What is a motion during a meeting?

A motion is a proposal to adopt, amend or to otherwise deal with a matter moved by a member and seconded by another member, read by the Chair for the consideration of Council or a committee.

Typically, every motion must be read aloud, and when moved and seconded, is open and subject to discussion.

After hearing a motion, Council may decide to:

• Receive the information
• Add it to New Business for further consideration
• Refer it to another agenda item
• Refer it to staff, an advisory committee or a board for a report
• Amend it

Every municipality manages its own Procedural Bylaw that outlines all of the rules for how council and committee meetings are conducted locally, including the meeting structure and order, types of motions and how they can be used, etc.

A Notice of Motion is a motion presented to council by a member of council providing advance written notice that their motion will be included on an upcoming meeting agenda.

What is the difference between a motion and a resolution?

A motion becomes a resolution once it has been voted on and passed.

Types of motions

Main motions

Main motions are not incidental to any proceeding. A committee’s recommendations in their report to Council are the main motions for Council to debate.

Subsidiary motions

• Amend – Motion to alter or vary the terms of a Main Motion without materially changing its purpose. If a main motion might be more suitable or acceptable in an altered form, a proposal to change its wording (either to clarify or, within limits, to modify the meaning) before the main motion is voted on can be introduced by moving to Amend.
• Refer/commit – It may be that much time would be required to amend the main motion properly, or that additional information is needed, so that it would be better to turn the motion or resolution over to a committee for study or redrafting before the assembly considers it further. Such action can be proposed by moving to Commit the main question – or Refer it to a committee. Once a Committee has dealt with the matter referred to it, a separate report should be prepared, dealing only with the special resolution that was referred. The report will provide a brief background history, provide the motion directly from the minutes, and give details of the committee’s consideration of the matter. This report should be received.
• Defer/postpone – Motion to delay consideration of a matter until later in the same Meeting or to a future Meeting of Council, Committee of the Whole or a Committee in order to seek further consideration of the matter by a Committee, staff or another body.
• Reconsider – Motion to reconsider a matter that has been decided at a meeting.
• Lay on the Table – If there is reason for the assembly to lay the main motion aside temporarily without setting a time for resuming its consideration, but with the provision that it can be taken up again whenever a majority so decides, this can be proposed by the motion To Lay on the Table.
• Close debate – Motion to end debate and put the matter before Council, Committee of the Whole or a Committee for a vote by its Members.
• Extend debate – Motion to extend debate on a matter by extending the number of times a member may speak on the matter, or by extending the time allotted to each member to speak on the matter.
• Limit debate – Motion to restrict debate on a matter by reducing the time for the debate on the matter, or by reducing the time allotted to each member to speak on the matter.
• Motion to end debate – A motion to stop all debate on a matter, and to vote on the matter immediately.
• Move/put the question – End debate on the motion under consideration. If it is desired to close debate of a motion or pending motion so that it will come to an immediate vote, this can be proposed by Moving the Question which shall be in the following words: “I move that the question now be put.”
• Suspend the rules – Motion to suspend a requirement of the Procedural By-law, often requiring a two-thirds majority.
• Withdrawal of a motion –

Privileged motions

• Recess – A temporary break in a meeting.
• Adjourn – End the meeting.
• Point of Order
• Point/Question of Privilege
• Point/Question of Personal Privilege
• Enter into Committee of the Whole
• Rise and report – Motion used to conclude an informal discussion (often a “Committee of the Whole” or an in-camera session) and formally resume the regular public council meeting so members can officially vote on the decisions they just made.
• Change the order of business

Procedural

Procedural Motion is any motion concerning the manner or time of consideration of any matter before the Council as opposed to the substance thereof, and includes, without limitation, the following:

