Abstract Manager

Traffic calming has been a contentious issue in Guelph, with residents and councillors divided between calls for more extensive measures and calls for removal due to accessibility concerns and perceived ineffectiveness. In 2025, as the City prepared to update its Traffic Calming Policy (TCP) to align with its recent endorsement of Vision Zero and the Safe System approach, staff recognized that traditional surveys and open houses would be insufficient to navigate the trade-offs and trust challenges involved—especially amid a lack of best-practice guidance for traffic calming policies.

To address this gap, the City designed the Civic Circle, a deliberative engagement strategy inspired by citizen juries, reference panels, and citizens’ assemblies. Following an open call, 15 residents were selected to reflect broad lived experiences, transportation mode preferences, geographic representation across all wards, and varied demographics. Over four facilitated sessions, members reviewed local data and practice, heard from municipal staff and external practitioners, and deliberated on complex issues including prioritization frameworks, measure design (e.g., speed humps, curb extensions, raised crosswalks), accessibility considerations, operational realities, and budget constraints.

The Civic Circle’s objectives were to build shared understanding, surface trade-offs transparently, and produce actionable, consensus-based recommendations. Members reached consensus on a set of recommendations that were publicly posted and shared with advisory committees, and ultimately shaped the final proposed Traffic Calming Policy presented to City Council.

This presentation details the Civic Circle’s design and facilitation methods; recruitment and inclusion strategies (including supports and honoraria); and how clear messaging, structured deliberation, and equity-focused framing strengthened public trust and satisfaction. It also shares lessons on balancing customer requests with operational constraints and budgets, demonstrating how innovative, deliberative engagement can improve service quality and policy legitimacy in municipal transportation.