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Capital Asset Management Framework: 6. Public Communications

Last updated on June 6, 2019

6.1 Introduction

In keeping with its commitment to public accountability, the Province communicates with stakeholders and the public, telling taxpayers how and where their dollars are being invested. Agencies are also required to be accountable and should develop basic, corporate communication plans that identify opportunities and strategies for:

  • announcing key milestones in capital projects’ life cycles
  • informing stakeholders (including local communities) of the project’s community objectives or impacts (e.g. job creation, program or service delivery)
  • ensuring that public announcements do not precede required approvals and creating unrealistic expectations, and
  • ensuring that all communications regarding a given project are consistent and coordinated with ministries responsible and/or central government agencies

6.2 Guidelines

Agencies should work with the communications staff in their agency, in the ministry responsible, or in central government to develop a basic communications plan and guidelines for:

  • determining which types of capital expenditures are suitable for public announcement
  • ensuring that necessary approvals are in place prior to initiating public announcements
  • determining who is responsible for making public announcements and in what circumstances (e.g. project characteristics such as size or geographical location)
  • coordinating announcements with any involved partners such as private-sector companies
  • coordinating announcements with the appropriate ministries and/or central government agencies
  • identifying key project milestones (e.g. approval, design, issuance of a Request for Proposals, start of construction, start of service delivery) or criteria to inform the timing and scope of public announcements, and
  • ensuring that announcements respecting pre-feasibility or pre-planning studies clearly communicate the nature of the process (i.e. to assess the feasibility and cost effectiveness of all alternatives, including not proceeding with the project).

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