Council Meeting Guide

Council Policy

• Council policies set direction at the community level. They reflect elected officials’ priorities and values, guiding what services are delivered and why.
• Example: Purchasing Policy

Administrative Policy

• Administrative policies provide internal direction for District operations. They ensure services are delivered consistently and efficiently, under the authority of the Chief Administrative Officer.
• Example: Human Resources Policies

In short: Council governs; staff are responsible for operations.

The list of items Council will consider at a meeting. 

An item for Council to debate and vote on. 

A decision made after voting on a motion. 

A local law created by Council. 

The steps (First, Second, Third Reading, then Adoption) before a bylaw becomes law.

A meeting where residents can share views on certain bylaws (often related to land use or zoning). Learn more about Provincial regulations on local government public hearings. 

A meeting tool used to streamline the approval of routine items, or items already discussed through a committee, by grouping them into a single motion for approval. This allows Council to devote more time to substantive matters on the agenda. Any member may request that an item be “pulled” from the consent agenda for separate discussion.

A meeting permitted under the Community Charter in selected circumstances on sensitive topics like land, legal, or personnel matters. 

You can still take part by sharing your input in writing. Submit correspondence related to a Council agenda item to Corporate Services by noon on the day of the Council meeting, and staff will ensure it is provided to Council for consideration.

If you’d like to comment on topics outside of a specific agenda item, you can also [connect directly with your elected officials].

You can also watch meetings live online or view the recording afterward if you’re unable to attend in person.

A Regular Council Meeting is where formal decisions are made. A Committee of the Whole Meeting is less formal and focused on open discussion. Ideas explored in Committee of the Whole often return to a Regular Council Meeting for formal decision-making. 

Council meetings are business meetings of the elected body, not open forums. To ensure fairness, transparency, and efficiency, participation is limited to matters formally listed on the agenda. This ensures everyone has notice of what will be discussed and allows staff to provide the necessary background for Council’s consideration. 

Public Comment Period – Held during each Regular Council Meeting, this is an opportunity for residents to share input on items listed on that meeting’s agenda. Each speaker has up to 2 minutes, with a total of 20 minutes per meeting (unless extended by Council).

Public Hearing – A separate, legally required meeting for certain bylaws, most often those involving land use. Public Hearings allow anyone who feels that they are affected by the bylaw to share their views before Council makes a decision.

Once everyone who wishes to speak has been heard, the Chair (usually the Mayor) formally calls the Public Hearing closed. After this point, Council cannot receive new information on the matter before making its decision.

Unlike the Public Comment Period, there is no overall time limit, but comments must specifically relate to the bylaw under consideration.

All items Council will consider are listed on the meeting agenda. Agendas are usually published on Thursday before the meeting and, under the Council Procedure Bylaw, must be posted no later than noon on Friday before the meeting.

You can view upcoming agendas on the meeting portal or subscribe for updates to be notified when new agendas are posted.

Certain topics must be discussed privately (“in camera”), such as legal advice, land negotiations, or personnel matters. This is permitted under provincial legislation to protect sensitive information.