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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOR-2025-454 - 2025 Community Engagement PolicyStaff Repoit K� R Corporate Services Department www. kitchen er.ca REPORT TO: Planning and Strategic Initiatives Committee DATE OF MEETING: December 1, 2025 SUBMITTED BY: Victoria Raab, General Manager, Corporate Services 519-783-8991 PREPARED BY: Sue Weare, Community Engagement Consultant, 519-783-8985 WARD(S) INVOLVED: All Wards DATE OF REPORT: November 20, 2025 REPORT NO.: COR -2025-454 SUBJECT: Community Engagement Policy RECOMMENDATION: That the Community Engagement Policy (GOV-COU-2010), be amended, to make the changes indicated in Attachment `A' and outlined in Corporate Services report COR - 2025 -454. REPORT HIGHLIGHTS: • This report seeks Council approval of amendments to the Community Engagement Policy, based on the findings of a comprehensive review (see report COR -2025-435). • Amendments were required to bring the policy into alignment with current industry standards and leading best practices, provide a clearer more consistent framework, and better meet public expectations. • Public input, gathered through a multi -method engagement process, supported the need for changes and directly shaped the new guiding principles in the revised policy. • There are no financial implications associated with this report. • This report supports Fostering a Caring City Together: Enhancing the city's engagement practices. BACKGROUND: Enhancing the City's engagement practices is an action item in the 2023-2026 Strategic Plan. To implement this action, staff completed a thorough review of the organization's community engagement policy, framework and internal practices, which included extensive internal and external engagement. Council directed staff to update the Community Engagement Policy (GOV-COU-2010), as outlined in the Corporate Services Department report COR -2025-435. The report presented *** This information is available in accessible formats upon request. *** Please call 519-741-2345 or TTY 1-866-969-9994 for assistance. Page 133 of 271 a summary of the findings and recommendations from the review, including the need for a clearer city-wide policy framework. REPORT: Substantial edits were required to bring the policy into alignment with current industry standards and leading best practices, provide a clear and practical framework, and better meet public expectations (see Attachment A). The amendments aim to provide greater clarity and consistent expectations for staff — and enable the kind of meaningful participation desired by residents. They do not alter the policy's intent, which is to outline the organization's expectations, guidelines, and commitments to the public when engaging residents in City decision-making. Overall, the edits simplify the policy by focusing on those principles, guidelines and frameworks, and removing extraneous details on how staff operationalize the policy. The result is a more concise and streamlined document. The Community Engagement Review found that most Canadian municipalities of a comparable size have taken this approach to their public engagement policies. The review also found that nearly all Canadian municipalities rely on the frameworks and tools provided by the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2). IAP2 is a global association of public participation professionals and it is the leading international organization dedicated to advancing the practice of public engagement. Given that the Association is so widely recognized as an authority in this area, the amendments align the policy with their well-established standards. The highest impact amendments to the policy are within the Content section. These introduce a more principles -led approach to public engagement that explicitly aligns with IAP2 Canada's current Practice Framework and Participation Spectrum, as well as expands and modernizes roles and accountability. Following the approval of the policy amendments, staff will develop a corporate strategy to guide improvements in the City's engagement practices, including operational procedures, toolkits, training, and other required supports or resources as identified through the Community Engagement Review and in alignment with the updated policy. New practice framework The most significant proposed change is the addition of the IAP2's Practice Framework. The framework describes four essential elements and their associated activities in the lifecycle of an effective engagement process: Design, Planning, Implementation, and Evaluation. It is evidence -based, inquiry -driven, integrates best practices in engagement, and uses a design science approach. The Community Engagement Review found that most Canadian municipalities have an engagement framework to guide staff and, of those that did, most were organized around the lifecycle of engagement processes. During internal engagement as part of that review, City staff expressed the need for a clearer city-wide framework that enables divisions flexibility to interpret standards within their unique contexts. Page 134 of 271 Adopting the IAP2's framework provides a reliable and structured outline of the expected steps for carrying out an engagement process, regardless of topic or staff leading the project. It provides a comprehensive approach to guide the development of public engagement plans that ensures alignment between the purpose of engagement and methods selection. This enables public input to be collected and used more effectively, maximizing the benefits of public engagement and decreasing engagement fatigue. The impact on residents is improved engagement quality and experience, including more consistent design, messaging, follow through, and continuity across projects. Overall, residents can expect more predictable and transparent engagement. This includes explaining why input is being sought, how it will be considered alongside other factors, how input will be collected, and how outcomes will be reported back. Public Participation Spectrum The amended policy also adopts the IAP2's Public Participation Spectrum, a conceptual model for assessing, understanding, and communicating the public's influence on an outcome or decision and