Kitchener-Waterloo

Votes at Region of Waterloo council and committees now to be recorded

Starting June 6, all votes taken at Region of Waterloo council and committee meetings will be recorded and the results of the votes will be noted in meeting minutes. The decision stems from a motion brought forward by Coun. Kari Williams to increase transparency.

Transparency move will archive who voted for what

Building that says "Region of Waterloo" and blurred in the foreground are some purple flowers
Regional councillors talked about how they do their work Wednesday night, including passing a motion to record all votes taken at council and committee meetings and have them noted in the minutes and they accepted a report on what supports are available to council in light of one councillor hiring staff with his own money. (Kate Bueckert/CBC)

Starting June 6, all votes taken at Region of Waterloo council and committee meetings will be recorded and the results will be noted in each meeting's minutes.

The idea for all votes to be recorded was brought forward by Coun. Kari Williams as a way to increase transparency and accountability.

"I thought that would be a much better way for the public to be able to determine: are my councillors voting in the way that I would like them to as a constituent?" Williams told CBC News earlier this month.

"The public has the right to see how we're voting."

Regional council approved the motion during Wednesday night's meeting, without discussion.

The same motion also passed a resolution to support an Ontario MPP's private member's bill to that would allow municipalities to remove council members who have been found to have violated harassment and violence policies.

The Stopping Harassment and Abuse by Local Leaders Act, or Bill 5, has been brought forward by Orléans MPP Stephen Blais and the bill is scheduled for second reading on May 30.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kate Bueckert

Content producer

Kate has been covering issues in southern Ontario for more than 20 years. She is currently the content producer for CBC Kitchener-Waterloo. Email: kate.bueckert@cbc.ca