Strategic Communications & Public Affairs
Navigate Complex Stakeholder Landscapes.
Shape the Outcomes That Matter.
In today's environment, organizations don't succeed by simply executing well—they succeed by building the political support, community acceptance, and stakeholder alignment that makes execution possible. Whether you're advancing infrastructure projects, implementing policy changes, managing organizational transformation, or seeking regulatory approvals, your ability to communicate strategically and engage effectively with government determines your success.
Strategic communications and public affairs aren't about spin or manipulation. They're about understanding the political and stakeholder landscape, building genuine relationships with decision-makers, and ensuring your perspective is heard when policies are shaped and decisions are made.
We help you secure social license, influence policy outcomes, and build the coalitions that turn plans into reality.
Why Strategic Communications & Public Affairs Matter
Permission to operate isn't guaranteed—it's earned. Projects get delayed, policies face opposition, and initiatives fail not because of technical flaws, but because organizations underestimate the complexity of stakeholder relationships, political dynamics, and public perception.
What Strategic Public Affairs Deliver:
Policy influence - Ensure your perspective shapes regulations, legislation, and government decisions that affect your operations
Regulatory approval - Navigate complex approval processes with strategic relationships and well-positioned advocacy
Social license - Build community acceptance and public support that protects your ability to operate
Political intelligence - Understand policy developments, political priorities, and stakeholder positions before they impact you
Risk mitigation - Identify and address political and stakeholder risks before they become project-stopping obstacles
Coalition strength - Organize support across government, industry, community, and other stakeholders to advance shared interests
Credible voice - Position your organization as a trusted partner in policy conversations, not just a special interest
The organizations that succeed in complex political and stakeholder environments aren't the ones with the best projects—they're the ones with the best relationships, the clearest strategies, and the most effective communications.
Our Approach: Integrated. Proactive. Outcome-Focused.
Effective public affairs requires seamless integration of strategic communications, government relations, stakeholder engagement, and internal alignment. We provide comprehensive support across all dimensions:
Strategic Communications Planning
Everything starts with strategy. Before engaging stakeholders or approaching government, you need clarity on objectives, audiences, messages, and tactics. We help you:
Define communication objectives - Establish clear, measurable goals aligned with organizational priorities
Map the landscape - Identify all stakeholders, decision-makers, influencers, and potential opposition
Develop positioning - Craft compelling narratives that frame your project or initiative favorably
Create message frameworks - Build consistent talking points that work across all audiences and channels
Design integrated plans - Coordinate communications across public affairs, media, stakeholder engagement, and internal channels
Establish metrics - Define success indicators and tracking mechanisms to measure effectiveness
Strategic communications provide the foundation that makes all other public affairs work more effective.
Government Relations & Policy Advocacy
Success often depends on relationships with elected officials, regulators, and policymakers. We help you:
Build government relationships - Cultivate productive connections with municipal councils, provincial ministries, regulatory agencies, and federal departments
Monitor policy developments - Track legislation, regulations, policy consultations, and government priorities that could impact your organization
Provide political intelligence - Analyze political dynamics, understand decision-maker motivations, and identify opportunities and risks
Advocate strategically - Present your position effectively through briefings, submissions, delegations, and strategic conversations
Navigate approvals - Guide projects through regulatory processes, environmental assessments, and permitting requirements
Coordinate intergovernmental relations - Manage communications across multiple government jurisdictions with overlapping interests
Position for policy influence - Ensure your expertise and perspective inform policy development before decisions are finalized
We help you engage government proactively—shaping policy conversations rather than just reacting to decisions already made.
Stakeholder Engagement & Coalition Building
Policy success requires more than government support—it requires broader stakeholder alignment. We help you:
Map stakeholder networks - Identify all groups with interest or influence over your project or policy outcome
Analyze positions and interests - Understand what different stakeholders want, fear, and value
Design engagement strategies - Create targeted approaches for different stakeholder groups with different concerns
Build coalitions - Organize support across industry, community, environmental, Indigenous, and other stakeholder groups
Facilitate productive dialogue - Create forums where diverse interests can find common ground
Address opposition strategically - Engage critics respectfully while building broader support
Demonstrate responsiveness - Show how stakeholder input influences decisions and project design
Broad stakeholder support makes government approval easier and builds resilience when opposition emerges.
