Owen Sound: A Four-Year City Business Plan

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Appendices

Appendix OGlossary and Common Municipal Language

14,181 words · Mike Seiler · Owen Sound, Ontario

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In this chapter

Say what we mean. Use the same words the same way. Do not improve the story by changing the definition.

A public business plan becomes difficult to trust when ordinary words quietly change meaning.

If:

then residents cannot tell what government actually accomplished.

This glossary establishes the common language used throughout the Four-Year City Business Plan.

Its purpose is simple:

Use plain language. Preserve definitions. Separate fact from forecast. Never upgrade status for political convenience.

O.1Purpose

This appendix defines recurring:

terms used throughout the plan.

O.2Plan-Specific Definitions

Some terms in this appendix are:

Where a term has a legal definition:

current Canadian and Ontario law governs.

O.4This Glossary Does Not Override Law

No.

O.5If Law Changes

Update:

while preserving version history.

O.6Plain-Language Rule

Where a technical term is necessary:

Explain it.

O.7Acronym Rule

First use should generally state:

full name followed by acronym.

O.8Acronym Overload

Avoid.

O.9Resident Test

A resident should not need:

to understand the basic meaning of the plan.

O.10Status Integrity

Terms describing progress must not be:

to improve political appearance.

O.11Original Definition

Preserve.

O.12Original Commitment

Preserve.

O.13Revised Commitment

May be added.

Do not erase:

O.14Estimate

Call:

O.15Forecast

Call:

O.16Hypothesis

Call:

O.17Aspiration

Call:

O.18Verified Result

Call:

O.19The Core Language Rule

Say what happened, not what sounds best.

A

O.20Accessibility

The ability of residents to obtain and participate in municipal services without avoidable disability-related barriers.

Accessibility includes more than:

It includes:

O.21Accessibility Barrier

A physical, digital, procedural, communication, transportation, information or other obstacle that prevents or materially limits equitable access.

O.22Accessibility Barrier Register

The City-wide record proposed in this plan for tracking:

O.23Accessible Journey

The full path a resident must complete to use a service, from:

Core rule:

An accessible feature is not the same as an accessible journey.

O.24Accommodation

A reasonable adjustment to remove or reduce an accessibility or human-rights-related barrier in a particular circumstance.

It should not be confused with:

O.25Act Now

An implementation classification meaning:

the City appears able to begin the action under existing authority, resources and process once required approvals are in place.

It does not mean:

O.26Administrative Delay

Time attributable to:

It should not be confused with:

O.27Administrative Direction

A lawful direction to municipal staff within the authority of the person giving it.

It is not:

O.28AgriHome Canada

The proposed open Canadian public-education initiative in this plan for practical:

knowledge.

The concept is intended to be:

It remains a proposed initiative unless formally created.

O.29Amber

A public-scorecard status meaning:

a material issue, delay, risk or barrier exists and requires attention.

Amber does not mean:

O.30Annualized Cost

The cost of a position, service or commitment measured over a full year rather than only the partial year in which it begins.

O.31Applicant Delay

Time during which a municipal application cannot advance because required information, action or response is outstanding from:

City-created accessibility or process failures should not be reclassified as:

O.32Approval

Formal authorization by the lawful decision-maker.

Approval is not:

O.33Approved but Not Built

A housing or development project that has received a required municipal approval but has not reached:

Core housing rule:

An approval is not a home.

O.34Ask Book

A concise institutional record of specific requests Owen Sound has made or intends to make to:

Each ask should state:

O.35Asset

Something the City owns, controls or is responsible for maintaining that has continuing operational or financial value.

Examples include:

O.36Asset Condition

The physical or functional state of an asset.

Condition should be distinguished from:

O.37Asset Confidence

The degree of confidence the City has in the information used to describe:

O.38Asset Register

The City's structured record of municipal assets and relevant:

information.

O.39Aspiration

A desired future outcome that has not yet been established as:

O.40At Risk

A status meaning a commitment is not yet missed but credible evidence indicates that:

may not be achieved without intervention.

O.41Authority

The lawful basis allowing a public body or official to act.

Authority may come from:

O.42Authority Map

A plain-language record showing which public body has responsibility or decision authority for an issue.

O.43Authority Screen

The question:

What legal authority permits Owen Sound to do this?

It should appear early in major initiatives.

B

O.44Baseline

The verified starting point against which future performance is measured.

A baseline should be established before claiming:

O.45Benchmark

A comparison point.

A benchmark can be:

A benchmark is not automatically:

O.46Bid

A supplier's formal response to a municipal procurement opportunity.

O.47Bidder

A supplier participating in a municipal procurement competition.

O.48Blocked

A commitment status indicating that progress cannot currently continue because of a material external or internal barrier.

Blocked should identify:

O.49Both-Sides Standard

A decision-making practice requiring opposing or competing positions to be described fairly before a conclusion is reached.

Closely related to:

O.50Broadband

High-speed communications infrastructure and Internet connectivity.

A municipal broadband initiative should distinguish:

O.51Budget

Council's authorized financial plan for a defined period.

Budget is not:

O.52Budget Pressure

A factor expected to increase future municipal spending or tax requirements.

Examples:

O.53Build Crew

The proposed community improvement concept in this plan involving coordinated practical community work.

It must distinguish:

Core rule:

Community enthusiasm does not waive safety, employment or procurement requirements.

O.54Business Case

A structured analysis showing why a proposed action is expected to create better public value than alternatives.

A complete business case may include:

O.55Business Continuity

The ability to continue essential operations during:

O.56By-Law

A formal rule enacted by municipal Council within lawful authority.

A by-law is not:

C

O.57Canadian Capacity

The practical ability of Canadian businesses, workers, institutions and infrastructure to:

goods and services needed by the City.

O.58Canadian Capacity Screen

The proposed procurement and resilience test asking:

O.59Canadian Digital Independence

The broader public-policy objective of reducing unnecessary dependence on digital systems over which Canadians have little practical control.

It does not mean:

O.60Canadian Digital Sovereignty

As used in this plan:

the practical ability to understand, control, secure, move and continue operating essential digital systems and information.

Core question:

Can we leave?

O.61Canadian Supplier

A supplier meeting the applicable Canadian definition required by:

for the specific procurement.

The City should not invent conflicting definitions.

O.62Campaign

Political activity directed toward:

Campaign activity must remain separate from:

O.63Campaign Firewall

The institutional separation preventing municipal:

from being improperly used for campaign purposes.

O.64Capital

Long-lived infrastructure or assets that generally provide value beyond the current operating year.

O.65Capital Cost

The acquisition, design, construction or major renewal cost of a capital asset.

It does not include every:

cost.

O.66Capital Project

A project creating, acquiring, replacing or substantially renewing a long-lived municipal asset.

O.67CAO / City Manager

The senior administrative official responsible for municipal administration within the authority established by:

Political leadership governs.

Administration administers.

O.68Charter

The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

In this plan, references to Charter review mean:

consider whether municipal action engages constitutionally protected rights and obtain appropriate legal review where material.

O.69City

Unless context indicates otherwise:

The Corporation of the City of Owen Sound as a municipal institution.

It does not mean:

O.70City Controlled

A scorecard or initiative label meaning Owen Sound has substantial direct control over the relevant:

It does not mean every external factor disappears.

O.71City Lead

A jurisdiction label meaning Owen Sound is the primary municipal body responsible for the issue.

O.72Civic Corps

The proposed youth and practical civic participation initiative designed around:

Core principle:

Paid work paid.

O.73Civic Covenant

The public governance standard setting out how Owen Sound should exercise public power, including:

O.74Civic Covenant Screen

The decision test asking whether a proposed action is consistent with the Civic Covenant.

It includes questions about:

O.75Civic Square

The proposed flexible downtown civic gathering concept in this plan.

It should be evaluated as:

O.76Clerk

The statutory municipal official responsible for functions assigned under applicable municipal law and City governance.

The Clerk is not:

O.77Closed Meeting

A Council or committee meeting, or portion of one, closed to the public under a lawful exception.

Closed does not mean:

O.78Community Capacity

The ability of residents, organizations, institutions and businesses to solve problems and provide useful services without needing City government to operate everything directly.

O.79Community Calendar

A proposed neutral public listing of:

It should not become:

O.80Community-Owned

A term that should only be used where governance and legal ownership genuinely provide the stated community or public control.

It should not be used merely because:

O.81Community Pooling

The proposed concept allowing local businesses to explore voluntary joint purchasing where:

exist.

It should not automatically make the City:

O.82Complete

A project status meaning the defined deliverable has actually been delivered to the agreed:

standard.

Launch is not:

O.83Completed Commitment

A commitment that has been fulfilled to the scope reasonably understood when it was made.

