Strategic Plan

The City of Kenora's Strategic Plan outlines our strategic goals and plans for development. The Charting Our Course 2027 Strategic Plan makes sure the City uses resources and energy towards projects that are beneficial for everyone who lives, invests, visits and plays in our community.

Our vision

Our vision is that Kenora provides a high quality of life for residents and unforgettable experiences for visitors by celebrating and embracing the community’s rich heritage, diversity, and natural environment.

Our mission

The City of Kenora's mission is to be an accountable, collaborative, and informed team that takes pride in delivering value-added municipal services.

Strategic focus areas

The Strategic Plan has goals and actions to achieve our priorities in five focus areas:

Infrastructure and environment

We are focused to maintain and upgrade infrastructure and deliver services in a sustainable way with the following goals:

position Kenora for growth through proactive infrastructure planning
ensure well maintained and sustainably financed City infrastructure
seek sustainable solutions to reduce environmental impacts of City operations

For a complete list of the Infrastructure and Environment focus area actions, please view the Strategic Plan.

Tourism, economic growth, and development

We are focused on fostering a diverse economy as a tourism destination and attracting new business with the following goals:

promote new investment and development of City-owned and private lands in Kenora
Facilitate opportunities for more and diverse housing development across the housing spectrum
implement tourism initiatives to enhance visitor rates and experiences
support entrepreneurship and business development

For a complete list of the Tourism, Economic Growth and Development focus area actions, please view the Strategic Plan.

Community recreation, well-being, and safety

We are focused on improving the quality of life for a healthy, safe and active community with the following goals:

deliver coordinated four-season cultural and recreational infrastructure, programs, and events
address community safety challenges and improve perceptions of safety in Kenora
enhance emergency management, protective services and social services provided by City partners

For a complete list of the Community Recreation, Well-Being, and Safety focus area actions, please view the Strategic Plan.

Service delivery and organizational capacity

We are focused to provide exceptional service and invest in our staff with the following goals:

modernize City service provision to improve “customer” experiences
maximize human capacity and capability
improve the fiscal planning capacity of our administration
enhance City communications to the community on municipal services, developments, and affairs

For a complete list of the Service Delivery and Organizational Capacity focus area actions, please view the Strategic Plan.

Relations with Treaty 3 partners

We are focused to work with and support our Treaty 3 partners with the following:

partner with Anishinaabe and other Treaty Partners to advance reconciliation, inclusion, and relationships, and enhance our understanding and awareness of Truth and Reconciliation.
foster meaningful and beneficial relationships with Treaty Partners creating joint communication and engagement protocols and advancing the Tunnel Island Common Ground Initiative.

Our corporate values

The Strategic Plan includes the following eight core values to guide our actions and decision-making:

Collaboration

The City of Kenora is a key partner, connector, and voice in addressing complex community needs.

Communication

The City of Kenora will ensure respectful and inclusive communications with our staff, community and partners.

Citizen and customer service

The City of Kenora puts people at the forefront when delivering services.

Environmental sustainability

The City of Kenora is committed to being respectful of our natural environment to ensure it can continue to enrich future generations.

Fiscal responsibility

The City of Kenora will administer municipal finances in a prudent, accountable, and transparent manner that is mindful of the financial implications of our daily decisions.

Innovation

The City of Kenora will strive for continuous service improvements through curiosity, leadership, and implementing best practices.

Readiness

The City of Kenora will actively engage in planning, prevention, and protection to mitigate risk and address complex challenges.

Trust and respect

The City of Kenora will act with integrity, honesty, and fairness in all our actions, fostering a corporate culture that promotes trust and respect of our staff, our community, and our partners.

Overview

Kenora is a strong, growing community that has experienced change since the last Strategic Plan was created in 2016. The City hired a consultant, Urban Systems, to update our Strategic Plan to better reflect the values and serve the needs of our community.

By establishing community vision, values, goals, objectives, and actions, the Strategic Plan will act as a roadmap to guide the City over the next five years and beyond. The Strategic Plan is a consistent framework for City staff and Council to follow and to be at the forefront of all decision-making processes. The new strategic plan will build off existing and recently completed plans and strategies, merging our established community priorities into one.

Kenora, as a municipality, has a core mandate of roles and responsibilities it must meet in providing governance, infrastructure, and services in the community. Strategic Planning conversations will likely include discussion on areas that fall outside of the City’s core mandate, such as social challenges. However, the City can be an advocate, supporter, connector, and partner in addressing these areas with community stakeholders and partners.