How does City Council work?
Council meets regularly to discuss issues, set priorities, establish policy and make decisions based on information from many groups and citizens. The information is most often provided to Council in the form of written reports.
Council meetings
Council meetings consist of reviewing reports and approving or editing recommendations contained within them. This is done through a process of information sharing, inquiry, deliberation and voting. Each member of Council has an equal vote in the decision-making process. The mayor has the tie-breaking vote and votes last so as not to influence Councillors.
Reports are usually provided in advance in the Council meeting agenda. Subject matter experts and the general managers from The City’s departments attend Council meetings to present report information and answer questions from Council.
Members of the public may also attend and can provide input on reports during public hearings.
More about City Council meetings
Boards, commissions, and committees
Reports are often shared with, and worked on, by a Council committee before going to Council.
There are two Standing Policy Committees (SPCs) that report directly to Council:
- Community Development Committee; and
- Infrastructure and Planning Committee.
There are three Standing Specialized Committees that report directly to Council:
- Executive Committee;
- Intergovernmental Affairs Committee; and
- Audit Committee.
City Councillors and the public participate in over 60 boards, commissions and committees that make reports and recommendations to City Council on a variety of topics. Public members for many of the boards, commissions and committees are recruited annually.
More about boards, commissions and committees - including committee descriptions, members, mandates, recruitment and meeting dates.
Role of the Chair
A "Chair" is the person elected to preside over meetings of Council or a City Board Commission or Committee and includes the Mayor or Deputy Mayor when presiding a Council meeting.
In meetings, the Chair must:
- Maintain order and decorum in a manner which promotes fairness and forward progress;
- Keep a sequence of speakers and recognize Members, Administration, advisors or citizens to speak at the appropriate segments of the agenda;
- Make rulings on Points of Order or Questions of Privilege;
- Ensure that Members understand the motion before them;
- Subsequently call the vote;
- Perform such other leadership functions as may be required for the efficient and effective conduct of the meeting; and
- At a Closed Meeting (a meeting or a portion of a meeting held in the absence of the public), ensure that only the matters that are approved to be discussed at the Closed Meeting are discussed.
More information on the regulation of meetings of Council and its Committees can be found in the Procedure Bylaw 35M2017
Council’s legislative process
The City Clerk
The city clerk is responsible for managing Council’s legislative process and for delivering open, accessible and impartial government to Calgarians, Council and The Corporation.
Chief Administrative Officer
As the chief administrative officer of The City of Calgary, the Chief Administrative Officer provides leadership and direction to all administrative departments and City of Calgary staff. The Chief Administrative Officer reports directly to Council.
More about the Chief Administrative Officer
City Auditor
The city auditor is an officer appointed by Council and is independent from City administrative staff. The city auditor's office assists Council in its oversight of the Chief Administrative Officer’s Administration and accountability for public funds. The city auditor reports to Council through the Audit Committee.