Mayor of Helsinki Juhana Vartiainen has published his team’s proposal for the Helsinki’s City Strategy for 2021–2025. The strategy will now move to the City Board for consideration. "The goal is for this common strategy to take us towards being a better city - towards evolving into a city whose objective is to enable a pleasant, enjoyable and sustainable life for every Helsinki resident," says Mayor Vartiainen.
The guiding principle of the City Strategy is that Helsinki is a place of growth. This means, for example, that Helsinki is a good place to grow from a child into an adult, to grow one’s skills, and to continue to grow everything good that we already have. Helsinki must be a city where people can realize themselves, create opportunities and seize them. This also necessitates long-term and sustainable economic growth.
The strategy starts with a description of the operating environment, which outlines both the current situation and the greatest challenges the city will face during the next four years and decade.
“Building on the starting points described in the preface, we will make Helsinki an even better city, where everyone has the ability to build the life and everyday routines they desire. We need everyone's input in order to succeed. I believe that, in four years, we will have reason to be even prouder of our beloved hometown,” says Mayor Vartiainen.
Key objectives of the strategy include:
An equal and international Helsinki
- Helsinki is a good city for all its residents and visitors, with security and equal rights for everyone.
- The goal is a city where all lifestyles and opinions can live in harmony.
- Helsinki plays an active role in solving significant global challenges. In future, Helsinki will be the most attractive city for people and companies that work for the benefit of the world. Helsinki is a city where good things are done.
A responsible economy as the basis for sustainable growth
- At the beginning of the council term, a commitment will be made to the principle of responsibility for increases in operating expenses.
- The design and implementation of concrete reforms that will bring more efficiency, productivity, financial room for manoeuvre, and resources to the city's operations will be launched.
- The city will strive to promote the strong individual economies of Helsinki households and the strong municipal economy of the City of Helsinki.
- Municipal tax increases will be refrained from, in order to maintain work incentives and the personal finances of residents.
Ambitious climate responsibility and nature conservation
- The protection of the way of life, health and property of Helsinki residents will be safeguarded. Helsinki will adapt to the effects of climate change, with the goal of being prepared for extreme weather events and their indirect effects.
- Helsinki’s carbon neutrality target will be moved up five years to 2030. The goal is a carbon-neutral Helsinki that achieves its climate goals, sets an example, and goes over and beyond its part in combating climate change.
- Helsinki actively protects and cherishes its diverse natural environment.
The best and most equal place in the world to learn
- The city aims to make all Helsinki schools good schools and foster a smooth path from early childhood education to primary education and secondary education.
- Helsinki will increase participation in early childhood education and strive to uphold the principle of the nearest local daycare centre. Accessibility will be strengthened through increased support for private care and the digitalisation of the service path.
- Helsinki will prepare measures to improve staff availability and begin implementation of these new measures during the council term.
An attractive Helsinki for its employees
- The city will implement a good HR policy, with the aim of increasing the wellbeing and satisfaction of city personnel.
- Helsinki’s goal is to be an attractive employer and implement a good HR policy. Helsinki will launch and continue effective measures to reverse prevalent labour shortages.
- Address the problem of insufficient workforce supply and continue the wage development program.
In addition, a total of EUR 65 million will be set aside for coronavirus pandemic recovery in 2022-2023. The funds in the recovery package can be used for coronavirus-induced reconstruction needs.
City Strategy (in Finnish)
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