Action plan report provides snapshot of City progress

By Al Beeber - Lethbridge Herald on April 29, 2022.

LETHBRIDGE HERALDabeeber@lethbridgeherald.com

The first quarterly report of the Gateway to Opportunity 2022 Action Plan was unanimously accepted by city council on Tuesday.
That report discusses the status of all the initiatives that city council has determined as priorities in its term.
The plan was created using the Municipal Development Plan as a guide. Initiatives are related to one or more of six themes set out in the MDP including economically prosperous, healthy and diverse, culturally vibrant, well designed, environmentally responsible and supports the region.
Council adopted the plan at its Jan. 18 meeting.
The report shows numerous initiatives are on track including the establishment of an Indigenous Resource Hub, a review of cityLINK, the establishment of a municipal land banking strategy and enabling support for an emergency shelter.
Also on track is the establishment of a Community Wellbeing and Safety Strategy Committee and the establishment of a regional economic development and tourism strategy.
On hold is a review of a police commission bylaw.
These elements are part of the present phase of the plan.
Several initiatives are being undertaken under the economically prosperous theme. They include, according to the City:
* Airport performance and governance evolution has seen funding being leveraged. Council is endorsing a new Airport Incentive Framework and a new agreement with Flair Airlines which is scheduled to begin operating here in December.
* Work is underway for a Municipal Land Banking Strategy that will look to secure lands for future strategic growth.
* The broadband pilot project at the Sherring and Churchill Industrial Parks is progressing with an operator identified and in place to provide this broadband service.
Under the healthy and diverse theme, council is working with community and health partners to develop an action plan to support a doctor recruitment and retention plan.
Steps are also being undertaken to finalize an operational agreement with the Blood Tribe/Kainai Nation and confirm a location for the Indigenous Resource Hub.
Council has also approved funding up to $100,000 to have a consultant explore the creation of a community care campus here which would involve co-location or integration of homelessness and housing resources and other services as a way to end chronic homelessness and improve accessibility to services for clients.
Under the well-designed city theme, council on Tuesday voted to make the cityLINK transit system permanent with quarterly adjustments. It’s also asked city administration to do a study on a ward system. This would include outlining a process to examine and develop options for such a system with implementation as early as the 2025 municipal election. Administration is scheduled to report back to the Governance Standing Policy Committee on April 28 about this matter.
Under the supports the region theme, work is being done to establish a regional economic development and tourism strategy which will involve the creation of a storybook which is seen as a “vital” document which will articulate the City’s tourism and economic vision.
Council, during its four-year term, will be developing annual action plans and says it’s committed to giving progress reports every three months.
Residents can subscribe to quarterly update newsletters which will be available starting in the second quarter.
The action plan is available for viewing at http://www.lethbridge.ca/2022ActionPlan.

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