Council brings question period to meetings after at least 20 years

FORT ST. JOHN, B.C. — The city council is bringing question periods to council meetings for the first time in at least 20 years. 

During the December 8th meeting, the City of Fort St. John council gave unanimous approval for an amendment to the Council Procedure Bylaw.

The amendment bylaw adjusts the order of several items within the council agendas, but most critically it allows members of the public to ask questions during the meeting for the first time. 

According to Ryan Harvey, the city’s communication manager, comments and questions have not been permitted from the public during council meetings for “at least the past two decades.” 

The municipality first began work to make the amendment a reality after Councillor Trevor Bolin asked staff to research what would be involved in bringing question periods to council meetings in August.

Staff returned before council to present options for the placement of a question period on November 13th, and after receiving positive feedback from the councillors, the amendment bylaw was formally presented for approval on December 8th.

Now the amendment bylaw has been adopted, council meetings in 2026 will feature a section entitled ‘questions from the media and public.” 

The amendment also adjusts the order of the agendas, moving the agenda item which has each councillor and the mayor noting what meetings and activities they attended since the last council meeting from 12th in order to 17th. 

Questions and comments from the public must be relevant to or specifically regarding items contained in the agenda for that day’s meeting, and must be done using “respectful behaviour and language.”  

“The question period is intended for clarification and does not constitute a forum for debate or decision-making,” the amendment bylaw states. 

The next scheduled meeting of the City of Fort St. John council is January 12th at 3 p.m. 

To read the council procedure amendment bylaw, see below.