New Corporate Work Plan

A Smarter, More Strategic Way Forward for the SCRD

When this Board began its term in 2022, we inherited a serious backlog of projects—and no clear way to prioritize them or assess how they fit into the bigger organizational picture. Each budget cycle brought even more project proposals, but without a solid framework, it was increasingly difficult to manage the to-do list that was over 200-items long. As anyone knows, it’s a lot easier to make progress when your list has a handful clear priorities rather than a hundred competing ones.

Recognizing the need for change, the Sunshine Coast Regional District took action. We brought in outside expertise and, with the leadership of our new CAO and Senior Leadership Team, developed a new Corporate Work Plan. This living document now provides a transparent view of every project currently on the books, and critically, it matches that list with available staff capacity.

Here’s how it works: projects above the “red line” are ones we have the resources to move forward on. Those below the line are in the queue, ready to go when space opens up. While that’s a simplified explanation of a complex system, the key takeaway is this: it’s a vital project management tool for our staff, and a decision-making tool for the Board. You can read the May 22nd report along with the latest version of the Corporate Workplan starting on p.46 of the May 22 Committee of the Whole Agenda.

For the first time this term, as we head into the upcoming budget process, the Board will be able to clearly understand the organizational impact of taking on new work. From now on, only projects that fit within the year’s staffing capacity will be approved. This marks a major shift in how we plan, prioritize, and deliver.

And it’s already working. Since the Corporate Work Plan was implemented, 23% of our project list has been completed—freeing up room to advance projects that had been waiting for attention. Bit by bit, we’re making real progress on that long backlog. An additional 63% of the projects are in progress or substantially underway, reflecting a 90% overall initiation rate across the organization.

I believe this Work Plan will be one of the defining legacies of this Board. It’s making the organization more focused, efficient, and effective. That said, I want to acknowledge that it hasn’t always been easy. It’s been frustrating at times not being able to move forward on exciting new ideas. But we made a deliberate choice to focus on clearing the slate this term—to do the hard but necessary work of catching up and building a solid foundation.

Looking ahead, we hope the next Board will have the room to say “yes” to more of the new initiatives our community cares about—like park upgrades, safer bus stops, and other improvements that make a real difference in our daily lives.

Thanks for your continued support and understanding as we modernize the way your local government works 👍