The original wording must remain visible.

O.84Complete Cost

The full public cost of a decision across its expected lifecycle.

Depending on the initiative, this may include:

O.85Complete Cost Test

The question:

What does this decision actually cost over its useful life?

O.86Condition

The physical or functional state of:

O.87Condition Confidence

How reliable the City's information is about an asset's:

O.88Conflict

A situation in which private, personal, political or institutional interests may interfere, or reasonably appear to interfere, with impartial public decision-making.

Legal conflict should be determined under:

O.89Conflict Firewall

The safeguards used to separate an interested person from control over a municipal process.

O.90Conflict of Interest

A legal or governance issue involving a public official's private interest in a public decision.

This plan does not use the phrase as a synonym for:

O.91Conflict-Sensitive File

A municipal matter requiring heightened independence because a decision could materially affect a related private interest.

O.92Consultant

An external professional retained to provide defined:

A consultant should not become:

O.93Consultation

A process for seeking input.

Consultation does not mean:

O.94Contract

A legally enforceable agreement creating obligations between parties.

A contract is different from:

O.95Contractor

A person or organization providing work or services under a contractual relationship.

O.96Core Service

A municipal service central to the City's legal or operational responsibilities.

O.97Correction

A public acknowledgement that previously published information was:

O.98Correction Log

The proposed public record of material municipal information errors and their correction.

It should not be designed to punish:

O.99Cost Avoidance

A future expenditure reasonably expected to have occurred but avoided through a decision.

It is not automatically:

O.100Cost Shifting

Moving a cost from one:

to another without reducing the total public burden.

Cost shifting is not:

O.101County

Unless otherwise indicated:

Grey County.

O.102County Lead

A jurisdiction label indicating Grey County is the primary public body responsible for the relevant function.

O.103Crown

In the constitutional context:

Canada or a province acting through the Crown.

The City is not automatically:

O.104Crown Duty to Consult

The constitutional duty associated with Crown conduct that may adversely affect potential or established Aboriginal or treaty rights.

This plan distinguishes formal Crown duties from Owen Sound's own:

responsibilities.

D

O.105Dashboard

A structured public display of current:

Dashboard is not:

O.106Data

Recorded information used for:

O.107Data Inventory

The proposed structured record describing important municipal datasets, including:

It should not itself contain unnecessary:

O.108Data Minimization

The principle of collecting and retaining only the information reasonably necessary for the lawful municipal purpose.

O.109Data Portability

The ability to export municipal information from a system in a usable form so it can be:

O.110Data Sovereignty

A broader term referring to control over data and the legal, technical and institutional conditions under which it is stored and processed.

This plan generally prefers the more practical term:

O.111Data Steward

The person or department responsible for maintaining appropriate:

of a dataset.

O.112Debt

Money borrowed by the municipality that must be:

Debt is not automatically:

It is not:

O.113Decision Gate

A defined point at which a project must:

based on evidence and pre-established criteria.

O.114Deferred

A status meaning a decision or commitment has been intentionally postponed.

Deferred should identify:

O.115Deferred Infrastructure

Asset work known to be needed but postponed.

It should remain visible as:

O.116Deliverable

The defined thing a project, contract or initiative promises to:

O.117Digital System

Software, cloud services, databases, applications, infrastructure or platforms used for municipal operations.

O.118Digital Systems Index

The proposed record of significant City digital systems including:

O.119Digital Sovereignty

See:

O.120Direct Purchase

A purchase made without a full competitive process where current:

permits it.

O.121Disposition

The lawful sale, lease, transfer or other disposal of:

O.122Do Nothing Option

The deliberate project alternative of:

Every major business case should consider what happens if government:

O.123Duplication

Two or more entities performing substantially overlapping work.

Duplication is not always:

Some duplication creates:

O.124Duplication Register

The proposed record of significant identified overlaps in public or community service delivery.

E

O.125Efficiency

Delivering equal or better public value with:

Efficiency is not:

O.126Efficiency Dividend

Verified ongoing savings generated through genuine operational improvement and allocated under the financial framework.

The proposed principle is generally:

No dividend exists until:

O.127Emergency

A genuine urgent condition requiring rapid action to protect:

Political urgency is not automatically:

O.128Emergency Procurement

A procurement method used where genuine urgency makes ordinary competition impractical.

It should still be:

O.129Evidence

Reliable information supporting a:

conclusion.

Evidence is different from:

O.130Evidence Changed

A missed-commitment classification indicating that credible new information materially altered the original policy rationale.

Changing course because evidence changed is not automatically:

O.131Exit

The process by which the City can lawfully and practically leave a:

O.132Exit Cost

The direct and indirect cost of ending or migrating away from a:

O.133Exit Test

The question:

Can we leave, and what does leaving cost?

O.134External

A scorecard category meaning the result is substantially determined by factors outside direct municipal control.

O.135External Approval

Approval required from another:

O.136External Block

A missed-commitment classification meaning Owen Sound performed the work reasonably within its authority but another required body prevented or did not provide the necessary:

O.137External Delay

Time caused by a body outside the applicant's and City's direct control.

F

O.138Faith-Informed Public Service

The principle that personal faith may motivate a person's service while public power remains exercised according to:

Core statement:

Faith informs the motive. Law governs the exercise of public power.

O.139Federal Ask

A specific request to the Government of Canada within a matter where federal:

is relevant.

O.140Federal Issues Register

The proposed institutional record of Owen Sound matters requiring:

O.141Financial Baseline

The verified starting financial condition used to compare:

O.142Financial Exposure

A known or potential future public cost resulting from:

O.143Fiscal Cliff

A future point at which temporary:

expires and the City must:

the service.

O.144First to Action

The operating principle that the first City employee or department receiving a legitimate resident issue should help:

the matter rather than simply sending the resident away.

It does not mean the first employee personally performs:

O.145First 30 Days

The initial implementation period focused on:

O.146First 60 Days

The early implementation stage focused on converting initial findings into:

O.147First 100 Days

The first major implementation checkpoint demonstrating whether the governing system can produce:

results.

O.148Forecast

An estimate of what is expected to happen in the future.

Forecast is not:

O.149Founder

The person who created or materially controls a private:

In conflict-sensitive sections, this may refer specifically to a Mayor-associated private interest.

O.150Founder-Associated

A private company, platform, asset, intellectual property or organization materially connected to:

O.151Founder Last

The governance principle for founder-associated public technology:

Public standard first. Platform second. Founder last.

Meaning:

O.152Founder Windfall

A material private increase in:

created by municipal adoption or endorsement.

A cash payment is not required for a windfall to exist.

O.153Four-Year Audit

The end-of-term public review comparing:

O.154Four-Year City Business Plan

The complete governing framework proposed in this document for the Council term.

It is not automatically:

Those require proper public processes.

G

O.155General Reserve

Municipal funds held for future financial needs subject to applicable:

Reserve money is not:

O.156Goodwill Compact

The proposed voluntary community framework encouraging:

It must not become:

O.157Goodwill Standard

The broader behavioural principle:

Challenge ideas firmly while treating people carefully.

O.158Government-to-Government

A relationship between governments acting in their institutional capacities.

In this plan, SON should be approached through a distinct:

relationship, not treated as an ordinary stakeholder.

O.159Grant

Public funding given to support an eligible recipient's public-purpose activity under defined conditions.

It is different from:

O.160Grant Cliff

See:

O.161Grant-Driven Project

A project pursued primarily because external funding is available rather than because the project already demonstrates:

This plan rejects:

grant-driven government.

O.162Green

A scorecard status meaning the defined standard is currently:

Green should never mean:

O.163Grey

A scorecard status meaning:

important information is unknown or insufficiently verified.

Grey is not:

H

O.164Handoff

The transfer of an issue from one:

to another while maintaining continuity for the resident.

O.165Handoff Failure

A transfer in which the resident:

O.166Harbour

Unless context indicates otherwise:

the Owen Sound harbour / port area and related federal, municipal, SON and other interests.

The exact ownership, regulatory and operational roles should always be stated rather than assumed.

O.167Hold

A project status meaning:

do not proceed further until a defined issue is resolved.

O.168Housing Pipeline

The sequence from initial housing concept through:

Not every project uses every stage.

O.169Hypothesis

A proposition being tested.

Example:

A service redesign may reduce cost.

A hypothesis must not be reported as:

I

O.170Independent

Structurally free enough from the interested party to provide credible:

Independent is not merely:

the reviewer says they are unbiased.

O.171Independent Counsel

Legal counsel retained to provide advice independently of a conflict-sensitive decision-maker or existing relationship where that independence is materially important.

