Red Deer City Council has endorsed the Community Compass: Our Master Plan for Service Delivery, a new decision-making framework that will guide how The City plans, prioritizes, and delivers services to the community over the next 12 years.
The Community Compass responds directly to recommendations from the 2021 Value for Money Audit and aligns with Red Deer’s Vision 2050. It provides a consistent, values-based approach to evaluating service delivery, investment decisions, and partnerships.
“The Community Compass strengthens Council’s ability to make informed and transparent decisions,” said Mayor Cindy Jefferies. “It ensures that as our community grows and changes, we are making decisions that reflect what matters most to Red Deerians while balancing long-term sustainability.”
The framework was developed through extensive research and engagement, including more than 1,170 community touchpoints, internal analysis, and review of leading practices from other municipalities. It is supported by three companion reports: What We Heard, What We Learned, and the Map Book.
The Community Compass does not pre-determine projects, spending, or service levels. Instead, it provides a consistent lens to guide how decisions are made, ensuring recommendations brought forward to Council are evidence-informed, aligned with community values, and transparent in how trade-offs are considered.
“The Community Compass changes how we bring recommendations forward to Council,” said Sarah Tittemore, General Manager of Operations. “It provides a consistent lens so decisions aren’t developed in isolation, and brings together existing plans, local expertise, and research in a way that improves alignment and supports more coordinated decision-making.”
The Community Compass also reflects that service delivery in Red Deer is shared. While The City delivers many services directly, others are provided in partnership with community organizations, other levels of government, and private providers. The framework helps guide how The City works within this broader system to support community outcomes.
Implementation of the Community Compass will begin immediately, with integration into planning, reporting, and decision-making processes over time. Council will begin to see the framework applied in recommendations, including service planning, and budget discussions.
The Community Compass also establishes the foundation for the next phase of work: the development of recreation, parks, community development and emergency services sub plans. These plans will define service priorities and future investments within specific service areas, while remaining anchored to the values and principles outlined in the Community Compass.
By endorsing the framework, Council affirms it as a guiding tool for decision making and collaboration, supporting more coordinated, sustainable and outcome focused service delivery.
More information, including the full Community Compass and supporting reports, is available at reddeer.ca/Compass.