Members of the public wishing to attend City of Welland Council meetings in-person are permitted to do so beginning June 7.

Chambers have been closed since the beginning of the pandemic, and Council meetings shifted entirely online, live-streamed through the City’s website. Live streaming continues as an option to watch Council meetings, but now chambers are open to full capacity of 150 people.

“We encourage those wishing to view meetings to continue to do so online and for those in attendance to remain mindful of distancing,” said Clerk Tara Stephens. “We know that members of the public enjoy being in chambers for meetings, and there’s a different level of discourse between presenters, for example, when they are in chambers as opposed to virtual.”

When operations return, new procedures will come with it, notably around closed session:

• Prior to the closed session of Council beginning, security will place signage at the base of the stairs on the main level and in the hall on the second level leading to Council Chambers advising that Council Chambers are closed to the public.
• Security will advise members of the public to remain in the Civic reception area on the main level until Council Chambers are open to the public.
• At the end of the closed session, a message will be sent to security from the clerk via a texting app.
• Security will change the signage advising that Council Chambers is open to the public
• Security will advise any of the public that is waiting in the Civic Reception area that Council Chambers are open.

In addition to the public attending in-person, there is no restriction on the number of Councillors who may preside in chambers during the meeting. Councillors may still attend meetings virtually.