WHEREAS the City of Ottawa has a Council-approved Public Engagement Strategy that directs how the City must deliver public engagement at the City; and
WHEREAS the City is reviewing and updating the Public Engagement Strategy supports and toolkit that ensure staff can successfully deliver the requirements of the strategy; and
WHEREAS the City is producing internal tools and is providing training to support staff’s ability to work within the City’s Public Engagement Strategy, however the public must also have access to the City’s commitments and approach to public engagement to ensure effective engagement; and
WHEREAS there are international best practices that define the public’s role in any public participation process, including the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Spectrum of Public Participation;
WHEREAS City Councillors are held accountable for decisions delegated to City staff, and greater predictability for the manner and timing of public engagement on policy issues would support both the City and Councillors alike;
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that as part of its review of the Public Engagement Strategy, that staff be directed to engage with residents to identify what resident-facing information and/or products could better support public participation in public engagement; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that City staff be directed to develop a Public Engagement Guide that informs residents on how the City undertakes public engagement and provides information on how residents can provide input into the City’s decision-making process, as well as a public-facing Public Engagement Protocol that sets out the commitments, approach and guiding principles for public engagement, including but not limited to:
- the purpose, scope, and roles for public engagement led by the City of Ottawa, and clarity on what type of City decisions are appropriate for public consultation;
- what the City is required to undertake as part of the public engagement cycle, specifically preparation, design, implementation, analysis, reporting back, evaluation and shared learning; and
- How the city’s public engagement process reflects the levels in the IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED City staff be directed to develop communications products based on the public engagement on public participation and provide such materials, along with the Public Engagement Guide, as soon as is practicable and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that, upon completion of these resources, a communications campaign be launched to promote these materials to employees and residents alike; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a memo be provided by way of Council no later than Q2 2026, that describes the lessons learned and adaptations of the Public Engagement Strategy based on quantified feedback from City of Ottawa staff and the public, and the engagement metrics utilized described therein.