Direction Kelowna (photo / City of Kelowna)

By Kevin Rothwell

Heading the direction, but still work to do

Progress on Kelowna council priorities reviewed

Mar 11, 2021 | 4:28 PM

Kelowna City Council has been presented a quarterly report on priorities set out for the 2019 to 2022 term.

It shows some positive progress in many areas but some ongoing challenges mostly due to COVID-19.

“2020 was a tumultuous year for all of us, in so many ways,” Mayor Colin Basran said. “However, due to our robust strategic plans, reporting and responsive management, we were able to adapt to the shifting and unpredictable landscape, make informed decisions and ensure that our community received the essential services it required.”

Some of the areas that fell short included:

• YLW passenger counts and revenue
• Recreation centre operations, programs and revenue
• Community events
• The number of people experiencing homelessness did not change substantially from 2019

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For its 2019-2022 term, council identified six priority areas where they want to see a difference. These are the services, programs, and key infrastructure items.

• Community safety – crime is reduced and residents feel safe
• Social and inclusive – fewer people will experience homelessness and inclusion and diversity are increasing
• Transportation and mobility – fewer trips are being made by car and solutions are innovative
• Vibrant neighbourhoods – high quality site design, affordable housing and higher density neighbourhoods are prioritized
• Economic resiliency – the infrastructure deficit is reduced and Kelowna is investment-friendly
• Environmental protection – adaptable in the face of climate change

Overall, the organization reported that:

• 27 result items are trending in the right direction
• 7 show no change, or it is the first year that data is available
• 5 results are not trending in the right direction.

“The accountability demonstrated in the regular reporting process on council priorities 2019-2022 is a vital aspect of providing good governance, effective management, and building trust with our community,” City Manager Doug Gilchrist said. “By having our strategic plans and practices in place prior to the health crisis that we were thrust into, we had the tools to guide the rapid decision-making that was required. And we continue to be able to address immediate concerns while setting ourselves up for a better future by being more resilient, focused and flexible.”