The City of Colwood is a spectacular seaside community set apart by its outstanding natural setting and exceptional quality of life.

This vision is described in detail in the Colwood Official Community Plan.

Mission

As stewards of the quality of life cherished by those who live, work and play in Colwood, we provide excellent service that respects the uniqueness and diversity of the community. We work to continually improve our services and build positive relationships with citizens and partners.

Values

Accountability - We serve the needs of the community, consulting residents and stakeholders regularly and providing timely reports on projects.

Collaboration - We focus on partnerships to achieve our goals, and on informing and involving residents and stakeholders to ensure excellence.

Innovation - We embrace creative ideas and have the courage to lead with innovation.

Flexibility - We are responsive to the needs of the community and continually evaluate and strive to improve our service.

Integrity - We honour the public trust by being transparent in decision making and using local knowledge and industry best practice to protect our environment and quality of life for residents.

Community Goals in the OCP

  • Colwood's waterfront is a gently enjoyed, world class destination.
  • People and nature are exceptionally well-connected.
  • Family friendly neighbourhoods provide housing choices.
  • Residents have realistic transportation choices.
  • Vibrant streets and public spaces promote community connections.
  • Colwood is carbon neutral, energy positive, water smart, and prepared to adapt to a changing world.

Strategic Priorities

The City of Colwood is currently gathering input from citizens about a new Draft 2019-2023 Strategic Plan.

The Draft Strategic Plan focuses on four key goal areas: Mobility, Prosperity, Governance and Vibrancy.

Goal 1: Mobility

The City will strive to enhance residents' quality of life by creating a safe, convenient and connected network of streets, sidewalks, trails and cycling routes for people of all ages and abilities.

The plan proposes reviewing the design of priority roads, creating sidewalk and cycling plans, measuring vehicle congestion, increasing the comfort and convenience of transit and engaging the community on the concept of a passenger ferry.

Read the Mobility section

Goal 2: Prosperity

The City will make decisions that promote the prosperity of residents, businesses and the City as a whole. This includes supporting new business investment, but also household prosperity considerations that allow for residents to enjoy a high quality of life with access to recreation, education, employment and housing choices.

The plan proposes creating a household prosperity census to better understand what needs to be done to improve prosperity for residents, as well as creating targets to diversify Colwood's tax base. And we'll plan for public realm improvements to enhance enjoyment and attract new business investment.

Read the Prosperity section

Goal 3: Governance

The City will continue to engage citizens through clear, honest communications, responsible financial management and transparent decision making that reflects the needs and wishes of the greater community, as described in the Official Community Plan. 

The plan proposes building the City's service levels based on resident expectations, reviewing tax and fee levels, planning for infrastructure needs and reducing Colwood's energy use and GHG emissions.

Read the Governance section

Goal 4: Vibrancy

The City will work to create more welcoming and interesting public spaces that encourage access to a range of recreational, social, cultural and heritage opportunities, especially at the waterfront, in parks and on streetscapes and boulevards.

The plan proposes building our understanding of community needs through cultural assessments, neighbourhood engagement and housing needs assessments, then planning for parks improvements, community events, arts and culture, heritage and beautification. 

Read the Vibrancy section

Next steps for the draft Strategic Plan

The community will be encouraged to provide input about the draft Strategic Plan throughout January 2020. Staff will present an engagement summary to Council at the end of January when Council will consider adoption of the Strategic Plan. Specific tactics outlined in the plan will be considered during budget deliberations in February and March.

Review the full Colwood Strategic Plan 2019 - 2023