Share your input
You are encouraged to participate in public Council and Committee meetings any time.
Looking for information about an upcoming meeting?
Find meeting details, agendas, minutes, and videos along with reports and presentations on the District’s Civicweb portal.
Council meetings are in Council Chambers at Municipal Hall (2167 Oak Bay Avenue) typically on the second and fourth Monday of the month. Committee of the Whole meetings are on the third Monday. No regular meetings are scheduled during August or during the month of a General Local Election.
Most meetings of Council start at 7:00 PM for regular business; however, times are subject change. Visit our CivicWeb Portal for Council meeting dates and start times.
Ways to Participate
District meetings are streamed live on our Civicweb portal.
In Person
The public is welcome to attend the meeting in the Council Chambers at Oak Bay Municipal Hall, 2167 Oak Bay Avenue.
Electronically
To participate via telephone or Zoom please see the meeting details included on the agenda.
Written Submissions
Submissions must be received at administration@oakbay.ca or by mail/in person at Municipal Hall by noon on the day of the meeting and will be included on the agenda.
Making a motion and voting
Once an agenda item has been discussed, a member of Council makes a motion (or makes a proposal for how to move the item forward) so that a decision can be made on the issue. Another member of Council is asked to ‘second’ (or agree with) the motion before it can be considered. Then all members of Council vote on the issue. Once a decision has been made, District staff are responsible for actioning it.
An agenda item can be:
- Adopted: Council has adopted the item without any changes;
- Amended: Council has made some changes to the item before adopting it. These changes are called ‘amendments’;
- Deferred: Council has postponed making a decision about the item to a future meeting;
- Referred: Council has sent the item to a committee or staff for further study or action, before Council will make a decision;
- Received: Council has received the item for information only and will take no further action; or
- Defeated: Council had decided it will not move forward with the item.
The majority of Council meetings, including discussions, questions, and voting are open to the public. In some cases, however, when the Council needs to consider private information (such as legal or personal info), it meets in a ‘closed’ or ‘in camera’ session, as allowed by law. These sessions are not open to the public.
Correspondence to Council
You don’t need to attend a meeting to have Council consider your input. If you have been notified by way of a letter regarding an item on a Council agenda there will be a date and time that your written submission needs to be received.
All correspondence to Mayor and Council, regarding a specific item on an agenda, must be received by noon on the day of the meeting.
Correspondence can be sent in the following ways:
- By email: administration@oakbay.ca
- In person: 2167 Oak Bay Avenue, Victoria BC, V8R 1G2
- Mail: 2167 Oak Bay Avenue, Victoria BC, V8R 1G2
Tips for Preparing to Address Council or Committee of the Whole
How to address Council – Council Meetings
- When approaching the podium state your name and municipality of residence clearly and speak directly into the microphone provided.
- Speakers have three minutes to speak per agenda item.
- Communicate effectively and remain “on topic” clearly addressing the issue at hand. Each speaker has three minutes to speak.
- Topics should be addressed briefly and directed through the Chair. Debate with, or by, any member of Council will not be allowed. No questions or comments shall be directed to staff.
How to address Council – Committee of the Whole Meetings
- Thirty minutes are allotted for the Public Participation Period at Committee of the Whole Meetings.
- When approaching the podium state your name and municipality of residence clearly and speak directly into the microphone provided.
- Communicate effectively and remain “on topic” clearly addressing the issue at hand. Each speaker has three minutes to speak.
- Topics addressed should be about a non-agenda item that directly related to matters of District or community concern
- Topics should be addressed briefly and directed through the Chair. Debate with, or by, any member of Council will not be allowed. No questions or comments shall be directed to staff.
No commitments shall be made by any member of Council in replying to questions. Matters which require action to be taken by council will be referred to a future meeting for consideration.