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2022-05-18_Agenda Packet--Dossier de l'ordre du jourCity of Saint John Common Council Special Meeting AGENDA Wednesday, May 18, 2022 5:30 p.m. 2nd Floor Common Council Chamber, City Hall Pages 1. Call to Order 1.1. Land Acknowledgement 1.2. National Anthem 2. Disclosures of Conflict of Interest 3. Catalytic Projects 1 - 24 4. Adjournment D '� r r I l jl COMMON COUNCIL REPORT M&C No. 2022-178 Report Date May 16, 2022 Meeting Date May 18, 2022 Service Area Growth and Community Services Her Worship Mayor Donna Noade Reardon and Members of Common Council SUBJECT: Catalytic Growth Initiatives AUTHORIZATION Primary Author Commissioner/Dept. Head City Manager Jacqueline Hamilton John Collin RECOMMENDATION That Common Council endorse the following eight high -impact initiatives as the City of Saint John's top priorities for catalytic growth to address critical infrastructure and partnerships needed to propel the City forward: 1. Four key infrastructure projects: • Innovative Central Peninsula Learning Commons, • Redevelopment of Fundy Quay, • a new Comprehensive Recreation Facility, and • Investing in Industrial Parks. 2. Four advocacy efforts: • Comprehensive Tax Reform, • Matching Dollars for Bilateral Funding, • Affordable Housing, and • Post -Secondary Education. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY With endorsement of its 2021-2026 Council Priorities and the framework of the 10-year Strategic Plan, Council is positioned to confirm its "catalytic growth initiatives" that will be transformational to drive growth outcomes for Saint John. Projects that are catalytic from an economic development standpoint are those that advance the City's aspirational goals related to growth, are of a magnitude to stimulate spillover effects that spur much larger growth efforts and require partnerships with other levels of government and the community. Through a collaborative process of Council engagement, Council has identified eight high -impact initiatives that will spur growth by addressing critical infrastructure and partnerships needed to propel the City forward. The initiatives 1 -2- bring together a variety of private sector and government resources to deliver a high return on investment and generate growth. They also improve the City's image and amenities, to stimulate further economic expansion. They address much needed reforms that are critical to sustained growth. The priorities include four key infrastructure projects to invigorate the City's economy. • The priorities include two projects that have been underway, in their current form, since 2019. o The Central Peninsula Learning Commons is an innovative new school that will also be a community hub to support and revitalize the neighbourhood. o The redevelopment of Fundy Quay will transform Saint John's urban waterfront and boost tourism. • Council is also prioritizing a new, multi -purpose recreational facility to replace aging arenas and to help address the needs of our residents in for other sports, recreation and the arts, through a modern and highly functional and attractive complex • Finally, Council must invest in the City's industrial parks to capitalize on opportunities for industrial expansion. This will fuel economic growth by attracting new businesses and skilled workers. There are four key asks of the Province that are key to creating sustained growth in the City. • The City has long called on the Province for comprehensive tax reform to ensure more local tax dollars stay in Saint John. The time for modernizing our outdated tax system is now. • The City is also calling on the Province to unlock tens of millions of dollars in federal funds by providing the required provincial matching funds. These dollars would help the City make critical investments in green infrastructure and its climate change agenda to enable the creation of a green economy. • Affordable housing is important to our residents and key to our community's success. Our collective ability to provide access to safe, affordable housing will enable us to achieve growth and improve the sense of belonging for those who choose to call Saint John home. The City is looking for federal and provincial support as it embarks on creating and delivering on its Affordable Housing Action Plan. o The City aims to work with post -secondary institutions, other levels of government, and the business community to enable the growth of post -secondary programs at UNB Saint John and NBCC to spark growth and innovation in our region. Saint John needs strong and vibrant institutions positioned for growth. This is critical to attracting and retaining youth and creating strong leaders for tomorrow and filling our talent pipeline. 2 -3- The City remains committed to also addressing many other needs of our community through a variety of initiatives and projects. While our main effort will be on these high impact initiatives, other projects, initiatives, and advocacy work will continue. These priorities provide a balance between continuing the strong momentum with current priorities, while capitalizing on emerging growth opportunities. This suite of priorities delivers a multi -pronged approach to drive growth outcomes that will ensure the City is positioned as a strong magnet for growth. PREVIOUS RESOLUTION The following resolution was approved by Council on July 29, 2019, endorsing its catalytic project priorities for its term: Resolved that Common Council endorse as the City of Saint John's top three infrastructure funding requests to Federal and Provincial Governments for grow th related project funding with the exception of emergency response related funding, include: A new school in the Central Peninsula; Development of the Fundy Quay site, and Foster Thurston/Ashburn Lake Road NB Route 1 Interchange Project. REPORT Rationale for Defining Catalytic Project Priorities With endorsement of its 2021-2026 Council Priorities and the framework of the 10-year Strategic Plan, Council is positioned to confirm its top priorities for "catalytic growth initiatives" that will be transformational to drive growth outcomes for Saint John. Projects that are catalytic from an economic development standpoint are those that advance the City's aspirational goals related to growth, are of a magnitude to stimulate spillover effects that spur much larger growth efforts and require partnerships with other levels of