Direct democracy — there’s an app for that

It’s been an eventful few weeks for urban planning in Montreal. First there was the CamillienHoude Way debacle and subsequent semi-reversal, then rumours of a potential change of plans for the reconfiguration of Ste-Catherine, and, most recently, the unveiling of the city’s plan for Lafontaine Park.

The Camillien-Houde episode showed the worst of it: when there is no consultation whatsoever. On Ste-Catherine Street, merchants have been listened to since speaking out about how the facelift will affect their businesses. And, in Lafontaine Park, all signs point to a rare instance where citizens’ opinions were duly considered when drafting the proposed plan. Three projects, three varying degrees of consultation.

The city is undergoing tremendous changes at the moment, that much is certain. What’s also certain, now more than ever, is that there is a serious discrepancy between what citizens expect and what governments expect in terms of public consultation.

We live in an era that offers boundless possibilities for the future of democracy. So why don’t we embrace technology, and its ability to widely disseminate information and connect large swaths of people, to improve how we go about consultation? I’m not suggesting that referendums be held for every decision, but it would be easy to get feedback on contentious issues.

Something as simple as a smartphone app — or one of those antiquated websites — would allow governments to quickly take citizens’ political temperature. Even if the administration doesn’t change course, it will be able to say it listened to the population. That’s a start.

Consider this: you’re more likely to support something, or at least tolerate it, if you’ve been somewhat involved with its ideation. It’s part and parcel of voter apathy among younger citizens: we’ve grown accustomed to politicians changing course once in office and shunning the philosophies that got them elected.

It goes without saying that any measure that decreases voter apathy and increases democratic participation is a plus. It would also put pressure on governments and administrations to communicate projects in a clear and concise manner.

There’s already been talk about making it easier for less mobile residents to weigh in remotely, but why not take it to the next logical step and offer the possibility to everyone? Imagine being able to offer feedback through your smartphone. Discuss it over supper with friends and family, then decide whether you think there should be a road that bisects the mountain.

The time is now for something like this to be introduced. The Plante administration would in theory be more likely than most to back a participatory consulting system. They could even play it off as a mea culpa for two confidenceeroding blunders thus far.

With the federal government scrambling to fulfil its promise of democratic reform, Montreal could secure funding by offering to steward a pilot project.

Plus, the incoming decisionmakers are quote-unquote digital natives. We as a generation are used to being able to express ourselves quickly on our phones and computers. It’s the most seamless way to integrate consultation in the 21st century.

Clearly the citizenry is capable of producing good and actionable ideas, as seen with the Lafontaine Park plan, and clearly it’s better to listen before than to deal with the firestorm of postproposal punditry.

So why not take steps toward meaningful consultation, with a modern spin? For all the talk about technology and smartphones driving us apart, maybe we can finally find a way for them to make us more cohesive.

Oh, and if this sounds farfetched and idyllic, a U.K.-based company has been toying with a similar concept for a few years. In Scandinavia, in-depth public consultation is the norm when it comes to urban planning.

It’s doable. The question is whether we as a society want to actively participate in shaping our city.