Introduction to the City Plan - City Plan Blog Series Part 1

On March 16th, 2020 City Administration will be presenting the highly anticipated City Plan Report and come forward to public hearing on May 28th, 2020. The City Plan is a scaffolding to support Edmonton’s growth. It includes strategic direction in environmental planning, social planning and economic development. A dynamic and flexible City Plan built to withstand and embrace the changes ahead is required as we set sights on a diverse and exciting future. As mentioned in a previous blog post, The City Plan will replace all of the existing Ways Plans and will represent our provincially required Municipal Development Plan and Transportation Master Plan. The City Plan is both a values based and outcome-oriented document. An inclusive, agile and adaptive City Plan allows us to respond meaningfully to emerging realities and make informed choices. It means less of a focus on the physical regulation of objects and more on painting the big picture. We will focus more on how we want to experience our city over the next years and decades. The City Plan offers a cohesive strategy for residents, business owners, City administration and community organizations to guide future growth.

As well, the City Plan is for and about the residents of Edmonton and charts out the exciting city building journey we are on. Residents can use the City Plan to see where Edmonton is headed and be informed about policies designed to strengthen their communities. The City Plan will provide direction for plans, guidelines and other policy decisions, inform proposed changes to City regulations, prioritize resource allocation and financial decisions, and measure progress towards City goals. This all works towards building a city-based identity that is welcoming to existing and future residents. It will be up to city council, future councils and city administration to find best ways towards implementation and goals laid out in the plan. City Council charts the course for Edmonton’s future on behalf of its residents. Council’s direction represents the voices of Edmontonians reflected through a community vision that informs decision-making and offers guidance on where we are going. The policy structure for the City Plan is as follows:

Strategic Goals Created by Connect Edmonton as part of Edmonton’s Strategic Plan

1. Healthy City

2. Urban Places

3. Regional Prosperity

4. Climate Resilience 

Guiding Values: City Plan Policy Six guiding values were identified to articulate how we want to experience our future city.

1. I want to belong and contribute.

2. I want to live in a place that feels like home.

3. I want opportunities to thrive.

4. I want more access within my city.

5. I want to preserve what matters most.

6. I want to be able to create and innovate.

Twenty-Four City Building Outcomes: A city building outcome describes the conditions that will emerge in Edmonton’s future when the four goals of Healthy City, Urban Places, Regional Prosperity and Climate Resilience are realized. Five Big City Moves Five big city moves have been created through public engagement and further research. These draw upon Edmonton’s underlying strengths and support community transformation in response to the guiding values and desired outcomes:

1. Greener As We Grow is about creating a city that is dedicated to preserving and protecting the environment through good design and conscious development. 

2. A Rebuildable City is about working with what we have today and continuously adapting our built environment to meet the needs of the future. 

3. A Community of Communities is about building connections to welcome new residents, developing housing, recreation and employment centers that are within reach. 

4. Inclusive and Compassionate is city-making that supports human-centered design where people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities can thrive.  

5. Catalyze and Converge is about developing new physical and economic opportunities for ideas, talent and investment to come together.

Out of this plan we see 60 Policy Intentions and 250 Policy Directions. This approach will provide continued momentum for Council decisions and community commitments. It is difficult to fully iterate how vital the implementation and execution of this plan will be. For most of us, it may even be difficult to think about a city of 2 million or the year 2065. However, that is exactly what our City Plan is challenging all of us to do. To look beyond where we currently are and to build on it to service our future generations. In this next blog series we will be exploring the execution and activation of the city plan. Regarding execution and activation, our city will have to look deeply into our city planning framework, zoning bylaw and corporate business plan. Our upcoming blog topics on this City Plan Series include Mass Transit, Land Use for a Future Edmonton and Climate Impact Analysis. 

Written by A. Knack and R. Maggay