Collaborative Planning and Engagement Process Design

Collaborative Planning and Engagement Process Design

We specialize in designing and facilitating effective processes for complex meetings and decision-making. We recognize that navigating contentious issues requires skilled facilitation, transparent processes, and a commitment to inclusivity. Whether it is a community consultation, workshop, or public forum, our goal is to create meaningful, equitable, and productive dialogue that leads to successful outcomes.

Our facilitation approach is centered around creating spaces where all voices can be heard. We develop customized strategies that prioritize inclusive participation, especially engaging traditionally underrepresented groups. This ensures that discussions are representative, fair, and driven by diverse perspectives, allowing participants to actively contribute and feel respected throughout the process.

Effective engagement relies on a well-structured process. We design each engagement plan to fit the unique needs of the project and its stakeholders, addressing the complexity of the topic at hand. Our approach is both flexible and adaptive, enabling us to adjust to changing dynamics while maintaining focus on the objectives.

Complex and contentious issues can often emerge during public meetings or consultations. Our facilitators are trained to manage conflict effectively by using techniques such as active listening, de-escalating tensions, and fostering consensus. We acknowledge and validate diverse perspectives, identify shared interests, and build trust through transparent communication, all of which help guide groups toward collaborative solutions.

We believe that effective facilitation and process design do more than resolve immediate challenges—they build stronger relationships, deeper trust, and more sustainable decisions. Our team employs a wide range of methodologies, from traditional public engagement to innovative digital platforms, ensuring adaptable, creative, and effective solutions.

Port Lands Indigenous Place Naming Initiative

Client

City of Toronto

Year

2024

LURA is proud to have supported the City of Toronto’s groundbreaking initiative to advance reconciliation and celebrate Indigenous heritage in the Port Lands. This project marks a significant milestone in the City’s Reconciliation Action Plan and highlights the importance of inclusive and collaborative planning processes.

As part of this transformative initiative, a new island “Ookwemin Minising” (place of the black cherry trees), and park “Biidaasige” (sunlight shining toward us) have been named, respectively. These names in Anishinaabemowin/Ojibwemowin, were chosen through an engagement process deeply rooted in Indigenous traditions, teachings, and cultural protocols.

The project included a ceremonial announcement attended by City officials, Indigenous leaders, and community members where the names were lifted up in the Four Directions. The name Ookwemin Minising acknowledges the black cherry trees native to the area, while Biidaasige reflects the renewal and interconnectedness of the natural environment.

Our team worked in partnership with MinoKamik Collective and collaborated with an Indigenous Advisory Circle, which included Elders, Knowledge Keepers, language speakers, youth, and other community members, to ensure that the naming process and design of the park reflected the area’s natural history, cultural significance, and the spirit of renewal; and facilitating the engagement process to ensure the voices of First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and urban Indigenous communities were at the heart of the decision-making.

Through workshops, site visits, and interactive sessions, LURA and MinoKamik facilitated meaningful dialogue and created opportunities for storytelling and shared learning. This process respected cultural protocols and incorporated traditional knowledge to ensure authentic and meaningful outcomes.

Community Consultation by LURA Consulting - Budget

Client

City of Toronto

Year

2024

BudgetTO 2025 Consultations

Led by Mayor Olivia Chow and Budget Committee Chair Shelley Carroll, the City partnered with LURA Consulting to design and deliver an engagement strategy for facilitating in-person and virtual public meetings. The City also led a public online survey and engaged community partners to facilitate community-led consultations with Black, Indigenous, equity-deserving communities and youth city wide.

The consultation aimed to gather feedback on three key areas:

What Torontonians view as priorities for the 2025 budget;
Opinions on federal and provincial funding to support the City; and
Ideas on how residents can help Toronto achieve its long-term financial goals.
By November 15, 2024, approximately 13,077 people had participated in the BudgetTO 2025 consultations. This input guided City staff, the Budget Committee and City Council as they prepare the final 2025 budget and advocate for additional funding from the federal and provincial governments.

Community Consultation by LURA Consulting - Budget

Client

City of Toronto

Year

2024

BudgetTO 2025 Consultations

Led by Mayor Olivia Chow and Budget Committee Chair Shelley Carroll, the City partnered with LURA Consulting to design and deliver an engagement strategy for facilitating in-person and virtual public meetings. The City also led a public online survey and engaged community partners to facilitate community-led consultations with Black, Indigenous, equity-deserving communities and youth city wide.

The consultation aimed to gather feedback on three key areas:

What Torontonians view as priorities for the 2025 budget;
Opinions on federal and provincial funding to support the City; and
Ideas on how residents can help Toronto achieve its long-term financial goals.
By November 15, 2024, approximately 13,077 people had participated in the BudgetTO 2025 consultations. This input guided City staff, the Budget Committee and City Council as they prepare the final 2025 budget and advocate for additional funding from the federal and provincial governments.