All members of the public are eligible for public appointment.
Committee Vacancies
Joining a board or committee of Council is a great way to get involved in your community, provide valuable insight, and gain experience with local government.
The City of Owen Sound is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment that recognizes and celebrates all dimensions of diversity, types of disabilities, and demographics of its community. The City of Owen Sound recognizes that the City is best served by committees which generally reflect the diversity of its community. In the City's Inclusion Strategy, one of the four Pillars of Inclusion is 'Workforce and Committees' with a specific objective of "attract and recruit a talented and diverse workforce, and committee membership, that is reflective of the labour market and community."
As a commitment to our Inclusion Strategy, the membership of the City's various boards and committees should reflect the community we serve.
For information on the City's Boards and Committees, their mandates, and meeting dates and times, please visit our Boards and Committees webpage.
Apply today:
River District Board of Management (application form)
If you have any questions about the application process or to request the application form in a different format, please contact the Deputy Clerk at apenner@owensound.ca or 519-376-4440 ext. 1235.
Frequently Asked Questions
When applications are being accepted, the application form will be available on this webpage and from City Hall.
Can I apply for more than one Board or Committee?
Yes. On your application form, you must select the Board(s) and/or Committee(s) for which you want to apply and rank them in order of preference.
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All applications are presented to City Council during a closed session. During this session, City Council will assess all applications, select applicants to be added to a roster of recommended appointees, and direct staff to bring forward an open report to appoint members.
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Recommended appointees will be contacted by the Clerk's Office to ensure that they wish to have their name stand for appointment.
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A report and by-law will be presented to City Council in open session to appoint all public members.
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Appointments are effective as of February 1.
How do I find out if I am appointed?
You will receive formal notification of your appointment from the Clerk's Office indicating the term and any other information you need to know. Unsuccessful applicants are also notified following completion of the appointment process.
Will I get paid to sit on a Board or Committee?
Most of the positions are voluntary with the exception of the Committee of Adjustment.
How do I find out what each Board and Committee does?
Visit our Boards and Committee webpage for more information about each Board and Committee.
Who do I contact for additional information?
If you have questions about the Board and Committee recruitment process, contact the Deputy Clerk at apenner@owensound.ca or 519-376-4440 ext. 1235.
Each Committee has a Recording Secretary that is responsible for the administration of the Committee. Their contact information can be found on our Boards and Committees webpage.
City of Owen Sound staff provide administration for the River District Board of Management; however, administration for the other four (4) Boards is provided by those organizations. Information on those Boards can be found on our Boards and Committees webpage.
What day and time do the Boards and Committees meet?
Committee meeting dates and times, as well as the River District Board of Management meeting dates and times, can be found by visiting our Meetings of Council and Committees webpage.
Meeting dates and times for the other four (4) Boards can be found by visiting our Boards and Committees webpage.
Committee meetings, as well as the River District Board of Management meetings, are held in the Council Chambers at City Hall which is a fully accessible building. All meetings are livestreamed to the City's website.
Meetings for the other four (4) Boards are held in the following locations:
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Grey Sauble Conservation Authority Board - Administration Centre (237897 Inglis Falls Road, Owen Sound)
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Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library Board - Library Auditorium (824 1st Avenue West, Owen Sound)
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Owen Sound Municipal Non-Profit Housing Corporation and Owen Sound Housing Company - Location to be determined by the Board
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Owen Sound Police Services Board - 2nd Floor Public Meeting Room (922 2nd Avenue West, Owen Sound)
Are meetings held in person or electronically?
Meetings are held in person, but electronic participation is permitted. As per the City's Procedural By-law, a public member may participate in a maximum of two (2) Regular Meetings of a Committee per calendar year by electronic means. The Committee Chair may permit a member to participate in additional Regular Meetings by electronic means at their discretion.
What is the time commitment to sit on a Board or Committee?
Approximately 1.5 hours per meeting, depending on the committee selected, and preparation time of approximately 1-2 hours per meeting.
Is training provided to Board and Committee members?
There will be orientation courses that need to be completed on your own time (approximately 4 hours) and a 2-hour training session in Council Chambers for public members who have been appointed to a Committee of Council.
Public members who have been appointed to a Board will receive training at the first meeting of the new Board.
Do I need a computer to be a Board or Committee member?
Meeting invitations are sent electronically and the agendas and minutes are available on the Meetings of Council and Committees webpage. If you do not have a computer, the Committee's Recording Secretary can print the meeting agendas for you.
Contact Us
808 2nd Avenue East,
Owen Sound, ON
N4K 2H4
Phone: 519-376-1440
Email us
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