Council and Committee Meetings

In accordance with Section 8.01 (a) and (b) of the City's Procedure By-law:

Delegations at any meeting, whether in-person or virtual, may only speak to an item on an agenda, and shall be limited to the following:

• residents of the City of Pickering
• an owner of a business in Pickering; or,
• a Pickering taxpayer.

Exceptions

Despite the clause above, as deemed appropriate by the Clerk, Delegations may be made by:

• a representative of any level of government;
• a community based non-profit or charitable organization;
• a non-Pickering landowner, or their representative(s) that is impacted by an application to Pickering under the Planning Act; or,
• an applicant’s representative(s) with respect to an application to Pickering under the Planning Act or other applicable legislation.

Delegations are only permitted to speak to matters listed on a meeting agenda.

Exceptions

Delegations may be made regarding matters not listed on a meeting agenda from a representative of any level of government or a community based non-profit or charitable organization as deemed appropriate by the Clerk.

Delegations not permitted under the eligibility requirements, shall be considered only upon a written request from a Member of Council that the Delegation be added. Members shall submit the request in writing to the Clerk, and such request must be signed by both the mover and the seconder who wishes that the Delegation be heard. Upon receipt of the written request, the Clerk shall add the Delegation to the additional delegation listing and the Delegation shall not be heard unless they have been granted permission by a Two-Thirds majority vote of the Members present at the meeting. Please contact your Ward Councillor should you wish to make such a request.

Those that are not eligible to make a delegation at a Council or Committee meeting may also submit written comments to clerks@pickering.ca.

Delegates are allotted up to five (5) minutes to make their delegation. Should there be more than one individual speaking to the same matter as a group, the group shall be allotted up to ten (10) minutes to make their delegation. 

The City of Pickering uses Microsoft Teams to facilitate electronic participation and livestreaming of Council and Committee Meetings. Upon confirmation of your delegation, you will receive a calendar invitation by email with instructions regarding how to connect. Once you have joined the meeting, your camera must remain off and your microphone muted until the Meeting Chair has invited you to begin your delegation. Upon receiving the invitation from the Chair to begin your delegation, you may unmute and turn your camera on. Once you have concluded your delegation, please remain connected for any follow up questions that Council or Committee may ask. Should there be no further questions, you will be removed from the meeting. If you wish to continue watching the Meeting following your delegation, you may do so by visiting the City’s YouTube Channel to view the livestream.

The Electronic Meeting Delegation Guide provides an overview of the process involved in making a virtual delegation.

Note: It is the delegate’s responsibility to ensure they have the appropriate technology to connect to the meeting. Should any technical issues arise, the delegate may submit written comments to the Clerk which shall be distributed to all Members of Council after the meeting.

Delegations may provide photos or slides in a PDF or PowerPoint format as part of their delegation, and must indicate this in their Delegation Request Form. 

Delegates must provide their PDF or PowerPoint document(s) to clerks@pickering.ca by 12:00 pm noon on the business day prior to the meeting. 

Materials provided as part of your delegation may not contain content that is disrespectful, offensive, or off-topic from the approved delegation subject matter you have been confirmed to speak to.

Should you wish to present a petition as part of your delegation, you must submit it to the City Clerk (clerks@pickering.ca) prior to or after the meeting.

Please ensure that the petition meets the requirements outlined in the City’s Petition Procedure before submission. Once the petition is submitted, City staff will confirm receipt of the petition by letter to the petition contact person and notify them of the City Department responsible for the subject matter. 

Please note that the names of delegates as well as the municipality in which they reside or the organization they represent (if applicable) are published on the City’s website as part of the Committee/Council Agenda and Minutes. No other personal information will be published but will be kept on file in the Clerk’s Office.

Personal information which includes opinions and views, contained in delegations and written comments to Pickering City Council or its Committees, is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001 and in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (MFIPPA).  Any personal information you choose to disclose in your delegation or written comments will be used to receive your views on the relevant issue(s) to enable the City to make its decision on the matter. If your delegation or written comments pertain to a City Development matter, your name and contact information will be added to the interested parties list to receive future notifications on that particular matter.