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Council moves to hybrid in-person meetings

June 16, 2022   ·   0 Comments

After two years of virtual meetings, Simcoe County Council will be moving to hybrid meetings beginning June 14.

The hybrid approach will allow for in-person attendance while maintaining public health measures, including physical distancing.

The transition will be gradual. At first, as many as 50 per cent of County Councillors may attend the in-person meetings while the remaining Councillors and staff will take part in a virtual format. Each municipality can opt for either their Mayor or Deputy Mayor to attend in person.

During the transition phase, Council Chambers will remain closed to the general public.

Meetings will continue to be streamed live and archived on the County’s YouTube channel for public access.

Council is asking for the public’s patience as this new format is introduced and technical issues are addressed.

This new hybrid model of meetings will be re-addressed in the fall of 2022, to provide opportunity for further changes in-line with updated public health guidance.

“Throughout the pandemic, County Council adapted to ensure the continuity of our essential services, and in line with public health guidelines, we switched to virtual sessions,” said County of Simcoe Warden George Cornell. “Virtual meetings worked very well for the County and most municipalities, and we look forward to trialling a new hybrid approach as we continue to move forward with our governance objectives.”

By Brian Lockhart

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