O.172Independent File Owner

The unconflicted person given control of a conflict-sensitive municipal file.

O.173Independent Review

An evaluation conducted under governance safeguards designed to protect:

O.174Independent Valuation

A valuation performed by a qualified party who does not have a material interest in the transaction.

O.175Indigenous Knowledge

Knowledge held or shared by Indigenous people or Nations that should not automatically be treated as:

Its use should respect:

O.176Infrastructure

Physical or digital systems supporting public life and municipal services.

O.177Infrastructure Index

The proposed City-wide record of public infrastructure including:

O.178Infrastructure Risk

The consequence and likelihood associated with asset:

O.179Initiative

A defined proposed or approved public action intended to address a specific:

O.180Initiative Card

The standardized summary of each material initiative proposed in Part XVII.

O.181Initiative ID

A stable identifier assigned to an initiative so its:

can be tracked without confusion.

O.182Initiative Owner

The department or official responsible for managing a municipal initiative.

O.183Initiative Review

The structured examination of:

before implementation.

O.184Institutional Memory

The records, procedures, contacts and knowledge allowing the City to continue operating after:

changes.

O.185Intergovernmental

Involving two or more governments.

O.186Intergovernmental Ask

A specific request from Owen Sound to another government.

O.187Intergovernmental Issues Register

A record of unresolved matters requiring another government's:

O.188Interoperability

The ability of systems or organizations to work together without unnecessary:

O.189Issue Owner

The person or department responsible for ensuring an issue:

J

O.190Jurisdiction

The legal scope of authority held by a:

O.191Jurisdiction Chart

Appendix B's plain-language guide explaining which level of government or institution is responsible for recurring public issues.

O.192Jurisdiction Fiction

A claim that a government possesses authority it does not legally have.

This plan rejects:

K

O.193Key Performance Indicator

A defined measure used to track progress toward an intended:

result.

A KPI should not be selected solely because it makes performance:

L

O.194Launch

The point at which a service, project or system begins operating.

Launch is not:

The completion of remaining legal obligations after operational work may appear finished.

Examples:

Professional review addressing what the City:

Legal review does not replace:

A condition requiring an initiative to receive a specified level of:

The proposed framework matching legal-review intensity to:

O.199Liability

A legal or financial responsibility or exposure.

O.200Lifecycle

The entire useful life of a:

from acquisition or creation through:

O.201Local

A geographic term that must be defined for the specific program.

Local does not automatically mean:

O.202Local Knowledge

Practical knowledge held by:

about local systems and conditions.

O.203Local Opportunity

The principle that qualified local businesses should have a realistic opportunity to:

for municipal work without receiving hidden favouritism.

O.204Local Vendor Gateway

The proposed free public entry point explaining:

It is not:

O.205Lock-In

A condition where leaving a:

becomes disproportionately difficult because of:

O.206Long-Term Rental Covenant

A legal restriction or agreement intended to preserve a housing unit for longer-term rental use where lawful and appropriate.

O.207Lower-Tier Municipality

The local municipal level operating within a two-tier county or regional structure.

As used throughout this plan, Owen Sound is the local municipality within the Grey County system.

M

O.208Major Initiative

An initiative with sufficiently significant:

to warrant enhanced review.

O.209Material

Significant enough to affect a reasonable:

decision.

O.210Measure

A defined quantity or indicator used to track:

O.211Median

The middle value in an ordered dataset.

The median is often useful for service times because it is less distorted by:

than the average.

O.212Metric

See:

O.213MFIPPA

The Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

In this plan, MFIPPA is the principal Ontario municipal statute referenced for:

Current law always governs.

O.214Missed

A factual commitment status meaning the promised:

was not achieved as originally defined.

Missed is not automatically:

O.215Missed Commitment

A commitment that did not meet the original promise.

The original promise remains visible.

O.216Missed Responsible Stop

A missed commitment where stopping was the more responsible decision because:

changed.

O.217Mitigation

A temporary or partial measure reducing the impact of a:

Mitigation is not the same as:

O.218MOU

Memorandum of Understanding.

A document describing an intended relationship.

Its legal effect depends on:

MOU signed is not:

O.219Municipal Authority

The statutory or other lawful power available to Owen Sound as a municipality.

O.220Municipal Digital Sovereignty

Digital sovereignty applied specifically to:

O.221Municipal Election

The election process governed by applicable Ontario municipal election law.

A municipal consultation tool such as Strong Vote is not:

O.222Municipal Government

The City acting through:

within lawful authority.

It is distinct from:

O.223Municipal Service

A service delivered or administered by the City under lawful authority.

N

O.224New Spending Gate

The proposed financial review required before adding material new municipal spending.

O.225No Favourites

The governance principle that ordinary municipal service, permits, procurement, grants, hiring and enforcement should not depend on:

O.226No Permission Theatre

The principle that Owen Sound should not pretend another government must approve something the City can already lawfully decide.

O.227No Wrong Door

The municipal service principle that a resident contacting the wrong department should receive:

rather than dismissal.

O.228No Wrong Government

The intergovernmental version of No Wrong Door.

Where a resident contacts the wrong government:

help route them to the correct authority without making them the messenger between governments.

O.229No Surprise

A relationship principle encouraging early notice to partners about material issues where:

It does not require disclosure of:

information when inappropriate.

O.230Non-Binding

Advisory or expressive rather than legally determinative.

A non-binding public vote can inform:

It cannot claim legal authority it does not have.

O.231Non-Digital Access

The ability to obtain essential information or services without requiring:

O.232Not Proceeding

A project status meaning the initiative has been intentionally ended before implementation.

O.233Not Started

A commitment status meaning no material implementation work has begun.

O.234Outcome

The real-world result produced by an initiative.

O.235Output

The product or activity produced.

Example:

Outcome might be:

O

O.236One Taxpayer

The principle that residents ultimately fund multiple layers of government and cost transfers between those layers should not be misrepresented as:

O.237One Taxpayer Shared-Service Ledger

The proposed accounting view showing combined public costs and contributions in shared City-County or other public arrangements.

O.238One Street, One Plan

The infrastructure principle of coordinating:

work where practical to reduce repeated disruption and waste.

O.239Open Books

The commitment to publish understandable municipal financial information including:

subject to legitimate privacy and confidentiality requirements.

O.240Open by Default

The governance principle favouring public access to government information unless:

requires restriction.

O.241Open Data

Municipal data intentionally made available for public reuse subject to:

O.242Open Municipal Playbook

The commitment to share reusable:

so other Canadian municipalities can benefit from Owen Sound's work.

O.243Open Standard

A documented technical or governance standard that can be implemented by multiple suppliers rather than being inherently tied to:

O.244Operating Cost

The recurring cost of running a:

O.245Operating Standard

The defined level at which a municipal service is expected to function.

O.246Opportunity Cost

The value of the best alternative use of:

O.247Outcome Missed

A status indicating the promised deliverable may have been implemented but the intended result did not occur.

Example:

Program launched, but target reduction did not occur.

O.248Outside Partner

An organization or government outside Owen Sound municipal administration participating in:

P

O.249Partial

A commitment status meaning part of the original promise was delivered but not all of the material:

O.250Partnership

An operating relationship between Owen Sound and another organization or government for a defined public purpose.

A partnership is not simply:

O.251Partnership Before Program

The principle:

Before creating another City program, ask who already does this well and whether strengthening existing capacity would solve the problem better.

O.252Partnership Register

The proposed record of significant relationships including:

O.253Penny

The proposed voluntary Shop Local reward concept.

It is intended as:

It is not intended to be represented as:

O.254Performance

The measurable effectiveness of a:

O.255Performance Measure

A defined indicator used to assess performance.

O.256Performance Target

A desired future value for a defined measure.

Target is not:

O.257Person Before System

The Civic Covenant principle that municipal administration should be designed around the resident's lawful needs rather than forcing residents to understand internal:

O.258Personal Information

Information about an identifiable individual as defined under applicable privacy law.

Current legal definition governs.

O.259Pilot

A limited, temporary test used to gather evidence before permanent adoption.

A real pilot should have:

O.260Pilot Drift

The improper transition of a pilot into permanent service without a deliberate:

O.261Planning

The municipal and provincial system governing:

under applicable law.

O.262Political Decision

A lawful policy choice made by an elected decision-maker among available:

options.

Political does not mean:

O.263Pothole Day

A proposed visible maintenance initiative focusing public attention and coordinated repair on:

It should not replace:

O.264Pre-Application

An early planning, building or business stage before a formal application is submitted.

O.265Preventive Maintenance

Planned work performed before failure to extend:

O.266Privacy by Design

The principle of considering privacy requirements before a system or service is:

O.267Private Interest

A financial, business, property, intellectual-property or other personal interest distinct from the official's public responsibilities.

