Belleville gives public less than 1 business day to react to upcoming council decisions

Belleville Council’s meeting rules do not require giving any advanced notice to the public of upcoming decisions.

Belleville’s Procedural Bylaw outlines the rules for council meetings and is required to define how notice of meetings is provided to the public. While the Municipal Act does not specify the notice content, Ombudsman Ontario’s position is that adequate notice include the date, time, and place of the meeting as well as the meeting’s agenda listing the topics and actions that will be discussed and decided on and for electronic meetings, the notice should also include access instructions such as a link.

Clerk not required to post agenda before council meetings take place

In Belleville, both open and closed council agendas are developed by the Mayor and CAO and the Clerk compiles and publishes the agenda. Councillors are not involved in the agenda setting process.

Belleville’s bylaw requires public notice of council meetings to be provided by the Clerk posting the date and time on the City’s website (CivicWeb). However, it does not require the meeting agenda to be released before the meeting takes place:

• If the agenda is released before the meeting, the Clerk is required to “endeavour to post the meeting agenda on the City’s web site”, and “endeavour to provide the meeting agenda to the local news media and all persons who have requested a copy a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting”. (Section 10.3 (2)(i))
• If the agenda is not released before the meeting, the Clerk is required to “endeavour” to provide notice to the local news media and those who have requested a copy of meeting agendas. There is no expectation of notifying the public of the meeting’s contents by posting a notice to the City’s website. (Section 10.3 (3))

The bylaw makes sure the public knows where and when a committee meeting is taking place, but doesn’t ensure they know in advance what topics will be discussed during the meeting and give them time to provide feedback to their elected representatives. And while anyone can request a copy of the agenda, it is unclear how they would know to request it if they don’t know its contents.

This limits the opportunity for public engagement, transparency and accountability.

Councillors are only given a minimum of 48 hours notice of Regular Council meetings and 24 hours notice of Special or In-Camera meetings.

10.3 Notice to the Public of Council Meetings

(1) Notice of a Council Meeting to the public shall be provided through:

• (i) release of a meeting agenda by the Clerk; and
• (ii) posting of the time and date of the meeting on the City’s web site.

(2) Where a meeting agenda is released prior to a Council Meeting, the Clerk shall:

• (i) endeavour to provide the meeting agenda to the local news media and all persons who have requested a copy a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours in advance of the meeting;
• (ii) maintain copies of the meeting agenda in the office of the Clerk for review by members of the public; and
• (iii) endeavour to post the meeting agenda on the City’s web site.

(3) Where a meeting agenda will not be released prior to a Council Meeting, or in the instance of an In Camera Council Meeting, in lieu of the release of a meeting agenda, the Clerk shall endeavour to provide notice by telephone call, email, and/or written notice to the local news media and those who have requested a copy of meeting agendas.

(4) Lack of receipt of a notice of or meeting agenda for a Council Meeting by any person shall not affect the validity of the meeting or any action lawfully taken at the meeting.

Belleville’s Procedural Bylaw

Committee secretaries are not required to post agendas before meetings take place

The bylaw requires public notice for committee meetings by posting the date and time on CivicWeb, but does not require the meeting agenda to be released before the meeting takes place.

• If the agenda is released before the meeting, the committee secretary is required to “endeavour to post the meeting agenda on the City’s web site”, and “make available the meeting agenda to the local news media and all persons who have requested a copy”. It does not specify how long in advance should be aimed for.
• If the agenda is not released before the meeting, the secretary is required to endeavour to provide notice to the local news media and those who have requested a copy of meeting agendas. It does not include a requirement to notify the public of the meeting’s contents by posting a notice to the City’s website.

The bylaw makes sure the public knows where and when a committee meeting is taking place, but doesn’t ensure they know in advance what topics will be discussed during the meeting and give them time to provide feedback to their elected representatives. And while anyone can request a copy of the agenda, it is unclear how they would know to request it if they don’t know its contents.

This limits the opportunity for public engagement, transparency and accountability.

10.4 Notice of Meetings of Committees

(1) Notice of a committee meeting shall be provided through:

• (i) release of a meeting agenda for the meeting; and
• (ii) posting of the time and date of the meeting on the City’s web site.

(2) Where an agenda is released prior to a meeting, the committee secretary shall:

• (i) make available the meeting agenda to the local news media and all persons who have requested a copy;
• (ii) maintain copies of the meeting agenda in the office of the secretary for review by members of the public; and
• (iii) endeavour to post the meeting agenda on the City’s web site.

(3) Where a meeting agenda will not be released prior to the meeting, in lieu of the release of a meeting agenda, the committee secretary shall endeavour to provide notice by telephone call and/or written notice to the local news media and those who have requested a copy of meeting agendas.

(4) Lack of receipt of a notice of or meeting agenda for a committee meeting by any person shall not affect the validity of the meeting or any action lawfully taken at the meeting.

Belleville’s Procedural Bylaw

Clerk uploads agendas the business day before

In practice, the Clerk and committee secretaries typically upload agendas to CivicWeb 24 hours (1 business day) before a meeting takes place.

Examples

The Regular Council meeting Monday, June 22 at 4:00PM posted its agenda 1 business day prior on Friday June 19th. It was amended Friday afternoon to add the receipt of the Integrity Commissioner’s Closed Meeting Investigator Report that found Council broke provincial law with a secret vote.  Friday afternoon, less than 1 business day before the item would be discussed.

The Transit Operations Advisory Committee meeting Monday, June 15 posted the agenda 1 business day prior on Friday, June 12.

The Grant Committee meeting June 16 posted its agenda the day before on June 15.

Other municipalities mandate more time for consideration

Belleville’s meeting agenda timeline requirements are significantly shorter and less strict compared to other municipalities in Ontario.

