Letters remain effective ways for individuals to inform public officials about issues or concerns in their community related to walking and cycling.

Politicians need to know when something in their community isn’t working, whether it’s a policy, a bylaw, or a specific stretch of road.

An informative and well-written letter to the levels of government and law enforcement responsible can sometimes lead to a response. Every voice counts!

Here are tips on writing effective letters to elected officials at all levels of government—local, regional, provincial, and federal.

The Basics

• Use email — every elected official and most government staff in BC will have a monitored email, and emails are seen more immediately than mailed letters.

• Include the text of letter in the body of the email and not as an attachment —this makes it easier to read on a mobile device.

• Use of official titles and salutations in your letters — here’s an example of forms of address within the Province of British Columbia

• Copy (cc) staff responsible for tracking correspondence; this information is on public government directories and websites.

The Content

• Introduce yourself and the reason for your letter in the opening sentence

• Confine your letter to a single issue or concern; it should prompt someone to say, “tell me more.”

• Tell the recipient about any photographic or physical evidence of the issue or or concern, or any data you have collected; share only what you wish to

• Use images, maps or diagrams to support your argument; attach JPG, PDF, DOCX or other common file formats.

• Include any person account or anecdote of how this issue affects people in the community, such as your family, friends, and co-workers.

• Relate experiences elsewhere that demonstrate the effectiveness of improvements you want

• Describe how you think changes or improvements would benefit the community

• Use a conclusion that clearly ends the letter while also encouraging a reply, in a desired timeframe if relevant

• If any follow-up is planned, let them know the time frame.

Style & Tone

• Be polite; write as you would if you were speaking to a stranger about something you feel passionate about.

• Be positive and constructive – make a clear request and write as if the reader is open to reasoned argument.

• It helps to start with appreciation or praise for the recipient’s past activities, particularly if you’re about to be critical

• Beyond matters of opinion, try to be factual, and not too technical

• Express your willingness to support their work, especially where you’re suggesting specific actions

• Don’t be critical; close with constructive suggestions, even if you’re frustrated.

• Take special care not to sound threatening, aggressive or offensive—doing so may discount or negate the points you’re making in the mind of your reader

• Avoid pleading, even in irony; the people reading your letter will not be looking for humour!