O.268Private Platform

A digital system owned or controlled by a non-municipal organization or person.

O.269Procurement

The process by which the City obtains:

Procurement is broader than:

O.270Procurement Forecast

A public look-ahead of expected significant upcoming procurement opportunities.

It is not:

O.271Procurement ID

A stable identifier assigned to a municipal procurement.

O.272Procurement Threshold

A financial or other trigger affecting which purchasing procedure applies under:

Thresholds should be verified against:

O.273Program

An ongoing or structured set of activities designed to deliver a defined:

O.274Project

A time-limited effort designed to deliver a defined:

O.275Projected Saving

An expected future reduction in cost.

It is not:

O.276Public Asset

An asset owned or controlled by the municipality or another public body for a public purpose.

O.277Public Interest

The legitimate community purpose government is attempting to serve.

"Public interest" should not be used as an undefined phrase to justify:

O.278Public Infrastructure

Assets or systems serving continuing public functions.

This can include:

infrastructure.

O.279Public Ownership

Legally enforceable ownership or control by a public institution.

Public ownership should identify:

O.280Public Purpose

The defined civic reason for a municipal:

O.281Public Scorecard

The plan's public performance reporting system covering defined measures across:

O.282Public Standard First

The founder-sensitive technology principle:

define the public need, rules, ownership and safeguards before evaluating a specific private platform.

Q

O.283Quick Quote

The proposed streamlined procurement method for appropriate lower-value purchases within current lawful:

It is not:

call a friend.

O.284Quorum

The minimum number of members required for a municipal body to lawfully conduct business under applicable rules.

Current law and procedure govern.

R

O.285RealMap

The proposed property-information / real-estate platform associated with the broader plan.

Within municipal policy:

O.286RealMap Awareness

The proposed effort to make residents aware of a higher-information property-listing option without:

O.287Real-Estate Sign Transition

The proposed four-year evidence-based consideration of reducing the visual impact of traditional residential real-estate lawn signs.

It is separate from:

O.288Reconciliation

A continuing relationship process involving:

It should not be reduced to:

O.289Recusal

Withdrawal from participation in a public matter where required by:

The precise legal requirements depend on:

O.290Red

A scorecard status indicating a significant:

requiring attention.

O.291Red Tape

Administrative requirements that impose unnecessary:

without sufficient public benefit.

A legal safety or rights requirement is not automatically:

O.292Red Tape Log

The proposed record of rules or procedures residents and businesses identify as unnecessarily difficult.

Each item should be:

as appropriate.

O.293Referral

Directing a resident to an organization better positioned to provide the needed service.

A good referral is:

where appropriate.

O.294Regulatory Requirement

A requirement imposed by law or valid regulation.

O.295Repair Before Replace

The procurement and asset-management principle requiring the City to consider repair before purchasing replacement.

It is not an absolute requirement to repair an asset when repair no longer makes:

sense.

O.296Reserve

Funds set aside for future municipal:

Reserves are not:

O.297Resident

A person who lives in Owen Sound.

Depending on the context, municipal services may also serve:

O.298Resident Experience

The practical experience a resident has while interacting with municipal:

O.299Resident Government

The principle that municipal democracy includes meaningful participation:

while maintaining lawful representative decision-making.

O.300Resident Pulse

The proposed recurring public-feedback mechanism measuring:

without turning municipal engagement into:

O.301Resident Satisfaction

Residents' reported experience or opinion of municipal services.

It should be separated from:

O.302Resilience

The ability of a community or system to continue functioning and recover from:

O.303Resolve First

The service principle encouraging government to:

an issue before escalating conflict or bureaucracy.

O.304Responsible Stop

A deliberate decision to end a project because continuing would no longer serve:

Responsible stop may still mean the original commitment was:

O.305Restore Test

The question:

Can the City actually restore the system or data from its backup?

O.306Retention

The length of time records or information are lawfully kept.

O.307Review

A scheduled examination of whether an initiative, system, program or agreement should:

O.308Review Date

The pre-established date on which that examination should occur.

O.309Right Responder

The proposed community-safety principle of sending the appropriately qualified service to a call rather than assuming every situation requires the same:

Safety and professional triage remain:

O.310Right-Level Test

The question:

Which level of government or community institution is closest, capable and legally appropriate for this responsibility?

O.311Rights Screen

The process of examining whether a proposed municipal initiative may engage:

protections.

O.312Risk

The combination of:

of an unwanted event or outcome.

O.313Risk Register

A structured record of material project or institutional risks and their:

O.314Routine

A matter that is:

S

O.315Safe Information Program

The proposed municipal information framework based on:

Access

Accuracy

Privacy

Resilience

Independence

O.316Saving

A verified reduction in expenditure or future required expenditure compared with a defensible:

O.317Scorecard

See:

O.318Section 35

Section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982, which recognizes and affirms existing:

rights.

Current constitutional law governs interpretation.

O.319Service Catalogue

The proposed public list explaining:

O.320Service Closure

The point at which a resident service request has reached a defined:

O.321Service Level

The expected standard for:

O.322Service Standard

A published target or operating expectation for municipal service delivery.

O.323Shared

A jurisdiction or scorecard classification meaning more than one:

has a material role.

Shared should always identify:

who does what.

O.324Shared Responsibility

Responsibility divided among multiple institutions.

It should never become:

nobody is responsible.

O.325Shared Service

A service delivered jointly or through an agreed arrangement among:

O.326Shared-Service Business Case

The analysis comparing current and proposed shared-service:

O.327Shared-Service Ledger

See:

O.328Shop Local

The plan's voluntary framework encouraging stronger local commercial participation through:

without coercion.

O.329Shop Local Directory

A neutral public directory of local businesses.

Basic inclusion should not depend on:

O.330Sign Transition

See:

O.331Small Supplier

A smaller business capable of competing for appropriate municipal work.

Small does not mean:

O.332Social Score

A generalized government rating of a person's civic worth, trustworthiness, behaviour or social standing.

This plan rejects municipal:

O.333Sole Source

A procurement in which only one supplier is approached or capable of providing the required service under an applicable lawful exception.

Sole source is not:

O.334SON

Saugeen Ojibway Nation, the collective political relationship of Saugeen First Nation and the Chippewas of Nawash Unceded First Nation as used throughout this plan.

SON should be treated as:

not merely:

O.335SON Commitments Record

The proposed institutional record of Owen Sound's commitments and mutually appropriate joint actions with SON.

It is not a score assigned to:

O.336Standing Arrangement

A procurement arrangement established in advance for recurring purchases or services under defined:

O.337Standing Work List

The proposed operational list of known municipal work that is ready or nearly ready to be completed when:

allows.

O.338Start-Up Desk

The proposed one-window navigation service helping entrepreneurs understand:

It does not guarantee:

O.339State of the City

The proposed recurring public report summarizing:

O.340Status

A defined description of where an initiative or commitment stands.

Status must follow:

O.341Steelman Standard

The practice of stating an opposing position in its strongest fair form before:

O.342Stop Condition

A pre-established condition indicating a project or pilot should:

O.343Strategic Dependency

A reliance on another:

that could materially affect the City's ability to operate if disrupted.

O.344Strong Mayor

The Ontario statutory framework assigning specified additional powers to the head of council in designated municipalities.

The exact powers, limits and election-period rules should always be verified against:

O.345Strong Vote

The proposed verified civic consultation system allowing residents to express views on defined municipal questions.

Unless current law expressly provides otherwise:

Strong Vote is advisory, not a binding municipal election.

Core information rule:

Verify person. Protect opinion.

O.346Subsidiarity

The governance principle that decisions should remain as close as reasonably possible to:

while still being handled at a level capable and legally authorized to act.

Subsidiarity is a:

It is not itself a source of municipal:

O.347Subsidy

Public value transferred to support an activity, service or recipient.

A subsidy can be:

O.348Superseded

A status meaning an original initiative has been formally replaced by another approach.

The original commitment should remain visible.

O.349Supplier

A person or organization providing goods, services or construction to the City.

O.350Supplier Concentration

The degree to which municipal operations depend on one or a small number of:

O.351System of Record

The authoritative municipal system used as the official source for a particular category of:

T

O.352Target

The result government intends to reach.

Target is not:

O.353Tax Levy

The amount of property-tax revenue required to support municipal operations after other revenues are considered.

O.354Tax Rate

The rate applied to taxable assessment within a property class to calculate a portion of the property tax.

O.355Tax Requirement

The municipal amount required from property taxation.

