Building a Regional Culture of Engagement

When the Region of Waterloo sought to make public consultation more consistent, accessible, and effective, Gina led the creation of its first corporate-wide Public Engagement Guidelines and the introduction of EngageWR, a shared digital engagement platform used by multiple municipalities.

Working across departments and area municipalities, Gina designed a collaborative process that brought together staff, community members, and partners to define what meaningful engagement should look like. The resulting guidelines provided clear principles, tools, and templates for equitable, transparent participation in regional decision-making.

To put those principles into practice, Gina guided the procurement, governance, and implementation of EngageWR — a first-of-its-kind shared online service platform enabling residents to access and contribute to consultations across the region in one accessible space.

The initiative transformed how the Region connects with its community, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and trust that continues to inform regional engagement today.