We actively work to hold space for respectful and productive dialogue, moving beyond yes-versus-no to allow for co-created solutions, informed decision-making and collective action. We strive to build the capacity of governments and citizens for continued democratic engagement long after we’re gone.

Legitimate engagement outcomes depend on reaching beyond the “usual suspects” and require a concerted effort to seek out missing voices. Hearing from people with diverse lived experiences leads to more innovative ideas, better decisions and stronger democracies. Find out more about our Equity and Inclusion in Public Engagement work.  

We design and facilitate processes that include the full range of interests, reduce barriers to participation, frame discussion materials to reflect evidence-based information and share results with participants in a timely manner. Our Principles for Collaborative Engagement guide shows how we support citizens and government in shared decision-making.

We design customized and innovative processes through deep collaboration with our partners, ensuring that the needs of both the client and the participants are met. For each project, we draw on our diverse in-house engagement practitioners to build a customized and multi-disciplinary team.

One of the largest barriers to public participation is the belief held by citizens that their input will have no impact on decisions. We are committed to combating this lack of trust by honestly communicating the purposes and limitations of engagement, presenting public input using transparent methods and reporting back on engagement outcomes. Learn more about our Strengthening Canadian Democracy work.