10-05-2021 - No.10 rw'
GTY OF! CANADA
-NIAGARA FAIT
The City of Niagara Falls, Ontario
Resolution
October 5, 2021
No. 10
Moved by: Councillor Mike Strange
Seconded by: Councillor Chris Dabrowski
WHEREAS Monday, October 24 2022 is Municipal and School Board election day, and
municipal clerks who administer Municipal and School Board elections are in the middle
of planning for this important democratic event.
WHEREAS municipalities have statutory authority to use schools as polling
places under section 45 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.
WHEREAS schools are often the largest, most centrally located and accessible facility
in communities which make them ideal locations to host polling stations.
WHEREAS many school boards across the Province already work with municipalities to
schedule a Professional Development Days (PD Days) on municipal election day every
four years.
WHEREAS the City Clerk runs the school board elections for the District School Board
of Niagara (English Public), Niagara Catholic School Board (English Separate), Conseil
Scolaire Viamonde (French Public) and the Conseil Scolaire Catholique MonAvenir
(French Separate).
WHEREAS in 2018, approximately 25% of school boards agreed to make Municipal
and School Board Election Day a PD Day. Approximately another 60% had PD days in
October already. Almost 30% of had days within a week of municipal election day and
there are a number of school boards that schedule PD Days on Mondays already. And
therefore, it is possible to make arrangements for a PD Day to fall on Municipal and
School Board Election Day.
WHEREAS school boards and municipalities can work together, to increase these rates
and make it easier for local voters to cast their ballots while ensuring student safety.
WHEREAS partnering with municipalities once every four years to ensure that
municipal and school board elections fall on a PD Day has a number of benefits to
School boards, schools and the broader community including:
• Easing the facilitation of Election Day so that Clerks can ensure a smooth
democratic process which elects school board trustees as well as local
council members.
• Ensuring public health promotion and protection through more adequate
physical distancing in these larger venues.
• Enhancing the principles of safe schools for both students and teachers by
reducing the number of people in the school.
• Providing voters with a large, accessible location to cast their votes for their
school board and municipal representatives.
WHEREAS school boards are entering into deliberations about the 2022-2023 School
year calendar in order to submit their proposed calendars to the Ministry of Education
by May 2022.
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the City of Niagara Falls request that the District
School Board of Niagara (English Public), Niagara Catholic School Board (English
Separate), Conseil Scolaire Viamonde (French Public) and the Conseil Scolaire
Catholique MonAvenir (French Separate) schedule a Professional Development Day on
Municipal and School Board Election Day, Monday October 24th 2022.
AND THAT a copy of this resolution be forwarded to Hon. Steve Clark, Minister of
Municipal Affairs and Housing, Hon. Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, the
Association of Municipal Managers, Clerks & Treasurers of Ontario (AMCTO) and the
Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO).
AND The Seal of the Corporation be hereto affixed. Carried Unanimously
(Councillor Pietrangelo declared a conflict)
•
WILLIAM G. MATSON JAMES M. DIODATI
CITY CLERK MAYOR