the overall goal(s) of engagement. The application of this model is critical during the engagement design phase. The current policy "framework" references a modified version of this model but does not fully reflect the intended purpose or application of the Spectrum. During the Community Engagement Review, staff feedback indicated that aligning the spectrum with industry standards would ensure a more effective use of this tool. This change provides greater clarity about when and why engagement occurs. Residents can expect earlier and plainer statements of purpose, scope, and level of influence. The impact on residents is a better understanding of the extent to which their input will influence the final decision, helping to make their participation purposeful, manage expectations, and potentially build trust. New guiding principles A set of broad guiding principles have been included in the draft amendments: Purposeful, Accountable and Transparent, Inclusive by Design, Respectful, Relationship -Building, and Learning and Improvement. Staff initially identified these six principles based on the results of a scan of other municipalities' policies. During the `A Seat at the Table' engagement process, residents were invited to share their feedback. Public input confirmed support for the draft principles but also identified a need to revise the wording to better reflect how community members would describe them. Residents' suggested changes were incorporated to make the definitions clearer and more understandable for a general audience. Kitchener's new guiding principles were directly shaped by what residents said makes engagement meaningful for them. When engagement is based on these principles, the impact on residents is a more welcoming, accessible and inclusive experience, that is attentive to participant needs and ongoing relationship -building. A principles -based approach is a recognized best practice, especially when designing engagement for typically underrepresented communities. Page 135 of 271 Other changes The proposed amendments also represent some notable but lower -impact changes. The policy name would be changed from "Community Engagement" to "Public Engagement" to better align with sector standards and clarify the scope of the policy. While both terms describe related activities and are sometimes used interchangeably, in the context of public sector, "public engagement" specifically describes the active participation of individuals and organizations in decision-making that affects them. Further, the Community Engagement Review identified widespread confusion over the term "community engagement", both on the part of staff and residents. This change aims to provide greater clarity over the purpose and scope of the policy. The proposed Policy Purpose section begins with a clear and direct purpose statement to improve the policy's overall focus. This section is further revised to expand on the definition with a description of the City's understanding and approach to public engagement, explaining what it is, why the city engages the public, and how. This better sets expectations about how public input is considered alongside legal, technical, and fiscal constraints. The revised Roles and Responsibilities section identifies that public engagement is a shared responsibility and more concisely defines the roles of Council, staff and the public. These amendments include an emphasis on explaining how input was considered, producing clearer decision rationales and better closure for participants. STRATEGIC PLAN ALIGNMENT: This report supports Fostering a Caring City Together: Focuses on enhancing the city's engagement practices. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: There are no financial implications associated with this report. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: INFORM — This report was posted to the City's website with the agenda in advance of the committee meeting. A notice was also posted to the project's Engage Kitchener page and emailed to key participants. COLLABORATE — Public input informed the recommendation to update the Community Engagement Policy and directly shaped the draft definitions of the policy's new guiding principles. Residents were involved in multiple ways, including facilitated group conversations, intercept interviews, ideation exercises, online comment boards, and surveys. PREVIOUS REPORTS/AUTHORITIES: • COR -2025-435 Community Engagement Review APPROVED BY: Victoria Raab, General Manager, Corporate Services Page 136 of 271 ATTACHMENTS: • Attachment A — Draft amendments • Attachment B — Community Engagement Policy (2018) Page 137 of 271 POLICY GOV-COR-2010 Public Engagement Policy Category Sub-category GOV - COR - Corporate Governance Approval Type Department/Division Author and Position COUNCIL Office of the CAO Sue Weare, Community Engagement Consultant Date Approved Last Next Review Date Ill dk Dere to enter a Reviewed/Amended OHdk here to enter a date, date ClHck heir to enter a date Related Policies or Procedures tit' I, Ccirc �: irat c� t.� Uinta@: IiIIIG't Trans oarenc til �IPIL . �1 2 li�Ibllli�� li��airt'ii at'�or� iin tll°�e II"INaur�u'i�g Piw°�����ss Policy Purpose The purpose of this policy is to ensure the City: Facilitates effective public participation in decision-making that supports inclusive, sustainable outcomes; • Using a consistent, coordinated, principles -based and outcomes -driven approach; • While adhering to public engagement requirements within applicable legislation. The City of Kitchener (the City) views public engagement as an intentional process of working in inclusive and respectful ways with the public to shape City decisions, actions, impacts or change. Through this participation, Council and City staff gain valuable insights into community perspectives and experiences, enhancing decision-making, and fostering transparent and accountable governance. The City believes that active resident participation strengthens democratic processes, builds trust, and produces outcomes that genuinely reflect community needs and aspirations. It recognizes that those affected by decisions deserve a voice in shaping them. The City is committed, where feasible and within available resources, to following the guiding principles and best practices outlined in this policy for meaningful and effective public involvement. It aims to ensure that public input is actively sought and transparently incorporated into decision-making. When the City engages the public, it follows universally recognized best practices from the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2), including the IAP2 Practice Framework and Spectrum. 