Join the Conversation: Engaging Stakeholders Through the Port Hope Area Initiative's Public Information Program

Abstract

The Port Hope Area Initiative (PHAI) has spent the past 15 years developing and maintaining strong stakeholder relationships within the southern Ontario communities of Port Hope and Port Granby to support one of Canada’s largest environmental remediation and restoration projects. Through public information sessions and workshops, stakeholder committees and citizen liaison groups, and electronic communication, the PHAI has created a dialogue about these historic low- level radioactive waste projects and invited all stakeholders to join the conversation.The PHAI’s comprehensive public information program supports the project delivery teams by providing accurate, timely and consistent information to the public to increase stakeholder confidence in the PHAI’s ability to safely remediate and manage the waste for the long term, while minimizing disruptions to the communities.In this paper, members of the PHAI’s Communications and Stakeholder Relations teams discuss the components of the public information program, which applies a strategic approach to inform both the general public and target audiences, including residents whose properties will be remediated, school populations near clean-up sites, the business sector and municipal elected officials and staff in the host communities.Tactics for stakeholder engagement will be covered, including the Project Information Exchange, which provides PHAI staff the opportunity to discuss the projects, face-to-face, with residents and others, answering questions and addressing concerns; door-to-door notification of residents and businesses in close proximity to PHAI activities; and Citizen Liaison Group meetings that provide regular forums for PHAI staff and volunteer members to exchange information and receive feedback about the projects. The authors will also touch on public attitude survey mechanisms used to measure the effectiveness of the public information program.