Corporate Strategic Plan Community Survey

The Ross Street Underpass project (an early rendering is shown to the left) was included as priority project in the 2013 Corporate Strategic Plan. It was first considered as an option, along with a number of other sites, to increase accessibility across the CP Rail tracks. This project was considered of high importance due to a concern for safety, the increasing number and length of trains, and emergency access.

Developing the Ross Street Underpass required relationship and partnership building with downtown business owners and CP Rail, as well as considerable financial resources, before it could become reality. The 2013 Corporate Strategic Plan was instrumental in keeping the project at the forefront for City staff and Council. 

The Corporate Strategic Plan is currently being updated, with adoption by Council planned for early 2022. The plan identifies a Vision, Purpose, Guiding Principles, and Key Strategic Drivers. These serve to direct decision-making and ensure that project outcomes align with the City's overarching priorities. Each of these key elements are described below:

Vision for Corporate Strategic Plan: The vision for this corporate strategic plan is to establish a living document that serves as a realistic framework to deliver special projects that are outside of the day-to-day mandate of core City services. This will enable the City to be nimble and adapt to the evolving needs of the community. 

Purpose:  The purpose of the Corporate Strategic Plan is to provide a road map for City-led projects to:

• Clarify core services which the City delivers, while also recognizing areas where the City can provide support outside of existing department mandates and responsibilities (i.e. Corporate Services, Financial Services, Engineering and Public Works, Salmon Arm Recreation Society and Emergency Services).
• Establish a list of priority projects and initiatives to be completed over the next 10 to 15 years using a practical framework and evaluation process for projects that are outside of the day-to-day scope of the City’s core services.
• Enable City staff to focus on issues that are of importance to the community while also providing a platform to consider new initiatives as they arise.
• Minimize spontaneous or reactionary decision-making to channel City time, energy, and resources while also identifying external partnerships and relationships which support City priorities.
• Provide easy-to-use, detailed project plans for high priority projects which provide context, scope of work and actions required to support City staff and Council in moving these projects forward and to help the community understand where the City is prioritizing efforts.

Guiding Principles: Guiding Principles are foundational elements to be considered throughout the decision-making processes which occur within the context of implementing this strategic plan. The Guiding Principles are:

• Support a prosperous, vibrant, and welcoming community – We share in the pride of our community as a “small city with big ideas.” We strive to deliver core services which are the foundation of a vibrant community, healthy natural environment, and thriving local economy both now and into the future.
• Ensure responsible stewardship of City resources - We are committed to the responsible management of our assets which include our infrastructure, finances, environment, health, and safety. We use an approach to infrastructure development which balances financial responsibility and overall benefit to the community.
• Clarify expectations for City staff, Council, AND the community - Council and staff are committed to creating a common understanding with the community about where the City’s time, energy, and financial resources will be focused while balancing multiple interests and expectations.
• Convene community partners to leverage knowledge and expertise - We work nimbly to determine where the City may be positioned to lead or convene and support community partners who are better equipped to provide leadership and / or implement projects outside the scope of core City services.
• Provide excellence in service delivery - We are committed to a high standard of service delivery in all our areas of service while also aspiring to meet community needs and expectations within a framework that can realistically respond to growth and changes in society.

The five strategic drivers provide a lens to balance the multiple needs, interests and desires of our community. The strategic drivers are used as an evaluation framework called the "Project Filter" to ensure the City considers investments and projects from a holistic perspective. This prevents one objective being advanced at the expense of others.  

The five strategic drivers are:

• People
• Places
• Assets
• Environment
• Economy

Each driver is explained below.

Salmon Arm is a great place to live because of the fantastic people who call this home. Every day, we contribute to our community through work, play, volunteering, engaging with community groups, and through our social networks. Salmon Arm is a great place to live because of the fantastic people who call this home. Every day, we contribute to our community through work, play, volunteering, engaging with community groups, and through our social networks.  Projects that support newcomers who may be visiting or choosing to relocate to Salmon Arm, whether they plan to stay for a short or long-time, can also help foster our welcoming City.

The interconnectedness of our community can be fostered through projects which enhance opportunities to develop relationships with others, support open and honest communications with the City, and create safe places for people to gather and spend their time.

We feel a strong sense of pride, belonging and deep connections to this place that we call home. Salmon Arm continues to strive to make our community safe and comfortable through positive and enriching experiences. We will further support this sense of place through projects that help to create environments where people find meaning and happiness in our ‘small city’.  

We pride ourselves on our excellent standard of care for our infrastructure to support a high quality of life for all residents. This includes ensuring that our drinking water, wastewater, storm water, roads, parks, trails, and other facilities are all well-managed. 

We reinvest as required to minimize unexpected costs, inconvenient emergency works and risks to our health and safety. 

We are a community nestled amidst astounding natural beauty and significant environmental values, and we want to continue to care for it in a number of ways. This includes considering the way we travel around our community and the way we use our parks and wild spaces, as well as how we develop our city’s residential, commercial, and industrial areas. 

We are committed to conserving, protecting, and reducing our city’s overall impact on the environment by advancing projects that align with these values to maintain and, where possible, improve the natural environment in Salmon Arm.