growth for youth,

families, newcomers and seniors

Intensification:

• Growth will have been achieved in mixed use nodes and corridors,

including mobility hubs and urban centers

• There will be a mobility hub developed in proximity to each GO Station

and in the Downtown

• Aging plazas will be redeveloped and transformed into mixed-use

neighbourhood hubs

• New/transitioning neighbourhoods will have been designed to promote

ease of access to amenities, services and employment areas while

striving for walkability/active transportation and environmentally sound

modes of movement

• The City will have preserved the best of the current built environment in

every community, while promoting and awarding creativity, walkability and

livability in new developments

• Energy efficient buildings and other onsite sustainable features will be the

norm, thereby improving Burlington’s environmental footprint. Existing

buildings will have been renovated to improve efficiency

• Intensification will have been planned so that growth is financially

sustainable and supported by appropriate funding and service delivery

• Burlington will have an urban core that has higher densities, is culturally

active, and is home to a mix of residents and businesses with green space

and amenities

• Architecture, sustainable buildings and urban design excellence will be

achieved through a commitment to place making

Smart Population Growth

• Burlington will be an inclusive city that has a higher proportion of youth,

newcomers and young families, and offers a range and mix of housing

choices

• Seniors will be supported by a holistic strategy that promotes health,

recreation, transportation and aging in place measures

Visualizing 2040

Promoting Economic Growth:

• Local incomes will have risen and Burlington will continue to be a

prosperous city due to the coordinated action of the City, Region,

Province, educational institutions and industry

• Employment lands targets will have been met (15,000 new knowledge

based jobs by 2025) through the creation of an employment lands

vision to unite the community, developers and industry. The City, along

with other partners, will facilitate the development of employment lands

through timely planning, infrastructure investments and other incentives

• Employment lands will be integrated into the community and region

through transportation links and modal splits that allow for ease of

access, sustainability and walkability

• Small businesses in the downtown core and other areas will have

advanced the viability of neighbourhoods. Commerce will align with

land use planning goals so that citizens will be in close proximity to

services and goods

• Innovative, entrepreneurial businesses will have settled or developed in

Burlington. The City will have helped create technological, business

supports, infrastructure and educational ecosystem to attract startups

and growth businesses

• The City of Burlington’s rural areas will be economically and socially

vibrant, producing commodities and providing unique recreational

activities for the City

Strategic Direction One: Strategic Initiatives and Success

Indicators

Promote Economic Growth

Strategic Initiatives Progress Indicators Performance KPI

• Create an Employment Lands vision that drives investment and growth in

the Prosperity Corridors

• Develop and Implement a Redevelopment and Intensification strategy for

the Prosperity Corridors

• Build one economic development brand for the City of Burlington that

reflects the City’s economic development vision

• The City will develop a holistic strategy for Burlington’s rural area. This

strategy will consider economic, social and environmental factors in

support of the rural community, agricultural industry, natural heritage and

water resources

• Develop a post secondary attraction strategy

• Develop a business-friendly environment that attracts investment

• Create and invest in an ecosystem that supports the startup and growth of

businesses and entrepreneurship

• Median household income

• Labour force by industry

• Industry location quotients

• Income distribution

• Families in low income

• Rural economic health indicator

• Number of hectares of farmland

under active cultivation

maintained

• Year over year employment

land absorption

• Jobs per hectare

• 15,000 new knowledge

based jobs by 2025 (with

2/3 going to Burlington

residents) (for

discussion)

Intensification


• The City will focus intensification to mixed use nodes and employment

corridors by updating intensification targets and coordinating infrastructure

to achieve growth objectives. The City will incorporate revised

intensification targets into its Official Plan. The City will demonstrate its

commitment to growth management by preparing an intensification plan to

manage projected growth and its related impacts. This will be complete in

two years.

