Dialogue Partners
Dialogue Partners is a Canadian boutique public engagement consultancy providing facilitation, conflict transformation, and IAP2-credentialed training to government agencies, corporations, and Indigenous communities across Canada.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2014
- HeadquartersEdmonton, Canada
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Dialogue Partners does
Dialogue Partners is a boutique public engagement consultancy headquartered in Edmonton, Alberta, providing facilitation, conflict transformation, and training services to government agencies, corporations, and Indigenous communities across Canada. The firm was founded by Kim Hyshka and operates with a small core team supplemented by a network of freelance associates. Its commercial activity is split between two streams: (1) professional services consulting delivered through direct engagement with clients via quote-based pricing, encompassing facilitation, process design, expert reviews, and toolkit development for high-stakes initiatives such as the Canadian Blood Services blood donation policy and the SaskPower-Indigenous community relationship transformation; and (2) credentialed training delivered both as the IAP2 Global Learning Pathway certificate program (approximately 30 hours across Fundamentals, Designing, and Applying Methods) and as proprietary courses under the Daring Dialogue sub-brand. Course pricing is publicly disclosed at $400-$875 CAD per individual IAP2 course and $2,150 CAD for the certificate bundle, while consulting and custom training remain quote-based.
The firm's go-to-market combines community-led and sales-led motions: free 15-minute mentor-coaching sessions, the Messy Conversation Convention webinar series, and content marketing via the Daring Dialogue blog generate top-of-funnel awareness, while direct "Request a Quote" and "Meet with Us" consults convert government and enterprise clients. Distribution is layered across a direct sales channel, a self-serve e-commerce storefront at shop.dialoguepartners.ca, and partnership channels with IAP2 Canada and the International Association for Impact Assessment (IAIA). In-person training is delivered across Edmonton, Regina, and Halifax, with online offerings expanding the geographic reach. Dialogue Partners is privately held, bootstrapped, and has no disclosed external funding rounds. Named customer logos span the public sector (City of Calgary, City of Edmonton, City of Winnipeg, City of Hamilton, City of Burlington, Yukon Government, Government of Alberta, Parks Canada, Town of Stony Plain), energy and utilities (SaskPower, EPCOR Utilities, Atomic Energy of Canada), healthcare (Canadian Blood Services, Horizon Health Network), and education (Edmonton Public School Board, Athabasca University).
Dialogue Partners firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Dialogue Partners
- Legal name
- Dialogue Partners Inc.
- Website
- https://dialoguepartners.ca
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2014
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Dialogue Partners is a Canadian boutique public engagement consultancy providing facilitation, conflict transformation, and IAP2-credentialed training to government agencies, corporations, and Indigenous communities across Canada.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Dialogue Partners industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Engagement Consulting and Training
- NAICS
- Management Consulting Services (54161), Educational Support Services (61171)
- SIC
- Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Conflict Management, Negotiation & Difficult Conversations (EDABAAAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Community Engagement & Service-Learning Partnerships (EDALAOAI), Conversation Clubs & Speaking Practice Groups (EDAMAFAB)
Keywords
Where Dialogue Partners is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Edmonton
- HQ country
- Canada
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Dialogue Partners business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Public Engagement Consulting: Direct consulting engagements with government agencies, corporations, and organizations for engagement facilitation, process design, conflict transformation, and strategic advisory services. Projects range from small team sessions to large multi-year engagements with thousands of community members.
- IAP2 Training Courses: Sale of individual courses and certificate bundles for public participation professional development. Courses include Fundamentals of P2/Engagement (1-day), Designing P2/Engagement (2-day), Applying Methods (2-day), and specialized electives. Delivered in-person in Canadian cities and online.
- IAIA Co-Hosted Training: Partnership with International Association for Impact Assessment to deliver specialized online training on engagement in times of conflict. IAIA members receive discounted pricing (USD$480) vs non-members (USD$580).
- Custom/Bespoke Training: Organization-specific training programs designed and delivered directly to clients based on their unique situations and needs. Contact-based pricing.
