Communications & Community Engagement
Northumberland County’s 10-year Communications Master Plan was released in 2024. The purpose of this Master Plan is to build more inclusive and effective public services and greater trust in local government. Through the actions identified, the County will foster a community that is informed about municipal services, and engaged in shaping municipal priorities, policies, and programs.
Supporting the County’s 2023-2027 Community Strategic Plan
Development of a Communications Master Plan was a key action identified in the County’s 2023-2027 Community Strategic Plan. With Northumberland anticipated to grow to 122,000 residents by 2051, the Strategic Plan centres on a clear mandate to guide this growth with intention. The Communications Master Plan will help the County navigate change and harness new opportunities to provide exceptional service to residents.
Specifically, this Master Plan will:
- Reinforce the County’s commitment to placing residents at the centre of all communications, taking into account how they receive, interact with, and share municipal information.
- Improve accessibility and inclusion by providing a framework for how we engage and communicate with diverse audiences.
- Help the County measure and understand how well our communication efforts are working.
- Equip the Communications Department with a roadmap for technology and training that will ensure the team has the tools and skills required to be strategic partners.
- Build trust in municipal government through an integrated approach to resident experience that conveys care for residents; capability, reliability, and quality in service delivery; and commitment to open and honest communication.
- Set an initial five-year implementation plan of concrete actions that are aligned with the priorities of the Community Strategic plan.
Our vision for communications and community engagement
An informed, engaged, and welcoming community.
Our mission for communications and community engagement
Enhance resident experience with municipal government through exceptional communications that build trust, encourage participation, and promote inclusion.
Guiding Principles
The following principles for effective communications and engagement guide the County:
People First |
| We place the resident at the centre of all our decisions and communications, delivering timely, accurate information on the channels, devices, and platforms that our community members prefer. We embrace diversity and ensure that all voices are heard and represented in our communications. |
Excellence |
| We stay informed of industry best practices and emerging trends, striving for the highest standards of quality and professionalism in every aspect of our work. We set SMART goals, measure progress, evaluate outcomes, and apply what we’ve learned to drive results. |
Agility |
| We are flexible and adaptive, ready to respond to the evolving needs of the organization and our community. We cultivate creativity, innovate and experiment to find fresh approaches to communication challenges and to reach target audiences effectively. |
Integrity |
| We uphold honesty, accuracy, ethical behavior, and trustworthiness in all our interactions. We prioritize openness and accountability, uniting the whole County team in our shared responsibility as County ambassadors. |
Partnership |
| We work together with internal clients, member municipalities, agency partners, Indigenous communities, and others to achieve common goals and enhance community outcomes. We maintain curiosity, fostering a culture of listening and learning, always open to different perspectives and new ways to improve our reach and impact. |
What we heard
The Communications Master Plan was created based on a year of research, assessment of trends and current pressures, and review municipal best practices. It includes input from County staff, elected officials, community organizations, and local journalists, colleagues in local municipalities as well as municipalities in other parts of Canada and the United States.
It also includes feedback from nearly 640 community members who completed a survey in the fall of 2023. What we heard through this process is that our community expects the County to:
- Communicate in a straightforward, easily understandable, and transparent manner. Clearly demonstrate how tax dollars are allocated and how the County is addressing community needs.
- Provide clear explanations of decisions made and regularly update the community on how their input has shaped these decisions.
- Ensure access to information in ways that are convenient for all community members, balancing traditional and more modern communications methods.
- Offer meaningful and accessible opportunities for public engagement and clearly demonstrate how community feedback influences outcomes.
- Listen to understand, amplifying the voices of underrepresented and rights-bearing communities.
- Proactively address emerging community concerns, ensuring responsive communications.
- Collaborate with member municipalities and community organizations on shared priorities and work together to reach and engage underrepresented groups.
- Strengthen internal communication, ensuring it is consistent, timely, easily accessed, and easily understood, and making it easier for staff to share stories of service and success.
- Foster a culture of two-way communication, where community members and staff feel heard and valued in all aspects of local governance.
Master Plan Pillars
The Communications Master Plan will help the County navigate change and harness new opportunities to provide exceptional service to residents. While the plan spans a decade, the County recognizes that adaptability will be critical; the world will not look the same in 10 years as it does today. The plan is therefore rooted in a vision and guiding principles that set a roadmap for the next 10 years, while focusing on a shorter-term implementation plan of 44 actions spanning the first five years. In 2028, the Master Plan will be refreshed with a new action plan.
Pillar 1: Focus
As the Communications Department strives to achieve the highest possible professional standard and deliver value, a deeper focus on communications across the organization will ensure greater collaboration and understanding of everyone’s role as an ambassador enhancing resident experience with the County. Through 20 action items, we will:
- Embed an organizational communications mindset
- Build strategic communications capacity
- Align all communications to the County’s strategic business purpose
Pillar 2: Partner
With a greater emphasis on partnership building, we will strive to invite in, listen to, and engage more audiences in meaningful ways, involving more voices to share and strengthen County information and value. Through 11 action items, we will:
- Engage networks for shared insight
- Enhance community experience with the County
Pillar 3: Innovate
We will adapt to changing needs and expectations by establishing new ways to communicate, engage and tell stories. This includes leveraging new tools and approaches to increase reach and engagement, and sharing authentic, human stories that resonate. Through 13 action items, we will:
- Broaden effectiveness and reach of County communications
- Strengthen the story