There are several ways to address Council during Council and Committee of the Whole meetings: as a delegation, during the public input or question period at a meeting, at a public hearing, or in writing.
Individuals who appear as delegations, submit correspondence, or address Council in person or electronically at a meeting should be aware that personal information shared or contained within their communications may become part of the permanent public record and therefore made available through the agenda process which includes publication on the North Cowichan's website. Note, specific personal information, such as residential addresses or email addresses, will be redacted from the correspondence prior to inclusion in the Agenda, in accordance with the section 22.(1) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA).
All delegations requesting permission to appear before Council or Committee of the Whole are required to submit a request including the presentation topic, the purpose of the presentation, and the specific action, if any, being requested of Council.
Council meetings are conducted in a hybrid format, providing members of Council, staff, delegations, and the public the option to participate in person from Municipal Hall, or by video conference. Meetings are webcast using live-streaming video technology and recorded for video-on-demand access for subsequent viewing.
Council meetings are generally held on the first and third Wednesdays of the month at 5:00 p.m.
Committee of the Whole meetings are generally held on the second Tuesday of the month at 5:00 p.m.
To learn about being delegation, how to apply, formalities during meetings, and presentation requirements, read through the Appear as a Delegation webpagebefore you submit an application.
Should you wish to provide comment at a Council meeting on a matter that appears on that meeting's agenda, you are welcome to speak during the Public Input portion of the meeting.
You must register no sooner than thirty (30) minutes, but at least ten (10) minutes prior to the meeting by signing the sheet posted outside of Council Chambers.
Speakers are limited to a maximum of three (3) minutes.
A maximum of five (5) speakers will be heard.
Please review the meeting conduct guidelines established under the Public Input and Meeting Conduct Policy prior to the meeting when addressing Council during Public Input or the Question Period.
Should you wish to ask a question of Council at a meeting, you are welcome to do so during the Question Period portion of the meeting. Questions are limited to matters on the agenda and must be in the form of a question.
Please review the meeting conduct guidelines established under the Public Input and Meeting Conduct Policy prior to the meeting when addressing Council during Public Input or the Question Period.
Anyone who believes that their interest in property is affected by a proposed amendment to the Official Community Plan or Zoning Bylaw may express their views at the Public Hearing.
The Mayor will call for submissions from the floor. When this happens, the Mayor will address the audience and ask whether there is anyone present who wishes to address Council on this matter. If you wish to speak, you can step up to the podium (if attending the public hearing in person in Council Chambers) or raise your hand (if attending electronically) and you will be acknowledged and then asked to state your name and address before proceeding with your comments.
The Mayor may establish a time limit for you to speak if there is a large number of people in attendance who wish to be heard. If you run out of time, you may speak a second time once everyone present has had an opportunity to speak for the first time.
You don't need to attend a meeting to have Council consider your input. Correspondence addressed to Council may be included on a Consent Agenda at a future Council meeting.
Mail a submission to 7030 Trans-Canada Highway, Duncan, B.C. V9L 6A1
Drop off your correspondence in person at Municipal Hall, 7030 Trans-Canada Highway
It is recommended that correspondence be submitted at least two (2) weeks prior to the upcoming meeting date in order to be included on the Consent Agenda, as per the Consent Agenda Policy.
What is a Consent Agenda?
Consent agendas appear on each regular council meeting agenda. They are a bundle of items that can be voted on, without discussion, or members of Council can choose to pull Consent Agenda items to discuss during New Business during a council meeting.
Not every submission addressed to Council, though received by Council, will be included in a Consent Agenda. Generally, correspondence will only be placed on the agenda for information if the author is requesting action or it requires a decision of Council.
Certain types of correspondence may be excluded from the Consent Agenda, as per the Consent Agenda Policy.
Please be advised that if your correspondence is included in the Consent Agenda, your name will be disclosed for transparency purposes and will be published on North Cowichan's website. All other personal information, such as residential addresses or email addresses, will be redacted from the correspondence prior to inclusion in the Consent Agenda, in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
Anonymous correspondence will not be included on the Consent Agenda.
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