Alerts

Have your say!

Your input matters. This section provides Okotoks residents with a space to learn about and participate in Town projects and initiatives that are currently ongoing or open for input.

Feedback from residents, businesses, community groups, Town Council, committees and staff has been essential in developing the Town’s Public Engagement policy, strategy and a matching toolkit that guides the process for public participations on all these projects.

Strategy and Toolkit

Be a part of the Okotoks Citizen Panel

Join the Citizen Panel to join a group of engaged citizens who want to be contacted for future public consultation opportunities.

Sign up

Like many local governments, the Town of Okotoks uses the Spectrum of Public Participation to have internal discussions about what level of public participation is needed for a given issue, and to properly communicate “the promise to the public” both internally and externally.

Each type of participation, from “inform” to “empower,” can be useful and appropriate in different circumstances. Many factors determine the level of public participation required in a process, such as Council priorities, history of and context for the issue, and potential impacts of the initiative (e.g., financial, quality of life, health and safety, environmental, lifestyle, etc.)

The Town welcomes and encourages a diversity of opinions and ideas on decisions that affect residents. To ensure that this dialogue remains respectful, the Town has created a Civility Charter that guides the way we communicate with each other. 

Civility Charter

Spectrum of Public Participation

(produced by the International Association for Public Participation (IAP2))

Graphic of Spectrum Cards

The Town of Okotoks has always worked diligently to communicate with and involve our citizens. Over the past decade, care has been taken to recognize the growing demand for open and two-way communication – this means listening to citizens, gathering feedback, and responding to the expanding influence of technology while still respecting a broad range of communication channels for different needs. 

From May through December 2017, the Town worked with residents, businesses, community groups, and other stakeholders to develop a formal Public Engagement Strategy and Toolkit that provides the tools and tactics to enhance the conversation between stakeholders and the Town.

This toolkit is designed to help the Town:

  • Engage citizens sooner
  • Boost public participation numbers
  • Create new channels to distribute information
  • Have more conversations with the public
  • Provide information that is clear
  • Keep citizens informed
  • Build and enhance relationships and trust

What we heard

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Municipal Affairs Toolkit

An essential balance between outcomes and trust must be maintained in municipal decision-making: building trust is just as important as achieving outcomes—both are necessary for success. Relationships among people are a critical element of municipal business.

The following toolkit and guides from Alberta Municipal Affairs provide some guidance about how municipalities can maintain good relationships through appropriate public input into decisions made by Council.

Would you like to present to Council on a specific issue?  Learn about delegations, question period and petitions:

Presenting to Council 

The Town encourages residents and community members to get involved in our community and contribute to the prosperity and sustainability of Okotoks. There are occasional vacancies on a number of different boards, committees and commissions. 

Learn more about the various committees and how to apply.

Become a part of the Citizen Panel

Signing up to be part of the Citizen Panel means you will be notified when different engagement opportunities open up for community consultation. You will be joining a group of engaged citizens who want to be contacted for future public consultation opportunities. The Citizens’ Panel provides the Town with a statistically accurate and representative sample of our community.