Issues Management & Political Risk
Proactive issue identification prevents crises and protects relationships. We help you:
Scan the environment - Monitor emerging issues, policy debates, and stakeholder sentiment that could impact your organization
Assess political risk - Evaluate how political dynamics, election cycles, and policy shifts create opportunities or threats
Develop response protocols - Create frameworks for addressing issues quickly and consistently
Prepare for opposition - Anticipate arguments against your position and develop effective counter-narratives
Manage controversies - Navigate politically sensitive situations without damaging government relationships
Track sentiment - Monitor how stakeholders and the public perceive your organization and adjust strategy accordingly
Organizations that manage issues proactively maintain better relationships and face fewer surprises.
Internal Communications & Organizational Alignment
External success requires internal alignment. Employees, contractors, and partners must understand and support your public affairs strategy. We help you:
Align leadership - Ensure executives and board members understand and champion the strategic direction
Engage employees - Help internal teams understand how their work connects to broader organizational goals
Support safety and culture - Use communications to reinforce operational priorities and values
Coordinate messaging - Ensure internal communications align with external commitments and public statements
Empower managers - Provide tools for supervisors to communicate consistently with their teams
Build ambassadors - Turn employees into credible advocates who strengthen external relationships
When internal audiences are well-informed and aligned, they become powerful assets in achieving external objectives.
Core Services
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Develop integrated communication strategies that align with organizational goals and political realities. We create detailed plans covering objectives, audience analysis, message frameworks, tactical approaches, timelines, responsibilities, and measurement—designed to support complex projects, policy initiatives, and organizational transformation.
Deliverables: Strategic communications plan, stakeholder mapping, message platform, tactical calendar, channel strategy, budget recommendations, success metrics, risk assessment
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Build and maintain productive relationships with elected officials, regulators, and government staff across municipal, provincial, and federal levels. We provide strategic counsel, coordinate briefings and meetings, monitor policy developments, prepare advocacy materials, and help navigate approval processes.
Deliverables: Government relations strategy, stakeholder analysis, meeting coordination, briefing materials, policy monitoring reports, advocacy submissions, relationship tracking, political intelligence updates
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Execute coordinated campaigns to build support for projects, policies, or organizational initiatives. We design multi-channel efforts combining government relations, stakeholder engagement, media relations, and public communications to shape opinion and influence outcomes.
Deliverables: Campaign strategy, coalition coordination, advocacy materials, stakeholder outreach, media engagement, grassroots mobilization (if appropriate), progress tracking, outcome assessment
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Monitor legislative and regulatory developments, analyze implications for your organization, and help you participate effectively in policy processes. We track government consultations, prepare written submissions, coordinate oral presentations, and position your organization as a credible policy voice.
Deliverables: Policy monitoring briefs, analysis and recommendations, written submissions, presentation materials, stakeholder coordination, consultation participation, follow-up advocacy
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Understand the complex web of interests surrounding your project or initiative. We identify all relevant stakeholders, analyze their positions and influence, assess relationships and risks, and design targeted engagement strategies for different groups with different concerns.
Deliverables: Comprehensive stakeholder map, power-interest analysis, relationship assessment, engagement strategy, tactics by stakeholder group, talking points, engagement tracking system
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Guide projects through complex regulatory approvals, environmental assessments, permitting processes, and public hearings. We help you understand requirements, coordinate submissions, manage stakeholder engagement obligations, and communicate effectively with regulators.
Deliverables: Regulatory roadmap, submission coordination, hearing preparation, stakeholder engagement plans, communications materials, regulator briefings, approval tracking
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Identify emerging issues and political risks before they threaten your objectives. We scan the policy environment, track stakeholder positions, monitor public sentiment, assess political dynamics, and develop proactive strategies to manage risks and seize opportunities.
Deliverables: Issue scanning reports, political risk assessment, scenario planning, response protocols, talking points, stakeholder intelligence, strategic recommendations
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Build and coordinate coalitions of aligned stakeholders who can amplify your advocacy and broaden your support base. We identify potential partners, facilitate coalition formation, coordinate messaging and tactics, and manage ongoing alliance relationships.
Deliverables: Coalition strategy, partner identification and outreach, coalition structure and governance, shared messaging platform, advocacy coordination, meeting facilitation, partner communications
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Ensure your internal teams understand and support your external strategy. We design and implement internal communications programs covering leadership alignment, employee engagement, change management, safety culture, and organizational alignment with public commitments.