It should not be confused with:

O.356Tax Pressure

The cumulative upward pressure on property-tax requirements created by:

O.357Tax Pressure Bridge

The proposed explanation showing how one year's tax requirement changes into the next through identifiable:

O.358Temporary Accommodation

A short-term measure allowing access while a permanent barrier remains unresolved.

O.359Tender

A formal competitive procurement process or solicitation.

O.360Third Party

An external organization or person that is neither:

in a particular relationship.

In election law, "third party advertiser" has a specific legal meaning governed by:

O.361Total Cost of Ownership

The expected cost of acquiring, operating, maintaining and disposing of an asset or system.

Complete Cost may be broader because it can include additional:

effects.

O.362Transparency

Making government decisions, information and use of public resources understandable and accessible subject to lawful:

O.363Two Governments, One Resident

The operating principle recognizing Owen Sound and Grey County as distinct governments serving many of the same people.

Full phrase:

Two governments. One resident. One taxpayer. No wrong door.

U

O.364Unfunded Liability

A known future obligation without sufficient dedicated funding currently identified.

O.365Unfunded Mandate

A responsibility or requirement imposed on the City without matching funding or resources sufficient to perform it.

O.366Unfunded Mandate Ledger

The proposed public record of responsibilities or requirements added by other governments without adequate matching:

O.367Unknown

A status meaning the City does not yet have sufficient reliable information to make the stated:

Unknown is a legitimate answer.

O.368Upper-Tier Municipality

The county or regional municipal level above lower-tier municipalities in a two-tier structure.

In this plan:

O.369User Fee

A charge paid by a person or organization receiving a particular municipal:

A user fee is different from:

V

O.370Value Engineering

A structured attempt to reduce cost or improve value while preserving necessary:

It should not become:

O.371Vendor

A supplier, particularly one providing ongoing:

O.372Vendor Concentration

See:

O.373Vendor Exit

The process for ending a vendor relationship while preserving municipal:

O.374Vendor Lock-In

See:

O.375Verified

Supported by sufficient evidence from an appropriate:

O.376Verified Saving

A recurring or one-time saving confirmed against a defensible baseline and reviewed by the appropriate financial authority.

O.377Version History

The record showing how a document, standard, commitment or dataset changed over:

Material changes should not silently overwrite:

O.378Volunteer

A person freely contributing unpaid time under an arrangement that is genuinely:

Volunteer should not be used as a label for work that should legally or ethically be:

W

O.379Warm Handoff

A referral in which the City actively helps connect a resident to the correct:

rather than merely providing another phone number.

O.380Whole-Journey Test

The accessibility test asking whether a resident can complete the entire:

rather than whether one isolated feature is accessible.

O.381Who Does What

The plain-language public guide showing which:

is responsible for a recurring issue.

O.382Wind-Down

The planned process of safely ending a:

O.383Winter Accessibility

The requirement that accessible routes remain practically usable during:

O.384Workaround

A temporary alternative used when the normal:

does not work.

A workaround should not quietly become:

Y

O.385Year One

The first full implementation year.

Its primary purpose throughout this plan is generally to:

O.386Year Two

The second implementation year.

Its primary purpose is generally to:

O.387Year Three

The third implementation year.

Its primary purpose is generally to:

O.388Year Four

The final implementation year.

Its primary purpose is generally to:

Year Four should not become:

O.389YouthMap

The proposed opportunity-mapping tool helping young people find:

Core principle:

Map the opportunity, not the youth.

O.390Youth Opportunity

A defined pathway for a young person to:

O.391Youth Skills Passport

A possible youth-controlled record of:

It must not become:

COMMON STATUS DEFINITIONS

O.392Not Started

No material implementation.

O.393Planning

The initiative is being:

O.394Approved

Lawful approval received.

Not yet necessarily:

O.395Funded

Resources have been formally committed.

Not yet necessarily:

O.396In Delivery

Implementation is actively underway.

O.397Pilot

Temporary evidence-building implementation.

O.398Operational

The service or system is currently functioning.

Operational does not mean:

O.399Completed

Defined deliverable delivered.

O.400Partial

Only part of original commitment delivered.

O.401Blocked

Material obstacle prevents progress.

O.402At Risk

Commitment has not yet missed but credible warning exists.

O.403Deferred

Officially postponed.

O.404Superseded

Replaced by another formal approach.

O.405Stopped

Implementation intentionally ended.

O.406Not Proceeding

Decision made not to implement.

O.407Completed Late

Original deadline was missed but commitment was subsequently delivered.

The miss remains part of:

O.408Outcome Missed

Implementation occurred but intended result did not.

COMMON FINANCIAL LANGUAGE

O.409Actual

What actually occurred financially.

O.410Budget

What Council authorized.

O.411Forecast

What is expected to occur.

O.412Variance

Difference between:

O.413Operating Budget

Annual revenues and expenditures associated with ongoing operations.

O.414Capital Budget

Authorized spending for significant:

O.415Reserve Contribution

Money transferred into a reserve.

O.416Reserve Draw

Money taken from a reserve for an approved:

A reserve draw is not:

O.417Debt Service

Principal and interest payments associated with municipal borrowing.

O.418Grant Revenue

External government or organization funding received under a defined:

O.419One-Time Revenue

Revenue not expected to recur reliably.

O.420Recurring Revenue

Revenue reasonably expected to continue under the stated assumptions.

O.421One-Time Cost

A cost expected to occur once or during a limited:

O.422Recurring Cost

A cost expected to continue in future:

O.423Avoided Cost

See:

O.424Verified Efficiency

An operational improvement demonstrated through:

O.425Efficiency Dividend Eligible

A saving meeting the financial standard required to be allocated through the proposed:

O.426Financial Cliff

See:

COMMON PERFORMANCE LANGUAGE

O.427Activity

What government did.

Example:

O.428Output

What the activity produced.

Example:

O.429Outcome

What changed because of the work.

Example:

O.430Impact

A broader longer-term effect.

Impact claims require stronger:

than activity claims.

O.431Response Time

Time from a defined service trigger to a defined:

Automated acknowledgment should not automatically count as:

O.432Resolution Time

Time from service trigger to:

O.433Backlog

Work that has entered a service process but remains:

O.434Handoff Count

The number of transfers a resident experiences before reaching the responsible:

O.435Repeat Contact

A resident having to contact government again about the same unresolved issue.

O.436Resident Effort

The amount of:

required from a resident to complete a service.

O.437Service Failure

A service not delivered to the defined:

O.438Service Recovery

The process of correcting a service failure and:

O.439Satisfaction

A reported opinion of the resident's experience.

O.440Perception

What residents believe or feel about a condition.

Perception should be measured separately from:

O.441Objective Measure

A measure based on observable:

rather than opinion.

O.442Qualitative Evidence

Non-numeric information such as:

O.443Quantitative Evidence

Numeric information capable of:

O.444Sample

The group of people or records actually measured.

O.445Representative

Sufficiently structured to support a claim about a broader:

Open online surveys should not automatically be called:

O.446Margin of Error

A statistical concept that applies only under suitable:

It should not be attached casually to:

COMMON GOVERNMENT LANGUAGE

O.447Council

The elected municipal council acting collectively within its lawful authority.

Council is not:

O.448Mayor

The elected head of Council, exercising:

The Mayor is not:

O.449Administration

Municipal employees and officers responsible for professional and operational delivery.

O.450Statutory Official

A municipal officer whose responsibilities are established directly through:

O.451Delegation

A lawful transfer of decision-making authority from a body or official to another person or body where permitted.

Delegation does not eliminate:

O.452Head of Council

The legal municipal term for the Mayor in Owen Sound.

O.453Municipality

A local government created and governed under provincial law.

O.454Province

Ontario.

O.455Federal Government

The Government of Canada.

O.456One Crown

The Canadian constitutional concept that Crown authority exists within federal and provincial constitutional structures.

This plan does not describe Ontario as:

O.457Constitutional Monarchy

Canada's system in which executive authority is constitutionally organized through the Crown within:

O.458Federalism

The constitutional division of powers between:

O.459Provincial Authority

Authority constitutionally or statutorily belonging to:

O.460Federal Authority

Authority constitutionally or statutorily belonging to:

O.461Municipal Power

Authority provided to the City through:

O.462Municipal Independence

As used in this plan:

practical local capacity to use existing lawful municipal authority responsibly.

It does not mean:

O.463Canadian Independence

As used in this plan:

A policy emphasis on strengthening:

while remaining within Canada's constitutional and economic framework.

COMMON PARTNERSHIP LANGUAGE

O.464Government-to-Government Relationship

A relationship between public governments in their official capacities.

O.465Community Partner

A nonprofit, charity, faith organization, service club, volunteer group or other community body collaborating on a defined:

O.466Public Institution

An organization with public governance or statutory responsibilities such as:

depending on the context.

