Burlington's New Engagement Charter Puts Residents at the Heart of Decision-Making
The City of Burlington has released its updated Community Engagement Charter and Framework, renewing its commitment to transparent, inclusive and meaningful engagement with community.
Originally introduced in 2013, the Community Engagement Charter sets out how residents, City staff and members of Council work together to shape decisions about the City. The updated Charter reflects the evolving needs of Burlington's growing and changing community, strengthening how the City listens, communicates and engages with residents today.
The updated Charter sets clear expectations for how the City engages with residents, focusing on early communication, open dialogue and showing how feedback is used in decision-making across the City's initiatives, projects, and policies.
Key Highlights of the Community Engagement Charter
The updated Community Engagement Charter updates several key enhancements:
- Stronger accountability - The City will report back on what it heard and how public input was or was not used during decision-making.
- Greater transparency- Clearer communication throughout engagement, including timely updates and outcomes. More inclusive engagement- Expand efforts to reach underrepresented groups and reduce barriers to participation
- Improved access and accessibility- Use of plain language, multiple formats, and consideration for interpretation and translation needs.
- Modern tools and technology- A wider range of engagement methods, including online tools, telephone town halls to make it easier for people to take part.
- Clearer guidance and expectations -More detail to support consistent and meaningful engagement across the organization.
The charter also reinforces the City's commitment to ensuring all voices in Burlington are welcomed, heard and respected.
The updated Community Engagement Charter and Framework will guide how the City plans and delivers engagement moving forward, ensuring feedback is gathered and used to inform decisions that shape the community.
The updated Charter was developed through a multi-phase process involving residents, community groups, advisory committees, local businesses, City Council and City staff.
"Burlington's strength has always come from the people who call it home. This updated Community Engagement Charter raises the bar for how we work together-ensuring residents are not only heard, but clearly see how their input shapes the decisions we make, all while treating each other with respect, even when we have different perspectives. It reflects our commitment to openness, accountability and inclusive engagement, and sets a clear standard for building trust and making better decisions, together."
"Empowering our community members to be part of the civic process remains central to strong local governance. The updated Community Engagement Charter strengthens accountability and transparency by clearly showing how public input informs decisions, expanding inclusive participation, and improving access through clear communication and modern engagement tools. This framework reinforces a respectful and consistent approach to engagement across the organization."
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