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Community Advisory Assembly

The selection process has concluded and 36 members have been appointed to the Community Advisory Assembly pilot. The one-year term officially begins on January 25, 2024.

 

Click here to see the agendas and minutes for this committee, as well as the current Terms of Reference.


The application period ran September 25 through October 31, 2023, and a total of 216 applications were received. Recruitment was extended until November 13 for applicants ages 19 and under.

To select 36 Assembly members from the 216 applicants, City staff first compiled all application information into a spreadsheet, assigned a unique number to each applicant, and removed all applicants' names and other identifying information such as email addresses.

Staff from a separate department were then provided with the de-identified data. Staff applied a variety of filters in the spreadsheet to first identify the demographic groups where there were the fewest number of applicants, such as age 19 and under, non-binary/gender diverse, Indigenous, and experiencing homelessness/precariously housed. Given the relatively low number of applicants with these characteristics, these members were selected first. Then staff selected applicants who had a number of typically under-represented characteristics, such as renters, visible minorities, low-income, and experiencing disabilities. 

The group was then rounded out with selections based on age group, geographic area of the city, and gender identity in order to meet the overall community profile, as per the 2021 Census, as closely as possible. 

Following this de-identified selection process, the unique number of each selected applicant was provided back to staff in a separate department to identify the names of those selected. Selected applicants were then contacted and asked to confirm their participation in the Assembly.

 

Demographic Profile of Assembly
 

Demographic Measure

2021 Census Profile for City of New Westminster

Community Advisory Assembly Membership

Geographic Area of the City

West End

10.7%

8.3%

Uptown

34.8%

36.1%

East End

21.3%

22.2%

Downtown

19.3%

16.7%

Queensborough

13.9%

16.7%

Gender Identity

Man

49.3%

44.4%

Woman

50.7%

44.4%

Non-Binary/Gender Diverse/Other

0.44% (province wide)

11.1%

Age Group

19 and under

16.4%

19.4%

20-34

23.9%

22.2%

35-49

22.9%

25.0%

50-64

20.8%

16.7%

65 and older

16.1%

16.7%

Housing Tenure

Owner

54.7%

47.2%

Renter

45.3%

47.2%

Other (unhoused; living temporarily with family/friends)

~0.8%

5.6%

Visible Minority

Visible Minority

46.8%

47.2%

Indigenous Identity

Indigenous Identity

3.1%

5.6%

 

About the Community Advisory Assembly

The Community Advisory Assembly includes a diverse group of New Westminster community members to talk about City policies and projects that will impact residents, and provide advice and recommendations back to staff and Council. The City is trying a new model for committee-style public engagement that:

  • includes a larger group of residents than our traditional committees (approximately 36 members),
  • meets more regularly than most other committees (monthly meetings),
  • focuses on dialogue and deliberation, 
  • includes a membership that mirrors the overall demographic profile of the city, and
  • offers a variety of supports to participants to help address barriers to participation.

The Assembly’s role is to advise City Council and City staff across all departments on plans and actions related to Council’s Strategic Priorities, and other current City projects, plans and policies. For more information, click here to see the Draft Terms of Reference for the Assembly.

The Assembly is only one of the ways the City seeks community input and feedback on its projects, policies and programs. You will find details about all our engagements by visiting our website Be Heard New West: beheardnewwest.ca

Frequently Asked Questions:

  • What topics will the Assembly discuss?

    The group will discuss and provide advice to the City on a variety of topics. There will be a focus on current City projects that are expected to directly affect the day-to-day lives of New Westminster residents.

    Some possible topics include Council’s strategic priorities (community belonging, housing, transportation, economy, infrastructure), the process to develop a new City logo, and the Parks and Recreation Comprehensive Plan, which guides all parks and recreation investments and decisions. More details on what projects and topics the Assembly will discuss will be shared as they are available.

  • How will the Assembly’s feedback be used?

    Project teams at the City that bring their projects to the Community Advisory Assembly for discussion will be expected to plan for how to incorporate the Assembly’s input. The Assembly will be led by a professional facilitator, who will work with project teams to ensure their questions for the Assembly are meaningful and applicable both for participants and the project.

    Project staff will also be expected to report back to the Assembly and the community how the Assembly’s input was incorporated and/or influenced the outcomes.

  • What happened to the previous committee structure/topics?

    (such as Affordable Housing and Childcare; Sustainable Transportation; Facilities, Infrastructure and Public Realm, etc.)

    Many of the City’s committees were structured around the previous Council’s Strategic Plan. Following the most recent local election in October 2022, the new Council went through a strategic planning process to identify new priorities for this term (2022-2026).

    As part of this planning process, Council asked City staff to explore potential changes to the structure of the City’s advisory committees. Staff researched other potential models, and several options, along with pros and cons, were considered and discussed with Council. Advisory committee members were also consulted and their feedback was shared with Council.

  • Why is the City trying this new model?

    Advisory committee members, City staff, and Council have all shared feedback that the City’s traditional advisory committee structure was not entirely satisfactory and could be improved to better meet the needs of participants and the City. Committee members, in particular, shared that they want to be able to provide the City with more meaningful input into projects, earlier in their development, and that they want to be able to see if and how their input influenced the outcome of the project.

    The Assembly model – where members form a representative cross-section of the public and deliberate to find common ground in providing advice to government – has been used in BC, Alberta, Ontario, and internationally in countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Australia, and others.

  • What is the commitment for Assembly members?

    (such as meeting frequency, length of term, etc.)

    The term of the Assembly is for a year, starting in December 2023 or January 2024. We ask that the residents interested in being a part of this Assembly be willing to attend 10 meetings a year, one every month except for summer (July and August), as well as a kick-off dinner with Council to launch the new group.

    Meetings will run for 3 to 4 hours each, and will be held in person. Because the meetings will focus on discussion and dialogue, a hybrid format is not possible at this time.

    A variety of supports will be offered to make your participation easier, including reimbursement of any direct expenses, stipends for childcare / elder care, and compensation for low-income members or those who must miss paid work to attend meetings.

  • Who can apply to join the Assembly?

    The application and selection process for the Assembly pilot term in 2024 has concluded. Depending on the outcomes of the pilot project, there may be future opportunities to join an Assembly.

    All current residents of New Westminster are welcome and encouraged to apply. Membership of the Community Advisory Assembly will mirror the diversity of our city, as well as a diversity of lived experiences. You do not need to be a Canadian citizen, or over the age of 18 to apply (youth are welcome!). 

  • How will members be selected?

    The Assembly will include a maximum of 36 members, who will be selected based on demographic characteristics such as the area of New West where they live, their age group, gender identity, housing tenure (renter or owner), visible minority, Indigenous identity, and a diversity of lived experiences. The member selection will be “masked”, meaning that all identifying information (names, contact information) will be removed from the selection and members will be chosen only based on their demographic profile. Staff who are compiling the application information will not be involved in the selection.