211 Cof 271 Public engagement is one part of how decisions are made at the City. Depending on the decision, public input may play a bigger or smaller role compared to other factors, such as legal and regulatory obligations, technical requirements, and existing strategic plans and policies. In some matters, the City is bound by legislation to involve the public in a specific way and in accordance with dictated timelines. The City takes direction from the Ontario Municipal Act, the Ontario Planning Act, the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act, and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, among others. Definitions • Public — all individuals or groups who are interested in or affected by a City decision. • Public Engagement — An intentional process to include individuals and groups interested in or affected by a decision in the decision-making process. Also called public participation (P2). • International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) — IAP2 is a global association of public participation professionals and it is the leading international organization dedicated to advancing the practice of public engagement. Policy Scope ❑x Employees • All employees responsible for the design and/or delivery of public engagement activities ❑ Unions ❑x Council ❑x Specified Positions: Community Engagement Consultant ❑x Other: • Local Boards and Advisory Committees • All consultants or external organizations that undertake public engagement on behalf of the City of Kitchener Policy Content Application City staff will consider public engagement when: • Designing or implementing a new policy, program, project or service that has an impact on members of the public; • Evaluating, changing or ending an existing policy, program, project or service that has an impact on members of the public; • Fulfilling a legislated or regulated requirement; or • Responding to a community -initiated request. The City may not engage the public when: • It is a matter of immediate public safety; • Change is legislated from other levels of government; 221 7of 271 The City cannot do so meaningfully; Decisions, action or change have already been decided; and/or Public input is unlikely to influence the decision because of other considerations at play. This policy does not override existing legislation governing public engagement by the City and its departments. Rather, it is intended to complement those legislative requirements by ensuring public engagement also aligns with the City's internal standards. Guiding Principles The City staff will be guided by the following principles when engaging the public. Purposeful: The City will communicate up front why the issue matters, why public engagement is needed, how public input will be used, and what can and cannot influenced. We will ensure residents know what to expect so they can give meaningful feedback that helps shape better outcomes. Accountable and Transparent: The City will clearly communicate the purpose and process of engagement, share progress and outcomes with participants — and explain the reasoning behind decisions, even unfavourable ones. We recognize that trust grows through openness and by honouring our commitments. Inclusive by Design: The City is committed to making engagement welcoming, accessible and inclusive. We will begin by asking people what they need, then work to remove physical, social and emotional barriers — so that residents of all backgrounds and abilities feel supported and encouraged to participate. Respectful: The City will foster respectful interactions so that people can feel heard and valued. We support the open exchange of ideas and diverse viewpoints. We do not tolerate harassment or discrimination. Respectful engagement means truly listening, reflecting back, and creating space for all voices. Relationship Building: The City is dedicated to strengthening relationships not only between the City and residents, but also among community members themselves. We will take time to build meaningful connections by offering opportunities that support ongoing trust and relationship building. Learning and Improvement: The City will regularly review its engagement practices based on these guiding principles to assess how well public input is reflected, participant experiences, and who is taking part. We will use this information to update our approach as needed to ensure meaningful participation. Practice Framework When the City engages residents, it follows an established process based on the IAP2's Practice Framework'. This is an evidence -based inquiry -driven framework that integrates best practices and uses a design science approach. This framework presents four essential elements that must be thoroughly considered for an effective engagement process. Rb7of 271 IIIIi III. ' IIII` lJnderstand context, Scope the work. Understand people, SQ.t ement purpa e. Determine influence levels. SQ.cure leaders hip commitment:. LEA RMeasure. f% Monitor and f% impacts and OUtComes, IIII� ������� III" IIIIIIII Activate and. engage. Monitor -and refine, Evaluate, Debrief and learn, Spectrum IIII'IIII �k II` Set p engagement sequence. Select methods, I:d.entlfy relationships and res'auree5, Endorsement of 132�engageme.nt plan,. When designing a public engagement process, the City will refer to the IAP2 Spectrum". This is a tool used to determine and communicate the level of influence the public (or a given participant group) has on the decision being made. This helps ensure the process is intentional, appropriately scoped, and meaningful for participants. e�14f17of 271 AP2 Spectrum of Public Participation IAP2's Spectrum of Public Participation was designed to assist with the selection of the level of participation that defines the public's role in any public participation process. The Spectrum is used internationally, and it