A public participation policy
residents can actually use.

Spencer Morley Consulting writes and updates public participation and engagement policies for municipalities across Canada. The rules behind them differ by province: Alberta requires every council to have one, Ontario requires notice and transparency policies, and other provinces set notice rules in their own way. We start by confirming what applies to you.

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What your province requires.

Alberta. Since October 26, 2017, section 216.1 of the Municipal Government Act has required every municipality to adopt a public participation policy. Under the Public Participation Policy Regulation, it must identify the types or categories of approaches the municipality will use to engage municipal stakeholders and the circumstances in which it will engage them, be available for public inspection, and be reviewed at least once every four years. Policies had to be in place by July 23, 2018, so a policy adopted by that deadline was due for review by 2022 and is due again in 2026. The policy is in addition to statutory public hearings; it does not replace them.

Ontario. Section 270 of the Municipal Act, 2001 requires every municipality to adopt and maintain policies on when and how it gives notice to the public, and on how it will be accountable and transparent to the public. Engagement commitments often sit in, or alongside, those policies.

Saskatchewan. Municipalities commonly set out their public notice requirements in a public notice policy bylaw; the province publishes a sample bylaw.

Elsewhere in Canada. Notice, planning and engagement rules differ by province. We confirm which apply, then write a policy that meets them and suits the size of your municipality.

Sources: Government of Alberta, MGA implementation fact sheet: Public Participation Policy (2017); Government of Ontario, Ontario municipal councillor’s guide: accountability and transparency.

What we write.

A policy council can adopt and a set of procedures staff can follow:

levels of participation, from informing residents to involving them in a decision, and when each applies
the engagement methods the municipality will use, including online and in-person options and surveys
how residents will be told about opportunities to take part, and how they will hear what was decided
roles for council and administration
a review schedule that meets your province’s requirements

Running engagement as well? See resident surveys for municipalities.

A few useful answers.

Who can write or update a municipal public participation policy?

Spencer Morley Consulting, an Edmonton-based firm founded in 2023, writes and updates public participation and engagement policies for municipalities across Canada, starting with a review of the existing policy against the legislation in the municipality’s province.

Is a public participation policy required in Alberta?

Yes. Section 216.1 of the Municipal Government Act requires every Alberta council to establish a public participation policy. It must identify the approaches and circumstances for engaging municipal stakeholders, be available for public inspection, and be reviewed at least every four years.

Our Alberta policy dates from 2018. Do we need to update it?

The regulation requires a review at least every four years. A policy adopted in 2018 was due for review by 2022 and is due again by 2026, so it is worth checking when yours was last reviewed.

We are not in Alberta. Can you still help?

Yes. Outside Alberta the work starts by confirming your province’s notice and engagement rules, such as Ontario’s section 270 policies, and builds a policy that meets them.

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