My Responses to OPEG’s 2026 Public Engagement Questionnaire
I just sent my answers to the Ottawa Public Engagement Group (OPEG). They asked every council candidate six practical questions about how the City talks to residents — and whether we actually listen.
Here’s what I told them, straight from my platform:
Q1 – Early vs. Late Consultation
Yes. The City must consult residents before options are narrowed and budgets are locked. One concrete step: every major project (LRT, infrastructure, city-wide plans) needs a mandatory “Phase 0” public input window. We’ve seen the same Confederation Line bearing failures since 2019 because the public never got a real say until the design was already done. Early consultation plus public dashboards would stop another round of “pretty poor partnership” mistakes.
Q2 – What We Heard / What We Did
Yes. Every major consultation should include a clear, public “What We Heard / What We Did” report that shows what changed — or why nothing did.
Example: the ongoing LRT reliability crisis. Residents have complained for years, yet we still don’t have a plain-language report laying out resident input side-by-side with what the City actually changed. Fix: publish root-cause summaries with measurable milestones and real consequences.
Q3 – Transparency of Information
I checked all the boxes:
My one practical priority: digital-first + neighbourhood-first engagement. Use QR codes and simple apps (the same sensor tech I’ve proposed for public washrooms) so shift workers, multi-job residents, newcomers and youth can give input anytime. Hold pop-ups at community hubs and garage sales — where people already gather — instead of only 9-to-5 City Hall meetings. Add language supports and honouraria where needed. Real engagement meets people where they are.
Q5 – Accountability for Engagement Commitments
Two mechanisms:
Starting in 2027 I want Ottawa remembered as the first Canadian city that treats public trust as measurable data. No more slush funds, no more hidden reports, no more “consult after the decision is made.” Every major decision will come with plain-language summaries, real-time dashboards where it makes sense, and honest “What We Heard / What We Did” updates. Residents will finally know their input shapes the city — not just decorates the press release.That’s it. Short, practical, and exactly what I’ve been writing about on this blog since day one.
Note:Full questionnaire and all candidate responses will be published by OPEG soon at OttawaPublicEngagementGroup.ca. I’ll link it here when it’s live.
If you’re in Rideau-Rockcliffe and want better engagement, better transparency, and real accountability, I’m your candidate. Drop me a note or follow the campaign — we’re just getting started.
Peter Karwacki
Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward
peterkarwacki.blogspot.com
Here’s what I told them, straight from my platform:
Q1 – Early vs. Late Consultation
Yes. The City must consult residents before options are narrowed and budgets are locked. One concrete step: every major project (LRT, infrastructure, city-wide plans) needs a mandatory “Phase 0” public input window. We’ve seen the same Confederation Line bearing failures since 2019 because the public never got a real say until the design was already done. Early consultation plus public dashboards would stop another round of “pretty poor partnership” mistakes.
Q2 – What We Heard / What We Did
Yes. Every major consultation should include a clear, public “What We Heard / What We Did” report that shows what changed — or why nothing did.
Example: the ongoing LRT reliability crisis. Residents have complained for years, yet we still don’t have a plain-language report laying out resident input side-by-side with what the City actually changed. Fix: publish root-cause summaries with measurable milestones and real consequences.
Q3 – Transparency of Information
I checked all the boxes:
- Plain-language 1–2 page summaries for every major staff report
- Keep closed surveys public with full questions and response counts
- Publish all recorded votes in a simple, searchable format
- Plus one more: full root-cause analyses and incident timelines for every major infrastructure failure so residents can actually track what was learned.
My one practical priority: digital-first + neighbourhood-first engagement. Use QR codes and simple apps (the same sensor tech I’ve proposed for public washrooms) so shift workers, multi-job residents, newcomers and youth can give input anytime. Hold pop-ups at community hubs and garage sales — where people already gather — instead of only 9-to-5 City Hall meetings. Add language supports and honouraria where needed. Real engagement meets people where they are.
Q5 – Accountability for Engagement Commitments
Two mechanisms:
- File a motion at my first committee meeting for quarterly public “Engagement Scorecards” tracking every commitment on early consultation and report-backs.
- Tie future project budgets to demonstrated compliance — no green light for the next big spend until the last one has published its transparent report.
Starting in 2027 I want Ottawa remembered as the first Canadian city that treats public trust as measurable data. No more slush funds, no more hidden reports, no more “consult after the decision is made.” Every major decision will come with plain-language summaries, real-time dashboards where it makes sense, and honest “What We Heard / What We Did” updates. Residents will finally know their input shapes the city — not just decorates the press release.That’s it. Short, practical, and exactly what I’ve been writing about on this blog since day one.
Note:Full questionnaire and all candidate responses will be published by OPEG soon at OttawaPublicEngagementGroup.ca. I’ll link it here when it’s live.
If you’re in Rideau-Rockcliffe and want better engagement, better transparency, and real accountability, I’m your candidate. Drop me a note or follow the campaign — we’re just getting started.
Peter Karwacki
Rideau-Rockcliffe Ward
peterkarwacki.blogspot.com
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