• Through policy, the City will influence the redevelopment of aging plazas

that transform them into mixed-use neighbourhood hubs

• The City will work with the Region and other partners to develop a servicing

plan for intensification areas

• The City will conduct and implement an intensification plan that will include

specific focus on the Urban Growth Centre, and will develop a strategy for

the downtown core that will promote residential and appropriate

niche/boutique office development

• The City will develop energy and sustainable site feature guidelines to

require new/renewed buildings to promote energy efficient technologies

• The City will complete a city wide fiscal impact analysis of all forms of

development

• The City will implement the recommendations of Core Commitment in the

Downtown and extend, where possible, recommendations to other urban

centers

• The City will create an independent capacity to understand and comment

on real estate economics and trends

• The City will create a design review panel and implement an awards

program to achieve excellence in architecture, urban design, and

sustainability

• # of commercial plazas that

have redeveloped

• # of mobility hubs developed

• Intensification (Jobs/people per

hectare) for:

⁻ Mobility hubs

⁻ Urban Centers

⁻ Urban Corridors

⁻ Commercial plazas

⁻ Urban employment

areas

• Intensification targets for

urban growth centers

developed from

intensification studies.

For example, # of

job/people have

increased based on

plaza redevelopment, #

of jobs/people per

mobility hub


Indicators

Smart Population Growth


• Future development will be higher density, walkable, accessible and transit

oriented. The City will become a leader in walkability scores in the province,

and will be fully aligned with provincial strategy and goals

• The City will prioritize one mobility hub (Aldershot), and will work with

partners to ensure resources are available to allow the development to

proceed in a timely fashion. The prioritized hub will be incorporated into the

Official Plan and Transportation Plan. A process will be established to

consult stakeholders to help gain consensus

• Within two years, the City will develop a young family strategy in

cooperation with other levels of government that focuses on;

• Housing supply so that young families and newcomers can locate

in Burlington

• Providing infrastructure that supports youth, young family and

newcomer economic, social and community goals

• Within four years the City will develop an economic migrant outreach and

liaison office to attract investor/entrepreneur class immigrants, while

remaining a destination of choice for all immigrants including refugees

• An Age Friendly strategy (seniors) will be developed within 3 years to

ensure sufficient seniors programming space is provided throughout the

City

• The City will improve its ability to monitor, track and understand the

demographic growth trends and profile

• Walkability score applied to

intensification and population

growth

• Median Age

• Immigration #’s and %

• Household size

• neighbourhood dwelling values

• Dwelling types

• Total population

determined from

completed intensification

studies and finalized OP


Indicators

A CITY THAT MOVES


Strategic Direction Two: A City that Moves


People and goods will move throughout the City

more efficiently and safely. A variety of convenient,

affordable and green forms of transportation that

align with regional patterns will be developed.

Walkability within new/transitioning

neighbourhoods and the downtown will be a reality

• Walkability will have guided the development of new/transitioning

neighbourhoods and the downtown so that people are not as reliant on

automobiles

• Rural areas of Burlington are connected to the City and integrated into

transportation planning and investments

Visualizing 2040

Increased Transportation Flows and Connectivity

• Public transportation systems will have efficient, convenient and usable

transportation options within the city and the broader region

• Mobility hubs will be developed and supported by intensification and

built forms that permit walkable neighbourhoods. Metrolinx will have

worked with the City to ensure hubs align with intensification and built

form objectives

• A Complete Streets vision is implemented through a coordinated active

transportation plan which will include on and off-road bikelanes,

sidewalks, multi-use paths and trails that are well-connected throughout

the City

• Employment areas are well-serviced by public transportation and are

able to access the regional and provincial transportation networks

• All levels of government will have worked to create a seamless

transportation experience

• The City will have worked with the Region and Province to address the

issues of cut through traffic

Increased Transportation Flows


• The City will prepare a Master Plans for each hub. These plans will include

urban design, land use, servicing, public transportation, parking and parks &

open space requirements. The City will work with Metrolinx to create hubs that

align with intensification and intra-modal split objectives

• Work with Metrolinx, the Region, and the Province to find multi-modal, flexible

and affordable solutions to accommodate the projected traffic generation from

growing employment lands

• Shift a greater proportion of inbound and outbound traffic to public

transportation and prepare a long term strategy to support the growth of public

transportation

• Burlington Transit will work with neighboring jurisdictions to promote seamless

transportation service delivery of inbound and outbound traffic

• As the city grows, light rail and rapid bus rapid transit systems will be evaluated

• Future development in key mixed nodes will realize higher density, be

walkable, accessible, and well-serviced by public transportation. The City will

become a leader in walkability in the province, and will be fully aligned with

provincial strategy and goals

• Future development in higher densities will consider car share and bike share

• Percent of all trips within

Burlington by transit

• Percent of all trips

entering and leaving the

City by public

transportation

• Community Modal Split

• Walkability scores

• Peak and all day

congestion tracking

• KM of bike lanes, trails

and sidewalks

• % of all trips within

Burlington by transit;

• % of all eastbound trips

leaving the City by

transit; and

• % of all westbound trips

leaving the City by

transit.

