If you or your organization is interested in hosting a community consultation, do not hesitate to get in touch. We are able to help provide all the necessary information and slide deck, as well as promote on our social media channels and collect your findings for our records.
The purpose of community consultations is to:
1) To educate Toronto residents and stakeholders on what a world EXPO is and the possible benefits to Toronto and Canada. Many Torontonians have an impression of an EXPO as a sporting event much like the PanAm Games or the upcoming Invictus Games. The effort to undo these assumptions starts now.
2) To identify and develop the values that Torontonians hold, and how they can be incorporated into an EXPO. There is a fair amount of cynicism in the city about spending resources events that could be perceived as “elite” and unnecessary. These consultations are an opportunity to let residents dream of a better future for all Torontonians and how EXPO could play a part in that dream.
3) To hear from residents and stakeholders about how an Expo in Toronto should be themed and could contribute to how they imagine the future the future of our City. If Canada decides to pursue a bid for Expo in 2025, it is important that the residents of Toronto continue to have their voice included in the planning and execution. These discussions are an important first step in the broader community engagement that will need to take place. If Canada does not pursue and Expo in 2025, the feedback can feed into future Expo efforts and also be used as a reference document for future city-building discussions.
The facilitation process:
Small roundtable discussions will be facilitated across Toronto with a broad range of communities in including cultural, ethnic, corporate, and geographic. The feedback from each session will be compiled and summarized in a report that will be forwarded to City Council to become a part of the bid process.
Who: Three facilitators + a note taker
When: At times that are suitable to the various communities
Where: In accessible venues
Duration: 1.5 hours
Attendance: The goal for attendance is 15-20 people
Materials: Pens, paper, flip chart (or blackboard), markers
Agenda
Introductions- 10 min
To introduce themselves, participants should be asked what their name is, If they are representing an organization, why they chose to come here today, and the community(ies) they are linked to in Toronto.
What is Expo- 15 min
In order to introduce them to Expos in general and what an Expo could mean for Toronto, the facilitators will go over a brief and engaging overview.
Group discussions
Visioning Expo 2025 Canada 15-20 min
The group will be split up in 3 smaller groups and each will be assigned a discussion topic. Groups will be asked to take notes and to appoint a presenter.
Group 1: What themes should be explored in a Toronto Expo?
The group will be asked to explore what a possible theme for Expo would be in 2025.
Questions to explore & answer:
- What is Toronto and Canada’s role in shaping the future of our World?
- How do we build a future where everyone prospers?
- What should Expo talk about in 2025?
- What do you see as the major world challenges we will face in 2025?
- In what areas is Toronto/Canada a leader on the world stage?
Group 2: What values need to shape an Expo in Toronto?
The group will be asked to discuss what kind of values and principles need to be in place in an Expo in Toronto:
Questions to explore & answer:
- What values are important to you in building a great city?
- What values are important to Toronto residents/Canadians?
- What values should Toronto/Canada aspire to in 2025?
- What is needed to make an Expo in Toronto relevant to people across the city?
Group 3: What should the lasting outcomes of an Expo in Toronto be?
The group will be asked to discuss what legacies, both physical and cultural, should result from an Expo:
Questions to explore & answer:
- What do you want Toronto to look like in 2025?
- Where do you (you and your family) want to be in 2025?
- What benefits would you want to see Expo bring to Toronto?
- How can this event help create the city you want to live in?
- What long-term benefits would you want to see an Expo bring to Toronto?
Group knowledge sharing
Group presentations & large group discussion- 10 min per group
Each group will be asked to come back to the large group and report back on their assigned topic. One big list will be made.
Group 1 will present their discussion and the facilitator will open up the discussion to the larger group (10 min)
Group 2 will present their discussion and the facilitator will open up the discussion to the larger group (10 min)
Group 3 will present their discussion and the facilitator will open up the discussion to the larger group (10 min)
Thank you & feedback- 5min
Participants will be thanked for their participation and will be asked to fill out a quick 2-3 question feedback survey. A follow-up survey will be sent via e-mail the following week.