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Problems and Purpose

Across the City of Ottawa, hundreds of public engagement activities were being conducted each year without common tools, training and resources. The Public Engagement Strategy was developed to assist City staff and provide guidelines and tools to support staff when conceptualizing, designing, implementing and evaluating public engagement activities.

Background History and Context

The first formal document guiding public engagement in Ottawa was a Public Participation Policy approved by Council in 2003. The Policy took the form of a broad mission statement with “core values” and “key principles”. During their Strategic Plan 2011-2014, the City identified the need for a Public Engagement Strategy to help standardize and improve the hundreds of engagement activities undertaken each year. Importantly, there had been several engagements that were “less successful”. 

In 2013, the Community and Social Service Department developed the proposed Public Engagement Strategy in collaboration with an interdepartmental team of staff. 

Organizing, Supporting, and Funding Entities

The City of Ottawa Community and Social Service Department conducted the consultation as directed by the City of Ottawa. There was no additional funding provided to the consultation, with existing permanent staff allocated.

Participant Recruitment and Selection

Participation was open to all members of the public, with specific groups targeted as well. Five public consultations were held, and an additional seven targeting rural residents, people living on low income, people with disabilities, Aboriginal peoples, seniors, and youth were conducted. 

Following the broader public consultation, a staff survey was circulated, and three staff focus groups were held.

Methods and Tools Used

This consultation used several methods:

• Public consultations. These were open events targeting a broad audience.
• Expert surveys. 200 staff participated in a survey and 3 focus groups just amongst the staff were 
• Targeted focus groups. These were held targeting specific communities who have historically been marginalized in these processes.
• An online questionnaire. No details were provided in the documentation.
• An online Ideas Campaign which took the form of a wikisurvey. No further details were provided in the documentation. 

What Went On: Process, Interaction, and Participation

The most prominent theme indicated by participants was the strong desire to have the ability to influence the outcomes of a City project or policy matter that was of interest to them. For the most part, this can be summarized as requiring three elements:

1. Having sufficient time and notice to become educated about a subject matter in order to participate in a meaningful way and to provide informed input;
2. Having the ability to participate early enough in the process, before a decision or concept is too far developed to be modified; and
3. Having their input considered with the same ‘weight’ as that accorded to other sectors (i.e. developers or other business interests).

Influence, Outcomes, and Effects

The consultations were part of the process that led to the adoption of the Public Engagement Strategy. A toolkit has been subsequently developed (attached to this case) to support staff and incorporates many of the ideas from the public consultation (e.g. a reporting template, a strategy for each engagement with target audience and clear goals)

Other ideas from the consultation have also been adopted (e.g. a protocol/guideline whereby staff are required to post information about engagement online, having consultation on large-scale projects).

Several ideas appear not to have been adopted (e.g. some form of central office to provide on-going advisory services on consultation, the development of an online consultation portal, and promotion beyond just the official website through social media and/or a listserv).

Analysis and Lessons Learned

No analysis and lessons learned were shared as part of the documentation of this case. However, this case itself was an exercise is self-reflection and learning and so the materials produced do reflect institutional learning from the City of Ottawa.

That said, the reflection appears to have been only partially institutionalized with little readily available material which shows the reporting back from the City for individual public engagement exercises. The only engagement exercises available online are planned or underway.

See Also

References

External Links

Notes

This case could perhaps be expanded using the a full consultation report which this author has not yet been able to procure.

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