Branch Strategic Communications Support Services

The vendor is required to provide for the provision of strategic communications support services to the planning and development services (P&DS) branch.
- This includes building and development permit process, long range planning, bylaw compliance, public transit and active transportation and homelessness support.
• Deliver high quality, timely programs and services through a committed team of professional employees
• Administer, implement, and enforce regulations, bylaws, and policies
• Inform, educate, and guide the public
• Provide data and information to assist decision makers
• Formulate community, land development, transportation, social, infrastructure, environmental, agriculture, tourism and other development plans and programs
• Coordinate planning and development activities internally and with our member municipalities, first nations and partners
• Collaborate with the public to build our communities
• Work collaboratively with neigh boring local government on regional initiatives, shared communications and coordinated messages
• Effectively use public resources
1. Strategic communications:
a. Strategic communication planning, advice, and consulting services which includes:
• Develop, with leadership team, a proactive branch-wide communications plan aligned with branch vision, values, and mandate 
• Assess existing communications approaches and provide advice to help improve outcomes 
• Develop strategies to drive engagement and increase awareness of services 
• Identify trends and provide actionable insights to improve service and communication efforts
b. Develop communications tools/material to support ongoing work of the branch for internal and external audiences
2. Communications training:
• Assist leadership team to enhance skills in transparency, approachability, and responsiveness (to internal and external audiences) 
• Assist leadership team to grow skills in open and transparent conversation/discussion through information sharing, listening to feedback, and engaging in open dialogue with internal and external audiences 
• Deliver tools to support and train staff with proactive issues management (e.g., having difficult conservations, documentation, interest identification, pre-approved messages to ensure consistency etc.) as well as day-to-day communications with public and partners
o Offer workshop or training sessions for staff on effective communication practices, facilitation, and public engagement
3. Digital and print outreach:
• Create ideas for regular social media posts (related to increasing awareness of branch services, and key initiatives) 
o Highlight branch projects and initiatives b. write social media post copy for selected key initiatives related to climate, transportation, regional growth, and community resilience initiatives 
• Develop social and print media tool kits for distribution to strategic partners for selected key initiatives 
• Create replicable graphics and branding for branch aligned with corporate style guide, possibly building on previous RGS awareness campaign (“thoughtful living”)
4. Website:
• Review current webpages related to PDS and:
o Recommend improvements to coordinate our web communication approach
o Write content and create and source graphics for webpages as needed.
• Make recommendations about strategic use for projects and content template
5. Other outreach tools:
• Public letters
• Advertisements (e.g., newspaper, radio)
• News releases
• Events (e.g., open houses, information sessions)
• Behind the scenes tours of the work our branch does.
- Budget: $100,000
- Contract Period/Term: 1 year
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: July 11, 2025