Today Mayor Gregor Robertson announced a series of next steps for the public to participate in developing the final report of the Engaged City Task Force, as part of a push to strengthen civic engagement and modernize consultation in Vancouver.

The Mayor and the Engaged City Task Force launched a new Online Ideas Forum where Vancouver residents can post ideas, make comments, and answer questions posed by the Task Force, with the input to be incorporated into the final report in July.

Click here to visit the new Online Ideas Forum

The Task Force also launched the new @EngagedCity twitter channel to solicit feedback and tweet ideas for discussion and commentary.

“In a time of fast-moving technological change, it’s important the City’s services and decision-making processes are made to be as open, accessible and engaging as possible,” said the Mayor. “Expanding the City’s engagement online and on social media will be a crucial component of our work to build a stronger and more civic-minded community, and I look forward to building on the input we receive from these important new tools.”

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This week the City of Vancouver approved its first-ever digital strategy, continuing City Hall’s work to support the local digital economy and improve service delivery for citizens. Here’s some of the reaction from the press and on social media: 

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The Mayor and City Council will vote next week on the first-ever digital strategy for the City of Vancouver, continuing City Hall’s work to support the local digital economy and improve service delivery for citizens.

The strategy focuses on improving the way the City provides services online for citizens and small businesses, supporting our dynamic local digital media industry, and putting Vancouver at the forefront of support for digital innovation.

“Making Vancouver a leader in digital innovation has been a key priority of my work as Mayor,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “The City’s first-ever digital strategy represents another significant step forward in our efforts to improve how City Hall does business and engages with citizens, how we support leading-edge job creation in our local technology and creative sectors, and how we foster digital innovation to make life better for all Vancouver residents.”

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City Hall will be opening its doors to Open Data Day this Saturday, bringing together app developers, designers, City staff, policy wonks and interested citizens to examine, analyze and explore applications for open data in Vancouver.

“Making Vancouver a leader in Open Data has been a key priority of my work as Mayor, and opening up City Hall to Open Data Day is another way we’re looking to engage citizens and support our local technology and creative sectors in building a better city,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “Whether it’s supporting renters with our new Online Rental Standards Database or releasing data to help create apps for crime statistics or garbage pickup schedules, Vancouver’s Open Data leadership fosters innovation and makes life better for all Vancouver residents.”

Vancouver was one of the first cities in North America with an open data policy, and recently expanded upon that leadership with the City of Vancouver’s new Online Rental Standards Database. Other releases in Vancouver’s Open Data catalogue have included 311 contact centre data, weekend playfield status, animal control data, street tree locations, and much more. Vancouver is also the only city in British Columbia to post full Council expenses online.

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The City of Vancouver today launched a new online searchable database of rental buildings to assist renters to make more informed decisions about their housing.

“The City’s new Rental Standards Database is our latest step to help Vancouver renters and motivate property owners and landlords to keep their properties in good condition,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “The overwhelming majority of landlords in Vancouver are responsible and treat their tenants with respect, and many of the properties included in the database are for minor infractions.

“We’re putting this information out there in an easily accessible way, empowering renters to make more informed decisions on where to live.”

The Rental Standards Database includes information about all licensed rental buildings in Vancouver with five or more residential units that have any open bylaw issues, or issues that have been addressed and resolved within the past 12 months.

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Today the City of Vancouver announced the 22 citizens who will serve on the Mayor’s new Engaged City Task Force, who will work to improve the ways the City engages and communicates with citizens.

“Vancouver is a global leader in many ways, and as Mayor I’m committed to ensuring Vancouver shows leadership to become one of the most open and civically engaged cities in the world,” said Mayor Gregor Robertson. “The new Engaged City Task Force draws from a remarkably talented and diverse group of local citizens from all corners of Vancouver, who bring a wealth of experience in community engagement and public consultation.”

The Task Force will work to examine innovative best practices for civic engagement, and seek to make progress on priority issues including improving the way the City communicates with citizens, engages immigrants and youth, consults on policy, increases voter turnout and enables community connection at a neighbourhood level.

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