Many procedural by-laws in Ontario set firm, non-negotiable deadlines for agenda publication (e.g., “Agendas will be published no later than 12:00 PM on the Wednesday prior…”). Belleville’s use of “endeavour to” provides the administration with much more flexibility compared to the rigid cut-offs enforced in other jurisdictions.

Clarington requires 10 days advance notice

Clarington updated their Procedural By-law in 2025 to give Members of Council and members of the public more time to review the General Government Committee (GGC) and the Planning and Development Committee (PDC) agendas.

• The agenda deadline is now noon two Thursdays before the GGC and PDC meetings.
• The revised agenda deadline is now noon on the Wednesday before the GGC and PDC meetings.

4.3 Notice of Regular Meetings

Pursuant to Section 238 of the Municipal Act, 2001 public notice of each regularly scheduled Meeting shall be deemed to be given by making the
agenda available in the Municipal Clerk’s Office and on the Clarington website by end of the business day of the Friday preceding the regularly scheduled Meeting.

Notice of amendment to the Schedule of regular Meetings shall be posted on the website at least one week prior to the amended Meeting date where practical to do so.

Agenda Deadline

Starting with the September 2025 meetings, means 12:00 noon on the second Thursday prior to the GG and PD Committee meetings, and 12:00 noon on the Wednesday preceding the Council meeting, unless determined differently by the Municipal Clerk for the purposes of a Special meeting, etc.

Agenda Update Deadline

Starting with the September 2025 meetings, means 12:00 noon on the Wednesday preceding the GG and PD Committee meetings, and one hour prior to the close of business on the business day prior to the meeting for Council meetings, unless determined differently by the Municipal Clerk for the purposes of a Special meeting, etc.

Procedure By-law

Prince Edward County requires a minimum of 3 business days advance notice

Prince Edward County require agendas to be published on its website 3 days in advance of a meeting.

4.3. Notice of Meetings

(1) Notice of Regular Council, Committee of the Whole and Planning Committee Meetings shall be provided through:

(i) release of a meeting agenda, with accompanying documentation by the Clerk, three (3) working days prior to the date of the scheduled meeting; and
(ii) posting of the time, place, and date of the meeting on the County’s website.

Upon release of a meeting agenda, the Clerk shall:

(i) maintain copies of the meeting agenda in the office of the Clerk for review by members of the public; and
(ii) post the meeting agenda on the County’s website.

5.8. Meeting Agendas

(1) The Clerk shall prepare a meeting agenda for each meeting in consultation with the CAO, and Mayor or Presiding Officer, as the case may be, what matters may be included on an agenda.

(i) in the case of a Regular Council, Committee of the Whole and Planning Committee, no less than three working days prior to such meeting; and
(ii) in the case of special Council, special Planning Committee, special Committee of the Whole Meetings, no less than 48 hours before the hour appointed for the holding of such meeting.

13.4. Meetings of Committees

The person designated in the terms of reference for a committee as responsible for administrative support, herein referred to as the Committee Secretary, shall be responsible for preparing meeting agendas, issuing notice as required by this Bylaw, and preparation of meeting minutes.

The Committee Secretary, in collaboration with the CAO, Clerk, and Chair shall prepare the meeting agenda and provide the same to members of the committee, and to any member of the public, in accordance with section 5.8.

Peterborough requires a minimum of 4 days advance notice

Scheduling Meetings

The City Clerk must, for each Regular Meeting, give notice of the Agenda:

• a) to each Member no later than 5 days prior to the Regular Meeting; and
• b) to the public no later than 4 days prior to the Regular Meeting.

Notice
72. Notice of a document or thing to be given to:

b) the public is effective when published on the City Website

Procedure By-law

St. Thomas requires a minimum of 5 days advance notice

Notice of Meetings

a) Notice shall not be required to be given of regular meetings of Council unless the day of meeting be other than that provided by this by-law. The electronic posting of the agenda to the City’s website shall be considered as adequate notice of such regular meetings.

b) The agenda shall be distributed electronically to Council on the Wednesday preceding the day of the Council meeting. Agendas shall be made available to the general public by electronic posting on the City’s website on the Friday preceding the day of the Council meeting and could be made available in other formats upon request.

Procedure By-law

Kingston requires agenda to be prepared 7 days before the scheduled meeting

Role of the City Clerk

4.12 The City shall appoint a City Clerk by bylaw who shall:

• prepare the Agendas in electronic format;
• make Agendas available to the public and media following distribution to Members;

Notice to Members

7.1 The Clerk shall give notice of each Meeting to the Members by delivery of an Agenda identifying the date, time, location and matters to be considered at the Meeting.

Notice to Public

7.2 Notice of Meetings shall be given to the public by means of a notice posted on the City’s website.

Deadline for Submission of Materials

8.5 The deadline for material to be included on the Agenda shall be 12:00 p.m. one (1) week prior to the scheduled Meeting. Where such date is a holiday, the deadline shall be the first business day thereafter at 9:00 a.m.

8.6 The deadline for receipt of added materials to be included on the Addendum shall be 9:00 a.m. one (1) business day prior to the scheduled Meeting, subject to Subsection 12.54 of this Bylaw.

Council Procedural Bylaw

Brockville requires a minimum of 48 hours advance notice

6.3 Regular Meetings of Council

The Clerk shall prepare and distribute the agenda for the Regular Meeting of Council at least 48 hours in advance of the meeting.
Agenda addendums may be issued with less notice, as required.

6.4 Special Meetings of Council

The Mayor may call a Special Meeting of Council at any time by instructing the Clerk to issue a notice of Special Meeting and giving
at least 48 hours’ notice, except in emergency or extraordinary circumstances, in which case the Mayor may call a Special Meeting
without notice.

Procedure Bylaw