Engaging with City Council

The Office of the City Clerk can help distribute your correspondence to members of City Council, related to agenda items for upcoming City Council, standing committee, board or committee meetings.  

Your comments must include at least your first initial and last name - anonymous submissions will not be distributed.

In addition to sharing your correspondence with City Council, a board or committee, it will also be shared with relevant City staff. Please note that any correspondence shared may be attached to the minutes of the meeting, which is posted to the City’s website and kept on file as part of the official public record. 

As correspondence forms part of the public record, it may also be distributed to other members of the public on request. Your signature and contact information will be removed before your correspondence is distributed to the public or posted to the website; however, your full submission may be viewed by request at City Hall through the Office of the City Clerk. View the What is the Public Record? section for further details.

Where to send your correspondence

Indicate which committee or board you would like your correspondence directed to, along with the agenda item it relates to, and forward in one of the following ways:

• email: clerks@burlington.ca
• mail to: City of Burlington, Office of the City Clerk, 426 Brant St., PO Box 5013, Burlington, ON, L7R 3Z6
• drop off at City hall, 426 Brant St., Attention: Office of the City Clerk (please use drop box on Locust Street)

Speaking, or delegating, at a board, committee or City Council meeting is a great way to share your views with all members of City Council and contribute to the decision-making process.

Speakers (delegates) are given 10 minutes to share their comments at a committee or board meeting, and five minutes at a City Council meeting. Registration is required to speak at a meeting and comments must relate to an item on the agenda. A presentation may be made as part of your comments and must adhere to the time limits provided at Committee and Council meetings.

If you wish to speak regarding a matter not listed on an agenda, a member of Council must sponsor the item. Contact your ward Councillor directly to make this request. If you are unsure who your ward Councillor is, visit the Find your Councillor Ward page for assistance.

To learn more about speaking at an upcoming meeting and to register to speak, visit the city’s Speak at a Meeting page.

Local boards, agencies, commissions, City staff and other levels of government may submit a request to make a presentation at an upcoming standing committee meeting.

Presentations must address matters relevant to the city and seek to provide information or receive input from members of the Committee. Presentations are heard at the beginning of Committee meetings and a maximum of 10 minutes is provided.

Presentations will be attached to the minutes of the meeting, which are posted to the City’s website, and kept on file as part of the official public record. As part of the public record, presentations may also be distributed to other members of the public on request. View the What is the Public Record? section for further details.

To make a presentation, submit your request by email to clerks@burlington.ca. Please outline the subject of the proposed presentation, whether there is a desired outcome and the committee meeting you would like to present at. All requests for presentations will be considered during the agenda review process. 

Residents or businesses wanting to make a presentation should refer to Step 2 Speak at an upcoming committee or Council meeting for details.

The Office of the City Clerk accepts petitions related to matters listed on an upcoming standing Committee agenda.

A petition is a written request signed by more than one member of the public in support of a shared cause or concern. A petition may be presented in paper format, electronically or using an online system for petitions.

If you wish to submit a petition regarding a matter not listed on an agenda, a member of Council must sponsor the item. Contact your ward Councillor directly to make this request. If you are unsure who your ward Councillor is, visit the Find your Councillor Ward page for assistance.

Petition titles will be listed in the minutes of the meeting, which are posted to the City’s website, and the full petition kept on file as part of the official public record. As part of the public record, petitions may also be distributed to other members of the public on request. View the What is the Public Record? section for further details.

View the What to include in your petition section for further details.

If you wish to communicate with the Mayor or a Councillor without having your comments added to the public record, you may contact them directly about city and regional matters. All members of Burlington City Council are also Regional Councillors at Halton Region.

Visit the Council Members and Wards page to contact with your ward Councillor. If you are unsure who your ward Councillor is, visit Find your Councillor Ward for assistance.