Speaking to Council

Speaking at Council meetings

Delegations at Council Meetings  

Please note: Council meetings have returned to in-person attendance at the Council Chambers as of December 2022.

1. Delegations will be received in person. 
2. Each delegation is permitted to speak for 5 minutes.
3. The maximum number of delegations to a single agenda item is 10. This limit does not apply to delegations for public meetings under the Planning Act or other statutory public meetings. 
4. Meetings of Council are live streamed and the video file is archived.
5. You will be asked to provide your name and address  if you are speaking to an item under the Planning Act. If you are speaking to other items on the agenda, you will be asked to provide your name and to provide either your address or the ward/general area you reside in, for the minutes. 
6. Delegation requests must be received by 11 a.m. on the day of the meeting.
7. If you would like to make comments about an agenda item but are unable to appear as a delegation, please visit our Council Connects page at Connect Peterborough. All comments submitted through the Council Connects page will be provided to Council for consideration.

Requests to speak can be made by submitting the Delegation Request Form. We will contact you on the day of the meeting to confirm your registration and provide your speaking order. 

If you have any questions, please contact the Clerk's Office at 705-742-7777 ext. 1820.

Request to speak at a Council meeting

Other ways to contact Council

A delegation is not the only way to reach Council members and let them know how you feel about an issue.

Our Council Connects page at Connect Peterborough is a convenient tool for residents to provide comments on agenda items currently under consideration by Council, General Committee or Finance Committee. Like delegations, comments may be made up until 11:00 a.m. on the day of the meeting. 

You can also:

• provide comments by telephone or email directly to Council
• provide written comments to the Clerk's Office and we will ensure your comments are forwarded to Council members.

• Introduce yourself when you are called upon – provide your name and address
• Highlight your key points
• Remember the time limit
• Address Council through the Mayor or Chair of the meeting

Public Participation - Procedure By-law 21-104

The public participation section of the City's Procedure By-law was updated in 2021 with changes intended to better organize public delegations at meetings, improve meeting efficiency, offer modern tools for the public to provide comment to Council, and bring consistency with electronic meeting processes. 

For more information on public participation, please read section 10 of By-law 21-104.