In Ontario, public participation is reported to be in a "maelstrom of confusion and conflicting directions." Within the private sector, and to a lesser extent at the municipal level, public participation is being taken to heart and put into action, according to a l995 study by the Ontario Chapter of IAP3 (Ontario Chapter of IAP3, 1995). At the provincial government level, however, there appears to be little real comprehension and even less action, partly due to a new neo-conservative ruling party. The provincial government recently passed an omnibus bill which restricts public access and strengthens the arbitrary powers of provincial ministers. An overnight sit-in at the legislature by opposition parties led the government to concede to a month of whirlwind hearings on the bill and to some concessions. The private sector in Ontario has adopted collaboration with customers, suppliers and the public as part of a general style of doing business, according to one report. Another indicates that the private sector responds only to legislative requirements for public participation. Another still reflects that participation is part of the First Nations "ancient ways" and is being used by them increasingly. When public participation is conducted in the province, it is spread fairly evenly across policy, program, and project issues. In the Ontario Chapter's report, the survey of 40 Ontario public- and private-sector organizations identified trends toward more proactive, interactive, informal and flexible approaches, including the use of open houses, fax machines, toll-free telephone numbers, electronic mail, video, and teleconferencing (Ontario Chapter of IAP3, 1995). A regional planner reports, in addition to frequent open houses and public meetings, the use of focus groups, surveys, workshops, an ideas fair, a Socratic dialogue, the delphi process and task forces. Another respondent notes the growing use of advisory committees. Recent provincial legislation nearly halved the time allowed to approve subdivision and local official plans, which has led to more efficient mailings and greater use of the Freenet and Internet. At the regional level in Ontario, mediation has proven useful, after a regular public participation program is completed, to resolve remaining differences; it cuts implementation time and costs. By contrast, competitive pressures, according to another observer, lead lawyers and mediators to move into the field of public participation, despite their lack of training, because there are no widely recognized standards for professionals in the field. In Ontario, there are few specialized public participation firms, so the work is often done by planning or engineering consultants or by the proponent's in-house staff. The exception is when a current or previous project has gone badly awry and independent professional expertise is recognized as essential. Some project proponents are aware of the need and seek professional help when budgets permit. Return to Public Participation in Canada
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