Build Communities Strong Fund – Community Stream (BCSF-CS) Communications Requirements
Municipalities receiving funding through the Build Communities Strong Fund - Community Stream (BCSF-CS) have signed an Approved Project Funding Agreement with the Province of Prince Edward Island. Schedule E of the agreement outlines communications requirements that municipalities must follow.
To summarize, municipalities are required to:
- Share information about funded projects with the public
- Post project signage where appropriate
- Issue regular announcements and updates
These communications requirements also apply to all approved Municipal Strategic Component (MSC) projects within the BCSF-CS.
Notification Requirements
Two main scenarios exist where notification to Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) must occur in advance of communications announcement activities:
- Funding announcement for a new project
- Milestone announcement for ongoing projects (e.g. groundbreaking, ribbon cuttings, grand openings)
Municipalities must provide, at a minimum, 15 working days’ notice to the Infrastructure Secretariat before a project announcement. HICC will coordinate with the province regarding the requested date and availability of the necessary participants.
Early notification of proposed announcements is critical to ensure successful execution, along with providing ample time to create new releases, representative quotes, and accompanying social media posts to be reviewed and approved by all parties. This notification can be facilitated through the Infrastructure Secretariat by emailing CPEI-INFRASTRUCTURE@gov.pe.ca.
Sharing Project Information
Municipalities will also be required to submit a bi-annual communications report using the standardized format provided by the province. This report also serves as a formal mechanism for municipalities to provide detailed status updates on construction starts and completions, as well as any necessary adjustments to the project timeline.
Public Signage Guidelines
Where required, signage must be installed 30 days before the start of the project and remain in place for 30 days after completion.
Physical signage is not necessarily appropriate if your project is:
- Located in a remote area that is not visible to the public
- Short in duration (i.e., under seven days)
- Small in scale (i.e., has a total project cost of less than $100,000)
Instead of installing a physical exterior sign, you may, where appropriate:
- Install an interior sign (e.g., in the lobby of the building affected by your project)
- Use digital signage (e.g., on a project web site or on a social media platform)
You may also install a single sign for a cluster of similar projects (i.e., a group of projects within the same investment category that are near one another).
The cost of posting signs can be funded by the BCSF-CS. See Canada’s project signage design template page for templates and more information.
Completing Regular Announcements
Communications activities are primarily a municipal responsibility under the BCSF-CS - but the Infrastructure Secretariat is here to help. Regular communications help keep the public informed about the benefits of, and investments made, through BCSF-CS in their communities.
Municipalities are encouraged to profile one or more projects at least once per year through activities such as social media posts, news releases, milestone events, project spotlights, or articles on their municipal website.
Alternatively, municipalities may send project details and photos to the Secretariat for promotion through our website and social media channels.
Social Media Guidance
In many cases, a social media post will meet the requirement. Keep it simple and visual. Use plain language, avoid jargon, and include a picture or video to make your post more engaging.
Be sure to tag @hicc_ca or #BCSF_CS_PEI on X and Instagram.
Tag BCSF-CS in PEI on LinkedIn and Facebook.
Photography Guidance
Add an engaging, appropriately sized photo to help your post stand out. Where possible, show people enjoying the upgrades, such as children playing in a new park, a couple exploring a freshly restored trail, or families visiting businesses in a revitalized downtown area.
Try to avoid photos of infrastructure on its one, unless the image has artistic merit, such as a stunning sunset over a newly repaved roadway.
Consider using scenic photos of your community if these options are not available.