O.467Partnership Contribution

What each party contributes to an arrangement, such as:

O.468Shared Outcome

A result delivered by more than one institution.

It should not be claimed exclusively as:

O.469Partnership Exit

The agreed process for:

the relationship.

O.470Relationship Owner

The municipal employee or department responsible for maintaining an institutional partnership.

O.471Personality Dependency

A relationship or program that functions primarily because of one:

This is a succession risk.

COMMON PROCUREMENT LANGUAGE

O.472Competitive Procurement

A purchasing process allowing multiple qualified suppliers to:

O.473Open Competition

A procurement publicly open to eligible suppliers under the stated rules.

O.474Invitational Competition

A procurement where a defined number of eligible suppliers are invited according to lawful:

O.475Limited Tender

A procurement using a lawful exception to ordinary open competition.

O.476Sole Source

See O.333.

O.477Emergency Procurement

See O.128.

O.478Standing Supplier List

A list of suppliers established through a defined process for recurring:

It should not become:

O.479Bid Evaluation

The process of assessing bids against pre-established:

O.480Procurement Split

An artificial division of one purchase into smaller transactions to avoid:

This plan rejects:

O.481Lot

A legitimate portion of a larger procurement separately available for:

O.482Local Preference

An explicit procurement advantage given because of geographic location.

Any such preference must be evaluated against:

O.483Ontario / Canadian Procurement Requirement

A requirement imposed or authorized by the applicable current procurement:

O.484Repairability

The practical ability to:

rather than discard an asset prematurely.

O.485Change Order

An authorized change to an existing contract affecting:

O.486Procurement Close-Out

The final process ensuring all contracted deliverables, documentation, data, warranties and obligations have been:

COMMON DIGITAL LANGUAGE

O.487AI

Artificial intelligence.

In this plan, AI refers broadly to computational systems capable of:

O.488AI-Assisted

A process in which AI supports a human who remains:

O.489Automated Decision

A decision materially made through a machine process rather than solely by a human.

High-consequence automated decisions require:

O.490Behavioural Advertising

Advertising targeted using observed or inferred personal:

This plan rejects behavioural advertising as an ordinary municipal:

O.491Civic Dossier

A generalized profile combining unrelated municipal information about one resident.

This plan rejects:

O.492Data Locker

A proposed concept for resident-controlled document or information storage.

It should not be implemented without:

case.

O.493Email for Life

The proposed concept of persistent long-term civic email.

It remains an:

unless a viable operating model is independently approved.

O.494Facial Recognition

Biometric technology attempting to identify or verify a person from facial characteristics.

This plan does not support routine municipal use by:

O.495Open API

A documented software interface available according to neutral access terms.

O.496Open Source

Software whose source code is available under a licence permitting defined:

Open source does not automatically mean:

O.497Public Wi-Fi

Internet access provided in a public municipal location or area.

The proposed policy standard is:

access infrastructure, not surveillance infrastructure.

O.498Restore

Recovering systems or information from a:

O.499Backup

A secondary copy of data or system information maintained for:

A backup that has never been tested is not proof of:

O.500Subprocessor

A third party used by a vendor to process or support information or services.

O.501Vendor Exit Test

See:

O.502Universal Digital ID

A single municipal identity credential intended to connect multiple resident services.

This plan does not support creating one merely for:

O.503Surveillance

Systematic observation or recording of people, activities or locations for a defined:

O.504Privacy Impact Assessment

A structured review used to identify and mitigate privacy risks associated with a:

O.505Data Breach

Unauthorized access, loss, disclosure or other compromise of protected information.

Current legal definitions and obligations govern.

COMMON SAFETY LANGUAGE

O.506Actual Safety

Observable measures of:

O.507Perceived Safety

How safe people report feeling.

It should be measured separately from:

O.508Activity Measure

A count of enforcement or response actions such as:

Activity is not automatically:

O.509Capacity Dividend

A verified increase in usable public-safety capacity created by better deployment or coordination.

O.510Financial Safety Dividend

A verified financial saving arising only after:

are properly assessed.

No savings should be manufactured through predetermined:

O.511Vulnerable-Person Heat Map

A map identifying where vulnerable people live, gather or receive services.

This plan rejects publication or unnecessary creation of such maps for ordinary:

O.512Safety Outcome

A measurable change in:

COMMON HOUSING LANGUAGE

O.513Additional Residential Unit

A secondary residential unit permitted under applicable:

requirements.

O.514Garden Suite

A smaller residential unit located on the same property as a primary dwelling where permitted.

O.515Basement Suite

An additional residential unit located within or below a primary dwelling where lawfully created.

O.516Gentle Density

Incremental housing forms increasing the number or diversity of homes within existing neighbourhoods without necessarily involving:

O.517Net New Unit

New housing completed minus units lost through:

according to the defined methodology.

O.518Completion

For housing:

The physical unit has been completed to the defined stage.

O.519Occupancy

The stage at which a completed unit is lawfully ready or authorized for:

under the applicable process.

O.520Affordable Housing

A term that must always identify:

Affordable should never be used as an undefined:

O.521Accessible Housing

Housing with defined accessibility features or standards.

The term should state:

COMMON BUSINESS LANGUAGE

O.522Before You Sign

The proposed business-navigation service encouraging entrepreneurs to check:

before signing a lease or purchase agreement.

O.523Ten-Business-Day Standard

A proposed service standard for defined Start-Up Desk municipal responses.

The clock must specify:

O.524Early No

The principle that government should give a clear negative answer early when a proposal cannot proceed rather than allowing an applicant to spend:

before discovering the barrier.

O.525Enthusiast Economy

The economic activity created around:

O.526Business Survival

A business remaining in operation over a defined period.

Municipal government should not claim it:

business survival without evidence.

O.527Business Opening

A new business beginning operations under a defined methodology.

Opening counts should be distinguished from:

O.528Business Closure

A business ceasing operations under a defined methodology.

O.529Business Expansion

A measurable growth in:

according to a defined method.

COMMON ENVIRONMENTAL LANGUAGE

O.530Stewardship

Responsible care for:

O.531Environmental Outcome

A measurable environmental condition or improvement rather than:

O.532Tree Survival

The number or proportion of planted trees that remain healthy after a defined:

Tree survival is often more meaningful than:

O.533Natural Asset

A natural feature providing public functions such as:

O.534Brownfield

Land that may be underused, abandoned or require environmental investigation or remediation before redevelopment.

O.535Remediation

Work undertaken to address:

Assessment is not:

O.536Environmental Liability

Potential financial or legal responsibility connected to:

COMMON CIVIC LANGUAGE

O.537Dignity

The principle that every person has inherent worth before government and should not require:

to receive ordinary lawful service.

O.538Autonomy

The ability of individuals and families to make lawful decisions about their own lives without unnecessary:

O.539Family Impact

The consideration of how municipal decisions affect:

Family policy must remain:

O.540Faith and Conscience

The protected sphere of personal religious or non-religious belief.

Municipal government should neither:

O.541Expression

The communication of ideas, opinions or beliefs.

Municipal regulation affecting expression requires:

review.

O.542Criticism Is Not Misconduct

The governance principle that disagreement with:

does not by itself constitute wrongdoing.

O.543Disagreement Is Not Disloyalty

The civic principle that residents and officials may strongly disagree while remaining legitimate participants in:

O.544Equal Civic Standing

The principle that residents should receive ordinary municipal service without improper preference based on:

O.545Public Trust

The responsibility attached to holding and exercising public:

O.546Stewardship Government

The governing philosophy that public office is held:

in trust rather than owned by the officeholder.

O.547No Favourites Test

The question:

Would this resident receive the same treatment if they opposed the Mayor politically?

O.548Reverse Test

The question:

Would we accept this rule or power if a political opponent used it against our own interests?

O.549Future-Government Test

The question:

Would we be comfortable giving the next administration the same power, data or precedent?

O.550Public Office Is Temporary

The principle that:

must survive the people currently holding office.

LANGUAGE THAT MUST NOT BE UPGRADED

O.551"Considering"

Means:

Not:

O.552"Studying"

Means:

Not:

O.553"Proposed"

Means:

Not:

O.554"Agreed in Principle"

Means:

Not:

O.555"Approved"

Means:

Not:

O.556"Funded"

Means:

Not:

O.557"Tendered"

Means:

Not:

O.558"Awarded"

Means:

Not:

O.559"Under Construction"

Means:

Not:

O.560"Operational"

Means:

Not necessarily:

O.561"Completed"

Means:

Not automatically:

O.562"Successful"

Should mean:

Not:

O.563"Consulted"

Means:

Not:

O.564"Listened"

Means:

Not:

O.565"Partnered"

Means:

Not:

O.566"Saving"

Means:

Not:

O.567"Free"

Means:

It does not mean:

O.568"Open"

Means:

Not:

O.569"Anonymous"

Should only be used where re-identification risk has been appropriately:

O.570"Canadian"

Should be used according to the defined:

context.

