How to participate in City Public Hearings

Adhering to the COVID-19 pandemic guidelines, the City of Williams Lake has now limited in-person attendance at Regular Council Meetings and Public Hearings to staff and Council only. If members of the public and the media wish to view the Council live stream, they can do so via Youtube Live which is accessed by clicking here.

How to participate in a Public Hearing:

There may be a situation where a member of the public would like to participate in a Public Hearing. However, with the closure of in-person attendance, the City is making available alternate methods for the public to participate.

If you wish to participate by correspondence:

Given the inability for in-person attendance, the public is encouraged to participate by providing correspondence, instead of attending virtually. If you would like to do so, please submit in writing any questions or comments you may have with respect to the application by 4:30 pm on the day of the Public Hearing. This may be submitted via email to corporateservices@williamslake.ca, fax to 250-392-4408 or by dropping off a physical copy to City Hall at 450 Mart St. Williams Lake, V2G 1N3

If you wish to participate online:

In order to participate online, you will require the following items:

  • Desktop Computer, Laptop, Tablet or Smartphone
  • Headphones, Earbuds or Speakers
  • A stable internet connection.

You will then need to follow the below process:

Step One: Navigate to our Council Meetings Portal, to confirm the date of the Public Hearing for which you wish to attend.

Step Two: You will be required to register for the Public Hearing Zoom. Please use your full name and a valid email address. The City is collecting this information under section 26(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (British Columbia) for the purpose of facilitating online meetings. By providing your full name and email address, you acknowledge and consent to the collection and use of your personal information by the City of Williams Lake for this purpose. Should you have any questions about the collection of this personal information, please contact the Corporate Services Department at 250-392-1774/1773 or corporateservices@williamslake.ca

Step Three: All attempts will be made to provide the public with an opportunity to speak at the Public Hearing. However, where possible, requests to speak are requested to be submitted in advance by contacting the Corporate Services Department via E-Mail to corporateservices@williamslake.ca, fax to 250-392-4408 or phone to 250-392-1774/1773.

Step Four: After registering, you will be emailed instructions on how to access the Public Hearing Zoom. Please note that you will not be permitted to join the meeting until the scheduled start time.

Step Five: Once the meeting commences, you will be added to the Public Hearing Zoom. At this time you will be prompted to select your audio preference. If your device is equipped with a microphone and speakers, you should select Computer Audio. If you do not have a microphone and speakers on your device or your sound quality is poor, you can select Phone Call. If you select Phone Call, you will be provided with a list of numbers to use to call into to participate in the audio portion of the meeting.

If you are unable to participate online or in writing, please contact the Corporate Services Department to arrange an alternate method to attend the hearing (ie via telephone