Speaking Before Council
Delegations and presentations are an opportunity for members of the public to make brief presentations to Council or a committee of Council, not Committee of the Whole.
A delegation is an opportunity for a member of the public (or a group) to speak to Council or a committee directly about an issue either on an upcoming agenda, or a matter that has not been identified on an upcoming agenda.
A presentation is when an individual or a community organization has been invited to present information to Council or a committee
How do I request to speak to Council?
The Clerk has discretion to schedule Deputations and Presentations at meetings depending on the volume of material on a given Regular Agenda.
If you would like to address Council as a delegation, please submit a Delegate Request Form to the Clerk's Office by 12:00 pm noon fourteen (14) days prior to the meeting of Council or Committee. The Clerk’s department will be in touch with you regarding your delegation and the process for the meeting.
If you would like to provide a slideshow or presentation at the meeting the electronic document must be received by the Clerk’s department no later than eight (8) days prior to the meeting.
What is the process for speaking to Council?
As a delegate, you are allowed a maximum of ten (10) minutes to outline your request or concerns as per the Procedural Bylaw. If your delegation consists of five (5) or more people, only two (2) spokespersons may address Council, each for a maximum of five (5) minutes. Where delegate(s) use presentations, staff recommend that presentations not exceed seven (7) slides in length.
Also, generally, people may only appear before Council once every six (6)months on different topics.
All comments from delegates should be directed through the Chair of the meeting. No more than one person shall speak at a time and at all times proper language, speech and decorum shall be maintained. The Chair may direct any person in violation of proper decorum to withdraw from the meeting as per the Procedural Bylaw.
For more information on delegations and presenting to Council check out the pamphlet below.
Delegation Information Pamphlet
* Before you request to speak to Council, you may want to discuss your concerns with a member of staff or your Councillor. If your issue cannot be resolved, staff will be able to help you with the delegate request process.