Welcome to Engage White City!
New - Micro-Engagements
We are now introducing micro-engagements! Micro-engagements are opportunities for White City to quickly engage residents on simple items related to program offering or service levels that don't require a full engagement based on iap2 methodology. Check this page, or keep an eye on www.whitecity.ca or our facebook page to take part in future micro-engagements!
We want to hear from you! We recognize the importance and value of involving local residents in shaping the development of town projects, policies and initiatives. White City is our community. We all have a role to play in realizing the town’s vision to be “a city with an innovative attitude, driven by residents, businesses and leaders who are creative and engaged.”
Engage White City introduces new and innovative online tools to improve how the town engages with you. These online tools give you the opportunity to weigh in on the projects and initiatives that you care about, at your convenience. Engaging residents on issues that affect their lives and their community is a key component of democratic society. Engagement encourages participation, action and personal responsibility. It also helps us to identify sustainable solutions and lead more informed decision-making through a range of perspectives, experience and knowledge.
This online platform is meant to compliment the different engagement tools and strategies the town uses to promote greater public engagement and make it easy for residents to participate in civic activities.
What is Public Engagement?
Public engagement refers to a range of activities that facilitate and support the contribution of ideas and insights from you. Your input will allow us to make decisions that are informed and reflective of your concerns and needs.
What public engagement does not mean is that everyone will always agree on decisions that are made within the municipality. White City is made up of a diverse population with very different interests and approaches to what our community is and how to improve it. What we will do, is listen to all of those different opinions and incorporate them into the decision-making process, in a fair and balanced way.
Public Engagement provides a valuable link between council, town staff and the community. It offers a range of benefits, including, but not limited to:
- improving council’s decision-making process by taking into account a greater range of perspectives, experience, and knowledge;
- ensuring that diverse voices have a place at the table;
- creating a shared purpose;
- encouraging greater community participation;
- creating a better connected and informed community;
- reducing the level of misconception or misinformation;
- identifying and addressing potential and existing concerns;
- empowering participants to take ownership of programs and initiatives; and
- ensuring commitment and greater ownership of the final decision by the community.
Levels of Engagement
Every project is different. There will be varying levels of engagement used to collaborate with our community, and we expect that as we learn more about what works, we will revise the tools we use for engagement.
Engage White City has four basic levels of engagement, and a variety of tools that will be used intermittently between those levels. They range from basic distribution of information, to continued partnerships with community members. To make sure we set and meet expectations, look for the symbols below on each project to see how you can get involved. Remember, as projects happen, engagement opportunities come and go. So keep watching for your chances to participate!
