ID: 1775
Presenting Author: Shirley Bishop
Session: 762 - FD2 Innovating to restore public trust; Transforming practices and tools to inform audiences
Status: pending
This presentation explores how Québec’s Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement fosters participatory democracy through innovative communication that builds trust and counters misinformation.
For over 47 years, the Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement (BAPE) has played a unique role in participatory democracy in Quebec. The recipe for its success? A solid trust, patiently built with the public. Nearly 75% of those familiar with the institution trust it—and the more they know it, the greater their trust grows.
However, this enviable result cannot be taken for granted. In a context marked by rising misinformation and polarization of opinion, as well as growing mistrust and disinterest in public institutions, the BAPE must redouble its efforts to combat widespread cynicism and maintain close ties with the public.
With this in mind, the organization is constantly adapting its communication methods. Its tools are being redesigned to reach citizens where they are, using simple, clear, and accessible language. From Projet Scarabec comic strip, which explains the public consultation process, to L'Heure juste newsletter, to the educational kits Le BAPE à l'école and the webcast of public hearings, each initiative contributes to making BAPE more accessible and more human.
This presentation will reveal how a public institution, born in an era when social media was nothing more than fiction, has reinvented itself to remain relevant in the digital turmoil. Through concrete examples, you will discover the strategies and the challenges of an organization that places transparency, rigor, and citizen participation at the heart of its mission to counter misinformation and strengthen public trust in environmental assessment processes.
Senior Communications Advisor at BAPE, Shirley Bishop has held strategic positions in various organizations. Graduated from journalism, she also holds a master's degree in Business Administration.