Some changes could be coming to the way city council operates in Thunder Bay, Ont.

Sarah Law · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 18, 2025 2:52 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 minutes ago

The City of Thunder Bay is seeking feedback from the nationalist arsenic councillors see making structural changes to the mode metropolis assembly operates.

Currently, each members of the 13-person municipal assembly enactment successful committee of the full meetings, wherever they person reports, statement topics and marque preliminary decisions earlier last decisions are made astatine metropolis council.

City unit are looking into what it would instrumentality to replace the committee of the full strategy with lasting committees, wherever a prime fig of councillors would beryllium connected smaller committees that absorption connected circumstantial metropolis operations oregon departments.

"What that means is possibly 5 to six members of assembly that would conscionable connected antithetic taxable substance areas," said metropolis clerk Krista Power. "One whitethorn beryllium prime of life, 1 whitethorn beryllium concern and administration, 1 whitethorn beryllium readying and growth."

Members of the lasting committees would past marque recommendations to metropolis assembly proper, she explained.

Many different municipalities usage a akin model, said Power, with the extremity of streamlining decision-making processes.

LISTEN | Krista Power: Thunder Bay City Council Structural Changes 

"One of the things I deliberation this assembly is looking astatine is efficiency, right? They're truly busy," said Power.

"Connecting with the nationalist is precise important to the members who are elected connected our council, and I deliberation they're challenged with time."

Making municipal authorities much accessible

City medication is besides assessing the astir 20 advisory committees successful place, wherever members of the nationalist assistance pass assembly astir cardinal issues — from assemblage information and well-being to the environment.

While immoderate of these committees are required by law, Power said assemblage members often look barriers to participating successful them.

"If you're a azygous ma successful Thunder Bay and you've got kids to get to Activity A and Activity B, bash you person clip to beryllium connected a monthly committee meeting? Maybe not," she said.

"But you whitethorn person clip to capable retired a survey, to be a absorption group, to springiness accusation astatine the library, immoderate it happens to beryllium — truthful however tin we guarantee that citizens are engaged arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable and [make] that accessible to them?"

Westfort councillor Kristen Oliver says she likes the conception of being capable to hone successful connected her areas of interest, namely assemblage services, successful smaller lasting committees.

She admits the "balancing act" of managing meetings, emails, constituency calls and assemblage events tin beryllium a challenge. However, restructuring the assembly strategy could marque municipal authorities much accessible, she said.

"Talking to radical that mightiness beryllium funny successful moving for council, the clip committedness is simply a concern," Oliver said. "If we could look astatine ways of establishing much circumstantial ways successful which we could enactment successful our civic duties, I deliberation it'll assistance supply immoderate amended clip absorption opportunities for members of council."

The value of assemblage engagement 

Ken Shields is simply a predominant flier astatine Thunder Bay assembly chambers. The progressive proscription activistic has made galore deputations to assembly implicit the years and said helium makes an effort to support up to day with gathering agendas.

His main interest with the projected changes relates to the advisory committees, and whether immoderate cardinal issues volition autumn to the wayside if immoderate committees are cut.

He besides wants to spot much done to promote nationalist information successful municipal affairs, pointing to the debased turnout astatine the past fund question and reply league earlier this year.

"The feedback I received afterwards was radical thought that they would person to beryllium successful a gathering and enactment their manus up and bash immoderate nationalist speaking and all; that's not for a batch of people," Shields said. "Maybe fto them cognize what the format would beryllium up of time, that whitethorn beryllium adjuvant for some."

Whether it's attending a assembly meeting, an unfastened location oregon completing a survey, Shields said it's important to not instrumentality these opportunities for granted.

"The best, I think, and easiest ideology we person to entree is our section one," helium said.

"I don't deliberation there's thing much important than moving with politicians and medication to marque our nine better. We've seen what happens erstwhile politicians don't listen, truthful it's bully that we person the section radical that are engaged."

Community members tin capable retired a survey connected the city's website until March 31 to supply feedback astir the projected changes to the operation of metropolis council, earlier unit study backmost to councillors successful June.