Official Community Plan

A

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COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION

in online surveys for this OCP process, some groups are underrepresented during certain types of engagement activities. These groups include youth, single parents, people of colour, Indigenous peoples, low-income residents, 2SLGBTQIAP people, persons with disabilities, children, youth, elders, and renters. A foundational part of Courtenay’s vision is to be a city for all people, created for and by residents with diverse identities, experiences and aspirations. In order to ensure that all perspectives are reflected in decision making, additional efforts must be made to engage everyone. This involves engaging organizations and residents in all stages of the decision-making process. This also requires meaningfully reaching, including, and honouring voices of equity-priority groups .

An Equity Lens for Community Participation Placing an equity lens on community

participation ensures that the needs and experiences of all people are included in public engagement, public consultation, and democratic decision-making processes. The City routinely engages with community members on diverse topics. In addition to the formal and routine public hearing process, the City invites community participation through more creative means such as open houses, online surveys, virtual dialogue sessions and unique events like neighbourhood ‘walkshops’. At the same time, it is common for many voices to be under-represented in municipal engagement processes, and Courtenay is no different. As evidenced by the demographic data collected

City of Courtenay OCP Background Report PART A Foundations