Strategic Direction Two: Strategic Initiatives and Success

Indicators

A HEALTHY AND GREENER CITY


Strategic Direction Three: A Healthy and Greener City


The City of Burlington will be a responsible steward

of the environment while encouraging healthy

lifestyles

Visualizing 2040

Healthy Lifestyles

• Every resident of Burlington will live within a short distance of parks or

green spaces

• Parks and green spaces will be multi dimensional. Residents and

visitors will be able to use them in a number of ways

• Burlington will have a number of community gardens and other unique

public spaces

• There will be a trail system linked to the City’s park network and to

other regional systems, ensuring that the City’s rural area and

waterfront are easily accessible

• The Bruce Trail will be supported by planning and investments to

ensure usability, safety and access

• Burlington will have adopted an appropriate walkability score and will

use it to inform various planning decisions in targeted intensification

areas

• Rural Burlington will have increased access to parks and amenities,

and the City will have supported several initiatives to create unique

recreational offerings in the rural area

• Recreation programs will be widely available to all residents through

partnerships

Responsible Steward of the Environment

• The City will have a healthy natural heritage system that has been

protected, conserved and enhanced and forms a fundamental

component of the City’s urban and rural areas

• The City’s operations will be net carbon neutral

• The urban forest and tree canopy has continued to thrive

• Burlington’s waterfront will continue to be clean, safe and usable. The

City will have taken a leadership position in ensuring the rehabilitation

and preservation of the City’s watercourses

• The City will have achieved its major goals outlined in the Community

Energy Plan, including;

• Creating leading edge community engagement in energy

initiatives (conservation, energy and security)

• Improving the energy efficiency of buildings

• Increasing sustainable local energy generation in Burlington

and enhancing reliability

• Optimizing integrated community energy systems and

efficiency opportunities through land use planning

• Increasing transportation efficiency

Healthy Lifestyles


• The Parks Master Plan will be updated to reflect growth objectives in

the City

• Major developments will provide innovative public amenity space

• The City will engage with the Region and Conservation Halton to

develop the Bruce Trail heads to promote access and awareness,

with the goal of creating new trailheads and safety enhancements

• The City will facilitate the development, through citizen engagement

and empowerment, of at least ten self-sustaining community gardens

by 2018

• The City will complete a plan and implement initiatives that creates

connectivity of trails and parks

• The City will develop and adopt walkability scores

• The City will explore opportunities to support progressive

rehabilitation of local quarries into recreational areas that maintain

the objectives contained within the Niagara Escarpment Plan and

Region of Halton Official Plan

• The City will work with public, private and community groups to

provide recreation programs that reflect the City’s demographics

• Participant visits to

recreation programs,

services and facilities

• % of residents

surveyed are satisfied

with recreation

programs

• % of citizens satisfied

with Burlington’s parks

and other open

spaces.

