Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)
- Arts and Culture
- Burlington Transit (city buses)
- By-law
- Communications
- Customer service/experience
- Environment
- Finances (taxes and budget)
- Fire services
- Growth and development (new housing)
- Municipal elections
- Parks and green spaces
- Public engagement
- Recreation (for all ages and abilities)
- Sense of belonging (newcomers, diversity, neighbourhoods)
- Traffic and transportation
- Trees and urban forest
Other formats include working groups and engagement sessions.
Community Panel sessions are offered both online and/or in person.
Session delivery is offered in a mix of daytime and evening hours.
Sessions generally last for 1.5 hours.
A focus group which is led by a facilitator who guides the discussion with a specific set of questions. Panelists are invited to share their feedback and lived experiences to help inform decision-making.
A working group which is a facilitated session where panelists work together to explore challenges and develop ideas and/or recommendations.
- Topics that require feedback
- Topics applicants identify as of interest or have lived experience
- Representation required for each initiative
Visit www.burlington.ca/volunteer select Community Panel.
Complete the volunteer application form, ensuring all sections are filled out, and all topics of interest are selected.
Once the application is submitted, a member of the Engagement & Volunteer team will review it and follow up with next steps, which include completing corporate training modules (hard copies are available upon request).
Once training is complete, successful applicants may be called on to share their input, based on the topics of interest they choose. Panel members will be selected based on the engagement need and alignment with participants' expertise.
What is the Community Panel program?
The Community Panel is a volunteer opportunity at the City of Burlington. It is open to Burlington residents, property owners, and business owners to provide feedback on City projects and initiatives that are seeking input. The Community Panel program helps ensure City services and programs reflect the diversity of our community. The feedback supports project teams, City Council, and staff in making informed decisions that best serve the Burlington community.
What areas or types of topics can I provide feedback on?
The Community Panel may be used to obtain feedback by any service area within the City of Burlington.
Applicants can select any of the topics below and bring forward additional topics that are not listed:
As the Community Panel evolves, more areas may be added.
How are Community Panel sessions run?
Many of the community panel sessions are run in small groups with guided questions, similar to a focus group, for open discussion to help inform project direction and decision-making.
What is the format of a Community Panel session?
Community Panel sessions can be run in a variety of ways. Some of the most common include:
Do I need to prepare for a Community Panel session in advance?
Project teams may share reading materials 2-3 days ahead of the scheduled panel session. The materials are intended to help participants better understand the topic so panelists can contribute more effectively. Most panel topics don’t require participants to do any preparatory work.
How often will I be asked to volunteer?
The frequency will depend on a variety of factors including;
For each engagement opportunity, the volunteer software will consider how applicants identify, their lived experience, and the topics of interest they identified. From this information, a panel for each initiative will be created.
How do I apply?
How it works
Interested candidates are welcome to submit their application below: