Who We Are |
About IAP2 Canada
International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Canada is an association of professionals in the field of public participation (P2), who seek to promote and improve the practice in relation to individuals, governments, institutions and other entities that affect the public interest in Canada and around the world.
IAP2 Canada members are a diverse community of professionals, citizens, academics, and decision-makers who are committed to involving the public in decisions that affect them.
Our membership of over 1000 individuals from across Canada includes the following sectors:
- Local, provincial, and federal government
- Education & health care
- Energy sector (including power, oil & gas, renewable energy, mining & forestry)
- Non-profit & academia
- Infrastructure & property development
What We Do
We carry out our mission according to the 2021-24 Strategic Plan and organizes and conducts activities to:
- Serve the learning needs of members through events, publications, and communication technology;
- Advocate for public participation throughout the world;
- Promote a results-oriented research agenda and use research to support educational and advocacy goals, and;
- Provide technical assistance to improve public participation.
The Strategic Plan is created based on feedback collected in the Community Survey.
Pillars of Public Participation
As an international leader in public participation (P2), the IAP2 Federation developed three pillars for effective P2 processes. Developed with broad international input, these pillars cross national, cultural and religious boundaries, and they form the foundation of P2 processes that reflect the interests and concerns of all stakeholders.
Our MissionIAP2 Canada advances effective public participation practice and supports practitioners. Our VisionCanadians are meaningfully engaged in decisions that affect them by way of purposeful public participation. |
How is IAP2 Organized?
IAP2 Canada and other affiliate boards focus on the services and information required for members within their country. In Canada, we are focussed on developing a broad range of member benefits and services. The IAP2 organizational model is to have a federation which is comprised of national affiliates (like IAP2 Canada). This model recognizes that affiliates are best able to deliver IAP2 knowledge, information, services, and value to members through a national lens. At the same time, this organizational structure makes it easier to share knowledge between affiliates so we are all able to gain easy access to international best practices in public participation. The IAP2 organizational model is as follows:
The IAP2 model thus allows for local engagement, national representation and international participation. How do Chapters fit in?
Members of the seven regional Chapters are first members of IAP2 Canada. Chapters are a major benefit of membership as they provide the regional/community link for members and provide opportunities for regional engagement. What does the IAP2 Federation do?The IAP2 Federation Board (the international body) focuses on broad, strategic, internationally-impacting initiatives such as:
IAP2 Federation board members are appointed and assigned by each IAP2 Affiliate. Based on our membership Canada has two Federation representatives who participate on both the IAP2 Canada board and the Federation board. This ensures IAP2 Canada’s connection to the Federation and the Federation’s connection to IAP2 Canada. The IAP2 Federation has a direct link with trainers in every affiliate and each affiliate has its own unique training strategy. In Canada, trainers are able to train anywhere and they operate based on an entrepreneurial model. Where it can get confusing is that IAP2 Canada or any Chapter can decide they want to host training with a licensed trainer. This means that IAP2 Canada or the Chapter is acting as a host for the course, and contracts an IAP2 licensed trainer to teach the program. |
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