- Free Community Events: Free webinars and events (Messy Conversation Convention) that build community, establish thought leadership, and generate leads for paid services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | One time/ perpetual license | Fundamentals of P2/Engagement - Single Course |
| Subscription | One time/ perpetual license | Designing P2/Engagement - Single Course |
| Subscription | One time/ perpetual license | Understanding Conflict - Online |
| Subscription | One time/ perpetual license | P2/Engagement for Allied Professionals - EDM |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Certificate in Engagement: 3-Course Bundle |
| Subscription | One time/ perpetual license | IAIA Course - Engagement in Times of Conflict |
| Freemium | One time/ perpetual license | Messy Conversation Convention Events |
| Other | Multi-year contract | When Things Go Sideways - Custom Training |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Consulting Services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
Dialogue Partners product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Dialogue Partners delivers professional public engagement consulting and training to government agencies, corporations, and organizations across North America. Core services include facilitation of high-stakes community conversations, conflict transformation, end-to-end public engagement process design (often involving hundreds of one-on-one interviews), expert reviews of engagement plans, and custom toolkit/guide development. They are an authorized Canadian deliverer of the IAP2 Global Learning Pathway certificate program (Fundamentals, Designing, Applying Methods, plus electives) and also offer proprietary courses on difficult conversations and dialogue under the Daring Dialogue brand.
Product overview
Dialogue Partners is a public engagement consulting firm offering a portfolio of professional services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include Public Engagement Consulting Services (facilitation, process design, and conflict transformation for clients), a comprehensive IAP2 Certificate in Engagement program (3-course bundle plus individual courses) covering fundamentals, design, and application of engagement methods, proprietary in-house training courses (Dialogue Changes Everything, Navigating Challenging Conversations, High Stakes High Impact, When Things Go Sideways, Design Facilitate Connect, Meaningful Tools Powerful Outcomes), and free public programming through the Messy Conversation Convention webinar series and mentor-coaching sessions. The company also publishes a monthly public engagement newsletter. All services are delivered by a team of practitioners with expertise in civic engagement, facilitation, and conflict resolution across government, corporate, and non-profit sectors.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Daring Dialogue: Online learning platform offering workshops, webinars, and courses for personal and professional development in dialogue and public engagement.
Products and services
- Public Engagement Consulting Services Professional consulting services for community engagement, conflict resolution, and facilitation. Includes facilitating high-stakes conversations, building custom engagement policies and toolkits, designing end-to-end public engagement processes (often involving hundreds of one-on-one interviews), expert reviews of existing engagement plans, and toolkit/guide development. Sold to government agencies, corporations, and organizations across Canada.
- IAP2 Certificate in Engagement (3-Course Bundle) A professional development certificate program based on IAP2's Global Learning Pathway providing approximately 30 hours of training in public participation and engagement. Includes three courses: Fundamentals of P2/Engagement (1-day), Designing P2/Engagement (2-day), and Applying Methods (2-day). Bundle priced at $2,150 CAD. Available in-person in Regina (Oct-Nov 2026) and Edmonton (Apr-May 2027) and online. Sold to individual practitioners.
- IAP2 Individual Courses Individual professional courses available standalone, including Fundamentals of P2/Engagement ($400 CAD, 1-day), Designing P2/Engagement ($875 CAD, 2-day), Understanding Conflict ($395 CAD, 2 online sessions), Facilitating Groups, P2/Engagement for Allied Professionals ($450 CAD, 1-day in Edmonton), and IAIA co-hosted Engagement in Times of Conflict (USD$480 IAIA members / $580 non-members, 4 online sessions). Delivered in-person in Canadian cities and online. Sold to individual practitioners and through IAP2 Canada / IAIA partnerships.
- Dialogue Partners Proprietary Training Courses Proprietary in-house training courses under the Daring Dialogue brand, including Dialogue Changes Everything, Navigating Challenging Conversations, High Stakes High Impact Communication & Design, When Things Go Sideways, Design Facilitate Connect, and Meaningful Tools Powerful Outcomes. Sold to practitioners and organizations seeking facilitation, conflict navigation, and engagement design skills.
- Free Mentor-Coaching Sessions Free 15-minute one-on-one virtual mentor-coaching sessions with experienced engagement practitioners, delivered via Zoom. Low-barrier global entry point that showcases expertise and builds relationships with potential consulting or training clients.
- Speaking Engagements Keynote and conference speaking delivered by Kim Hyshka on topics including engagement, facilitation, conflict transformation, and public participation. Sold to conference organizers and event hosts.
- Messy Conversation Convention Events
Quantifiable outcome
- Transformed Supreme Court blood donation policy dispute into actionable policy change
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Dialogue Partners
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Dialogue Partners technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Dialogue Partners partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- IAIA (International Association for Impact Assessment)coreDialogue Partners delivers specialized online training 'IAP2's Fundamentals of Public Participation: Engagement in Times of Conflict' through IAIA's training portal. Open to both IAIA members and general public. IAIA members receive discounted pricing (USD$480 vs USD$580). 4-session course in July 2026.