is found in public participation plans around the world. PyacIFB4.'S&fly NVWQ "1 DIN THE CWfOWzd INFORM CONSULT INVOLVE i14�1��11"`I�11111��� COLLABORATE EMPOWER To provide the public To obtain public To work directly with To partner with the To place final decision with balanced and feedback on analysis, the public throughout public in each aspect making in the hands of objective information alternatives and/or the process to ensure of the decision the public. - to assist them in decisions. that public concerns including the understanding the and aspirations are development of problem, alternatives, consistently alternatives and the - opportunities and/or understood and identification of the solutions. considered. preferred solution. We will keep you We will keep you We will work with you We will look to you for We will implement informed. informed, listen to and to ensure that your advice and innovation what you decide. acknowledge concerns concerns and in formulating and aspirations, and aspirations are solutions and provide feedback on directly reflected in incorporate your — how public input the alternatives advice and influenced the developed and provide recommendations into decision. feedback on how the decisions to the public input influenced maximum extent the decision. possible, Roles and responsibilities Effective public engagement is a shared responsibility between the City, elected officials, staff, community partners, and the public. Members of the public: • Actively participate in engagement processes in good faith. • Engage in respectful dialogue by offering or exchanging ideas, feedback, experiences, and perspectives. • Give feedback on their engagement experiences and suggest alternative and lower -barrier ways to participate, as required. • Recognize that citizens elect a Mayor and Ward Councillor whose role is defined in the Municipal Act. Council must represent the public and consider the well-being and interest of the entire municipality. City Council: • Strengthen their role as community representatives by gaining a deeper understanding of the public's interests, values and perspectives. • Endorse the public engagement policy and guiding principles to foster a culture of excellence in City -led public engagement practices. • Work with City staff to identify areas where public engagement can and will make a meaningful difference to Council decisions. • Promote and direct the public towards engagement activities. e514fL7of 271 • Review and consider input gathered through public engagement as part of the decision- making process. • Explain the rationale for decisions and how public input was considered in decision-making, alongside other considerations such as resource capacity and fiscal realities. Public Engagement team staff: • Serve as the central resource for public engagement strategy, staff support, and process oversight to ensure consistency and effectiveness across the organization. • Lead the delivery and ongoing improvement of the City's public engagement strategy to support consistent, effective, and meaningful public engagement processes between the City, the public and interested community partners. • Provide staff and leadership with guidance on the design and delivery of public engagement processes, including whether to engage and when. • Collaborate on procurement processes to embed public engagement requirements. • Maintain centralized systems for storing and applying public input to inform decisions and support cross -departmental learning. • Monitor and evaluate engagement practices, recommending updates as needed. Other Corporate Communications & Marketing staff: • Provide strategic communication and digital media support to promote engagement activities and communicate outcomes. • Ensure accessible and timely information is shared with the public in collaboration with the Public Engagement Team. Directors: • Ensure adequate time, human and financial resources are allocated to support public engagement processes. • Promote alignment with the Public Engagement Policy across departments. Project leads: • Plan and facilitate engagement activities within their projects in alignment with this policy, ensuring meaningful integration of public input. • Determine adequate project time and budget for public engagement. • Collaborate with the Public Engagement Team early in project planning, to assess support needs and ensure standards are met throughout. • Integrate public input into decision-making, and notify participants of outcomes, in accordance with the engagement goals and promise to the public per the IAP2 spectrum. • When making recommendations to Council, clearly identify the engagement goal(s), describe the process, summarize public input, and explain how it informed recommendations. Review The City is committed to ensuring that this policy remains relevant and achieves its intended outcome. This policy will be reviewed, at a minimum, every four years. The General Manager of the Corporate Services Department, or designate, is responsible for policy review and providing advice in relation to this policy. �f37of 271 Results of Review ❑ No Edits Required ❑ Housekeeping Edits x❑ Substantial Edits ❑ Repeal/Replace Policy History Administrative and Housekeeping Changes Date Nature of Chanae N/A N/A Substantial Changes Date Council/CLT Directive 2026 -XX -XX Revised policy as per Council directive, see COR -2025-435 2018-01-28 New policy created as per Council directive, see CAO -17-026 © Federation of International Association for Public Participation 2021. All rights reserved. This work is adapted from the Practice Framework subject to the copyright owned by International Association for Public Participation Australasia Limited and licensed for use to Federation of International Association for Public Participation. This adaptation of the Practice Framework has not been reviewed or endorsed by IAP2 Australasia. ii © Federation of International Association for Public Participation 2024. All rights reserved. This work was created with contributions from Lewis Michaelson, Martha Rozelle, and Doug Sarno. waww.lizji .