- authenticity – leading authentic, meaningful engagement practices that respect the efforts and time of participants and refraining from asking for input if the outcome is pre-determined and there is no opportunity to influence the decision;
- responsiveness – seeking to understand the public’s input and considering public input as one of the factors in decision-making;
- commitment – keeping the public informed, listening to and acknowledging concerns and aspirations, and sharing information on how public input was considered in the decision-making;
- accountability – dedicating sufficient resources and time to ensure the effectiveness and authenticity of public engagement processes;
- inclusiveness – striving to reach, involve, and hear from those who are impacted by reducing barriers to participation and providing equitable access for opportunities to participation; and
- transparency – providing clear and timely information to improve understanding of decision processes, procedures, and constraints.
We value input from the public. All feedback collected is reviewed and considered by City staff and Council. It’s important to note that input from the public is one factor in decision-making. We must balance consideration of engagement results with several other important factors such as operational and technical considerations, advice and guidance from subject matter experts, budgets, and legislation.