- IAP2 CanadacorePrimary training delivery partnership. Dialogue Partners delivers IAP2's internationally-recognized Global Learning Pathway certificate program (Fundamentals, Designing, Applying Methods) under licensing/authorization. IAP2 Canada co-hosts certain online courses and handles registration. The partnership provides approximately 30 hours of certification training across Canada.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Dialogue Partners competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- MASS LBP: MASS LBP is a Toronto-based public engagement and strategy firm that designs and facilitates public participation processes for governments, institutions, and civic organizations. It is the closest Canadian peer to Dialogue Partners in offering, client base, and boutique-scale consulting model.
- c21 Canada: c21 Canada is a Victoria-based public engagement consultancy that supports governments, organizations, and communities in designing and delivering inclusive engagement processes. It overlaps directly with Dialogue Partners in mission, methodology, and Canadian government client base.
- LURA Consulting: LURA Consulting is a Toronto-based firm specializing in public engagement, Indigenous consultation, and stakeholder relations for municipal and provincial government clients. Directly comparable to Dialogue Partners' Indigenous relations and government engagement practice.
- Nordicity: Nordicity is an Ottawa-based consultancy with a public engagement and policy practice serving Canadian governments, cultural institutions, and Indigenous communities. Comparable in client mix (Canadian government, Indigenous relations) and mid-size boutique scale.
- Hatfield Group: Hatfield Group is a Canadian environmental and social consulting firm with a community engagement practice serving government, mining, energy, and infrastructure clients. Comparable to Dialogue Partners in Indigenous engagement and government client work.
Broad incumbents
- WSP Global: WSP is a global engineering and professional services firm with a public consultation and stakeholder engagement practice that serves government and infrastructure clients. While much larger and broader in scope, it competes for the same Canadian government engagement mandates as Dialogue Partners.
- Stantec: Stantec is a major global engineering, architecture, and environmental services firm with an established community engagement and Indigenous consultation practice. It competes for the same infrastructure, energy, and municipal government RFPs as Dialogue Partners, but at a much larger scale.
Others
- IAP2 (International Association for Public Participation): IAP2 is the global standards body and membership association for public participation practitioners and the source of the certification program Dialogue Partners delivers. It is a strategic partner and ecosystem anchor rather than a direct competitor, but its training ecosystem defines the market Dialogue Partners operates in.
Market position
Strengths3 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Dialogue Partners social profiles
Digital presenceDialogue Partners compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Dialogue Partners financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dialogue Partners leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Dialogue Partners funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dialogue Partners M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dialogue Partners
What does Dialogue Partners do?
Dialogue Partners delivers professional public engagement consulting and training to government agencies, corporations, and organizations across North America. Core services include facilitation of high-stakes community conversations, conflict transformation, end-to-end public engagement process design (often involving hundreds of one-on-one interviews), expert reviews of engagement plans, and custom toolkit/guide development. They are an authorized Canadian deliverer of the IAP2 Global Learning Pathway certificate program (Fundamentals, Designing, Applying Methods, plus electives) and also offer proprietary courses on difficult conversations and dialogue under the Daring Dialogue brand.
Is Dialogue Partners a public or private company?
Dialogue Partners is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Dialogue Partners founded?
Dialogue Partners was founded in 2014. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Dialogue Partners based?
Dialogue Partners is headquartered in Edmonton, Canada, in the North America region.
How does Dialogue Partners make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Public Engagement Consulting is the primary driver. The others are IAP2 Training Courses, IAIA Co-Hosted Training, custom/Bespoke Training and free Community Events.
Who are Dialogue Partners's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are MASS LBP, c21 Canada, LURA Consulting, Nordicity and Hatfield Group. Broad incumbents are WSP Global and Stantec. IAP2 (International Association for Public Participation) is listed as an others.
Does Dialogue Partners have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dialogue Partners.
What industry is Dialogue Partners in?
Dialogue Partners's product category is Public Engagement Consulting and Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDABAAAJ, Conflict Management, Negotiation & Difficult Conversations, with a secondary code of EDALAOAI, Community Engagement & Service-Learning Partnerships. Its NAICS code is 54161 and its SIC code is 8742.