The City of Burlington relies on our residents to make sure we're representing the interests of the community. Speaking at a Standing Committee or Council meeting is a great way to keep us informed and accountable to your needs.
Register to speak at a meeting
You can register to speak at a meeting by completing our delegation registration form or by emailing your request to clerks@burlington.ca.
You must register by noon the day before the meeting. If the meeting is on a Monday, you must submit your request by noon on the Friday prior.
At the meeting, delegations are heard in the order that we receive them.
Speaking notes and PowerPoint presentations must be submitted by noon the day before the meeting. If the meeting is on a Monday, speaking notes and presentations must be submitted by noon on the Friday before the meeting.
We recommend that you include your intended remarks in your speaking notes and presentations. These will be circulated to all members of the standing committee in case any technology disruptions occur.
Here are some helpful tips on how you can prepare for your presentation.
This is how meetings typically run and what you can expect:
For information on the rules and order of delegations at standing committee and Council meetings, please refer to our Procedure Bylaw (By-law 031-2021).
After speaking at a committee or Council meeting, please take a few minutes to give us your feedback on the process of registering and delegating.
View some of our frequently asked questions about speaking at standing committee and Council meetings.
What is a delegation? |
Delegations are individuals or groups requesting to speak at a standing committee or Council meeting. In order to speak at a Council or committee meeting, you must first register as a delegation. We encourage delegations to bring their information to the appropriate standing committee to allow members to consider all information before making their recommendations to Council. |
What is a standing committee? |
Each of our five standing committees has a focused mandate related to City services and operations. Standing committees are made up of members of Council with the exception of the Audit Committee, which is made up of four members of Council and four resident members. Standing committees receive and debate reports from City staff on key issues that affect our community. They make recommendations that go to City Council meetings for approval. |
How long am I able to speak for? |
Each delegation should appoint one spokesperson who is allowed ten minutes to address standing committees and five minutes to address Council. |
What is the deadline to register to speak? |
If you wish to speak at an upcoming meeting, you must register by noon the day before the meeting. For Monday meetings, the deadline is Friday at noon. |
Can I speak to an item that is not on the meeting agenda? |
If you wish to speak regarding a matter not listed on an agenda, a member of Council must sponsor the item. Contact your ward Councillor directly to make this request. You can find your Councillor Ward if you are unsure who to contact. Once you receive confirmation that your item has been placed on an agenda, please submit a delegation registration form to ensure that you are scheduled to speak at the committee meeting. |
When and where are the meetings? |
Standing committee and Council meetings are held using a hybrid format, providing you with the option of speaking in-person at City Hall, 426 Brant St., or virtually via Zoom. Review our Electronic Meetings and Remote Participation Guide to learn more about remote participation at meetings. If meeting times or locations change, registered delegations will be notified. Changes to locations and times will also be posted on our website. |
Where do I find an agenda for standing committee and Council? |
You can view current and past standing committee and Council meeting agendas. Standing committee agendas are posted the Monday prior to meetings. Council agendas are posted the Friday afternoon prior to the Tuesday Council meeting. |