City hall can now advertise digitally after city council approved a bylaw that gives the municipality more options to reach residents.
During a recent regular meeting, council gave three unanimous readings to the City Administration Bylaw Amendment 2021 to change the municipality’s public notice policy to reflect more advertising options — specifically, digital — for situations where public notices are required.
This amendment resulted from council approving a motion in March that asked city administration to bring forward an amendment to the public notice policy to enable city hall to communicate more online.
“The City of Moose Jaw’s communications policy establishes the need to communicate with residents using all available advertising platforms. Historically, local advertising options were restricted to newspapers and radio, and some city and provincial legislative requirements are still reflective of that time,” a council report said.
“While newspapers and radio are still prevalent, technological advances have enabled consumers to receive information on multiple digital platforms in the last two decades. However, not all persons prefer or have fully adopted to the digital platforms. That requires the city to be flexible, continually adapt practices, and utilize all conventional and digital advertising methods to communicate effectively.”
Section 4.1 (a) of the public notice policy states that notices of matters can be published in a local newspaper circulated in the city at least seven clear days before a meeting where council will initially consider a matter.
City administration recommended that that section be amended so that it reads: “notice of the matter shall be published, either digitally or in print, on a local media website serving Moose Jaw residents or local newspaper circulated in the city at least seven (7) clear days prior to the meeting at which council will initially consider the matter.”
Some matters where public notices must be given before council initially discusses them include:
- Prohibiting or limiting the number of businesses or type of business in an area
- Permanently closing or blocking off a street, lane or walkway
- Borrowing money, lending money or guaranteeing the repayment of a loan
- Imposing a special tax or determining how to use excess revenue from a special tax
- Selling or leasing land for less than fair market value and without a public offering
- Setting remuneration for council or committee members
- Increasing or decreasing the number of city councillors
- Appointing a wards commission and dividing the city into wards
- Amending or repealing a bylaw
- Any matter that requires a public hearing under The Cities Act or any other act
- Discussing a petition in public
The next regular council meeting is Monday, Sept. 27.
