For the first time in recent memory, Burnaby’s public council meetings will be held on Tuesdays instead of Mondays.
Council approved the change at a meeting Monday, Nov. 18, but not before some debate.
Mayor Mike Hurley said he hadn’t heard any complaints about the Monday slot.
“I always believe that if we make changes, it should be in the best interest of the public – and I haven’t heard that.”
“I’ve heard it maybe in the best interest of some others, but it’s not in the public’s eye.”
Coun. Sav Dhaliwal said Burnaby has had Monday council meetings as long as he can remember.
“I had never received, in 22 years of my place here at the council table, that people ask to change that,” Dhaliwal said.
He asked if any residents had requested the change or if staff had done any public outreach on the matter.
Staff weren’t aware of any requests and added outreach had not been done.
The lack of engagement concerned Dhaliwal.
“After all, this is a public meeting. We hold meetings for (the) public, not for council,” Dhaliwal said.
Staff said the Tuesday meetings would allow an extra day for council and the public to review the meeting agenda, but Dhaliwal said the benefit of the extra day is “probably overstated,” as the agenda is already released on Thursdays.
Coun. Daniel Tetrault disagreed.
“That extra business day actually means a lot,” Tetrault said.
He referred to a contentious agenda item on bus lanes earlier in the meeting that saw duelling community groups flock to city hall.
“It was, you know, a mad scramble today where I didn’t feel like I had adequate time to hear from the public or consult with staff.”
Coun. Pietro Calendino, meanwhile, waxed lyrical about the change.
“Monday, Tuesday, it doesn’t really matter,” Calendino said.
“But I just wanted to say that change is all around us. The world is changing. Society is changing. The weather changes frequently. Bus routes change. … We change and we can look at each other in the mirror every year and see how different we are. So, I don’t really see a huge problem having to go from Monday to Tuesday.”
He added not many residents follow council meetings.
“I suspect that the majority of the public isn’t even aware when we meet. Few people, very few people follow us.”
Staff recommended the changes because the Monday schedule was frequently interrupted by statutory holidays.
The new schedule, which will see council meet on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m., will be more consistent and easier to remember, according to staff.
The changes were approved, despite Hurley and Dhaliwal’s opposition.
The city will provide a printed or printable calendar to Burnaby households with the 2025 council dates.
Other legislative calendar changes
- August will have only one council meeting on the fourth Tuesday
- December will have only one council meeting on the first Tuesday
- The Remembrance Day (Nov. 11) meeting in 2025, and any statutory holidays that fall on a Tuesday, will be cancelled “to maintain the consistent schedule of second and fourth Tuesdays.”
- Staff will tentatively schedule special council meetings and committee of the whole meetings in August, November and December to ensure no impacts to operations due to the summer break or holidays
- The city will begin using a committee of the whole for long format discussions rather than special meetings. Special meetings will be used for urgent matters of business.
- Public hearings will be scheduled on the last Monday of the month at 5 p.m. (with no hearings scheduled in December)