• Km trails connected to

parks

• Number of trail heads

created

• All residents live within a five-minute

walk of a park, greenway, recreational

facility or other green space by 2040

• Increase the percentage of residents

aged 18 and older who meet the

Canadian Physical Activity Guidelines

by 25% over 2015 levels

Strategic Direction Three: Strategic Initiatives and

Success Indicators

Responsible Steward of the Environment


• The City will develop and implement a plan to make city operations net

carbon neutral

• The City of Burlington will update and implement the Community Energy

Plan so that it is efficient, resilient and economically viable

• Working with Burlington Hydro, the City will explore district energy,

micro-generation and new storage technologies

• The City will advocate that the Cootes to Escarpment Ecopark System

will be recognized, within four years, in provincial or federal legislation

and will receive appropriate funding to complete required land assembly

• The City will measure and track its urban forest and tree canopy

• Energy metrics aligned with

Community Energy Plan

• Growth in the urban forest

• 5% annual community energy

reduction from 2014 by 2031

which is equivalent to 6.7

GJ/person

• Combined conservation and

demand management targets

resulting in an overall annual

reduction of per capita community

energy use of 4% or 5.3

GJ/person per annum

• Sustainable local generation

(including both renewable and

district energy): 12.5 MW by 2031,

approximately 3.5% of

Burlington’s peak electrical

demand

• Reduce annual energy

consumption by 2.4 GJ/person in

new housing construction,

resulting in a 34% reduction (per

person) when compared to

Burlington’s existing residential

building stock

• City operations carbon

neutrality

Strategic Direction Three: Strategic Initiatives and

Success Indicators

AN ENGAGING CITY


Strategic Direction Four: An Engaging

City Strategy Statement Visualizing 2040

Community members are engaged, empowered

and well served by their city. Culture and

community activities thrive, creating a positive

sense of place and community

Visualizing 2040

Good Governance

• The City will be known for its good governance through initiatives such

as the establishment of a Charter of Good Governance that outlines

Burlington’s responsibilities and objectives in the current Regional and

Provincial policy context

• Open government will be the norm through the use of new

technological platforms to drive engagement and good governance.

City information will be more accessible and interactions will be more

common

• The City will continue to balance increased services and investments

with the need for fiscal restraint

• Burlington is considered a leader on pressing public policy issues

• City infrastructure is in good condition and properly maintained

• New infrastructure required to support growth will be paid for by

development charges

• Enhanced performance measurements will give the community the

ability to track key indicators about City progress

Citizen Engagement Through Culture and Community

Activities

• The City is a hub for citizen engagement built on neighbourhood power

and empowered citizenry activities

• Newcomers and other groups feel welcome and at home in Burlington’s

inclusive and supportive civic environment. Services will be open and

accessible to these groups, and the City supports new cultural

celebrations and initiatives

• Culture will be a part of every community, with traditional cultural

institutions coordinating and reaching out to new communities and

diverse interests

• New cultural initiatives will have ensured culture is at the heart of

community

Good Governance


• Burlington Council will be widely recognized as a national leader

in strategic governance within five years

• The City will create a Charter of Good Governance within six

months. This Charter will outline Burlington's responsibilities,

rights, and objectives in the current provincial and regional

policy making context

• The City, working with key community partners, will develop a

dashboard of metrics that will report on the economic, social and

environmental well-being of residents and community health

• The City will create an internal policy and government outreach

capacity to engage with, liaise with and influence relevant

governments

• Development Charges will reviewed reflecting updated

population and employment growth and required servicing

needs

• Annual property tax increases will reflect inflationary increases,

infrastructure renewal financing and increased service

investments

• % of public satisfaction

with City programs &

services

• Annual policy advocacy

report card to support

strategic initiatives

• State of City

Infrastructure (PQI,

FCI)

• Annual tax rates

• For discussion

Strategic Direction Four: Strategic Initiatives and Success

Indicators

Citizen Engagement


• The City will develop and implement a series of empowering initiatives that

promote citizen engagement based on ‘neighbourhood Power’ and related

initiatives. An initial report will be provided to Council in the context of the

2016 budget

• The City will support the Community Engagement Charter and Action Plan

with funding and resources

• The City will develop, within 18 months, a strategy to increase outreach and

inclusivity through a dual approach at both the civil servant and political level

• The City will encourage better collaboration and coordination among cultural

institutions and boards

• The City will provide resources to support the Burlington Cultural Action Plan

• The City will adopt a creative place making approach in the planning, design

and management of public spaces by leveraging the power of the arts,

culture and creativity (e.g. mobility hubs, artist live-work spaces, cultural

nodes)

• The City will expand the Public Art Program by developing policies and

programs such as public art in private property

• The City will revise policies related to culture activities and programs (such

as busking, zoning, event permitting) to allow for easier and more accessible

initiatives

• The City will better align strategies, resources and goals of current cultural

institutions with broader City objectives, including:

