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Strategy and economy

The strategy guides all activities of the city. The strategy outlines the ways in which Lahti will succeed in the future.

Lahti – Enduring change

The vision of the city of Lahti until 2030 is: Lahti – enduring change. The pioneering role of Finland’s leading environmental city brings well-being to residents and success to companies. The vision sets Lahti an ambitious goal to promote ecological, social and economic sustainability.

In its strategy, Lahti aims to be carbon neutral already in 2025. In addition, by 2030, Lahti aims to have 10,000 university students.

Lahti city strategy 2030

Strategic projects

Lahti city strategy is implemented through five key projects.

  • Carbon neutral Lahti

    In 2021, Lahti served as the European Green Capital. The recognition is a testament to Lahti’s long-term environmental work as Finland’s leading environmental city. In this project, Lahti will take determined steps towards carbon neutrality in 2025.

  • Competent Lahti

    The aim of the key project is to develop Lahti as an inspiring, unique and innovative study city. The city also wants to develop business cooperation and create better conditions for entrepreneurship.

  • Lively Lahti

    Events are the lifeblood of the city. Lahti and the Lahti region offer excellent conditions for organising events. The key project will develop Lahti into a more professional, international and ambitious city for events.

  • Well-being Lahti

    The aim of the project is to make citizens of Lahti feel better. The key project promotes a physical lifestyle from children to the elderly and intensifies cooperation between associations.

  • Attractive working community in Lahti

    The City of Lahti is one of the largest employers in the region, employing more than 3,700 professionals. The aim is to support the interaction skills of work communities, provide tools for developing a meeting culture and support well-being at work.

Regenerative Lahti

In addition to strategic projects, various on-going
investment schemes support the implementation of the city strategy.

  • Rantakartano Wellness Area

    Lahti is actively investing in sports, events and wellbeing facilities. A unique Rantakartano wellness area is currently under planning and will be located next to the city centre and near the Lake Vesijärvi, Kisapuisto and Sports Centre and the Sibelius Hall. The new wellness centre will include a hotel and water sports complex.

  • Malva Museum Center

    Lahti’s new art, design and poster museum, Malva, brings fine arts, design and poster design together under the same roof in the new Malski premises. Opening in 2022, the new museum will strive to hold exhibitions and events that are of interest to both national and international guests.

  • Multipurpose school buildings

    Lahti has been actively redeveloping and rebuilding its school network. There are currently various major building projects on-going. In the upcoming years children and young people in Lahti will be studying in inviting and innovative multipurpose school buildings which serve the local area as learning, hobby and culture centres.

  • VT12 Lahti Southern Ring Road

    Lahti Southern Ring Road is Finland´s largest road traffic project (275 M€). The project will ensure safer transport and create a new logistical business zone which has great connections to everywhere in the country and is only an hour away from the Helsinki-Vantaa airport and Vuosaari harbour.

Economy​

The budget is a plan for the City’s operations and financial management. The budget confirms Lahti’s operational goals, financial allocations and revenue estimates for carrying out the City’s services and developing the operations. The budget also includes sections about investments, financing etc.  The budget is guided by the City Strategy.

The mayor prepares a budget proposal by October, which is based on the boards’ draft budgets and decisions by the City currently in force. The City Board processes the draft and makes its own suggestions to the Council. The City Council approves the economic plan for three years, the budget being the first year.

Implementing the budget is monitored by the City on a monthly basis, and if necessary, changes based on the monitoring and projections are made. The financial year ends in a financial statement.

Financial statements