Confirming decision-making steps in a consultation process

What happened

Ren was concerned about the installation of a bike lane and related street changes that removed on-street parking spaces directly in front of his home.

Ren said that the loss of parking access created challenges for him and he believed that Transportation Services did not provide sufficient notice of the change. Dissatisfied with the division’s response to his concerns, he reached out to our office for answers.

What we did

We reviewed the communication between Transportation Services and Ren, as well as the City’s implementation and consultation process for the bike lane. We also spoke with City staff and found that they had mailed public consultation notices to residents within the area. The notice outlined multiple ways residents could provide their feedback about the upcoming work including by phone, email, regular mail and through an online survey.

The City also held a virtual public meeting to hear feedback from residents. Ren had unfortunately missed the notice and didn’t participate.

The result

We explained the consultation steps that the City had taken with the public. Although Ren was disappointed, he was grateful to our office for reviewing his concern.

Why this matters

Sometimes, after we gather and consider all the available evidence, we find that the City applied its policies and procedures fairly, as in this case. Regardless of whether we ultimately identify unfairness, all people deserve to have their concerns heard.