�2 ,. e7147of 271 1. POLICY PURPOSE: The City of Kitchener (`the City') is committed to the principles of participatory democracy as identified within the City's Open Government Framework. The City recognizes that engaged citizens make communities stronger and healthier. The involvement of the community and stakeholders in planning and decision making helps the City to better meet citizens' needs, which is fundamental to effective governance. The City is committed to promoting ongoing meaningful public engagement to connect individuals with a common interest to share priorities, solve problems and build community. 2. DEFINITIONS • Community — A group of people with common characteristics or interests, or who share an environment. • Community engagement — The process of involving community in decision- making processes. • Community engagement plan — A document to help staff identify engagement goals, stakeholders, resources, tactics, processes, communications, and clearly identify how feedback from the community with inform the City's work. 1 of 12 Page 145 of 271 POLICY Policy No: GOV-COU-2010 Policy Title: COMMUNITY Approval Date: January 29, 2018 ENGAGEMENT Reviewed Date: January 2018 Policy Type: COUNCIL Next Review Date: January 2023 Category: Governance Reviewed Date: Sub-Category: Corporate Last Amended: Author: Community Engagement Consultant Replaces: Dept/Div: Office of the CAO Repealed: Replaced by: Related Policies, Procedures and/or Guidelines: GOV-COR-015 Corporate Accountability & Transparency 1. POLICY PURPOSE: The City of Kitchener (`the City') is committed to the principles of participatory democracy as identified within the City's Open Government Framework. The City recognizes that engaged citizens make communities stronger and healthier. The involvement of the community and stakeholders in planning and decision making helps the City to better meet citizens' needs, which is fundamental to effective governance. The City is committed to promoting ongoing meaningful public engagement to connect individuals with a common interest to share priorities, solve problems and build community. 2. DEFINITIONS • Community — A group of people with common characteristics or interests, or who share an environment. • Community engagement — The process of involving community in decision- making processes. • Community engagement plan — A document to help staff identify engagement goals, stakeholders, resources, tactics, processes, communications, and clearly identify how feedback from the community with inform the City's work. 1 of 12 Page 145 of 271 Policy No: GOV-COU-2010 Policy Title: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT • Community engagement framework — A tool to determine the appropriate level of involvement of the community in the engagement process. The framework identifies and defines the four forms of community engagement which provide different degrees of citizen empowerment: Inform, Consult, Collaborate, and Entrust. • Engagement — The process of involving the public in decision-making processes. • Plain language — Clear, concise writing designed so the reader will understand the message. 3. SCOPE: This policy applies to: • All departments of the Corporation of the City of Kitchener; • All full-time, part-time and casual employees responsible for the design and implementation of community engagement activities; and • Any community engagement activity undertaken by suppliers or external organizations on behalf of the City. In some matters, the City is bound by legislation to involve the public in a specific way and in accordance with dictated timelines. The City takes direction from the Ontario Municipal Act, the Ontario Planning Act, the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act, and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, among others. The City is obligated to adhere to these requirements and if there is a conflict between legislated requirements and the provisions of this policy, legislated requirements will take precedence. The provisions of this policy enable 2 of 12 Page 146 of 271 POLICY APPLIES TO THE FOLLOWING: 0 All Employees ❑ All Full -Time Employees ❑ All Union ❑ Management ❑ C.U.P.E. 68 Civic ❑ Non Union ❑ C.U.P.E. 68 Mechanics ❑ Temporary ❑ C.U.P.E. 791 ❑ Student ❑ I.B.E.W.636 ❑ Part -Time Employees ❑ K.P.F.F.A. ❑ Specified Positions only: ❑ Other: 0 Council 0 Local Boards & Advisory Committees This policy applies to: • All departments of the Corporation of the City of Kitchener; • All full-time, part-time and casual employees responsible for the design and implementation of community engagement activities; and • Any community engagement activity undertaken by suppliers or external organizations on behalf of the City. In some matters, the City is bound by legislation to involve the public in a specific way and in accordance with dictated timelines. The City takes direction from the Ontario Municipal Act, the Ontario Planning Act, the Ontario Environmental Assessment Act, and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, among others. The City is obligated to adhere to these requirements and if there is a conflict between legislated requirements and the provisions of this policy, legislated requirements will take precedence. The provisions of this policy enable 2 of 12 Page 146 of 271 Policy No: GOV-COU-2010 Policy Title: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT the City to exceed the minimum legislated requirements in appropriate circumstances. Ramifications of non-compliance with this policy could result in: • a negative impact on satisfaction levels for citizens, • poor decisions due to missed opportunities to involve citizens in the decision of Council, • damage to the City's reputation, • financial loss to the City, • disciplinary action for employees. 