Engagement Process

At the City of Fort St. John, we believe meaningful public engagement is essential to building a vibrant, inclusive, and forward-thinking city. Through Let’s Talk Fort St. John, we invite residents, businesses, and interested parties to share their ideas, ask questions, and help shape the future of our community.

Our Commitment to Public Participation

The City of Fort St. John is committed to involving its citizens as part of decision-making processes. We use the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Core Values as the foundation for our public engagement efforts. These values guide how we design, deliver, and evaluate engagement activities:

Right to Participate: Public participation is based on the belief that those who are affected by a decision have a right to be involved in the decision-making process.
Influence on Decisions: Public participation includes the promise that the public's contribution will influence the decision.
Sustainable Outcomes: Public participation promotes sustainable decisions by recognizing and communicating the needs and interests of all participants, including decision makers.
Inclusive Engagement: Public participation seeks out and facilitates the involvement of those potentially affected by or interested in a decision.
Participant-Centered Design: Public participation seeks input from participants in designing how they participate.
Accessible Information: Public participation provides participants with the information they need to participate in a meaningful way.
Transparent Communication: Public participation communicates to participants how their input affected the decision.

How We Engage

Following the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Spectrum of Public Participation, our engagement process may include one or more of the following approaches, depending on the project's nature and scope:

	Inform	Consult	Involve	Collaborate	Empower
Public Participation Goal	To provide the public with balanced and objective information to assist them in understanding the problems, alternatives and/or solutions.	To obtain public feedback on analysis, alternatives and/or decisions.	To work directly with the public throughout the process to ensure that public concerns and aspirations are consistently understood and considered.	To partner with the public in each aspect of the decision including the development of alternatives and the identification of the preferred solution.	To place final decision-making in the hands of the public.
Public Promise	We will keep you informed.	We will keep you informed, listen to and acknowledge concerns and provide feedback on how public input influenced the decision.	We will work with you to ensure that your concerns and aspirations are directly reflected in the alternatives developed and provide feedback on how public input influenced the decision.	We will look to you for direct advice and innovation in formulating solutions and incorporate your advice and recommendations into the decisions to the maximum extent possible.	We will implement what you decide.
Example Tools	- Fact sheets - Websites - Open houses	- Public comments - Focus groups - Surveys - Public meetings	- Workshops - Public forums - Interactive sessions	- Citizen advisory committees - Participatory decision-making	- Delegated decisions - Referendums - Ballots

Developed from the International Association of Public Participation (IAP2) Spectrum of Public Participation

Your Voice Matters

Your voice helps shape the future of Fort St. John. Registering on Let’s Talk Fort St. John gives you access to a space where your ideas, questions, and feedback directly contribute to City decisions. Whether it's planning new parks, updating transportation routes, or shaping long-term strategies, your input ensures that decisions reflect the needs and values of our community.

By participating, you help: