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Management best practices for your municipality | Vol. 1 _ Nº 10
Municipalities
Helping to Build Social Acceptability
These days, it can be hard
to carry out a project in a
community setting. Promoters
may try to set initiatives
in motion to garner social
acceptability, but they aren’t
always met with success.
Many people view such
efforts as a sales pitch where
promoters are aiming to
get their projects approved
through media campaigns or
public relations coups, and this
only serves to fuel the feeling
of cynicism.
But what if municipalities took
charge of this process? It’s an idea
definitely worth exploring.
Citizens demand social acceptability;
it has become a facet of the
participative democracy movement.
We’re a far cry here from exercising
the right to vote every four years.
They want to be fully included in the
decision-making process. They don’t
just want to be passive players on the
grounds that it’s the best thing for the
economy. Municipal council meetings
are often the site of heated debates,
but they are neither the right time
or place for such discussions or to
build successful conditions for social
acceptability. The time has come for
municipalities to think up new ways
to promote dialogue and integrate
projects harmoniously.
Municipalities have front row
seats when it comes to hosting
new projects on their territory.
They can be called to play various
contradictory or conflicting roles
which they may find uncomfortable.
To begin, they need to properly
understand the powers at work
and the political dynamics,
issues, obligations and roles and
responsibilities of each player to
develop a solid approach.
MPG_Vol1_No10.indd 1
Social acceptability is an
intrinsic component of project
implementation. Local governments
are at the centre of the relationship
between promoters and the
community. Municipalities are called
upon by promoters to support their
projects, are compelled by citizens to
uphold their obligations as territory
overseer and protector of citizens and
the environment, and are required
to maintain a peaceful society. They
must help strike a challenging balance
between wealth creators, social
development and sustainability,
in addition to managing disputes,
which requires an active, neutral
and transparent approach. The
municipality’s role shouldn’t be to
promote projects but rather they
should ensure that projects are
well-integrated into the community.
There’s no magic solution for
building social acceptability. Above
all, it’s a matter of attitude and respect
that requires a structured approach
for open dialogue between parties.
Municipalities are in the best position
to develop this dialogue, as long as
they can stay above the fray.
2015-03-31 17:39
Management best practices for your municipality
Vol. 1 _ Nº 10
What does social acceptability
imply?
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when
the concept of social acceptability
became part of the Canadian and
Quebec public and political landscape.
Notably absent are government
guidance and policies or guides
published by federal and provincial
governments, including Quebec, setting
out the concept’s scope and guidelines.
Many definitions have been put forth,
but none seem to be universally
accepted or fit perfectly. Some
emphasize results, while others refer to
the process or approach. We’re far from
reaching a shared understanding or
interpretation. The lack of government
guidance certainly doesn’t help the
climate of ambiguity.
However, there are certain common
denominators:
• A multitude of parties are directly
concerned or involved;
• These parties have divergent or even
conflicting interests;
• The perception of a project can evolve
over time;
• Despite the promoter’s best efforts,
the project can be rejected or fail to
gain consensus.
What can municipalities do?
Conditions for a project’s acceptability
shouldn’t be discussed through press
releases, TV interviews or newspaper
articles. The parties involved should
speak to one another directly and work
together to understand the project, and
assess its advantages for the community
and conditions for acceptability.
In the current environment,
municipalities should lead this exercise
with an approach that is impartial,
inclusive, transparent, respectful and
constructive and that most definitely
includes the creation of a project
committee. While called upon to evolve
over time, this committee should exist
for the project’s duration. It should
include stakeholders who are interested
in creating a dialogue and who will
ensure the project’s wealth-creating
capacity and no added costs for the
municipality. The municipality needs
to understand the project and assess its
costs appropriately. This goes above and
beyond any royalties or benefit sharing,
which also need to be considered and
discussed with the utmost transparency.
Johanne gélinas
Partner
Strategy & Performance Consulting Group
[email protected] | 514-390-4158
Isabelle Gagnon
Senior Manager
Strategy & Performance Consulting Group
[email protected] | 514-393-4712
The municipality and project initiators
also need to agree on a certain number
of mechanisms to communicate with
one another and agree on a conflict
resolution process, among others.
This is a partnership agreement for the
project that will help meet citizens’
needs and create value.
In the current environment, municipalities should lead this
exercise with an approach that is impartial, inclusive,
transparent, respectful and constructive.
MPG_Vol1_No10.indd 2
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2015-03-31 17:39
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