Presentation from the June 24, 2014 launch of Growing Conversations

1. Public Launch Event
Northern District Library
June 24, 2014 (6:30 – 9:00pm)

2. How do we make Toronto
the most engaged city in
North America?

3. STUDYOBJECTIVES
1. Better understand the strengths and weaknesses of the current
community planning process in Toronto
2. Explore new engagement models and tools
3. Explore opportunities and best practices related to implementing
Community Planning Advisory Groups in each Ward (or geographic
area)
4. Explore opportunities to broaden participation among key
audiences, including youth, new immigrants, and low-income
residents
5. Identify other opportunities to improve the quality of feedback
through the community planning process

4. IMPLEMENTATION
1
Strategic
Direction
2
Strategic
Direction
3
Strategic
Direction
VISION: To become North America’s most engaged
city on planning issues
Opportunities
for Change
STUDYFRAMEWORK
Pillars of Effective Engagement
Opportunities
for Change
Actions Actions Actions

5. STUDYELEMENTS
Stakeholder
Partnership
Strategy
Ethnic Media
Strategy
Engagement
Action Plan
Youth
Engagement
Strategy
Open Data
Framework

6. PARTNERSHIPSTRATEGY
Objective
Develop partnerships with key organizations to broaden engagement among key
audiences, including youth, new immigrants, and low income residents
Potential Partners
City of Toronto – SDFA
Toronto Youth Council
Toronto Community Housing
Centre for Immigrant and Community Services
Access Alliance
Youthful Cities
Culture Link
United Way
COSTI
YMCA
BILD
STAKEHOLDER

7. MEDIASTRATEGY
Objective
Build capacity within the newcomer community to better understand local
planning issues and encourage engagement through a monthly planning column
in five major ethnic newspapers from June 2014 to June 2015.
Targeted Language Groups
Cantonese
Mandarin
Spanish
Tamil
Tagalog
ETHNIC

8. ENGAGEMENTSTRATEGY
Objective
Develop a strategy to better engage 18-30 year olds in planning processes.
Methodology
The Strategy will employ a youth research team to study the issue of youth
engagement and provide recommendations. The Strategy will be ready by Fall
2014 and will be implemented as a pilot project through the Comprehensive to
the Core downtown study.
YOUTH

9. OPEN DATAFRAMEWORK
Objective
Develop a set of guidelines to provide clarity to both staff and the
public regarding the appropriate circumstances under which data sets
will be made available through Open Data.

10. Building Blocks
Identify & pursue key
stakeholder partners
Identify ethnic media
partners & develop
Ethnic Media Strategy
Public Launch
WE
ARE
HERE
Opportunities &
Constraints
Best Practices
Research
Identify draft
Opportunities for
Change
Identify draft Pillars of
Effective Engagement
1 2 3GROWING
PARTNERSHIPS
TAKING
STOCK
April – June 2014
YOUTH ENGAGEMENT STRATEGY
STUDYPROCESS
July – Dec 2014
DEVELOPING
SOLUTIONS
Jan – March 2015
4REPORTING
BACK
Apr – June 2015
Strategic Directions
& Actions
Identify draft Strategic
Directions
Identify draft Actions
Final
Recommendations
Final Report
ETHNIC MEDIA STRATEGY

11. YOUR FEEDBACKAND THE PLANNING PROCESS

12. Public Outreach:
• Online consultation will occur throughout the summer and fall to
identify the Opportunities & Constraints and Principles of Effective
Engagement
• Resident Roundtables will take place in the summer months
• Staff and Stakeholder Workshops will occur in the late summer/early
fall
Other Work:
• Continue to pursue Stakeholder & Media partnerships
• Identify draft Opportunities & Constraints and Principles of Effective
Engagement based on consultation outcomes
• Phase 3 begins in January 2015
NEXT STEPS

13. www.toronto.ca/
growingconversations