Corporate Strategic Plan

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The City has developed its first Corporate Strategic Plan, which identifies a vision, goals, and key actions to be achieved over this term of Council and beyond.

The Plan was endorsed by Council at the December 11, 2023 Council Meeting. Read Report to Council.

While this plan originated from extensive discussion and collaboration between Mayor Ashe and Members of Council, community engagement lies at the heart of it, and has helped shape the fundamental principles that underpin the strategy.

What We Heard

From mid-June to September 30, 2023, the City hosted a community survey and various engagement opportunities, where members of the public were able to learn more about the process and provide their input. Please view 'Letter of Thanks' from Project Manager and City Solicitor/Director of Corporate Services, Paul Bigioni.

View our 'What We Heard' Report.

The Vision reflects a commitment to innovation and leadership.

Pickering: A complete, world class city…inclusive, connected, caring, and prosperous.

To provide meaningful municipal services to Pickering’s growing and diverse community, efficiently, effectively and responsibly.

The City’s Strategic Plan is built on a solid foundation of customer service excellence. Without good governance, it would be impossible for the City to deliver on the six strategic priorities* identified in this Plan. Good governance (fiscal prudence, open and transparent decision making, customer-focused programs, services and infrastructure that are accessible and inclusive of all) is key to building a complete, world class City.

Key Achievements Spotlight

Strategic Focus - Be financially sustainable

  • The 2024 Budget reflects a significant investment of funds that enable the delivery of critical services, programs and infrastructure to serve our dynamic and growing community. Adopted on March 1, 2024, the budget represents a residential levy impact of 3.99% on the City’s share of the total tax bill. The City has also prepared a 9 year Capital Budget forecast to responsibly plan for our future and guide the City’s infrastructure investments over the long term.

  • Council approves Fire Communications Services Agreement to outsource fire call taking and dispatch services to the City of Oshawa, streamlining dispatching and emergency communications and saving money.

Strategic Focus - Be an Employer of Choice

Strategic Focus: Provide Exceptional Customer Service

  • Consulting Services for Council Chambers Renovations is awarded; work includes overall improvements to accessibility, security, acoustic performance, audio-visual systems, controls, electrical and mechanical systems, millwork, finishes and related systems and building elements, which will enhance the functionality and aesthetics of the Council Chambers and create a more welcoming and accessible space.

Strategic Focus - Help business to succeed and add innovation and value

  • Council endorses the Community Visitor Plan, which will serve as a guide to City staff, local business, tourism attractions and regional partners in welcoming visitors to Pickering and offering them an opportunity to enjoy all our city has to offer.

  • City launches Pickering Forward, beginning work on the Official Plan Review

Strategic Focus - Leverage existing City assets and attributes

  • The City of Pickering and Durham Region Transit team up to offer a FREE weekend shuttle, making it easy to access our waterfront.


Strategic Focus - Improve quality of life

Strategic Focus - Celebrate community diversity

Strategic Focus - Promote community safety

Strategic Focus: Provide equitable access to municipal services and programs

Strategic Focus: Advocate for and work with partners to increase access to health care facilities and medical practitioners

Strategic Focus - Promote and support responsible planning and sustainable growth

Strategic Focus: Promote community connectivity and accessibility

Strategic Focus - Build environmental and infrastructure resilience through proactive climate change mitigation and adaptation measures

  • The City of Pickering completed its Pine Creek Erosion Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study (Class EA), enabling staff to identify and prioritize erosion-related risks within the study area, and to develop a list of high priority sites in need of rehabilitation.

  • Sustainability efforts are highlighted in Pickering’s 2023 Sustainable Year-in-Review; efforts included tree plantings, pollinator projects, litter cleanups, the Pickering Farmers’ Market, educational webinars, and more.

  • The City of Pickering begins developing its first Community Climate Adaptation Plan, to help community members prepare for, and adapt to, extreme weather-related events.

Strategic Focus: Build Relationships

Strategic Focus - Make information and services readily accessible and available to all community members

Strategic Focus - Promote civic education and pride

Special Meeting of Council

Members of Council participated in a facilitated discussion on strategic focus areas, goals, priority actions, responsibilities, and success factors.

Monday, March 20th, 2023 (View Agenda)
11 am
Watch on the City's YouTube channel

The City has developed its first Corporate Strategic Plan, which identifies a vision, goals, and key actions to be achieved over this term of Council and beyond.

The Plan was endorsed by Council at the December 11, 2023 Council Meeting. Read Report to Council.

While this plan originated from extensive discussion and collaboration between Mayor Ashe and Members of Council, community engagement lies at the heart of it, and has helped shape the fundamental principles that underpin the strategy.

What We Heard

From mid-June to September 30, 2023, the City hosted a community survey and various engagement opportunities, where members of the public were able to learn more about the process and provide their input. Please view 'Letter of Thanks' from Project Manager and City Solicitor/Director of Corporate Services, Paul Bigioni.

View our 'What We Heard' Report.

The Vision reflects a commitment to innovation and leadership.

Pickering: A complete, world class city…inclusive, connected, caring, and prosperous.

To provide meaningful municipal services to Pickering’s growing and diverse community, efficiently, effectively and responsibly.

The City’s Strategic Plan is built on a solid foundation of customer service excellence. Without good governance, it would be impossible for the City to deliver on the six strategic priorities* identified in this Plan. Good governance (fiscal prudence, open and transparent decision making, customer-focused programs, services and infrastructure that are accessible and inclusive of all) is key to building a complete, world class City.

