Discussion Do Local Governments Communicate Well?

AnneM · Apr 12, 2026

CristianB said:
After seeing all of the posts on this site about Local government, I was wondering: Do Local Governments Communicate Well? because it seems a lot of the information about decisions being made is hard to find for people. Effective communication is one of the most important responsibilities of any local government. From road construction and zoning changes to public safety updates and community programs, residents depend on clear, timely, and accessible information to understand what is happening in their own neighborhoods.

In theory, local governments have more direct access to the people they serve than higher levels of government. They are closest to the community, which should make communication easier, more responsive, and more transparent. But in practice, many people feel that this isn’t always the case.

A common concern is that important information is often difficult to find or not shared widely enough. Updates may be posted on official websites that few people regularly check, buried in long reports, or shared on platforms that don’t reach all age groups. This can leave residents feeling uninformed about decisions that directly affect their daily lives.

Another issue is how communication flows. In many cases, it feels one-directional, with governments pushing out announcements rather than engaging in meaningful dialogue. Public consultations and feedback opportunities do exist, but some people question how much those voices actually influence final decisions.

At the same time, it’s important to recognize the challenges local governments face. They must communicate with diverse populations, manage limited budgets, and balance the need for accuracy with the pressure to provide updates quickly. Reaching everyone effectively is not a simple task, especially in communities with varying levels of digital access and engagement.

There is also the question of trust. Even when information is shared, do residents feel confident that it is complete, transparent, and easy to understand? Or does the way information is presented sometimes create confusion or skepticism?

This raises a broader question about what “good communication” really looks like in a modern community. Is it about frequency, clarity, accessibility, responsiveness, or all of the above?

So, do local governments communicate well with the public, or is there a noticeable gap between what is shared and what people actually receive and understand?

A point that has not been made about communication is: who is the government responsible to for communication? All of the levels of government in Canada have signed their allegiance to the crown, not the people. I had done a FOI (freedom of information) request to the city of Kitchener asking for a copy of the oath that the mayor signed. His allegiance was to the crown. The corporation of the city of kitchener does not have to effectively communicate to the voters because the elected officials do not work for them. The same oath was signed by the councillors. There is a protocol standard of communication that is followed by government officials, which is very low. This is why major decisions can be made for an entire city based on a very small percentage of the population. The communication is not about getting a majority of input from the people, it is about meeting the targets....that's it.
The other issue is that our governments have voluntarily entered into non-biding agreements with global NGO's (nongovernment organizations), such as the WHO (World Health Organization), the UN (United Nations) and the WEF (World Economic Forum). The issues have become captured and communication goes upstream now instead of downstream. Another layer of bosses have been added to the equation over the last number of years. Authority is centralizing quite rapidly. I see a trend towards the feudal system returning

The following clip is from the WEF. Klaus Schwab is speaking. He was the original founder of the WEF. He has since retired from his position in the organization.

AnneM · Apr 13, 2026

I think that there is a question that is missing in this conversation...WHO are our governments responsible to communicate to?
I did a FOI (Freedom of Information) request after our mayor was elected. When I receiving the copy of his contract I saw that the Mayor signed his allegiance to the Queen, not to the voters. The requirements to communicate to the people are very low. Communication is about meeting their "targets", not having a majority be informed on an issue. And my city is always proud to say they have done more than required.
The city councillors also took the same oath, so have school councillors..Are you seeing the pattern
There is something that has been happening over the last 50 years that has also affected communication coming to the people. Our governments at all levels have made non-binding agreements with global nongovernment organizations, like the UN (united nations), the WHO (World Health Organization) and the WEF (World Economic Forum). Communication has started moving upward instead of down the chain.
Klaus Schwab is the founder and director of the World Economic Forum. He has expressed great joy at Canada's involvement with his organization.

Discussion Do Local Governments Communicate Well?

AnneM

Well-known member

AnneM

Well-known member