Communicating with your Council

If you wish to contact Mayor and Council by letter or email, please follow the steps below:

1. Correspondence should be addressed to “Mayor and Council” and may be mailed or dropped off at Town Hall or emailed to admin@sidney.ca. Please note correspondence to Mayor and Council becomes a public record and may be published in a meeting agenda. Note: Letters submitted anonymously will not be presented to Council.
2. All correspondence should be addressed to “Mayor and Council” and should include your full name, email or mailing address.
3. It is important to clarify your intent – are you providing information only, do you have a suggestion or are you asking a specific question or proposing a specific action? Please make this clear in your correspondence what you expect from Council.
4. Your letter may be forwarded to the appropriate Department for a direct response or it will be presented to Council for their consideration at a future Council meeting. During a Council meeting, Council may choose to receive your letter for information, direct further action, or refer it to staff.

1. Public Participation Period

At the beginning of every regular Council and Committee of the Whole meeting, the public is given the opportunity to speak to issues related strictly to municipal matters on community concerns.

• A maximum of 20 minutes (4 minutes for each speaker) is allocated.
• Presentations will be brief and to the point.
• Those wishing to address Council will be asked to specify their name and address for identification and the topic involved before being granted permission to speak.
• Issues must relate strictly to municipal matters on community concerns. Individuals may speak to an agenda item or pose a question to Council. (Note: At Committee of the Whole Meetings – individuals may only speak or ask questions on an item on the agenda).
• Questions shall be on topics which will not normally be dealt with by municipal staff as a matter of routine.
• Questions shall be addressed through the Chair and if the questions can be answered either by the Chair or through the Chair, Council will endeavour to do so. Otherwise, the questions will be referred to staff.

Additional Public Participation – for OCP Amendment Applications, Re-Zoning Applications, Development Permit Applications and Development Variance Permits Applications – will be available at Council and Committee of the Whole Meetings for the public to provide feedback or ask questions.

2. Presentation/Delegation

To have individuals or groups make formal presentations to Council. Please submit a Request to Appear Before Council.

• Any person or group wishing to appear before Council must inform the Corporate Office, in writing, preferably with background material:
  • a) by 4:30 p.m. on the Tuesday prior to the Council;
  • b) of the subject of the delegation; and
  • c) of the name and address of the speaker for the delegation.
• A maximum of 10 minutes is allotted. If there is more than one speaker, then each speaker shall present different information and the maximum time shall not be exceeded.

3. Public Hearing

Under legislation, Council must provide a reasonable opportunity for those who believe that their interest in property is affected by a proposed Official Community Plan Amendment and, in some cases, a Zoning Amendment to be heard or to present written submissions. Public Hearings are held prior to regular business at a Council meeting. Written submissions must be received by 4:00 pm on the day of the public hearing. Correspondence addressed to Mayor and Council will form part of a public record and may be published in a meeting agenda.

Council members do not have set hours at Town Hall, therefore residents are welcome to contact them directly. Council members contact information can be found on the Mayor & Council page.