Victoria is a great city with talented public servants, strong neighbourhoods and enormous potential. But good intentions and ambitious plans are not enough. Residents and businesses ultimately experience municipal government through the results it delivers.
Can you get a permit in a reasonable amount of time? Are major projects delivered close to their promised budget and schedule? Are streets and infrastructure properly maintained? Can residents easily understand where their tax dollars are going? When Council approves a new program, does anyone measure whether it actually works?
My plan for making City Hall work better starts with a simple principle: Measure government by results, not activity.
My Seven Point Plan to Make City Hall Work Better
1. Create a Public Victoria Results Scorecard — Set clear targets and publicly report whether the City is achieving them.
2. Make City Services Faster and More Predictable — Establish and report service standards for permits, licences, inspections and applications.
3. Bring Stronger Project Management to Major Investments — Track major projects against approved budgets, schedules, risks and expected results.
4. Make Every Dollar Work Harder — Aggressively pursue provincial, federal and other funding to reduce pressure on Victoria taxpayers.
5. Strengthen Economic Development — Make City Hall more effective at attracting investment, supporting businesses and growing good-paying jobs.
6. Make Transparency Easier — Give residents clear, understandable information about City decisions, spending and performance.
7. Build a Culture of Continuous Improvement — Give City employees clear objectives and modern tools while continuously improving how services are delivered.
A City Government Focused on Results
One councillor cannot run City Hall, nor should they. Council sets policy, priorities and budgets, while professional staff manage municipal operations.
But Council can establish a much stronger expectation of performance and accountability.
I will champion clear priorities, measurable outcomes, transparent reporting and disciplined project delivery.
Residents should know what City Hall is trying to accomplish, what it will cost, when it should be completed and whether it worked.
That is not complicated management theory. It is responsible government.
Victoria doesn’t need more measurement for the sake of measurement. It needs better information so we can make better decisions, fix problems earlier and deliver better services.
City Hall should be judged not by how many meetings are held, reports are produced or dollars are spent.
It should be judged by the results it delivers for the people of Victoria.