Surrey- White Rock

Empowering Communities: South Surrey’s Digital Democracy in Action

In an era where trust in government institutions is often questioned, the South Surrey – White Rock online citizen engagement process stands as a shining example of how technology and collaboration can revitalize democracy. Led by Member of Parliament Gordie Hogg and powered by Ethelo’s innovative platform, this project was designed to bridge the gap between elected officials and the communities they serve. By inviting residents to actively participate in shaping policy solutions for critical local issues—such as affordable housing, railway safety, and the opioid crisis—the initiative demonstrated that meaningful public engagement is not only possible but essential for building a more inclusive and responsive democracy. This process wasn’t just about gathering opinions; it was about empowering citizens to take ownership of the decisions that directly impact their lives.

The benefits of this project extended far beyond the identification of policy priorities. By engaging over 300 residents in thoughtful discussions and decision-making, the initiative fostered a sense of democratic empowerment that is often missing in traditional top-down approaches. Participants weren’t just passive observers—they were active contributors, voting on policies, sharing insights, and seeing their voices reflected in real-time results. This level of transparency and participation not only strengthened the community’s trust in the political process but also provided Gordie Hogg with a clear mandate to advocate for these priorities in the Parliament of Canada. Armed with the collective wisdom of his constituents, Hogg was able to bring a truly grassroots perspective to federal policymaking, ensuring that the voices of South Surrey – White Rock were heard at the highest levels of government.

Ultimately, this project showcased the transformative power of citizen engagement in modern democracy. It proved that when people are given the tools and opportunity to participate, they can drive meaningful change in their communities. By combining expert knowledge with public input, the process delivered actionable solutions that reflected both technical feasibility and community values. More importantly, it reminded us that democracy thrives when citizens are not just consulted but actively involved in the decision-making process. Gordie Hogg’s use of the results to guide his parliamentary activities is a testament to the success of this approach—a success that serves as an inspiring model for other leaders seeking to deepen democratic participation and build stronger, more connected communities.

96% support
for final shortlist

300
participants

Gordie Hogg

MP, South Surrey White Rock

In early 2019, Gordie Hogg, Member of Parliament for South Surrey – White Rock (SSWR), partnered with Ethelo, an online engagement platform, to facilitate a citizen-driven policy consultation process. The goal was to engage residents in identifying and prioritizing policy solutions for five key local issues: Affordable Housing, Boundary Bay, Gun Safety and Gang Violence, Opioid Crisis, and Railway Safety. This case study outlines the process, outcomes, and lessons learned from this innovative approach to citizen engagement.

The Process

1. Expert Panel Recruitment and Policy Development

The process began in December 2018 with the recruitment of five expert panels, each focusing on one of the five policy areas. These panels, composed of local experts, stakeholders, and community leaders, were tasked with identifying specific policy options for each issue. The panels worked closely with Ethelo to draft policy recommendations that were both actionable and relevant to the community. By January 2019, the panels had identified a total of 30 policy options across the five topics.

2. Online Engagement

In April 2019, Ethelo launched a custom online platform where residents of South Surrey – White Rock could review, discuss, and vote on the proposed policy options. The platform was designed to be user-friendly, allowing participants to:

Learn about each policy option through concise summaries and detailed explanations.
Discuss the options with other community members.
Vote on their preferred policies and see how their choices contributed to the overall group results.

3. Community Participation

Over a two-month period (April to May 2019), more than 300 residents actively participated in the online engagement process. They provided over 800 detailed comments and shortlisted their top 10 policy options from the 30 proposed. The platform allowed participants to see real-time results, fostering a sense of transparency and collective decision-making.

4. Promotion and Outreach

To ensure broad participation, the project was promoted through multiple channels:

Householder Brochure: A brochure was distributed to every home in the riding, introducing the exercise and providing a brief overview of the policy issues.
Social Media: Regular updates and policy briefs were shared on Facebook, encouraging residents to participate.
Email Campaigns: Email blasts were sent to individuals who had previously interacted with the MP’s office.
Local Media: Ads and interviews were conducted on Pulse FM radio, and coverage was secured in the Peace Arch News.
Community Office: Visitors to the constituency office were encouraged to participate using an iPad set up for the survey.

Outcomes

1. Policy Prioritization

Based on the feedback from residents, Ethelo identified a shortlist of 10 policy options that received positive support from over 96% of respondents. These options were spread across the five policy areas and reflected the community’s priorities. For example:

Affordable Housing: Residents strongly supported policies such as allowing charitable housing providers to build mixed-income housing and increasing the first-time home-buyers tax credit.
Railway Safety: There was significant support for reducing train speeds near Crescent Beach and relocating the BNSF rail line away from the shoreline.
Opioid Crisis: Residents favored decriminalizing small amounts of drugs and implementing a national accreditation program for addiction treatment providers.

2. Community Engagement

The process successfully engaged a diverse cross-section of the community, with over 300 residents participating in the online platform. The high level of engagement was attributed to the ease of use of the platform, the relevance of the policy issues, and the extensive outreach efforts.

3. Expert and Resident Collaboration

The collaboration between expert panels and residents ensured that the policy options were both technically sound and aligned with community values. The expert panels provided the necessary depth and expertise, while the residents brought local knowledge and priorities to the table.

Lessons Learned

Importance of Early Engagement
The early involvement of expert panels in the policy development phase was crucial. It ensured that the policy options presented to residents were well-researched and actionable. This also helped build trust in the process, as residents could see that their input was being informed by expert knowledge.
Transparency and Real-Time Feedback
The use of an online platform that provided real-time feedback on voting results and discussions helped maintain transparency throughout the process. Participants could see how their individual votes contributed to the collective decision-making, which increased their sense of ownership over the outcomes.
Multi-Channel Promotion
The success of the engagement process was largely due to the multi-channel promotion strategy. By leveraging both traditional (e.g., householder brochures, local media) and digital (e.g., social media, email) channels, the project was able to reach a broad and diverse audience.
Balancing Expert Input with Community Priorities
The process demonstrated the importance of balancing expert input with community priorities. While the expert panels provided the necessary technical expertise, the final prioritization of policies was driven by the residents, ensuring that the outcomes reflected the community’s values and needs.

Conclusion

The South Surrey – White Rock online citizen engagement process, led by Gordie Hogg and supported by Ethelo, successfully demonstrated how technology can be used to facilitate meaningful public participation in policy development. By combining expert knowledge with community input, the process not only identified actionable policy solutions but also strengthened the relationship between residents and their elected representatives. This case study serves as a model for other communities looking to engage citizens in decision-making processes in a transparent, inclusive, and effective manner.

I wanted to make it as apolitical as we could. How do we take care of each other? How do we look after each other? How do we look at people not for the defects we have, but the gifts we all bring?