Public consultation is an integral part of both environmental assessment and planning for a broad range of industrial, infrastructure or government projects and policies. Governments and regulators worldwide require substantial, meaningful consultation as a key element in decision-making processes during all stages of a project cycle, beginning with the design and assessment phases. Progressive businesses have also recognized that meaningful input from concerned communities and citizens in the earliest stages of planning contributes to improved project design and stakeholder relations. Additionally, many businesses and communities periodically face issues, decisions or events that arouse public interest and concern. Communicating and consulting in a proactive and genuine fashion is often an important step in successfully resolving these challenges.

Jacques Whitford has leading experience in all aspects, tools and techniques associated with productive public and stakeholder consultation. We have accomplished the design, planning and implementation of politically sensitive and technically demanding communications and consultations in a wide range of settings.  By combining our extensive technical capabilities and communications skills, we have gained unique insight into how to communicate with different audiences about complex social and environmental issues.  We work with clients to ensure high levels of constructive public participation, resulting in faster project approvals, and improved project design, while building community trust and goodwill.