Owen Sound city council could be getting back to business soon, after the province enacted new legislation this week to allow electronic meetings to be conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Owen Sound Mayor Ian Boddy says a special meeting of council will be called sometime next week to update the city's procedural by-law, to allow future meetings to be held remotely.
Like most municipalities, Owen Sound postponed all council and committee meetings indefinitely in its response to COVID-19.
“Most of the reports that would come to city council for approval have been on hold, such as site plans and development plans,” Boddy explains. “As soon as we can get back and get those things going we want too.”
With the province passing Bill 187 to permit local boards, committees and councils to meet electronically during the pandemic, Boddy expects city council will get back on its regular meeting schedule at some point soon. More clarity on when council will resume is anticipated following next week's special meeting to update the procedural by-law.