O.571"Accessible"

Should describe actual:

Not vague:

O.572"Independent"

Should reflect actual governance:

Not simply:

O.573"Publicly Owned"

Should reflect actual enforceable:

O.574"Community-Owned"

Should reflect actual community governance.

O.575"Emergency"

Means genuine urgent condition.

Not:

O.576"Pilot"

Means temporary test.

Not:

O.577"Review"

Means an actual decision process.

Not:

O.578"Under Review"

Must have:

O.579"Ongoing"

Should not be used alone where a more precise status exists.

O.580"Blocked"

Should identify:

O.581"External"

Should identify:

O.582"Shared"

Should identify:

O.583"City Controlled"

Should not claim municipal control over:

O.584"Missed"

Should not be softened merely because:

O.585"Completed Late"

Should preserve:

O.586"Responsible Stop"

Should not be used to hide:

The evidence for stopping should be:

O.587"Failed"

Should not be used merely because a project was responsibly:

O.588"Success"

Should not be used merely because a project was:

O.589"Efficiency"

Should not mean:

O.590"Partnership"

Should not mean:

O.591"Innovation"

Should not mean:

O.592"Digital Sovereignty"

Should not mean:

O.593"Local"

Should not automatically mean:

O.594"Canadian Independence"

Should not mean:

O.595"Subsidiarity"

Should not be presented as:

O.596"Strong Vote"

Should not be represented as:

unless current law expressly establishes that status.

O.597"Resident Pulse"

Should not be represented as:

unless the methodology supports that claim.

O.598"Public Support"

Should specify:

O.599"Everyone"

Avoid unless literally:

O.600"Nobody"

Avoid unless evidence supports:

O.601"Always"

Use carefully.

O.602"Never"

Appropriate primarily for:

where the plan deliberately establishes a categorical standard.

O.603The Common Language Test

Before publishing a municipal claim ask:

What does this word mean?

Is that definition already established?

Did we change the definition?

Does the evidence support the status?

Is this fact, forecast, target or aspiration?

Is the public likely to misunderstand?

O.604The Completion Language Test

Before saying:

completed

ask:

What was promised?

What evidence proves delivery?

Is scope unchanged?

Is the project merely launched?

Is the outcome separate?

O.605The Savings Language Test

Before saying:

saved

ask:

What baseline?

Who verified?

Is it recurring?

Did cost move elsewhere?

Did service worsen?

Is it avoided cost instead?

O.606The Partnership Language Test

Before saying:

partnered

ask:

What does each party do?

What does each contribute?

What outcome exists?

Is the relationship formal?

Is it actually procurement, grant or referral?

O.607The Consultation Language Test

Before saying:

residents support

ask:

Who participated?

How were they selected?

What question was asked?

Was response representative?

Was participation open or sampled?

O.608The Accessibility Language Test

Before saying:

accessible

ask:

Which features?

Which journey?

Which standard?

Was it tested?

O.609The Ownership Language Test

Before saying:

publicly owned

ask:

Who controls access?

Who controls the domain?

Who controls source code?

Who can terminate?

Who can sell?

O.610The Independence Language Test

Before saying:

independent

ask:

Who appoints?

Who pays?

Who can remove?

Who sets scope?

Who benefits?

Who controls final report?

O.611The Local Language Test

Before saying:

local

define:

O.612The Canadian Language Test

Before saying:

Canadian

define whether it means:

for that particular purpose.

O.613The Failure Language Test

Before saying:

failed

ask:

Was deliverable missed?

Did outcome miss?

Was project responsibly stopped?

Did external authority block it?

Did Council reject it?

Did evidence change?

O.614The Jurisdiction Language Test

Before saying:

City will

ask:

Does City actually control it?

If not:

Use:

City will ask

City will partner

City will advocate

City will coordinate

City will study

as appropriate.

O.615The Commitment Language Test

Every commitment should make clear whether Owen Sound is promising to:

Do

Propose

Ask

Pilot

Study

Advocate

Coordinate

Fund

Decide

O.616"Do"

Use when City has authority and intends direct action.

O.617"Propose"

Use when Council or another lawful decision-maker must still:

O.618"Ask"

Use when another government or institution must:

O.619"Pilot"

Use when evidence is still:

O.620"Study"

Use when information is genuinely insufficient.

O.621"Advocate"

Use where City can influence but not:

O.622"Coordinate"

Use where City can help align:

without owning the underlying authority.

O.623"Fund"

Use only when funding is:

O.624"Decide"

Use where the commitment is to reach a defined decision rather than guarantee:

O.625No Promise Inflation

A promise to:

ask

cannot later be counted as a promise to:

deliver

or vice versa.

O.626No Promise Deflation

A promise to:

deliver

cannot later be reduced to:

we asked somebody.

O.627Public Definitions Register

The City's public scorecard should preserve definitions for major measures.

O.628Definition Change

If a definition must change:

Publish:

Old definition

New definition

Date

Reason

Impact on historical comparison

O.629No Silent Rebaseline

Never.

O.630Methodology Change

Same.

O.631Boundary Change

Same.

O.632Data-Source Change

Same.

O.633Election-Year Definition Freeze

Core public scorecard definitions should not be opportunistically changed late in the term merely to improve:

O.634Legitimate Correction

Still allowed.

O.635Explain.

O.636Plain Language Before Jargon

Preferred:

money the City borrowed

where appropriate.

Technical:

debt

still useful.

O.637Both Can Appear

Good public documents can state:

Debt, money borrowed by the City and repaid over time.

O.638Avoid False Simplicity

Plain language should not remove:

precision.

O.639Explain the Complexity

Do not hide it.

O.640One Meaning Across the Plan

Where a defined term appears in:

it should mean the same thing unless explicitly stated otherwise.

O.641Glossary Hierarchy

When language conflicts:

Current law

takes priority over:

City policy

which takes priority over:

administrative procedure

which takes priority over:

this explanatory glossary.

O.642Public Commitment Hierarchy

For political accountability:

Original written commitment

remains the primary record.

O.643Later Explanation

Can:

It should not secretly:

O.644Municipal Adoption

A campaign concept becomes municipal policy only after the appropriate:

process.

O.645Proposal Is Not Policy

Core.

O.646Campaign Platform Is Not By-Law

Core.

O.647Election Victory Is Not Procurement Award

Core.

Core.

Core.

O.650Funding Is Not Authority

Core.

O.651Authority Is Not Funding

Core.

O.652Grant Is Not Free

Core.

O.653Reserve Is Not Free

Core.

O.654Debt Is Not Free

Core.

O.655Volunteer Labour Is Not Free

Core.

O.656Data Is Not Free

Core.

O.657Technology Is Not Free

Core.

O.658Partnership Is Not Free

Core.

O.659Maintenance Is Part of the Decision

Core.

O.660Exit Is Part of the Decision

Core.

O.661The Glossary Commitment

Owen Sound should commit to:

Use plain municipal language that ordinary residents can understand.

Define important terms once and use them consistently.

Recognize that legal definitions remain governed by current law.

Never use this glossary to claim authority the City does not possess.

Keep current-law definitions under regular verification.

Distinguish statutory terms from plan-specific governance terms.

Preserve the original meaning of every public commitment.

Do not improve political results by changing definitions halfway through measurement.

Distinguish fact, forecast, estimate, target, hypothesis and aspiration.

Distinguish activity, output, outcome and impact.

Distinguish budget, actual and forecast.

Distinguish projected savings from verified savings.

Distinguish approval from construction.

Distinguish construction from completion.

Distinguish completion from outcome.

Distinguish grant application from grant approval.

Distinguish funding from delivery.

Distinguish consultation from consent.

Distinguish listening from agreement.

Distinguish partnership from meeting.

Distinguish an MOU from implementation.

Distinguish launch from completion.

Distinguish operational from successful.

Distinguish missed commitment from failure.

Recognize that a responsibly stopped commitment may still be honestly recorded as missed.

Preserve the original deadline when a project is completed late.

Use Not Started, Planning, Approved, Funded, In Delivery, Pilot, Operational, Completed, Partial, Blocked, At Risk, Deferred, Superseded, Stopped and Not Proceeding as stable implementation language.

Use Completed Late where a deadline was missed before eventual completion.

Use Outcome Missed where implementation occurred but the intended public result did not.

Use Green, Amber, Red and Grey according to defined standards.

