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ARTICLE · 12 SEPTEMBER 2024

Municipal Councillors In Public Hearings: Neutrality And Bias

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Alberta's Municipal Government Act mandates that municipal councils hold public hearings before making decisions on certain matters.

CanadaStrategy
Meaghan Conroy
Meaghan Conroy
Sharon Au
Sharon Au
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Alberta's Municipal Government Act mandates that municipal councils hold public hearings before making decisions on certain matters.

Amongst other things, these include the disposition of certain types of land and amending or passing planning bylaws, such as zoning bylaws. The aim of these public hearings is to assure members of the public a fair opportunity to be heard and make their views known.

Public statements and campaign positions

A core part of a councillor's role is communicating with citizens on issues of public interest. Candidates for council positions frequently stake out positions during their campaigns. This raises an important question: What happens when an issue that a councillor has previously commented on comes before the council in a public hearing?

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