This is Vancouver City Council's new list of 111 things to do by 2026

This is Vancouver City Council's new list of 111 things to do before the end of the term in 2026

Vancouver City Council, 2022-2026. (City of Vancouver)

One year into their four-year term, the municipal government equivalent of a mission statement, vision and values, roadmap, white paper, Bible, and/or a to-do list for the current makeup of Vancouver City Council is set to be made concrete.

Next week, City Council is expected to review and finalize the “City Council’s Strategic Priorities” document between 2023 and 2026 — for the remainder of their term.

The contents of the document — clearly influenced by the priorities of the ABC Vancouver governing party — essentially summarize work that is already in motion or forthcoming and group them into nine overarching “strategic objectives,” including vibrant and diverse; housing; supporting business; city services and infrastructure; safety and security; climate emergency; health, inclusive, and equitable; and reconciliation.

Altogether, at the moment, there are 111 works, projects, strategies, and/or initiatives under the to-do list grouped under the nine strategic objectives, with the majority already in progress.

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Within each of the strategic objectives, there are also “priority outcomes.” Under the strategic objective of housing, the priority outcomes entail creating the “right regulatory framework and processes to support the efficient delivery of housing on private lands” and leveraging “City-owned property to add substantially more market and non-market housing.”

Notable works under housing entail enabling more housing within the approved Broadway Plan and Northeast False Creek Plan, the upcoming Rupert and Renfrew Station Area Plan, and large-scale developments on City-owned Property Endowment Fund land and within City-owned land in False Creek South.

Transportation improvements, including building out the micro-mobility network (bike lane, pedestrian sidewalks, etc.) and public vehicle charging stations, as well as reducing building emissions and implementing flood mitigation measures, are under climate emergency.

Under the strategic objective of supporting business, the work relates to streamlining, simplifying, and digitizing permitting and licensing processes, updating liquor licensing requirements, enhancing support for independent businesses, ensuring there is sufficient space for the tech industry, simplifying the ride-hailing regulatory framework, and enhancing City supports for the film and television production industry.

For safety and security, the numerous listed works revolve around the priority outcomes of reducing property and violent crimes, investing in preventative safety and security programs, investing in fire prevention, preparedness for large-scale emergencies, and improving transportation safety, which specifically includes advancing the delayed Prior/Venables underpass project.

When it comes to city services and infrastructure, the work focuses on upgrading water supply and sewer infrastructure, waste collection services, and keeping overall facilities in a state of good repair.

As for vibrant and diverse, the work includes bringing public spaces to life, investing in Gastown, refreshing Granville Street within downtown, updating street furniture, supporting the attraction of major sporting and cultural events, improving the City’s support for special events, implementing more measures to revive Chinatown, renewing Vancouver Aquatic Centre, building more and improving public parks and community centres, and expanding public washrooms.

Here is the full list of 111 to-do items grouped under the nine strategic objectives: