Electronic Meetings & Public Hearings
Considerations for Local Governments
The decision-making processes of locally elected officials in British Columbia are grounded in the principles of openness, accountability, accessibility and transparency.
These principles are fundamental to the province’s local government system. Access to meetings and public hearings enables the public to understand local government decisions and allows for meaningful participation and contribution.
In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, local governments and the Province of British Columbia (Province) have had to consider how to adapt to physical distancing guidelines while continuing to meet the legal and public expectation for transparency in local government decision-making.
This document is a collaboration between the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Local Government Management Association. It provides municipal councils, regional district boards, Islands Trust local trust committees (“elected officials”), and local government staff with best practices for local governments on electronic meetings (e-meetings) and electronic public hearings (e-hearings) during what is expected to be an extended period of pandemic adaptation under Phase 3 of BC’s Restart Plan .
