External Communications Strategy

The City of Owen Sound's (first ever) External Communications Strategy was developed to provide clear direction to support more proactive, consistent, and effective communication between the City of Owen Sound and its residents.

It includes four directive themes and 17 recommendations to be implemented over the next three years.

This External Communications Strategy represents the City’s first coordinated, organization-wide approach to how we share information with and how we listen to our community. Effective communication is fundamental to good local government; it shapes how residents understand City programs and services, how they engage with municipal decision-making, and how trust is built over time.

Our Goals, Objectives and Recommendations

At its core, this Strategy is focused on building trust and increasing engagement with the City by providing a reliable, credible source of information. Residents should feel confident turning to the City first for accurate, clear, and timely information about municipal programs, services, projects, and decisions. It is the municipality's responsibility to provide residents with clear, easy ways to understand decisions made at Council meetings and program or service information that affects them. Equally important, this Strategy emphasizes creating meaningful opportunities for residents to provide feedback, ask questions, and feel heard.

The value of this goal is that trust is the foundation of successful relationships, including between municipalities and residents. To have trust means that residents will look to City communications for clarity, answers, and information they are seeking. It also means that City staff will ensure that information is provided in a timely manner and is accurate, current, and reliable.

Objective #1: Proactive, Consistent and Expected Communications

Set clear expectations for communication tactics, timeliness, and consistency to help residents anticipate upcoming information and decisions. Share open and transparent information and decision-making to help eliminate perceptions of selective information sharing or a ‘closed-door’ feeling for residents.

Recommendations:

1. Provide regular, consistent updates of what happens at Council and Committee meetings with the public.
2. Actively promote and prioritize City-managed and direct communication channels.
Including, but not limited to, online news subscriptions, OurCity registration, tax and water inserts.
3. Initiate a regular newsletter to provide a summary of City news and information.
4. Expand the City of Owen Sound Brand Style Guide to provide a wider reach of brand consistency.
5. Develop and implement Social Media Guidelines.

Objective #2: Improve Two-Way Communications

Clarify the methods and standards for direct interactions with residents, staff, and Council members, and strengthen two-way communication to help residents know they’ve been heard.

Recommendations:

6. Standardize and direct residents on how they can best reach City Council members.
7. Establish consistency in how residents can best reach City staff.
8. Ensure community engagement feedback loops are closed.

Objective #3: Improve Information Access

Simplify navigation and provide clear directions so residents know where to go to access the information they need.

Recommendations:

9. Audit website navigation/layout regularly, and change as needed.
10. Ensure consistently accessible and inclusive communications.
11. Offer clear calendars on the City website to promote community events, and also highlight City-run events such as public meetings, open houses, hazardous waste days, etc.
12. Clarify and communicate the roles and responsibilities of different levels of government.
13. Explore the opportunity to expand the use of 211 local services for day-to-day enquiries.

Objective #4: Utilize Additional Communications Channels

Expand communication channels to deliver consistent messages, with increased emphasis on offline methods.

Recommendations:

14. Identify new and existing communications tools that can expand consistent message reach.
15. Build standard guidelines for what types of communications should take which channels, including what resources are required.
16. Leverage existing and build new partnerships and networks to share City communications, particularly through in-person events.
17. Promote easy access to the online Report-A-Concern form across City facilities.

The City’s External Communications Strategy will be rolled out in phases over a three-year period to ensure a realistic and achievable change management approach. See the Implementation Phases tables in the Strategy document for more details.

Financial Considerations:

This External Communications Strategy has been developed with no additional budget allocation. The recommendations identified focus on maximizing existing tools, platforms, and staff capacity, and prioritizing communication methods that can be implemented without incurring new costs.

Download the full External Communications Strategy

808 2nd Avenue East,
Owen Sound, ON
N4K 2H4
Phone: 519-376-1440
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