Earlier this month, the city of Dieppe in Southern New Brunswick, Canada, announced that it would be utilizing participatory budgeting to strengthen its community and better direct its public funds.

We are excited to be working with the city to develop new modes of PB for smaller cities and towns across North America. The 23,000 residents of Dieppe will be invited to get together to brainstorm ideas for the $300,000 pot of money.

One Dieppe resident, Dennis Cormier, said that “we complain a lot as citizens that we just give out money; we’re taxed; we’re always backseat customers in the democratic process…But this way we can participate. We can actually give our ideas and manage the money.”

Following that notion of inclusive democracy, all residents of Dieppe 11 and older will be invited to propose initiatives for the city’s PB process. The final vote for their initiatives will be held in November.

We can’t wait!