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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPublic Engagement Policy - GOV-COR-2010Page 1 of 7 POLICY GOV-COR-2010 Public Engagement Policy Category GOV - Governance Sub-category COR - Corporate Approval Type COUNCIL Department/Division Office of the CAO Author and Position Sue Weare, Community Engagement Consultant Date Approved January 29, 2018 Last Reviewed/Amended December 15, 2025 Next Review Date December 15, 2030 Related Policies or Procedures GOV-COR-015 Corporate Accountability & Transparency MUN-PLA-1025 Public Participation in the Planning Process 1. 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. Page 2 of 7 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 strateg ic 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. 2. 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. 3. Policy Scope Application Employees (Indicate below which categories apply: All employees, Permanent full-time, Temporary full-time, Continuous part- time, Casual, Probationary, Student, Management, Non-union) All employees responsible for the design and/or delivery of public engagement activities Unions (Indicate below which categories apply: All Unions, CUPE 68 Civic, CUPE 68 Mechanics, CUPE 791, IATSE, IBEW, KPFFA) Click or tap here to enter text. Council Specified Positions: Community Engagement Consultant Other: Local Boards and Advisory Committees All consultants or external organizations that undertake public engagement on behalf of the City of Kitchener 4. Policy Content 4.1 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; Page 3 of 7 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; 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. 4.2 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. Page 4 of 7 4.3 Practice Framework When the City engages residents, it follows an established process based on the IAP2’s Practice Frameworki. 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. 4.4 Spectrum When designing a public engagement process, the City will refer to the IAP2 Spectrumii. 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. Page 5 of 7 4.5 Role 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 Page 6 of 7 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. 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. Page 7 of 7 When making recommendations to Council, clearly identify the engagement goal(s), describe the process, summarize public input, and explain how it informed recommendations. 4.6 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. 5. Results of Review No Edits Required Housekeeping Edits Substantial Edits Repeal/Replace 6. Policy History Administrative and Housekeeping Changes Date Nature of Change 2018-01-28 New policy created as per Council directive – see CAO-17-026 2018-04-03 Department and job title name changes due to corporate reorganization Substantial Changes Date Council/CLT Directive 2025-12-15 As Per Council/CLT Directive - Report COR-2025-454 i © 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. www.iap2.org.