Whereas the Local Government Act, Part 14, Divisions 3 and 8, requires that local governments give notice of public hearings in two consecutive issues of a newspaper, and temporary use permits in one issue of a newspaper; And whereas many small communities no longer have local newspapers, or a newspaper that meets the definition in the Community Charter: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM call upon the Ministry of Municipal Affairs to update the Local Government Act to allow temporary use permit and public hearing notifications to be provided electronically, via an application or website if the local government can demonstrate equal or greater ability to reach relevant constituents than a regular printed local newspaper.
Ministry of Municipal Affairs In Fall 2021, the Legislature passed amendments to modernize local government public notice requirements. Once in force, the amendments will create a new flexible, local choice option for local governments to determine and specify, by bylaw, the means of public notice that will have the broadest reach in their communities. Where the existing rules are working well for communities, there is no requirement to change they can continue to use newspapers to provide public notice. The Ministry heard from local governments that the notice requirements under local government legislation do not fully meet community needs and the realities of modern electronic communication. The Province is pleased to respond with the amendments to the requirements for public notice. The amendments are set to come into force by regulation, at the end of February 2022.