Local Councils on Local Issues

Our Civic Responsibility

Our Cities and Town Councils have not offered meaningful public consultation for decades.

Since the Municipal Act of 2001 restructured our local government, planning has been done by unelected provincial and local staff in consultation with International Organizations like ICLEI, the International Council on Local Environmental Initiatives.

Public consultation now consists of a link posted online by city staff to submit feedback along with an ad in the newspaper and, if you’re lucky, a Zoom meeting where you can ask questions. Sometimes, you can attend in person, where you are asked to give your name and address. If you do not send a follow-up letter stating your objection, they will assume you agree and consent to whatever the city staff and the international council have planned. Of course they don’t tell you that.

To Counter the International Councils, We Must Create Local Councils on Local Issues

This will allow the public to be made aware of what is happening at the local level, allowing the support based to grow into large numbers, identifying those with leadership skills, in each ward prepare them to take office through community involvement and service.

It's one thing fill a council chamber and do a viral delegation but launching Public awareness campaigns and holding public, Townhall meetings requires planning and hard work. Work that must be done as a team.

It is time to form core teams and initiate nationwide, local councils for community-building and Town Council Initiatives.

This can be done with the help of organizations like Civis4Reform or with a core group from your region. Geoff Snicer and the team from Kamloops, BC have done just that. Check out theirs website for further inspiration and to get involved.

If you have formed a local council please drop a link in the comments below!