TORONTO - Three Canadian communities test innovative 'Service Ballot' to recruit local volunteers.

TORONTO, Oct. 13, 2026 /CNW/ -- What if every election asked citizens not only who they wanted to represent them, but how they might be willing to serve their community?

That is the idea behind Service Ballots, a new Canadian initiative being piloted this year in Innisfil and Cobourg, Ontario, and Kensington, Prince Edward Island.

Supported by the Metcalf Foundation and developed by MASS Civic Innovation Lab, Service Ballots give residents a simple way to identify the issues they care about and the kinds of contributions they would be willing to make – from attending a meeting or helping at a community event to serving on an advisory board or volunteering during a local emergency.

The idea grew out of nearly 20 years of work recruiting Canadians to participate in citizens' assemblies and other public processes that have led to a wide range of policy reforms in health care, transportation, planning and digital regulation.

Again and again, the organization found more people willing to participate than many might expect. This perspective was reinforced when Canadians mobilized in 2015 in response to the Syrian refugee crisis. Ultimately, more than 160,000 Canadians volunteered to support Syrian newcomers.

"We began to wonder whether we were looking at a much larger, untapped pool of civic talent," said MASS founder Peter MacLeod. "People want to contribute. The challenge is that often governments and community organizations aren't very good at inviting them."

Service Ballots are designed to make that ask easier.

Residents complete a short ballot identifying their interests and the ways they might be prepared to help. Their information is entered into a secure pool and, as opportunities arise, they can be contacted about ways to participate. Completing a Service Ballot creates no obligation to volunteer.

In Innisfil, Mayor Lynn Dollin said the initiative can help residents who want to contribute but "don't always know where to start."

The three pilots will test whether Service Ballots can help communities reach beyond the relatively small circle of residents who already volunteer and make civic participation easier and more routine. The longer-term ambition is to see jurisdictions across Canada adopt the practice and to measure volunteer turnout alongside voter turnout.

"We report voter turnout after every election," MacLeod said. "I'd like to see the volunteer rate also reported as a second measure of our civic health."

If the experiment works, it will challenge the assumption that people are disinterested or apathetic. "Ultimately, says MacLeod, an engaged community is what makes our democracy and Canada strong."

About

MASS LBP is a Canadian democracy organization that works to bridge the distance between people and governments. Since its founding in 2007, MASS has led more than 250 major public policy projects across Canada, while popularizing the use of Civic Lotteries and Citizens' Assemblies and earning international recognition for its work.

SOURCE MASS LBP

For more information or interview requests: Peter MacLeod, Principal, MASS LBP | MASS Civic Innovation Lab, Cell: 416.833.3194 | [email protected], serviceballots.org, masslbp.com