Guide for Delegates

Before Registering as a Delegate

Some matters like general or even specific questions about Regional programs can be addressed by Regional staff or your Regional Councillor directly. Before you make a request to delegate, we suggest you contact the Regional Clerk’s Office at regionalclerk@halton.ca or 905-825-6000, ext. 7110 to see if there is an alternative to a formal appearance as a delegate.

Registering as a Delegate

Delegates are only permitted to speak on matters that are on an agenda for an upcoming Council or Committee meeting. If you wish to speak to a matter that is not on an agenda, please contact the Office of the Regional Clerk at regionalclerk@halton.ca or 905-825-6000, ext. 7110

If you would like to appear as a delegate, you must register in writing (by e-mail to regionalclerk@halton.ca) by the close of the business day prior to the date of the meeting. The request must include the following:

• name of the Delegate (first and last),
• delegate’s mailing address and, if applicable, e-mail address,
• delegate’s telephone number,
• an outline of the nature of the Delegation,
• if applicable, the name, address and telephone number of any person, group or organization that the Delegate is representing, and;
• the specific action being requested.

You will have five minutes to provide your delegation. Time will be provided following your address to respond to any questions.

Requests to delegate will not be permitted if they are about:

• A matter under litigation between you and/or your client and The Regional Municipality of Halton.
• A matter under investigation by the Region’s Ombudsman or Integrity Commissioner.
• An appeal of an award of a contract to a vendor or service provider.

Delegating at Statutory Public Meetings

Statutory Public Meetings are held, as required, to seek the public’s feedback on matters relating to specific Provincial legislation (Development Charges Act, 1997 or Planning Act, for example). These meetings are held by Council’s Statutory Public Meeting & Hearing Committee; the schedule of meetings varies.

If you wish to speak at a Statutory Public Meeting, registration is encouraged as registered delegates will be given speaking priority. Once the list of registered delegates is exhausted, the Committee Chair will open the floor to anyone else in attendance who wishes to speak.

All comments made at a Statutory Public Meeting and all comments must relate to the matter under consideration at the meeting.

Groups

If a group of individuals wishes to delegate, the group should designate one individual as its spokesperson. The other individuals of the group may participate if there are questions following the delegation and the spokesperson needs assistance in answering them.

Tips for an Effective Delegation

• Introduce yourself and the name of the organization you are representing (if applicable) at the start of your presentation.
• Keep your introduction brief and move onto your main point(s) as quickly as you can.
• If you are asked a question, address your response through the Chair by starting your answer with “Chair, through you…” or “Through you, Chair…”
• Please be mindful of the time limit. You may ask if you are not sure how much time you have left.

Appearing as an In-Person Delegation

• Please enter the Halton Regional Centre via the West Block entrance, which is the closest entrance to the Council Chambers, and take a seat in the gallery. The entrance to the Chambers via the West Block is an accessible entrance.
• Delegations are scheduled to be heard at the beginning of each meeting following initial procedural business.
• When it is time for your delegation, please descend the stairs to the podium. The podium can be raised or lowered to accommodate your comfort.
• You will have five minutes to speak. If you feel you will need more time, please inform the Clerk before the meeting. Council will determine if it will extend your time.
• Regional staff will share any presentation materials on the Council Chambers’ screen and you can request that slides be advanced by saying “next slide please” or use the clicker at the podium.
• We ask that you bring 25 print copies of any presentation materials with you.
• Please direct your remarks to and respond to any questions through the Regional Chair, and abide by the decorum guidelines for delegations set out in Section 10 of the Procedural By-law (PDF file).
• After your delegation, please return to your seat in the gallery. Alternatively you may leave the meeting if you wish to at that point.
• If Council resolves into a closed session either before or after your delegation, you must leave the Chambers and take all personal items with you, even if you plan on returning to watch the meeting after open session resumes. Do not leave clothing items or personal devices in the Chambers.
• If you are scheduled for an in-person delegation but are feeling unwell or are unable to arrive at the meeting location, it may be possible to switch to a virtual delegation. Please contact the Clerk as soon as you are aware you will not be able to attend in-person.

Appearing as a Virtual Delegation

• Delegations are scheduled to be heard at the beginning of each meeting following initial procedural business.
• The Regional Clerk will provide you with a Zoom link to access the meeting. This link will allow you to join the meeting. When it is your turn, the meeting host will enable you to speak.
• In order to avoid confusion, please do not share your Zoom link with anyone else. Others may watch the meeting through the livestreaming option.
• Ensure you have a stable internet connection prior to the start of your delegation. If your connection is lost and cannot be re-established, the meeting will proceed without your delegation being completed.
• Ensure your Zoom username is the name you registered your delegation with. If you intend to delegate by phone, kindly advise of the phone number you will be dialing from. Anonymous or unknown accounts will not be granted access to speak.
• You will have five minutes to speak. If you feel you will need more time, please inform the Clerk before the meeting. Council will determine if it will extend your time.
• Regional staff will share any presentation materials on the Council Chambers’ screen and you can request that slides be advanced by saying “next slide please”.
• Please direct your remarks to and respond to any questions through the Regional Chair, and abide by the decorum guidelines for delegations set out in Section 10 of the Procedural By-law (PDF file).
• If Council resolves into a closed session before your delegation, you will be removed from the Zoom call. You will be invited back into the Zoom call once open session resumes.
• After your delegation, please exit the Zoom call. You can watch the remainder of the meeting via the livestream option.
• If you are scheduled for a virtual delegation but are feeling unwell and will not be able to appear before Council as scheduled, please contact the Clerk as soon as possible.

Audio/Visual Guide for Delegates

In order to ensure that electronic presentations are properly tested on Halton’s systems it is strongly recommended that they be submitted to the Office of the Regional Clerk at regionalclerk@halton.ca or delivered to the Regional Clerk at the address below well in advance of the meeting. If access to a website is required, it is also recommended that the web address be provided in advance to ensure that it can be properly viewed on Halton Region’s systems. Staff will be available 30 minutes prior to the meeting and will make every effort to assist, but cannot guarantee the functionality of items that have not been received in advance.

Please be advised presentations must be no larger than 5MB to be sent through email. If the presentation is larger, please submit via an online repository. If you do not have an account with an online repository provider, please contact the Office of the Regional Clerk at regionalclerk@halton.ca or 905-825-6000, ext. 7110.

Halton Region supports documents created in Windows 10, Office 2016 and Adobe Acrobat as well as a number of video file formats. If you are unsure if the file you wish to present is supported, please contact the Regional Clerk.

Please note that PowerPoint presentations should not be converted to PDF files for the purpose of making the presentation as unexpected results could occur.

Contact Information

To register as a delegate or to obtain advice, please contact the Regional Clerk at:

• The Regional Municipality of Halton
  1151 Bronte Road
  Oakville, ON L6M 3L1
• Email: regionalclerk@halton.ca
• Phone: 905-825-6000 ext. 7110
• Toll Free: 1-866-4Halton (1-866-442-5866) ext. 7110
• Office Hours: Monday to Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

NOTE: Please contact the Regional Clerk's Office to confirm Council and Committee meeting dates as these may change from time to time