Public Consultation and Engagement
Consultation designed and run by an IAP2-trained team, from the first plan to a what-we-heard report a regulator or council can rely on.
From the plan to the report
One team designs the consultation, runs it and writes up what was heard.
Design
Objectives, the decision on the table, the people affected and the regulatory requirement.
Notify
Plain-language notices and materials that tell people what is being decided and how to take part.
Consult
Open houses, meetings, workshops, surveys and online tools matched to each audience.
Analyze
Every comment captured, coded and sorted into themes.
Report back
A what-we-heard report for the decision maker and a summary for the people who took part.
Meet the requirement and give people a real say
Environmental assessments, municipal approvals, regulatory processes and policy decisions set consultation requirements. reVerb designs consultation to meet them and to give the people affected a clear way to take part.
After each session our team sorts every comment and turns it into a record that shows what people said and how the decision responded.
We design and deliver public consultation that meets regulatory requirements and builds support for the decision.
An IAP2-trained team
Several members of the reVerb team have completed training with the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2), including these courses.
What consultation does for a project or decision
Regulatory requirements
Environmental assessments, municipal approvals and regulatory processes set consultation requirements. A clear record shows the requirement was met.
Better decisions
Hearing from a range of people early widens the information a decision rests on and makes it easier to explain.
Public trust
People who were asked, heard and told how their input was used are more likely to trust the organization making the call.
Concerns surfaced early
Consultation brings concerns forward while there is still time to respond in the design, the plan or the policy.
Alberta data centre applications are one place this work is landing now. reVerb works with municipalities handling an application through their own process and with proponents preparing one for submission.
Our public consultation services
In-person and online methods, chosen for the people who need to take part.
Consultation design and planning
A process built around the decision, the regulatory requirement and the people affected.
- Objectives and scope
- Stakeholder identification
- Methods for each audience
- Timeline and process design
- Accessibility and inclusion planning
Open houses and public meetings
Information sessions, open houses and town halls, planned and facilitated.
- Event planning and logistics
- Display boards and materials
- Facilitation
- Input capture at every station
Public hearings and formal processes
Support for council hearings, regulatory hearings and structured processes with set procedures.
- Hearing preparation
- Presentation materials and speaking notes
- Delegation coordination
- Process and compliance support
Written and online consultation
Comment periods, surveys and online platforms for people who take part in writing or online.
- Consultation documents
- Survey design and analysis
- Online engagement platforms
- Comment period administration
Workshops and focus groups
Small-group sessions for detailed discussion and working through options together.
- Technical workshops
- Issue-specific focus groups
- Design sessions
- Multi-stakeholder dialogue
Analysis and reporting
Every comment captured, coded and reported back to the decision maker and the public.
- Input coding and theme analysis
- What-we-heard reports
- Response tracking
- Public summaries
Public consultation in action
Accelerated Roadwork Program, Valley Line West
A data-driven What We Heard Report for the City of Edmonton, built from 100+ construction inquiries, 42 business sessions and feedback from 3,481 Edmontonians.
Read the case study
Valley Line Southeast and West
Real-time outreach across more than 100 events and nearly 20,000 interactions, reaching residents missed by traditional communication.
Read the case studyConsultation practices we follow
Talk through the decision before you plan the consultation
A discovery call covers what is being decided, who is affected and what the requirement asks for. You leave with a clearer scope, whether or not you work with us.
Consultation requirements we work within
Environmental assessment
Federal and provincial environmental assessment processes with set public participation requirements.
Municipal planning and development
Public hearings for rezonings, statutory plans and development permits, and municipal engagement policies.
Utility and infrastructure approvals
Regulatory approvals for utilities, energy and major infrastructure with formal consultation and hearing requirements.
Regulation and policy
Government consultation on new regulation and policy, including comment periods and stakeholder sessions.
Transportation and transit
LRT, road and bridge projects where design and construction decisions call for public input along the corridor.
Public sector programs
Program planning and service changes where public bodies seek input from the people affected.
Consultation across sectors
Public consultation questions
What is the difference between public consultation and public engagement?
Consultation asks people for input on a defined decision and reports back on how that input was used. Engagement is the wider range of ways to involve people, from sharing information to working with them on solutions. Most programs we run use both.
Is reVerb's team trained in IAP2 methods?
Yes. Several members of the reVerb team have completed IAP2 training, including Foundations in Public Participation, Planning for Effective Public Participation, Designing Public Participation and Engagement, and courses on conflict, opposition and challenging contexts.
Do you run consultation in person or online?
Both. We choose the mix with you based on who needs to take part, the decision being made and any regulatory requirements, and many programs use both formats.
What goes into a what-we-heard report?
Who took part and how, the themes in what people said, how the project or decision responded, and what remains open. It is written so a regulator, council or board can rely on it. See our what-we-heard reports case study.
How long does a public consultation take?
It depends on the decision, the regulatory requirement and the audiences involved. We set the timeline with you on a discovery call and build it around your approval or decision dates.
Plan the consultation. Show what you heard.
Tell us what is being decided and who it affects. Every engagement starts with a discovery call so the consultation fits your requirement and your timeline.