Key Achievements Spotlight

Strategic Focus - Be financially sustainable

  • The 2024 Budget reflects a significant investment of funds that enable the delivery of critical services, programs and infrastructure to serve our dynamic and growing community. Adopted on March 1, 2024, the budget represents a residential levy impact of 3.99% on the City’s share of the total tax bill. The City has also prepared a 9 year Capital Budget forecast to responsibly plan for our future and guide the City’s infrastructure investments over the long term.

  • Council approves Fire Communications Services Agreement to outsource fire call taking and dispatch services to the City of Oshawa, streamlining dispatching and emergency communications and saving money.

Strategic Focus - Be an Employer of Choice

Strategic Focus: Provide Exceptional Customer Service

  • Consulting Services for Council Chambers Renovations is awarded; work includes overall improvements to accessibility, security, acoustic performance, audio-visual systems, controls, electrical and mechanical systems, millwork, finishes and related systems and building elements, which will enhance the functionality and aesthetics of the Council Chambers and create a more welcoming and accessible space.

Strategic Focus - Help business to succeed and add innovation and value

  • Council endorses the Community Visitor Plan, which will serve as a guide to City staff, local business, tourism attractions and regional partners in welcoming visitors to Pickering and offering them an opportunity to enjoy all our city has to offer.

  • City launches Pickering Forward, beginning work on the Official Plan Review

Strategic Focus - Leverage existing City assets and attributes

  • The City of Pickering and Durham Region Transit team up to offer a FREE weekend shuttle, making it easy to access our waterfront.


Strategic Focus - Improve quality of life

Strategic Focus - Celebrate community diversity

Strategic Focus - Promote community safety

Strategic Focus: Provide equitable access to municipal services and programs

Strategic Focus: Advocate for and work with partners to increase access to health care facilities and medical practitioners

Strategic Focus - Promote and support responsible planning and sustainable growth

Strategic Focus: Promote community connectivity and accessibility

Strategic Focus - Build environmental and infrastructure resilience through proactive climate change mitigation and adaptation measures

  • The City of Pickering completed its Pine Creek Erosion Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study (Class EA), enabling staff to identify and prioritize erosion-related risks within the study area, and to develop a list of high priority sites in need of rehabilitation.

  • Sustainability efforts are highlighted in Pickering’s 2023 Sustainable Year-in-Review; efforts included tree plantings, pollinator projects, litter cleanups, the Pickering Farmers’ Market, educational webinars, and more.

  • The City of Pickering begins developing its first Community Climate Adaptation Plan, to help community members prepare for, and adapt to, extreme weather-related events.

Strategic Focus: Build Relationships

Strategic Focus - Make information and services readily accessible and available to all community members

Strategic Focus - Promote civic education and pride

Special Meeting of Council

Members of Council participated in a facilitated discussion on strategic focus areas, goals, priority actions, responsibilities, and success factors.

Monday, March 20th, 2023 (View Agenda)
11 am
Watch on the City's YouTube channel

  • July 2024 Update - ​Pickering Progress: A Mid-Year Update on Our Corporate Strategic Plan

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    Dear Pickering community,

    We hope you are enjoying the summer season. As we enter the second half of 2024, we wanted to share some exciting updates with you on the progress of our Corporate Strategic Plan (CSP), which outlines our vision, mission, values, and priorities for the next four years.

    As you may know, there are 88 action items within the CSP, and we are thrilled to report that significant progress has already been made on many of them. These include:

    • Endorsing and implementing our first ever Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) Strategy, which will guide our efforts to foster a more inclusive, welcoming, and respectful culture within our organization and community.
    • Launching Pickering Forward, our Official Plan Review, which will shape the future growth and development of our city in alignment with our community's vision and values.
    • Investing in arts, heritage, and culture with the construction of the new Pickering Heritage & Community Centre (located at 2365 6th Concession Road)., which will be the City’s very first Net-Zero Carbon Design facility.
    • Exploring innovative and sustainable transportation options, such as a free weekend shuttle to our waterfront, a shared e-scooter pilot program, and a high frequency rail station stop in Pickering.
    • Strengthening our environmental stewardship, innovation, and resiliency, with the approval of a new modernized Tree Protection By-law, the completion of the Pine Creek Erosion Municipal Class Environmental Assessment Study, and the development of our first Community Climate Adaptation Plan.
    • Building and enhancing our partnerships with local, regional, and provincial stakeholders, such as introducing a Ratepayer Association Registry, partnering with the Town of Whitby on a pre-approved design program for Additional Dwelling Units, and endorsing a Memorandum of Understanding to fund, create, and deliver a family physician recruitment program in Durham.
    • Approval of the Community Safety & Well-Being Plan and Community Visitors Plan by Council this year.
    • Improving our digital readiness and engagement, by endorsing and implementing a Digital Readiness Assessment and Strategy.
    • Adoption of the Arena Strategy that evaluated the city's ice facilities, assessed current service levels and usage trends, with a forecast of arena requirements for the next decade.

    These are just some of the highlights of the work that has been done in the past six months.

    We are proud of the City’s achievements to date, as directed by Pickering Council, and we are grateful for your ongoing feedback and support. We will continue to share updates on the City's progress, so you can stay tuned by visiting: pickering.ca/strategicplan and/or LetsTalkPickering.ca/strategicplan.

    Here, you can also watch Mayor Kevin Ashe's video on the Corporate Strategic Plan.

    Thank you for being part of our Pickering community. Together, we are making Pickering a great place to live, work, play, and invest.

Page last updated: 22 Jul 2024, 08:29 AM