government and the community. With defined initiative for catalytic growth, the City will be better positioned to deliver on community aspirations related to growth as articulated in its key strategic plans including PlanSJ, Central Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan, and the City's 10-year Strategic Plan currently under development. These priorities also support regional economic development objectives as defined in Envision Saint John's Strategic Vision. By defining these initiatives, the corporation can focus its resources on impactful initiatives that will move the needle on growth and by narrowing our focus, we can have greater success in our advocacy efforts with other levels of government. ,C] -4- This focused approach has served the City well with its endorsement of three catalytic projects in 2019. These included: • A new school for the Central Peninsula, • Development of the Fundy Quay site, and • Foster Thurston/Ashburn Lake Road NB Route 1 Interchange Project. These projects were selected for their potential to advance the growth aspirations in PlanSJ and the Central Peninsula Neighbourhood Plan and leverage significant investment and tax base growth. With compelling business cases, these projects are anticipated to deliver a strong return on investment for the City and Province and while they are at various stages of development, the City's advocacy efforts have helped to unlock significant funding partnerships with other levels of government to advance these projects. The Process Building on a strong foundation of Council's Priorities for 2021-2026, Council undertook a collaborative process to define and narrow its top choices for catalytic projects for the remainder of its term. Two Council workshops were held on March 14, and March 28, 2022, during which Council had the opportunity to share ideas and perspectives on catalytic projects and through a facilitated process, establish its top choices for both infrastructure -based, and advocacy - based catalytic initiatives that will be transformational to drive growth outcomes for the City. These workshops were informed by research and context setting on Saint John's strategic growth plans. The following selection criteria were used to guide Council's prioritization of catalytic projects: • Provides significant return on investment and/or significant value added to community, • Spurs other important growth; acts as a catalyst, • Clearly enhances image or perception of City, • Has multiple partners and funding from varied sources, • Aligns with City strategic plans and • Aligns with Council priorities. The Recommended Initiatives Council has identified eight high -impact initiatives that will spur growth by addressing critical infrastructure and partnerships needed to propel the City forward. The initiatives bring together a variety of private sector and government resources to deliver a high return on investment and generate growth. They also improve the City's image and amenities, to stimulate further economic expansion. They address much needed reforms that are critical to sustained growth. El -5- The priorities include four key infrastructure projects to invigorate the City's economy. • The priorities include two projects that have been underway, in their current form, since 2019. o The Central Peninsula Learning Commons is an innovative new school that will also be a community hub to support and revitalize the neighbourhood. o The redevelopment of Fundy Quay will transform Saint John's urban waterfront and boost tourism. • Council is also prioritizing a new, multi -purpose recreational facility to replace aging arenas and to help address the needs of our residents in for other sports, recreation and the arts, through a modern and highly functional and attractive complex • Finally, Council must invest in the City's industrial parks to capitalize on opportunities for industrial expansion. This will fuel economic growth by attracting new businesses and skilled workers. There are four key asks of the Province that are key to creating sustained growth in the City. • The City has long called on the Province for comprehensive tax reform to ensure more local tax dollars stay in Saint John. The time for modernizing our outdated tax system is now. • The City is also calling on the Province to unlock tens of millions of dollars in federal funds by providing the required provincial matching funds. These dollars would help the City make critical investments in green infrastructure and its climate change agenda to enable the creation of a green economy. • Affordable housing is important to our residents and key to our community's success. Our collective ability to provide access to safe, affordable housing will enable us to achieve growth and improve the sense of belonging for those who choose to call Saint John home. The City is looking for federal and provincial support as it embarks on creating and delivering on its Affordable Housing Action Plan. o The City aims to work with post -secondary institutions, other levels of government, and the business community to enable the growth of post -secondary programs at UNB Saint John and NBCC to spark growth and innovation in our region. Saint John needs strong and vibrant institutions positioned for growth. This is critical to attracting and retaining youth and creating strong leaders for tomorrow and filling our talent pipeline. These priorities provide a balance between continuing the strong momentum with current priorities, while capitalizing on emerging growth opportunities. This suite of priorities delivers a multi -pronged approach to drive growth outcomes which will: 5 -6- • create a road map to propel growth initiatives envisioned in the City's aspirational growth plans, Council's Priorities and the 10-year Strategic Plan, • leverage investment in quality -of -life infrastructure essential to supporting inclusive growth, • bolster Saint John's value proposition and image, and • support alignment with the region's growth strategy - Envision Saint John's Strategic Vision - including strategic priorities related to growth readiness, talent attraction and pipeline and entrepreneurship and business growth. The City remains committed to also addressing many other needs of our community through a variety of initiatives and projects. While our main effort will be on these high impact initiatives, other projects, initiatives, and advocacy work