4. POLICY CONTENT: 4.1 The decision to engage the community The City will comply with all minimum legislated requirements that dictate public involvement, and exceed minimum requirements when appropriate. Community engagement may be required for City -led initiatives that: • involve new regulations or changes to core services, • are expected to be controversial, • have significant financial impacts, • may have adverse impacts on citizens. For all other initiatives, the decision to engage the community will be determined by management and/or Council. Criteria to consider include, but are not limited to the following: • initiatives identified in the City's Strategic Plan and/or Business Plan, • as directed by the Corporate Leadership Team, • as directed by a motion of Council. As well, City staff should consider the importance of issues to citizens in determining when to engage the community. The City encourages the involvement of the public when one or more of the following conditions exist: • public involvement will improve the City's understanding of the issues, • the values and preferences of the community are applicable to the decision, • new and diverse perspectives are needed to develop/evaluate options, 3 of 12 Page 147 of 271 Policy No: GOV-COU-2010 Policy Title: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT • the public will have a role to play in the implementation of the decision, • involving the public will build awareness, support and enthusiasm for the decision. The decision to engage the community in these situations will be determined by evaluating the potential for community engagement to improve the quality of the decision or outcome and the risks associated with failing to adequately engage the community. This must be evaluated against time constraints, the availability of staff and other resources to plan and carry out effective community engagement activities, and the cost of involving the public in a meaningful way. Community engagement may not be required in certain situations including, but not limited to the following: • ongoing delivery of core services, • urgent situations that would put the public at risk if delayed, • decisions that are legislated/regulated. In these situations, staff may still be required to inform the public of these decisions/initiatives. Staff must inform the community engagement consultant of upcoming engagement initiatives, and must seek the approval of their directors and/or department head for non -routine, non -legislated significant engagement campaigns or for exceptions to this policy. The Corporate Leadership Team provides direction to proceed with community engagement for initiatives that may be controversial, politically sensitive and/or have significant financial impacts. 4.2 Community engagement framework The City of Kitchener community engagement framework will be used as a guide to determine the most appropriate method for engaging the community. Community engagement processes are not all the same. For some initiatives the most appropriate way to engage the community is through clear and purposeful communication to inform citizens and build understanding within the community. In other cases, the most appropriate role may be collaborative; partnering with the community to jointly address a problem or opportunity. In other situations, multiple approaches will be used at different points in the process. 4 of 12 Page 148 of 271 Policy No: GOV-COU-2010 Policy Title: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT This framework identifies four levels of engagement, as outlined below. The first level — Inform — is mandatory for all engagement initiatives, as the community needs access to relevant information to participate in a meaningful way. Engagement initiatives may include more than one level from the framework. Inform All community engagement initiatives must inform the public. This is intended to provide the public with balanced and objective information to support understanding of City initiatives. In some situations, community engagement will be limited to the sharing of information with the public with no additional levels of the engagement framework deployed. This may include, but is not limited to decisions that are legislated/regulated. C'nnci ilt Consultation with the community allows participants to provide feedback by, for example, identifying preferences, or communicating values. This type of engagement provides a simple and structured exchange of information with citizens that is usually quick, convenient and cost effective. Collaborate Collaboration provides the opportunity for citizens to connect with other citizens, staff and/or council to understand issues from different perspectives, and solve problems together. The choice to take a more collaborative approach with citizens has both costs and benefits which must be carefully considered. Collaborative processes typically take significantly longer to plan and implement, require more staff support and involvement, and may have added costs for facilitators, rooms, materials, etc. The City encourages engaging the community in a collaborative way when there is high potential for community involvement to influence the outcome or decision, and one or more of the following conditions exist: • there may be a significant impact on the community, • there is or may be significant controversy surrounding the issue, • the community will have a substantial role in implementation, • the options/solutions are not straight forward; original ideas are needed. 5 of 12 Page 149 of 271 Policy No: GOV-COU-2010 Policy Title: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Entrust An entrust initiative empowers the community to make their own decisions. In these situations, the City may provide input or support for the decision-making process, organize information and facilitate connections to support resident -led projects. This level of engagement is most appropriate where there is a high level of public interest, sufficient resources and capacity to act within the community, and a high degree of community ownership is preferred. Citizens cannot be entrusted to make decisions that are the legal responsibility of the City or where there may be a risk to the public. 