Deliverables: Internal communications strategy, leadership communications plan, employee engagement tactics, manager toolkits, internal messaging frameworks, communication channels and protocols, culture-building initiatives
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Provide ongoing strategic counsel to senior leaders navigating complex political and stakeholder environments. We offer confidential advice on sensitive issues, prepare executives for high-stakes meetings, brief boards on political developments, and help leadership make informed decisions about public affairs strategy.
Deliverables: Confidential strategic counsel, executive briefings, board presentations, political intelligence, decision support analysis, meeting preparation, relationship guidance
Why reVerb Communications?
Deep Alberta & Canadian Infrastructure Expertise
We've supported communications and public affairs for some of Alberta's largest infrastructure projects—Valley Line Southeast and West LRT, Capital Line South Extension, Calgary Green Line, and others. We understand how infrastructure projects intersect with municipal politics, provincial policy, federal funding, Indigenous consultation, environmental regulation, and community dynamics.
Municipal Government Experience
We've worked alongside municipal governments managing council relations, resident engagement, policy communications, and inter-governmental coordination. We understand how local government works, what councillors care about, and how to navigate municipal decision-making processes.
Strategic, Not Just Tactical
We don't just execute communications tasks—we provide strategic counsel that shapes organizational direction. Our recommendations are grounded in political reality, stakeholder analysis, and proven tactics for complex environments.
Integrated Approach
We seamlessly integrate strategic communications, government relations, stakeholder engagement, media relations, and internal communications. We understand how these elements work together and ensure your efforts are coordinated, not fragmented.
Proactive Issue Management
We identify political and stakeholder risks early, when they're easier to manage. Our environmental scanning and relationship networks provide early warning that protects your projects and relationships.
Relationship-Focused
We believe effective public affairs are built on authentic relationships, not transactional interactions. We help you become a trusted, credible partner to government and stakeholders—not just another organization seeking approval.
Extension of Your Team
We work as an extension of your internal communications and government relations capacity, filling gaps, providing specialized expertise, and scaling support during critical periods without the overhead of full-time hires.
Who We Serve
Infrastructure & Construction Organizations
Navigate the complex approval processes, stakeholder relationships, and political dynamics surrounding major projects. We help you secure permits, build community support, manage government relations, and maintain social license throughout project delivery.
Municipal Governments
Support council communications, intergovernmental relations, policy engagement, and resident communications. We help municipalities advance initiatives, manage controversial issues, and communicate effectively with constituents and other government levels.
Corporations
Build relationships with government, influence policy outcomes, manage regulatory matters, and secure social license for operations or expansion. We help corporations engage strategically with political and stakeholder environments.
Industry Associations
Coordinate advocacy across member organizations, influence policy development, position industries effectively in public discourse, and build coalitions around shared interests.
Provincial & Federal Agencies
Support policy communications, stakeholder engagement, intergovernmental coordination, and public-facing initiatives requiring strategic communications and relationship management.
The Social License Imperative
Technical excellence alone doesn't guarantee project success. Community opposition, political resistance, regulatory challenges, and stakeholder concerns can delay or stop even the best-designed projects.
Social license—the ongoing acceptance of your operations by communities and stakeholders—is earned through:
Transparent, consistent communication
Genuine engagement with diverse perspectives
Demonstrable responsiveness to concerns
Trust built through reliable relationships
Alignment between commitments and actions
We help you build and maintain the social license that turns plans into delivered projects and organizations into trusted community partners.
When Strategic Communications & Public Affairs Matter Most
Invest in strategic public affairs:
Before major projects launch - Build political support and social license before opposition organizes
During approval processes - Navigate regulatory requirements while maintaining stakeholder relationships
When policy is being developed - Influence policy direction before positions harden and decisions are made
During political transitions - Maintain relationships and protect interests through election cycles and government changes
When opposition emerges - Respond strategically to maintain credibility and build broader coalition support
Before controversies escalate - Address concerns proactively before they become political liabilities
When seeking funding - Build government support for capital investment or program funding
During organizational change - Manage external perceptions while maintaining stakeholder confidence
Organizations that engage strategically and proactively shape more favorable outcomes than those who react only when forced to.
Ready to Navigate Your Complex Stakeholder Environment?
Whether you're managing a major infrastructure project, navigating regulatory approvals, influencing policy development, or managing municipal communications—strategic public affairs expertise can mean the difference between success and stalled progress.
