Implementing Public Engagement

Creating a public engagement plan clearly outlines opportunities for public participation in the decision-making process throughout the project's duration. In this step, use the stakeholders, baseline data and level of public participation identified in earlier steps to choose and implement engagement techniques.

Create a public engagement plan

Why create a public engagement plan?

The engagement plan helps establish a clear decision-making process for both staff and the public.

It determines how, where and when public engagement will occur. A transparent and well-executed engagement plan can foster a sense of public ownership in the project and build relationships between the City and the public.

How to create a public engagement plan

• Decide the engagement topics and questions. These may be distinct per stakeholder group, e.g. there may be different questions to ask youth as opposed to adults.
• Choose engagement techniques. Narrow down the list of potential engagement techniques so that the engagement plan is effective and realistic by considering the following:
  • Level of participation: Techniques should advance the goals of the chosen level of public participation.
  • Reaching stakeholders: Think about where, when and how identified stakeholders are most likely to engage. Look for opportunities to integrate engagement into existing public events, or in coordination with organizations that stakeholders are already engaged with.
  • Resource availability: Choose techniques that are feasible given the available staff capacity, budget and resources.
  • Project timeline and requirements: Chosen techniques should fit within the project's timeline and meet any legal or regulatory requirements.
  • Input format: Consider the desired format for capturing and reporting public input.
  • Participation options: Engagement plans should include options for different capacities for participation, such as for someone who can provide regular input over several months to someone who only has a few minutes to spare.
• Determine roles and allocate sufficient planning time. Decide who will lead the engagement process, identify the required number of staff to complete tasks and events and allocate sufficient planning time for successful execution. When planning an engagement technique, decide how the public will receive enough advance notice about engagement opportunities. For instance, if holding a focus group, staff may also plan to create flyers and social media posts to recruit participants.
• Develop an engagement timeline. A timeline helps staff meet major milestones and helps the public know when to anticipate engagement activities. It can also help build trust with the public by demonstrating a clear decision-making trajectory. Below is a list of key factors to consider when creating a project timeline that will be shared with the public. Graphic templates for timelines are available on CityNet (accessible by City staff only).
  • Create the timeline: Outline all project phases, emphasizing when public outreach and engagement will occur. Clearly define the expected duration for each phase. Consider presenting specific milestones as seasons or years (e.g. spring 2026) rather than in a month/year format. Build in time to provide advance notice for any engagement events.
  • Set realistic expectations: Be cautious not to overestimate. Avoid committing to a timeline that may not be met.
  • Consider sharing the project timeline: The project timeline can be shared on the project webpage and in other outreach materials.

Event logistics plan

If engagement techniques that take the form of events are planned, staff can use a logistics plan to further organize the event’s various components. Use the Event Logistics Plan Template (Microsoft Word document) to draft a plan. Event considerations can include:

• Date, time, location and staffing. Select locations, times and dates convenient to participants and avoid major holidays or conflicting community events. Assign roles based on staff strengths and availabilities. Roles may include:
  • Event staff:
    • Speakers for presentations and Q&A sessions
    • Primary facilitator
    • Additional facilitators and subject matter experts for any small group discussions or open house stations
    • Coordinator and contact for interpreter(s)
    • Notetakers for different activities (e.g., flip chart notetakers, notetakers who capture detailed notes, notetakers for breakout discussions)
    • Lead for audiovisual/computer system setup, testing and troubleshooting
  • Supporting staff:
    • Materials manager, including collecting and packing materials and transporting them to and from the event site
    • Team for setting up and breaking down event
    • Greeters and sign-in table staff
    • Back-of-room manager to handle logistical needs during the event
    • Staff for refreshment table set-up and monitoring
    • Staff providing childcare, if applicable
    • Lead for collecting and digitizing all materials that contain public input.
  • Venue-specific details such as:
    • Designating staff to pick up keys or meet with a facilities coordinator on-site
    • Transportation arrangements
    • Plan for setup and breakdown
  • Materials. For each activity during the event, list the materials and equipment needed. Create or gather these materials.
    • Include a sign-in sheet to collect names and optional contact information of attendees to share project updates. Sign-in sheets should also include the field “How did you find out about this event?” to inform future engagement.
      • Sensitive information, such as attendees’ demographics, is most appropriately collected in optional anonymous forms toward the end of events.
        • To draw meaningful conclusions, demographic category response options during engagement should be identical to the way project area (e.g. citywide or community-level) actual demographics are reported.

Implement a public engagement plan

Implement the engagement plan and ongoing project tasks

Once the engagement plan is created, it’s time to implement it. Keep a list of communication materials that may need regular updates and monitoring, such as webpages and project timelines. Work with the department’s Public Information Officer to update these items throughout implementation. Once these items are updated, link them on the project webpage and share them with interested stakeholders and partners.

Select tools for sharing information and keeping the public updated. Various communication channels can be used to update interested parties about engagement activities. Decide which tool(s) will be used to provide ongoing updates (e.g., email notifications), then share updates with the public when available.

Capture public input

Be sure to capture and record public input so that it can be used for project decision-making. Various methods, such as note-taking, audio recording, photos, videos and web-based meeting chat functions can be used to capture input. Having an online option such as a project email address or online comment form to provide feedback throughout the lifespan of the project is also recommended.

• Depending on the engagement technique or approach, staff should use a clear format for documentation so that input can be easily interpreted after the conclusion of the event.
  • If taking notes, consider establishing a standard form with clear headers for discussion topics or questions to guide note-taking.
  • Choose formats that are easily digitized for later analysis in tools such as Excel to streamline processes.

Gather feedback for improvement

Participant satisfaction surveys (Microsoft Word document) are a helpful way to capture feedback about the public’s experience with an individual engagement event.

• These surveys typically cover satisfaction with an engagement event and the public’s understanding of the provided information.
• Pass out and collect surveys at the end of engagement events or send event participants a digital survey when following up.
• Optionally include demographic questions (accessible by City staff only) to compare to project area demographics.
• Save responses soon after receiving them for easy access and assessment.

Share engagement findings along the way

At key project milestones, share public engagement results with the public. For example, staff can update the project webpage with survey results after the survey period closes or create a report summarizing public input received during an initial visioning phase. Sharing findings can help the public understand the engagement that occurred and overall input the City received.

If there is significant public interest in an engagement event that was conducted, consider creating and sharing an event summary. Event summaries are reports that note key themes of public input and can include:

• Event details (time, date and location)
• The methods staff used to notify the public about the project and engagement opportunities
• Event format and details (e.g. if there was a group discussion, include questions that were discussed)
• Input received and key themes
  • Redact personal information if sharing copies of public input.

Meet to discuss improvements

After implementing an engagement technique, meet internally to discuss successes and areas for continuous improvement.