Use Grey when material information is unknown.

Never turn Grey into Green because uncertainty is inconvenient.

Use City Controlled, Shared and External carefully so the City does not claim control over other governments, markets or private decisions.

Whenever responsibility is Shared, identify the actual roles of each participant.

Use No Wrong Door for resident service within the City.

Use No Wrong Government for intergovernmental handoffs.

Never use those principles to conceal legal responsibility or permanently shift another government's cost onto Owen Sound taxpayers.

Use One Taxpayer to expose cost shifting rather than pretending every transferred expense is a saving.

Use Complete Cost to include the lifecycle, staffing, technology, maintenance, accessibility, security and exit costs that matter to a decision.

Use Efficiency Dividend only for savings verified against a defensible baseline.

Do not call an under-budget bid a saving without further analysis.

Do not call a reserve draw a saving.

Do not call a cost moved to Grey County a City saving without showing the effect on the same taxpayer.

Use Infrastructure Index to describe the proposed public asset-condition system rather than implying every asset condition is already known.

Use Condition and Condition Confidence separately.

Use Unknown where inspection or information is insufficient.

Use Standing Work List for defined work capable of being advanced when capacity becomes available.

Use First to Action to mean the first reasonable municipal contact helps move the issue, not that every employee personally owns every problem.

Use Resident Pulse as a public-feedback mechanism rather than a political popularity poll.

Do not call Resident Pulse statistically representative unless its methodology genuinely supports the claim.

Use Strong Vote only as defined by its actual lawful status.

Do not describe Strong Vote as a binding referendum unless current law expressly establishes that result.

Use Verify Person, Protect Opinion as the information-design principle for verified civic consultation.

Use Civic Corps for meaningful youth skill, work and civic opportunity.

Use Paid Work Paid whenever activity is genuinely productive employment.

Use YouthMap to map opportunities rather than create profiles of young people.

Never use Youth Skills Passport as a government rating of worth, employability or political participation.

Use Safe Information to mean Access, Accuracy, Privacy, Resilience and Independence.

Use Open Government to expose government performance without unnecessarily exposing residents.

Use Data Minimization to mean collecting only information needed for the lawful municipal purpose.

Use Public Wi-Fi as access infrastructure rather than resident-tracking infrastructure.

Use Digital Sovereignty to mean practical control, portability, continuity and exit rather than technological isolation.

Use Can We Leave? as the central vendor-exit question.

Use Canadian Digital Independence as a practical resilience objective rather than a claim of constitutional sovereignty.

Use Canadian Capacity to describe actual productive, service, repair and support capacity rather than flag-based marketing.

Use Open Standard to describe a standard that can survive the failure or departure of one vendor.

Use Public Ownership only when ownership and control are legally real.

Use Community-Owned only when governance genuinely reflects that claim.

Use Founder-Associated openly where an elected official has a material private connection to a platform or asset under municipal consideration.

Use Public Standard First, Platform Second, Founder Last as the municipal technology governance rule.

Use Founder Windfall to recognize that private value can arise from public adoption even when the City makes no cash payment.

Use RealMap as the name of a private or proposed public-interest property-information platform, not as a compulsory municipal service.

Keep the Real-Estate Sign Transition independently justified from RealMap.

Do not use RealMap as a required alternative to conventional signage.

Use map.ca only according to the governance model ultimately established through independent review.

Do not call map.ca municipal infrastructure until legal ownership, procurement, privacy, cybersecurity, accessibility and governance requirements support that description.

Use AgriHome Canada as a proposed public-interest educational concept until it is formally established.

Use Shop Local as a voluntary economic-participation framework rather than a coercive purchasing policy.

Use Penny as a voluntary loyalty or reward concept, not as municipal currency or legal tender.

Use Local Vendor Gateway as a procurement-access tool, not a preferred-supplier club.

Use Quick Quote as a defined streamlined procurement method, not informal favouritism.

Use Repair Before Replace as a decision test rather than an inflexible rule.

Use Partnership Before Program before creating new municipal service capacity.

Use Partnership Register to make public relationships institutional rather than personality-dependent.

Use Grant and Contract according to the actual substance of the arrangement.

Do not label purchased municipal service a grant merely to avoid procurement.

Do not label a genuine small grant a procurement contract merely to create unnecessary bureaucracy.

Use SON consistently to describe Saugeen Ojibway Nation as a distinct government and rights-holder relationship rather than a generic stakeholder category.

Use Section 35 carefully and distinguish Crown constitutional obligations from Owen Sound's own relationship responsibilities.

Use Government-to-Government where institutions are interacting as governments.

Do not use partnership scorecards to grade SON as though it were a City service provider.

Use Lower-Tier and Upper-Tier according to Ontario's municipal structure.

Use Strong Mayor to describe statutory powers that must always be verified against current Ontario law.

Do not assume the Mayor personally controls every municipal service because the municipality is designated under that framework.

Use Council, Mayor, Administration and Statutory Official as distinct roles.

Do not describe staff decisions as Council decisions or Council decisions as staff decisions.

Use Authority to describe lawful power.

Do not confuse popularity, funding, contract, insurance or consent with legal authority.

Use Subsidiarity as a governance principle rather than a source of jurisdiction.

Use No Permission Theatre to mean the City should exercise existing lawful powers before requesting authority it already possesses.

Use Ask Books where another government genuinely must act.

Use Unfunded Mandate Ledger to expose responsibilities imposed without matching resources.

Use Accessible Journey to measure whether residents can complete the entire municipal experience.

Do not describe one accessible feature as proof that the entire service is accessible.

Use Temporary Accommodation separately from Permanent Barrier Removal.

Use Right Responder to mean professionally appropriate response rather than predetermined reduction in police or emergency-service capacity.

Use Financial Safety Dividend only when real savings are independently verified after safe service design.

Use Safety Outcome rather than enforcement activity as the primary safety language.

Use Environmental Stewardship to emphasize measurable local outcomes rather than ideological labels.

Use Tree Survival rather than tree-planting count alone where long-term value is the goal.

Use Housing Pipeline to distinguish inquiry, application, approval, permit, construction, completion and occupancy.

Never use approval numbers as if they were completed homes.

Define Affordable Housing each time the benchmark or affordability term materially matters.

Use Before You Sign and Early No to improve business navigation without promising approval.

Use Ten-Business-Day Standard only with a clearly defined clock.

Use Enthusiast Economy to describe economic activity connected to hobbies, recreation, repair, making and specialty interests rather than as a formal industry classification.

Use Open Municipal Playbook for reusable public tools other communities can adopt.

Use Goodwill Standard for respectful disagreement without allowing civility rules to silence lawful criticism.

Use Goodwill Compact only as a voluntary civic concept.

Never make municipal service conditional on political or ideological agreement with the Civic Covenant or Goodwill Compact.

Use Criticism Is Not Misconduct and Disagreement Is Not Disloyalty as durable public-service standards.

Use No Favourites across permits, grants, procurement, hiring, enforcement and ordinary service.

Use Reverse Test and Future-Government Test before creating extraordinary powers or surveillance systems.

Use Public Office Is Temporary as the handoff principle for every significant public asset, account, agreement and decision.

Maintain a public definitions register for key scorecard measures.

Publish material definition changes with old and new definitions, date, reason and effect on historical comparison.

Never silently rebaseline performance.

Never change a scorecard methodology simply because the result became politically inconvenient.

Use the same definitions in Sections, Appendices, Initiative Cards and Scorecards.

Place current law above this glossary whenever a legal term changes.

Preserve the original public promise even when a later clarification, modification or replacement is necessary.

Use the final language standard throughout the plan: Say what we mean. Say what actually happened. Keep the definition stable. Correct errors openly. Never improve the story by changing the word.

The common-language framework can therefore be reduced to twelve rules:

Approval is not delivery.

Delivery is not outcome.

A grant is not free.

A transfer is not a saving.

A meeting is not a partnership outcome.

Consultation is not consent.

A pilot is not permanent.

Unknown is not Green.

Shared responsibility must still name who does what.

A campaign promise is not municipal authority.

A definition does not change because the result is inconvenient.

Say what actually happened.

The purpose of this glossary is not to make government sound more technical.

It is to make government harder to:

Residents should be able to read the business plan and know the difference between:

If government uses language carefully, disagreement becomes easier because people can at least argue about:

the same facts and the same definitions.

That is the final purpose of this appendix.

Say what we mean. Use the same words the same way. Preserve the original promise. Keep fact separate from forecast. Keep approval separate from completion. Keep activity separate from outcome. Correct the record when it is wrong. Never improve the political story by changing the definition.

← Appendix N: Campaign, Private Interest and Municipal Conflict Firewall