Mountain View County will be seeking public input on a proposed new public participation policy mandated under the updated provincial Municipal Government Act (MGA).
Councillors passed a motion at the recent regularly scheduled council meeting calling on administration to seek public input on the new policy and report back in June.
Updates to the MGA came into effect in October, including a requirement for municipalities to adopt public participation policies
“The new requirements clarify how each municipality approaches public engagement and will provide citizens and stakeholders with an understanding of when and how they will be engaged,” administration said in a briefing note to council.
“The policy must identify the types or categories of approaches the municipality will use to engage municipal stakeholders, and the types or categories of circumstances in which the municipality will engage the public.
“The policy also must be available for public inspection, which may include posting it on the municipal website.”
The proposed public participation policy outlines a number of governing principles, including the following:
- Proactive – Initiating public engagement will begin at the earliest stage possible and allow enough time for appropriate information dissemination and exchange. A commitment to plain language and to clear and concise information will be undertaken by those conducting engagements to promote understanding.
- Equitable and fair – Engagements ensure that equal and fair opportunities will be provided to members of the public to participate and provide input.
- Community minded – An effort will be made to engage those who will be affected directly and indirectly by decision making, including diverse community members, to augment and improve the quality of feedback.
- Focused – Clear understanding of how the engagement will take place and the level of involvement expected from all parties.
- Relevant – Engagements will be developed and communicated effectively to encourage public participation and will be focused on the issue or topic under consideration.
- Innovative – Engagements will employ tools, strategies and tactics suitable to the topic or issue under discussion and will evolve as engagements are evaluated.
- Transparency – All information and data that can be shared and provided to the public will be available, and all engagements will be done in an open manner without prejudice.
“Mountain View County Council shall have the responsibility and final decision-making authority when determining when, and to what extent, public participation should be utilized,” the proposed policy reads.
How administration will be gathering the public input into the new policy has not yet been announced.
