Recap: Committee of the Whole Meeting - October 8
- Marian
- Oct 8
- 5 min read
Committee of the Whole Meeting Wednesday October 8, 2025 at 9:30am
A Committee of the Whole meeting is when all members of Council come together to talk through issues in a more relaxed setting than a formal Council meeting. It’s a chance to have open, informal discussions about policies, bylaws, or other matters and make recommendations that will be brought forward to a regular Council meeting for final approval.
Meeting Agenda: Meeting Agenda
Watch Council Meeting: Watch Meeting
Recap:
All agenda items were moved to go forward to next week's Council Meeting.
The majority of the discussion centred around, Councillor Davidson's motion calling for respectful communication in municipal politics. The motion urges both elected officials and residents to commit to civility in public discourse, recognizing that constructive dialogue is essential to good governance and a healthy democracy.
The motion received unanimous support from council members. Several councillors and Mayor West spoke in favour, referencing similar initiatives such as the Halton Elected Representatives pledge and the Ontario Big City Mayors Caucus, where 29 mayors endorsed the same commitment.
While affirming the importance of free speech and debate, council emphasized that respect must remain at the core of political engagement. This proactive stance positions Richmond Hill as a model for municipalities navigating increasingly polarized environments.
Agenda Items Include:
The report ensures Richmond Hill is legally and financially prepared for the 2026 municipal election by confirming voting methods, compliance oversight, campaign resource rules, and funding policies.
Election Date: The next municipal election in Richmond Hill will be on Monday, October 26, 2026.
Voting Methods: Voters can cast ballots either online or by paper ballot using tabulators. The Clerk is also considering “ballots on demand” (printing ballots at voting stations instead of pre-printing thousands), which would save paper and improve efficiency.
Compliance Audit Committee: By law, Council must appoint a committee to handle complaints about campaign finances. Richmond Hill usually joins other York Region municipalities to share this committee and costs. If other municipalities don’t participate, Richmond Hill will create its own.
Use of City Resources Policy: Council must set rules to prevent City resources (like offices, staff time, or City events) from being used in election campaigns. Updates have been made for clarity, but no major changes.
Financing Policy: The City maintains an Elections Reserve Fund to pay for election costs. A new financing policy is recommended to clearly set out how election expenses and any post-election costs (like recounts or legal audits) will be covered. The old surplus contributions policy will be repealed and replaced by this new, more comprehensive policy.
Budget: The total estimated budget for the 2026 election is $1 million, covering technology, staffing, voter mailings, supplies, advertising, and the inaugural Council meeting.
The City wants to modernize how it recruits and appoints Citizen Members to committees, making it more inclusive, efficient, and better aligned with community needs.
Why this matters: Richmond Hill Council appoints local residents (Citizen Members) to serve on City committees (like the Library Board, Heritage Richmond Hill, Accessibility Advisory Committee, etc.). The current policy for recruiting and selecting members hasn’t been updated since 2008 and is causing challenges, like high turnover and mismatched expectations.
Key Issues:
Many Citizen Members have resigned mid-term because they didn’t fully understand the responsibilities or time commitment.
Recruitment and appointment processes are inconsistent.
Current rules don’t reflect the diversity of the community (only Canadian Citizens can apply).
Proposed Updates:
Eligibility: Allow Permanent Residents (not just Canadian Citizens) to apply, to better reflect community diversity.
Mid-term Vacancies: Instead of launching a new recruitment process, fill vacancies from the original list of applicants (except for the Library Board, which has legal requirements for new postings).
Serving on Multiple Committees: Generally keep the “one committee per person” rule, but allow exceptions if no qualified applicants are available or if a candidate has unique expertise.
Staggered Appointments: At the start of a new Council term, spread out the committee appointments over 2–3 months instead of all at once. This gives Council more time to make informed choices. Priority appointments would go to the Library Board, Committee of Adjustment, and Heritage Richmond Hill (which have legal deadlines).
Qualifications: Update each committee’s Terms of Reference to include clear qualifications, skills, and experience needed for members.
The motion asks Richmond Hill Council to publicly commit to respectful conduct in politics, support the Elect Respect campaign, and encourage a safer, more inclusive environment for democratic participation.
The Issue:
Politics is becoming less respectful, with rising harassment, threats, and toxic debate, especially online.
This creates unsafe conditions for elected officials and discourages people, especially women and diverse candidates, from running for office.
Members of the public also share a responsibility to uphold standards of respect and civility when engaging with elected officials and participating in the democratic process.
Respectful debate and civility are essential for a healthy democracy and better decision-making.
Background:
The Association of Municipalities of Ontario has raised concerns about declining voter turnout and fewer people running for office.
In Halton, female elected representatives launched the Elect Respect campaign to promote civility and safety in politics.
What the Motion Proposes:
Richmond Hill Council would:
Adopt the Elect Respect pledge, committing to:
Treat others with respect in all spaces (in person, online, and private).
Reject harassment, abuse, and personal attacks.
Focus debate on ideas and policies, not individuals.
Support a safe and inclusive culture so people from all backgrounds feel able to run for office.
Call on authorities to protect elected officials facing threats.
Model integrity and hold each other accountable to the highest standards of conduct.
Encourage others (elected officials, organizations, and residents) to support the campaign and sign the pledge at www.electrespect.ca.
Public Comments:
The public may submit written correspondence regarding agenda items by email to clerks@richmondhill.ca. Written correspondence must be submitted by 12 p.m. (noon) one business day before the meeting. Comments submitted will be provided to all Members of Council, are considered as public information and will be included on the public agenda posted to the City’s website.
Delegations:
Any person who wishes to speak to Council on agenda items must pre-register with the Office of the Clerk by 12 p.m. (noon) one business day before the meeting. Applications to appear as a delegation can be submitted by email to clerks@richmondhill.ca or by using the on-line application form. Delegations can be in person, or electronically by video conference or telephone. The Office of the Clerk will provide instructions on appearing as a delegation.
