Communicating with Council

The City of Orillia is committed to providing accountable, transparent and open government to all its citizens. City Council encourages public participation in its decision-making process.

There are several ways to communicate with Council as a whole or with individual members, such as:

• Writing to Mayor and Council
• Submitting a Petition
• Requesting a Deputation
• Participating in the Open Public Forum
• Contact Members of Council via Email or Telephone

All written correspondence to be considered for placement on a Council agenda or as a Direct Response must be addressed to “Mayor and Members of Council”.

Submission Guidelines

• Drop off or mail correspondence to the Orillia City Centre (50 Andrew St. S.) or email to councilservices@orillia.ca.
• Submissions received by 12:00 PM on the Tuesday before a regular meeting of Council may be included in the "Consent Agenda".
• If you wish to receive a response, please include your complete mailing address, phone number and email address as part of your submission.
• A Council member may request that an email/letter they received be added to an agenda for discussion.
• Do not include personal details you do not wish to be publicly shared.
• Anonymous or profane letters will not be circulated or placed on an agenda.

Personal Information Notice

The City of Orillia collects personal information in your communications to City Council or its Committees under the Municipal Act, 2001. This information is collected to enable Council and/or its Committees to make informed decisions on the relevant matter. Individuals who make submission to Council should be aware that any personal information in their communications may become part of the public record and may be made available to the public through the agenda process which includes publication on the City's website.

A Petition is a document addressed to Council requesting consideration or action on a matter that is within municipal jurisdiction. It is one of the best ways to express support of a matter to Council, however petition organizers should be diligent to fulfill the petition requirements to ensure their petition is considered valid before Council.

Petition Requirements as per Chapter 22 of the City of Orillia Municipal Code:

A valid petition must:

1. Include a brief, concise statement of purpose followed by the printed and legible names, addresses and signatures of all signatories;
2. Only be submitted on a form prescribed by the Clerk for that purpose; and,
3. Provide for the submission of an executive statement to be placed as a Consent Agenda Item under the Correspondence heading with a recommendation from the Clerk, as prepared in consultation with the Mayor and CAO.

Organizer(s) of a petition who wish to speak and present to Council must request and complete the procedures of a Deputation Request.

A deputation allows individuals or groups to speak directly to Council at a regular meeting.

Requesting a Deputation

• Complete and submit the Deputation Request Form.
• The Clerk, in consultation with the Mayor, will review the requests and notify you of the approval or denial of the request.
• If approved, submit all presentation materials to Council Services by 12:00 PM on the Tuesday before the meeting.

Deputation Guidelines as per Chapter 22 of the City of Orillia Municipal Code:

• The subject matter of the deputation must be within municipal jurisdiction.
• Any person who has previously addressed Council on a topic will not be allowed a second deputation unless the person can prove that there is new information to present to Council.
• No deputation requests will be heard during the summer months (July and August).
• A maximum of three speakers will be permitted per deputation.
• Each deputation will be limited to a maximum of 10 minutes.
• No more than two deputations shall be scheduled for any Council meeting, subject to the necessity to deal with matters of an urgent nature.
• Deputations to Council from declared candidates for elected office shall not be permitted.
• Deputations shall not promote a specific business.

What to Expect

• Deputations occur at the beginning of Council Meetings.
• Council will have already reviewed your written submission as part of the agenda.
• Focus on your key message: why you are appearing, your request, and rationale.
• Council members may ask questions but will not enter into a debate during the deputation.
• After your deputation, Council may discuss and decide next steps under the Deputation Motions section of the agenda.

Members of the public wishing to speak during Open Public Forum must register a minimum of four business hours prior to the commencement of the meeting. To register, please complete and submit the Open Public Forum Request Form.

Forum Structure

• At the Start of the Regular Council Meeting: Speakers may address topics on the current meeting agenda.
• At the End of the Regular Council Meeting: Speakers may discuss topics within the City’s municipal jurisdiction.

During Open Public Forum

• Lasts up to 30 minutes.
• Limits speakers to three minutes each.
• Requires speakers to provide their name and indicate whether they are a resident/non-resident.

By participating, speakers agree to:

• Discuss the approved topic.
• Speak respectfully.
• Avoid derogatory remarks, defamatory statements, or profanity.
• Refrain from discussing litigation, insurance claims, personnel matters, or confidential topics.
• Avoid using signs, placards, or distributing promotional materials.
• Follow the rules of procedure and the Chair’s decisions.

Residents can email or call individual Council members. Contact details are available on the Mayor and Council page of the City’s website.