• Motion to receive for information – A motion to acknowledge a matter or part of a matter including the main motion or amendment, to take no current action on the matter, and to place the matter in the Clerk’s records for future reference.
• Motion to refer – A motion to send a matter, including a main motion or amendment, to a committee, agency or person for more information or recommendation.
• Motion to defer/postpone – A motion to delay a decision on a matter by postponing consideration of the matter: indefinitely, until, or within, some specified time or time period, until a specified event happens or until a report or communication is presented. If the assembly might prefer to consider the main motion later in the same meeting or at another meeting, this can be proposed by moving to Postpone Definitely or simply to Postpone.
• Motion to appeal the Chair’s ruling – Immediately following a Chair’s ruling, a member may make a motion to appeal that ruling, despite another member having the floor.
• Motion to go into committee of the whole – Council resolves itself into a committee of the whole to consider a matter which may be considered in a closed meeting or hear public presentations and consider matters before it after Council having decided to do so at a previous meeting.

Details

Motion to table

A motion to table:
(i) may or may not state a definite time or date as to when the matter shall be further considered;
(ii) shall apply to the main motion and to any motions to amend the main motion that are on the table;
(iii) is not debatable except as to time; and
(iv) shall not be amendable except as to time.

Where a motion to table is adopted without a definite time or date as to when the matter shall be further considered, Council shall not consider the matter until such time as Council, by resolution, brings back the matter for consideration.

Motion to amend

An amendment must relate to the main motion, and cannot propose:

(1) A contrary action to the motion it is proposing to amend; or
(2) A new or changed City policy unless the subject of the proposed policy is the main motion’s subject.

Toronto

Only one amendment can be presented to the main motion at one time and only one sub-amendment can be presented to an amendment at one time. When a sub-amendment has been disposed of, another may be introduced. When an amendment has been decided, another may be introduced.

Waterloo

A motion to amend:
(i) shall be relevant to the main motion;
(ii) shall not be directly contrary to or propose a direct negative to the main motion;
(iii) shall be debatable; and
(iv) shall not itself be amended more than once; and motions to amend shall be put to a vote in reverse order from which motions to amend are put forward, and should the motion to amend be carried, the main motion shall then be considered by Council as amended. Notwithstanding the foregoing, a motion to amend shall not be required where the mover and seconder of the main motion agree to re-word the main motion to accommodate a proposed amendment.

Belleville

Motion to put the question

A motion to put the question:
(i) is not permissible until every Member present has had the opportunity to speak to the question at least once;
(ii) is not amendable; and
(iii) is not debatable;
and upon adoption, the Presiding Officer shall forthwith put the main motion and all amendments thereto to a vote.

Motion to suspend the rules

A motion to suspend the rules:
(i) is permissible in accordance with Part 4.10 of this By-law;
(ii) is not debatable;
(iii) is not amendable;
(iv) shall include a statement as to the purpose of the suspension;
(v) requires the support of minimum two-thirds of the whole Council; and
(vi) is not permissible with regard to any statutory requirements that apply to the proceedings of Council.

Motion to recess

A motion to recess:
(i) is permissible when there is business before Council for consideration;
(ii) shall specify the length of time of the recess;
(iii) is not debatable except with regard to the length of the recess; and
(iv) shall be amendable with respect to the length of the recess.

Motion to adjourn

A motion to adjourn:
(i) is permissible except during Committee of the Whole;
(ii) is not amendable;
(iii) is not debatable;
(iv) is not in order when a Member is speaking or during a vote; and
(v) when resolved in the negative, cannot be made again until the Presiding Officer has deemed sufficient business has been conducted by Council in the intervening time.

Consent motions

In preparing the agenda for Council meetings, the Clerk may identify items which are considered to be routine and non-controversial under the heading “Consent Motion”, which matters may be considered by Council as a summary matter in one motion rather than as separate items, unless a member of Council otherwise requests.

Any member, before the consent motion is voted on, may remove any number of items of business from the consent motion.

In the event that a member declares a pecuniary interest on an item that is included in the consent motion, that item shall be removed from the consent motion and dealt with separately.

Items removed from the consent motion shall be considered immediately following the consent motion.