Our Healthy Community Engagement Action Guide is here. Full of information, strategies, community examples and resources, it’s designed to help local governments ensure their engagement processes are inclusive and equitable. Look for the checklist on page 10 guideline for a quick assessment of your community's community engagement processes. Get the Action Guide.

When we work to ensure that every community member's voice is heard and considered as we build our communities, we end up building a community where more people can be healthy and well.  In support of the release of our new Community Engagement Action Guide, we'll be hosting a webinar Tuesday, September 10th to explore ways that staff in local governments can design community engagement processes with equity in mind. Get more information and register.

​What does community engagement look like when inclusion is the top priority? The Township of Langley’s process for their Social Sustainability Strategy offers a master class in equity-centred community engagement. The Township hosted targeted sessions for their rural population and youth, and a social innovation lab focused on social connectedness. See the full story.

​The biggest barrier to physical activity on Penelakut Island is the lack of infrastructure, so local residents joined together to build a multi-purpose trail, allowing them to discover the island by walking, hiking, running or cycling. The construction process was also an integrated learning experience, as elders worked with youth to share knowledge about the land. Read more.

Looking for more resources to support your community engagement efforts? Check out PlanH.ca's collection of guides, articles and other documents exploring healthy community engagement. Browse the resources.

The Project for Public Spaces recently published the first article of a four-part series focusing on equity in public spaces. They break down four key steps to take to ensure the placemaking process is community-driven and accessible, with this instalment focused on community engagement. Read the full article.

​“Fostering strong community-level participation is critical for equitable and inclusive development." Placemaking is crucial to combat the isolation that can be felt in cities as they grow and become more diverse. This article in the Stanford Social Innovation Review outlines how placemaking strategies can reach their full potential when all perspectives are involved in the process. Read the full article.

Come chat with us at the UBCM Trade Show! We'll be there September 25th and 26th, promoting our latest resources and gathering input for our upcoming grant stream. But most importantly, we'll be there to hear from you. What initiatives do you want to implement in your community? Let us know how we can best support you over the next year. 
Get in touch to set up a time to chat with us.