Enhancing Public Participation in the Town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia
| dc.contributor.author | Bryne, Kayla | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-09-25T18:36:11Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-09-25T18:36:11Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-09-25 | |
| dc.description.abstract | This policy brief analyzes the state of public participation in the Town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, identifying fragmented and largely reactive engagement practices that undermine trust and collaboration among residents, councillors, and staff. Drawing on municipal policy reviews, interviews, and focus group findings, the brief reveals that existing consultation mechanisms often occur too late to meaningfully shape outcomes, leading to resident frustration and perceived exclusion. While prior efforts, such as Project Lunenburg, showcased the town’s capacity for inclusive planning, the lack of follow-through on participatory commitments has weakened legitimacy and accountability. The research finds broad agreement across stakeholder groups on the need for a shift from procedural, compliance-driven engagement toward more proactive, collaborative models rooted in transparency and shared decision-making. Recommendations include a phased pathway: immediate improvements to communication and feedback loops; medium-term adoption of a tiered engagement framework and stronger advisory committees; and long-term institutional change to embed co-governance into municipal operations. By embracing these reforms, Lunenburg can cultivate a participatory governance culture, rebuild public trust, and ensure decisions reflect the community’s diverse priorities. | |
| dc.identifier.citation | Byrne, K. (2025) Enhancing Public Partici-pation in the Town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, Local Governance Hub Policy Briefs, No. 3, pgs. 1-5. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/1828/22807 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | |
| dc.publisher | Local Governance Hub | |
| dc.relation.ispartofseries | 3 | |
| dc.rights | Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International | en |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ | |
| dc.subject | Public Participation | |
| dc.subject | Community engagement | |
| dc.subject | Lunenburg | |
| dc.subject | Municipal planning | |
| dc.subject | Pubilc engagement | |
| dc.subject.department | School of Public Administration | |
| dc.title | Enhancing Public Participation in the Town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia |