Why We Engage

Engaged communities are strong communities. 

The City frequently seeks input regarding priorities for the community: policies, plans, programs, projects, and initiatives.

Decisions made by local government are improved through open and transparent processes, and through the input of citizens and stakeholders. The key to a balanced process is ensuring City leaders and decision makers understand the perspectives, opinions, ideas and concerns of people potentially affected by decisions. Before certain decisions are made, public input is collected, where appropriate, and included along with other considerations such as financial, environmental and technical limitations, as well as longer term plans (e.g. Official Community Plan, Transportation Master Plan, Sustainability Plan).

Depending on the nature of the project, our public engagement includes various means of community involvement:

We share information by making timely information, updates and news available through a variety of channels.

We receive feedback to listen and acknowledge concerns and aspirations from the public, key experts, consultants, impacted community members or groups and key stakeholders to bring multiple views and opinions into the process. We will share how the public input influences the decision.

We listen and learn to ensure the public concerns and aspirations are directly reflected in the various options. We involve the public, experts, and special interest groups in planning, analysis and provide feedback on how the public input influences the decision.

We co-design and collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams, external advisors, community members and others to use public advice and innovation in formulating solutions, incorporating public advice and recommendations into the decision to the maximum extent possible.

We delegate decision making to empower others to be involved or to lead or contribute to projects or initiatives while placing the final decision in the hands of the public.