4.3 Role of the City It is the responsibility of City staff to assess opportunities for community engagement in dealing with specific City -led initiatives (except for issues dictated by law or regulation), and to plan and manage the community engagement process. This includes reporting to Council on results when appropriate. The City will be transparent and accountable for acting in accordance with the commitment that is made to the public. Council and city staff will engage with citizens in a way that is respectful and considerate of all citizens and will demonstrate that the views and involvement of citizens are valued by the City. The City will carefully consider and clearly communicate the public's role in the engagement process, how it will affect decision-making by staff, and the rationale for the level of engagement that will be used. The community will be informed in advance when there are clear and significant limits on the scope or degree of impact that community involvement will have on the matter at hand, so that citizens can make an informed decision about participation and will know what to expect from the process. The City will communicate a clear and accurate statement of the problem to be solved, the opportunity to be explored or the decision to be made. The City will ensure that the public is aware of the nature of the decision to be made and the scope of authority the City has to influence that decision. In making decisions, Council and City staff must balance a broad range of competing interests. The citizen's perspective is important and is typically not the only factor influencing a decision. The results of the community engagement process must be put in the context of applicable legislated requirements, city regulations, council -approved policies and strategies, technical considerations and financial constraints before a decision is made. 6 of 12 Page 150 of 271 Policy No: GOV-COU-2010 Policy Title: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT When all factors are considered, the City may make a decision that is inconsistent with the majority of input received from the community through the engagement process. In these situations, the City will explain to the public how their contribution was taken into account and the rationale for the decision that was made. The results of community engagement are not a substitute for the democratic process and do not replace the legitimate role of elected representatives in decision-making. 4.4 Responsibilities The Executive Director Office of the CAO, or designate, is responsible for policy review, and providing advice in relation to this policy. City of Kitchener Community Engagement Team Responsibilities The Community Engagement Consultant is responsible for supporting community engagement activity, including: • work with project staff and Corporate Communications to develop or review appropriate community engagement plans, and provide guidance on activities; • work with project staff to ensure that requests for proposals/tenders include appropriate requirements for community engagement plans and activities; • liaise with suppliers and external organizations undertaking community engagement activities on behalf of the City to provide oversight of community engagement plans and activities; • work with project staff to ensure the City has effective systems to monitor, record, coordinate and evaluate its community engagement activities; • annually provide Council, staff and citizens with performance reports regarding the success of community engagement activities; • work with Human Resources and City employees to develop and implement appropriate community engagement training, tools and supports for City employees; • support citizens who are leading community engagement activities as part of an Entrust initiative. City Staff Responsibilities: City employees who are responsible for projects that involve community engagement will: 7 of 12 Page 151 of 271 Policy No: GOV-COU-2010 Policy Title: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT • use the Community Engagement Policy to determine if community engagement is appropriate, with support from the Community Engagement Consultant as needed, and ensure that engagement activities comply with this policy; • work with the Community Engagement Consultant, Corporate Communications and other affected staff to develop appropriate community engagement plans; • work with the Community Engagement Consultant to ensure outreach tactics to support inclusion are appropriate when engaging within marginalized communities; • notify the Community Engagement Consultant of any planned community engagement activities; • ensure suppliers or external organizations undertaking community engagement activities on behalf of the City work with the community engagement team throughout the project to comply with Community Engagement Policy; • ensure project reports accurately and objectively reflect engagement feedback, and notify participants of outcomes; • support the Community Engagement Consultant to evaluate community engagement at the City of Kitchener; • support citizens who are leading community engagement activities as part of an Entrust initiative. Citizen Responsibilities: Citizens are asked to: • focus on the decision to be made or the question to be answered; • recognize the City must consider the needs of the whole community; • request alternative ways of participating if required; • listen with the intent to understand the views of others; • provide input and feedback within project timelines; • encourage others to offer input; • lead engagement activities as part of an Entrust initiative. 8 of 12 Page 152 of 271 Policy No: GOV-COU-2010 Policy Title: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Council Responsibilities: The support of City Council is important for successful community engagement initiatives. Some of the key ways in which Council can continue to support community engagement activities include: • attend and participate in public meetings and events for engagement initiatives; • share information about campaigns with constituents through social media, newsletters, and other methods; • have informal conversations and/or ward meetings with constituents about key issues; • review the information gathered through community engagement campaigns and use it to inform key decisions; • ensure that appropriate project timelines and resources required for community engagement initiatives are in place; • encourage City employees to follow the Community Engagement Policy and Framework. 