Strategic communications and crisis management for governments, public bodies, businesses and non-profits across Alberta and Canada.
Book a 15-minute callStrategic Communications & Crisis Management
The first 24 hours define an organization’s legacy. The months after it define the recovery. We’ve stood inside wildfires, floods, pandemics, police incidents and political controversies, on the government side of the microphone.
Cheryl Spencer-Morley leads the practice, drawing on more than 25 years of senior communications work across federal, provincial and municipal government. In 2024 that meant two and a half months embedded in Jasper, effectively serving as the municipality’s public information officer through re-entry, debris removal, housing support and the return of the visitor economy.
Read Cheryl’s full profileFeatured
Named in Digital Reference’s editorial list of the best crisis management consulting services in Canada, February 2026.
Read the articleBefore an incident, while it’s live, and through the months of recovery.
Embedded
We don’t advise from outside the room: we staff the seat. Council communications, stakeholder relations, media, social and website updates, delivered day to day through an active crisis, a recovery period, or a vacancy you can’t fill fast. Proven over two and a half months in Jasper.
About this service · See how it played out in JasperPreparedness planning, EOC support, tabletop exercises, and rapid response when an incident is live. Exercised against Alberta Emergency Management Act requirements.
Courses that prepare staff and leadership to run an emergency response, plus scenario-based coaching for spokespeople and elected officials. Capability under pressure, not just confidence.
About media and emergency management trainingPolicing, strategic planning and engagement surveys: designed, hosted and fielded by SMC, then reported so council hears residents clearly. Canadian data residency, documented.
About resident surveysSenior counsel on retainer or term: issues management, stakeholder strategy and executive communications without a full-time hire.
Policies council adopts and procedures staff follow: who speaks for the municipality, media and social media, and when and how residents are engaged.
Communications policy · Public participation policyAlso on the municipal track: rebrands and website development, and strategic plan facilitation. See the full municipal track
Businesses and non-profits
A complaint that spreads online, a reporter on the phone, an incident at work, a decision your community doesn’t like. The same crisis discipline we bring to public bodies works for businesses and non-profits, in plain terms and sized to your team.
Help when something goes wrong: what to say first, who says it, and what to do next.
About crisis managementPractice the interview before it happens, with scenarios built around your own risks.
About media trainingA senior communications adviser on retainer, without a full-time hire.
About retained counselSomeone experienced to run your communications for a period, through a crisis or a gap in staffing. It is the same service we provide to public bodies as a fractional public information officer.
About fractional supportSelected work
Cheryl Spencer-Morley served as Lead Crisis Communications Consultant for the Jasper wildfires, spending roughly two and a half months on the ground supporting the municipality’s communications with residents, local businesses, and recovery partners.
“Put her in a room well before the crisis hits and she’ll help you see it coming.”
Janelle Lane, Information Officer, Parks Canada · Jasper wildfire response
Crisis communications · Cheryl Spencer-Morley
Crisis communications capacity
Redeveloped the county’s crisis communications plan, designed its internal communications plan, and delivered the accompanying staff training.
Both were built around the county’s actual structure and decision-makers, then staff were trained directly against them, so the plans and the people executing them were developed together.
Read the engagementRebrand & communications · Cheryl Spencer-Morley
Rebrand and communications
A full rebrand and new website, ongoing social media management, facilitation of staff events and workshops, communications support for new land use bylaws, and crisis and emergency management training for county staff.
Read the engagementCheryl Spencer-Morley leads the crisis communications practice at Spencer Morley Consulting.
Most of the work happens before anything goes wrong: a current crisis communications plan with clear roles and approval chains, prepared holding statements, media training for spokespeople and elected officials, and tabletop exercises that test the plan against Alberta Emergency Management Act requirements. When an incident is live, the consultant supports the emergency operations centre and the public information function: message development, media relations, and regular updates to council, residents, and staff. After the incident, the work shifts to recovery communications, which can run for months. For the County of Grande Prairie No. 1, SMC redeveloped the crisis communications plan, designed a new internal communications plan, and trained staff to run both.
Before an incident: when the crisis communications plan is several years old, has never been exercised, or depends on one person. During an incident: when it runs past the first few days, when your communications lead is also covering other emergency roles, or when the position is vacant. Outside support is easiest to add when the plan already names it, so the best time to arrange it is before you need it.
Yes. Spencer Morley Consulting provides crisis communications and crisis management consulting from Edmonton to municipalities, public institutions, businesses and non-profits across Alberta and Canada. The practice is led by Cheryl Spencer-Morley, whose 25+ years in government communications include serving as Lead Crisis Communications Consultant for the Municipality of Jasper’s 2024 wildfire response. SMC was featured in Digital Reference’s 2026 list, Best Crisis Management Consulting Services in Canada.
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