Why a public engagement framework?

The City is committed to engaging residents on matters that affect their qualityof-life and their city. Public engagement encourages participation, action, personal responsibility and democracy. The goal is to facilitate more informed and inclusive municipal decision-making.

The City of Kingston’s core values are Teamwork, Respect, Integrity and Pride. The City is committed to being open, transparent and accountable, and to engage and empower residents to participate in meaningful discussions and innovative solutions. Kingston residents have the right to access information and proceedings to allow for effective public engagement and oversight of City affairs.

The City’s open government framework is an essential requirement of a smart city. The four key components of open government are: open data, open governance, open programs and services, and open engagement.

The City recognizes that there are three ways for change to be brought forward through public engagement:

• Resident-driven
• Council/councillor-driven
• City employee-driven

Although this public engagement framework focuses on the City employee-driven approach, it also captures a number of approaches for resident-driven and council-driven change.