will continue. STRATEGIC ALIGNMENT These recommendations support delivery of Council's Priority related to Grow which states: "We enable population and business growth by focusing on infrastructure investments, strategic communications, service delivery and partnerships to achieve growth initiatives that align with the principles of smart growth in PlanSJ". It is also important that Council's catalytic project priorities provide concrete initiatives that deliver on the vision, goals and objectives of the City's ten-year strategic plan which establishes a vision for "ever improving quality of life and a sense of belonging" and sets strategic goals and objectives 'for a more vibrant and prosperous community and to grow the tax base by 3% annually andgrow our population to 85,000 people". SERVICEAND FINANCIAL OUTCOMES Once approved by Council, these catalytic growth initiatives will inform the budget process, the corporate workplan and intergovernmental advocacy efforts. INPUT FROM OTHER SERVICE AREAS AND STAKEHOLDERS Staff from the City Manager's Office, Growth and Community Services, Strategic Services, General Counsel Office, Utilities and Infrastructure, Public Works and Transportation were consulted on this report. Staff also consulted with Envision Saint John. C. -7- ATTACHMENTS 1. Presentation 2. Catalytic Growth Initiatives Summary ca Q N i O ca Q W W a-J U •ClA � a--+ N N C6 ro a-J U > O 06 U C6 U N N _0 ro c6 C)- O }' O O •L O � N •v Na.., •C6 O > •� N ca � U U ca +•' > L N > O L +j Q _� W _ •N U Q 4--) 3: W O L- r . to `- U Q) Q) -- > CAA all�Z'�ZKZa u fi N dch r. SIX e p •'^ a � as t +.. v C D c Q G H m 10 V u a 41 fL0 L a O i 9i •r' ++ a N a y v a E c w +�+ o i G/ ° .O 0 F w t_n ^ th a Q 3 a o Q w u o t7 is G � U N C � O U1 4 O } w E U N V ? E m 7 V V A:! 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To do this, Council has identified eight high -impact priorities that will spur growth by addressing critical infrastructure and building stronger partnerships. WHY? Growth won't just happen on its own. To be successful we must focus our resources on priorities that align with our growth strategies and will have the greatest potential impact. The priorities also help focus the support of our partners in the federal and provincial governments. We are seeking strategic investments that will help deliver the most benefit. Four catalytic Infrastructure Projects This new urban school will also be a community hub to support and revitalize the south-central peninsula neighbourhood. The project has been underway since 2019 with significant community involvement. The Government of New Brunswick is the lead on the project and is selecting a site. We are eager to advance to the design and construction stages of the project. Site preparation has begun for this mixed -used project that will transform Saint John's urban waterfront and boost tourism. Two thirds of the $27.4 million project, or about $18.4 million, has been funded by the federal and provincial governments, with the remainder funded by the City of Saint John. Continued advocacy and investment by all levels of government is crucial to securing full build out of the project over the next 10 years and unlocking further investments. A large multi -purpose facility has been prioritized to replace aging arenas (some that are close to 50 years old) and provide modern, functional space for other sports, recreation, and the arts. A more modern facility will not only improve community wellness and service offerings, but it will also boost the attractiveness of our region. The City is looking to expand lands and investment in its industrial parks to fuel economic growth by attracting new businesses and skilled workers. More lands and investment are needed to ensure the City is positioned to capitalize on emerging growth opportunities in sectors such as green energy, advanced manufacturing and transportation and logistics. These investments will enable these sectors to operate efficiently without adversely impacting the quality of life in residential neighbourhoods. k A "City Council is optimistic about the future of Saint John. We are committed to working across governments and sectors to unlock and realize the City's growth potential. This work will help secure a bright future that enhances Saint John as a destination for people to live, work and play. "-Wyor§�nna Noade Reardon Four Catalytic AdVOCdCy Efforts Saint John has long called on the Province for comprehensive tax reform to ensure more local tax dollars stay in the City to help maintain strong and sustainable municipal services. Currently, the Province collects significant property tax for its own purposes that is disproportionately high when compared to other provinces. In alignment with the Province's Sustaining Saint John Plan, the time for modernizing our outdated tax system is now. PP,I'IP,P,Mi - SIP =- Currently, more than $36 million in green infrastructure funding is R available from the federal government. The City is calling on the Province to unlock these federal funds by providing the required provincial ` y matching funds. These dollars would help make critical investments in climate change -related infrastructure, further enable the creation of a green economy, and support the City's goal to be carbon neutral by 2040. About one third of Saint John residents struggle to pay for housing. Affordable housing is important to our residents and key to our community's success. Our collective ability to provide access to safe, affordable housing will enable us to achieve growth and improve the sense of belonging for those who call Saint John home. The City is looking for federal and provincial support as it embarks on creating and delivering on its Affordable Housing Action Plan. Am The City aims to work with post -secondary institutions, other levels of government and the business community to expand programs at UNB Saint John and NBCC to spark growth and innovation across our region. 1 „ Strong and vibrant educational opportunities are critical to growth, attracting and retaining our youth, and developing a talent and leadership pipeline. These key catalytic projects and efforts will focus the work of City Council and staff. They build on the momentum of current priorities and plans, while capitalizing on new opportunities for growth. Efforts will continue on all initiatives important to our qV, even if not listed as a catalytic project.