• Youth and Newcomer Strategy

• Intensification and mobility hubs

• The City will encourage targeted cultural programming that engages

newcomers and a more diverse audience with the goal of promoting cultural

diversity

• Annual attendance at

cultural and civic

events (absolute and

per capita)

• Number of annual

volunteers at local

institutions

• Number of annual

events and

performances

• Size of culture related

economy

• # of neighbourhood

initiatives created

• % of citizens that

believe the city offers

the opportunity for

meaningful input into

decision making

• % citizens that believe

the city uses and

responds to input

• For discussion

Strategic Direction Four: Strategic Initiatives and Success

Indicators


NEXT STEPS

Next Steps

1. Work with City to design final published format

2. Community consultations

3. Establish mechanism for implementation (City manager work plan and project

management office)

4. Align strategic visions with key Official Plan and Transportation Master Plan

decisions and inputs. Integrate with Strategic Plan budget and other capital and

fiscal planning exercises


APPENDIX

Possible Consequences

• Likely lower economic growth

• Decreased capacity to pay for services

• Less relevance within the GTA

• Inefficient use of infrastructure and transportation

• Walkability and environmental goals less attainable

• Continued aging population

The Demographic and Economic Context

The City of Burlington is facing a number of economic and demographic changes

that require a coordinated response to avoid negative or unforeseen outcomes

Economic Population

• Lower population growth than region: The population in the

City of Burlington grew by 16.5% between 2001 and 2011 to

reach a population of 175,779. Halton’s population during this

time grew by roughly double the rate of growth in Burlington,

increasing by 33.7%

• Older Population: Burlington is facing a serious shortage of

younger aged cohorts, and is already amidst an increasingly

aging population. This is occurring at a more rapid rate than

surrounding and comparator areas

• Lower Immigration: The number of immigrants in Burlington

increased by 4.4% from 2006 to 2011. This increase was lower

than gains in both Halton (19.3%) and Ontario (6.3%) during

the same time period

• Housing Prices: The increasing cost of living and decreasing

affordability of housing present ongoing challenges to Burlington’s

ability to attract and retain newcomers, young professionals and

families

• Regional Competition: Greater affordability of living and housing

in Hamilton encourages outmigration of population and workers.

• Availability of modern and in demand office space in surrounding

competitor areas and high vacancy rates also inhibit development

opportunities

• Demographic: With a significant gap in the population of those 24

and under, Burlington is faced with a potential shortage of people to

transition into the prime working age population category over the

next ten years

Key Challenges

Source: Regional Municipality of Halton, “Best Planning Estimates of Population, Occupied Dwelling Units and

Employment, 2011-2031”, June 2011

Source: Millier Dickinson Blais: BEDC – Burlington Economic Vision

The Regional Transportation Context

The City of Burlington is faced with transportation related challenges that will

continue to effect flows to the broader regions as well as intra City mobility

Regional Mobility

Key Challenges

Possible Consequences

• Intensification, population and green objectives will not be met

unless employment areas and new residential areas are

supported by transit systems

• Quality of life will decline without a stronger and more

integrated transit system that supports the import of workers

and as well as the export of residents out of the city

Source: Millier Dickinson Blais: BEDC – Burlington Economic Vision

• Burlington is a regional hub: Approximately 44% of residents in Burlington worked within Burlington in 2011. Other top areas that

residents of Burlington worked include Oakville (14%), Toronto (12%), Mississauga (12%), and Hamilton (10%)

• 55% of Burlington workers commute. A significant number of workers that commute into Burlington for their employment also live in

Hamilton (31%). Other important areas from which workers live and commute into Burlington include Oakville (6%) and Mississauga

(4%), albeit, to a lesser extent

• Burlington residents use public transportation on a limited bases:

Travel Modes for Trips Originating in Burlington in the P.M. Peak Period Current Weekday Travel Patterns in Burlington

Trips To/ From Burlington

Burlington 260,670

Hamilton 113,266

Milton 10,637

Oakville 64,485

Toronto 28,264

Niagara 14,078

Source: City of Burlington : Current State of Transportation in Burlington

Documents

City of Burlington Draft Strategy · Overview and Context Setting The purpose of the facilitated strategy is to focus the City of Burlington’s energy on key choices that influence