British Columbia observers identify a general increase in public participation, especially with regard to natural resources; however, some describe public participation as an "uncertain intersection" where a more knowledgeable and less trusting public still wants input to decisions, but is dissatisfied when the outcomes don't reflect their views. This increasingly sophisticated public is concerned about both global and local issues and with sustainability. B.C. respondents give no clear picture of the relative importance of consultation at the policy, program or project levels. Participation ranges from a focus on problems or conflict to collaboration about a shared vision. The private sector seems to have accepted public participation more readily than the public sector, especially in natural resources development. At the same time, in some public entities, such as B.C. Hydro (a Crown corporation/utility), public participation in planning and decision-making is a clearly established policy. The provincial Ministry of Environment also has a strong public involvement program and has published its own manual. Reports from B.C. indicate the use of a wide range of techniques: public meetings, advisory committees, focus groups, open houses (sometimes combined with public meetings), roundtables, forums, polling, surveys, workshops, and new electronic and computer-assisted methods including the Internet. While the focus of public participation programs is usually the general public and the individual citizens, Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) strategies usually involve the representatives of key groups of publics and stakeholders in processes such as mediation, negotiation, consensus-building and roundtables. In B.C., regulators and the public favor multistakeholder and consensus-building techniques, but project proponents are concerned that these require power-sharing. The relative importance of stakeholders versus the general public varies across the country and for different reasons. The debate seems to center on whether a participation program should involve only stakeholders--those who may be directly affected by the outcome of a decision--or whether a broader public should be included. One B.C. observer notes that stakeholders have always been important and they are getting more creative in dealing directly with their opponents; another lists twelve types of participants and remarks that their legitimacy is a valid issue in program design for each situation. Respondents in every province report pressure for greater economy and efficiency in public participation, though it takes various forms. In B.C., efficient and effective use of time and resources is achieved by focused and targeted consultation. Return to Public Participation in Canada
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