Residents will soon be able to use some electronic petitions to help influence city council decisions.
During its Monday evening meeting, council unanimously agreed to procedural bylaw changes that allow electronic petitions to be submitted to the city in addition to the traditional paper ones.
However, the use of petition websites such as change.org or iPetitions.com aren’t allowed.
City council asked staff to look into the idea while making other procedural bylaw changes back in March. A survey of residents at the time showed public support for electronic petitions. The idea met with unanimous approval by council's committee of the whole earlier this month.
Petitions submitted to the city are required to be brought forward by a resident, business owner or property owner within the city. The same goes for anyone who signs a petition prior to submission.
Also, petitions must be addressed to city council and request a particular action be taken, and that requested action needs to fall under council’s legislated authority.
Petitions not associated with a council agenda item will be included in the city’s weekly information package, released to council and the public on Fridays. A minimum of 25 signatures is required for that to happen.
Council members can request any information item be placed on an upcoming committee of the whole agenda or council agenda for potential referral to staff for analysis, with a decision to come at a later meeting.
For electronic petitions, an email address must be provided in place of a supporter’s signature.
