The City of Kitchener is creating a new opportunity for residents to help shape the City's 2027-2030 Strategic Plan.

As one of a small number of municipalities around the world selected for the Google Jigsaw Partners Program, Kitchener will use Sensemaking, a new engagement approach designed to help gather and organize thousands of community perspectives into meaningful insights. Through the program, Kitchener joins cities such as Gdańsk, Poland; Schenectady, New York; Riverside, California; and Houston, Texas in exploring new ways to engage residents using technology.

This new initiative will build on the City's current strategic planning engagement efforts. More than 1,500 residents have already shared their ideas through surveys, workshops, community conversations and other engagement activities.

The partnership reflects Kitchener's strong connection to innovation and technology, including being home to Google's Canadian engineering headquarters. It also supports the City's commitment to using technology in ways that strengthen community participation and help more people have a voice in decision-making.

"The City of Kitchener is proud to be chosen as a Google Jigsaw partner.  Kitchener has a strong record of putting community voices at the centre of decision-making and our Strategic Plan is one of the most important opportunities for residents to help shape the future of our city," said Mayor Berry Vrbanovic. "Many of our neighbours, colleagues, and friends have already contributed ideas and feedback. This opportunity allows us to build on that momentum, hear from more residents and gain deeper insights that will help shape Kitchener's future."

The initiative will be supported by Make.org, an independent civic technology organization that specializes in large-scale public participation. Through its online consultation platform, Make.org has helped millions of people around the world take part in public engagement processes.

Sensemaking will allow residents to share ideas and experiences in their own words, helping the City explore important topics in greater depth. Supported by AI technology, the approach can identify themes and insights that may not emerge through traditional survey questions alone.

This new engagement opportunity is expected to launch before the end of 2026. Residents can learn more about the Strategic Plan and upcoming opportunities to get involved at EngageWR.ca/KitchenerStrategicPlan.