4.5 Community engagement plans Community engagement plans are required for all major projects and initiatives that will consult, collaborate and/or entrust the community. A community engagement plan should include the following: 1. a clear statement of the problem to be solved, opportunity to be explored or decision to be made; 2. the role of the public in the initiative or project, the level(s) of engagement to be used and a rationale for that choice; 3. the key stakeholders and how they will be encouraged to participate; 4. the techniques that will be used for engagement that reflect the promise made to stakeholders according to the level of engagement selected; 5. a schedule of events and expected timelines; 6. required resources; and 7. the methods that will be used to track data and follow up with participants on the results. Projects that will only inform the community do not require a community engagement plan, but may require a communications plan. 9 of 12 Page 153 of 271 Policy No: GOV-COU-2010 Policy Title: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT 4.6 Techniques for engagement The City will use the most appropriate techniques to ensure an efficient and effective process and create a meaningful experience for the public. The City will consider a broad range of options to engage the community and assess these options against community engagement goals, needs of the stakeholders, time and resources required for implementation, and the requirements of legislation and other city policies. Some engagement initiatives may require the support of independent third -party suppliers to obtain statistically -representative results. The City recognizes that different stakeholder groups may have different needs. Specific outreach strategies, options and alternative methods of engagement should be made available to encourage participation by all stakeholder groups, within the constraints of City resources. Consideration will be given to time of day, amount of time required to participate, accessible location, language, technology requirements, and other potential barriers to participation. 4.7 Inclusive participation The City will strive for participation that is inclusive of all stakeholder groups by seeking out and facilitating the involvement of those potentially affected. The City will proactively encourage participation in community engagement processes and activities, and clearly communicate the benefits of participation for the individual citizen. Decisions that involve community engagement will take into account the relative impact of the matter on various stakeholder groups and the degree to which their voices are represented in the outcome of the engagement process. Before making a decision, Council may also have to consider carefully whether the aspirations and needs of future generations — who will perhaps be most affected by any change — might differ significantly from those of today's population. The City will ensure that those who have an interest and those who are directly impacted by the decision will have access to the community engagement process. The City will strive for inclusive participation, giving voice to the broadest range of interests and perspectives within the context of the issue, taking into account the relative impact of the matter on various stakeholder groups. Special interest participants must be balanced with broad-based community involvement. Techniques must be considered to address barriers to participation for members of the community whose voices are rarely heard, including vulnerable populations. 10 of 12 Page 154 of 271 Policy No: GOV-COU-2010 Policy Title: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Community input that is received from the public that is not controlled for community representation has the potential for bias and will not be used to draw conclusions about the community as a whole. 4.8 Information for engagement The City will provide participants with the information they need to be engaged in a meaningful way. The City is committed to open disclosure, equal access and distribution of accurate, relevant information. Council and/or staff contact information will be provided to the public so citizens can ask questions and obtain additional information if needed. In accordance with the City's Corporate Accountability & Transparency Policy (GOV-COR-015), information must be fully accessible and understandable, using plain language and appropriate formats. As well, the City is committed to providing citizens with information that is timely, and freely available, and decisions are open for public review and discussion. In the event that open disclosure would conflict with legislation that protects information, legislated requirements will take precedence. When engagement is legislated or regulated, to comply with GOV-COR-015, staff must provide plain language descriptions to accompany legislated or regulated information requirements. In situations where input from the public is to be obtained, questions and topics of discussion will aim to generate information from a citizen perspective, and will not require participants to have any technical knowledge or expertise to participate. 4.9 Reporting to the community on the results The City will publicly acknowledge the results of the community engagement process. The City will acknowledge the input from the community, and participants who have consented to communication in accordance with Canada's Anti -Spam Legislation will be informed when a final decision is made (if applicable). The City will explain how the community's contribution was taken into consideration. 4.10 Participant feedback The City encourages feedback from participants in community engagement activities to identify opportunities to improve the effectiveness of future initiatives. The City will actively seek feedback from participants to get broad- based input on the effectiveness of the City's community engagement processes. Citizens will have the opportunity to tell the City if they felt that they understood the process, if they had adequate information to contribute effectively, if they 11 of 12 Page 155 of 271 Policy No: GOV-COU-2010 Policy Title: COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT perceived that the process fairly considered their input; and if they were satisfied overall. 5. HISTORY OF POLICY CHANGES Administrative Updates 2018-01-28 - New policy created as per Council directive - see CAO -17-026. Formal Amendments No amendment history to date 12 of 12 Page 156 of 271