How We Work

The Mayor is the head and chief executive officer of the municipality. In addition to the Mayor's powers and duties as a member of Council, the Mayor has powers as set out in the Community Charter. These powers and duties include:

• Seeing that the policies and bylaws for the improvement and good government of the municipality are carried out;
• Communicating information to Council and recommending bylaws, resolutions, and measures that, in the Mayor's opinion, may assist the peace, order and good government of the municipality in relation to the powers conferred on Council by any Act;
• Establishing standing committees of Council for matters the Mayor considers would be better regulated and managed by means of committee and appointing members of Council to these committees;
• Inspecting and directing the conduct of officers and employees, directing the management of municipal business and affairs;
• Returning for reconsideration a bylaw, resolution or proceeding of Council;
• Presiding at Council meetings;
• Preserving order at Council meetings and deciding the points of order that may arise; and
• Serving as Chair of the Delta Police board.

When the Mayor is absent from a meeting or if the Office of the Mayor becomes vacant, Council must appoint one of its members to be Acting Mayor. This person has all the powers of Mayor with the exception that they do not chair the Police Board, although they do attend the Police Board meetings. Traditionally, at the start of each year the Mayor establishes a schedule outlining which Councillor is to serve as acting Mayor during any given month should it be necessary. 

Council is the governing body of the City of Delta and the custodian of its powers, duties, and functions, both legislative and administrative. The Community Charter specifies that the purpose of local government (which is defined as being Council) includes:

• Providing good government for its community;
• Providing works, services, facilities, and other things that the municipality considers necessary or desirable for all or part of its community;
• Providing stewardship of the public assets of its community; and
• Fostering the current and future economic, social and environmental well being of its community.

In their role as Council, they collectively develop policies through the adoption of bylaws and passing of resolutions.

It is important to note that individual members of Council cannot make a decision on behalf of Council or give direction to staff. To do either, they must give a collective direction as a group at a properly convened Council meeting.

Council may not grant special privileges or immunities to individuals or corporations unless the Community Charter specifically allows them to do so. Generally speaking, they cannot lend money to corporations, give away land, guarantee loans for business purposes, or give tax reductions.

The Community Charter requires that Council exercise its powers at regular or special meetings when a quorum is present. The Charter allows each municipality to establish the size of its Council by bylaw. The Charter also stipulates that if a bylaw is not adopted, municipalities having a population greater than 50,000 are to have a Mayor and eight Councillors. Delta has a bylaw that stipulates that Council consists of the Mayor and six Councillors. A quorum consists of four members.

Council Meetings are scheduled on Mondays of each month in the Council Chamber at Delta City Hall and in the Theatre at the North Delta Centre for the Arts.  Members of the public wishing to attend Council meetings may view a copy of the Council Agenda online or obtain a copy from the Office of the City Clerk at City Hall. The Council Agenda may also be viewed at Delta public libraries.

If you are unable to attend Council meetings but are interested in the proceedings, the meetings are broadcast live through video streaming and archived on the website. The meetings are also televised live by Cable 4 and screened again during the week. Contact Delta Cable at 604-946-1144 for viewing times.

Related information

• Order of Business Protocol
• Question and Answer Period Protocol 
• Committee of the Whole Protocol 
• Consent Agenda Protocol
• Delegation Protocol 
• Electronic Meeting Protocol 
• Council Committee Protocol 

A Public Hearing is a statutory requirement under Sections 464 and 465 of the Local Government Act, whereby a local government must not adopt an official community plan bylaw or a zoning bylaw without holding a public hearing on the bylaw for the purpose of allowing the public to make representations to the local government. A local government is not required to hold a public hearing on a proposed zoning bylaw if an official community plan is in effect for the area that is the subject of the zoning bylaw and the bylaw is consistent with the official community plan.

All persons who believe that their interest in property is affected by a proposed bylaw must be afforded a reasonable opportunity to be heard or to submit written submissions. Please refer to the Public Hearing Protocol, which is designed to provide guidelines for the procedures of and the participation in Public Hearings.

Public Hearings are held at 4:00 pm once a month on a Tuesday in the Council Chamber at Delta City Hall. Public notice of the Public Hearing is provided through a notice that is published in the local newspapers approximately a week before the Public Hearing. Members of the public may view a copy of the Public Hearing Agenda online.

If you do not wish to participate in the Public Hearing but are interested in the proceedings, you may watch the meeting online.

All written submissions must be addressed to Mayor and Council, must include the writer's full name and mailing address, and must generally be received by the Office of the City Clerk no later than 12:00 pm on the date of the Public Hearing. 

To speak virtually at the Public Hearing, you must register with the Office of the City Clerk before 10:00 am on the date of the Public Hearing.

To register, email PublicHearing@delta.ca or call 604-946-3220 and provide: 

1. the Public Hearing meeting date;
2. the project number;
3. whether you will participate by telephone or videoconference; and
4. your contact information (name, address, phone number, and email).

Once registered, you will be provided the details needed to participate.

You do not need to register to speak in person.

A Question and Answer Period is provided at 3:45 pm prior to the commencement of each Regular Council Meeting. The Question and Answer Period provides the public access to Council in order to obtain information regarding the business of the City. Questions to Council will only be permitted on items directly related to a matter which is on the Regular Meeting agenda.

Persons wishing to speak must register by emailing mayor-council@delta.ca or calling the Office of the City Clerk at 604-946-3220 no later than 10:00 am on the day of the meeting. For further information, please refer to the Question and Answer Period Protocol.

The Question & Answer Period is live streamed on the City’s website and published and archived on the City’s website for later viewing in accordance with Section 33.1 (1) (r) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. 

Council Meetings are scheduled on Mondays of each month in the Council Chamber at Delta City Hall and in the Theatre at the North Delta Centre for the Arts.  Members of the public wishing to attend Council meetings may view a copy of the Council Agenda online or obtain a copy from the Office of the City Clerk at City Hall.  See the current Council Meeting Schedule.

Members of the public may also request to be scheduled as a delegation at a Regular Meeting of Council. You must make a request in writing to the Mayor and accompany it with background information on the issue you wish to address. The request will be reviewed, and if approved, the Office of the City Clerk will arrange a Council meeting date when your delegation can appear. Please refer to the Delegation Protocol.

All persons who believe that their interest in property is affected by a proposed bylaw will be afforded a reasonable opportunity to be heard or to submit written submissions. To make representation regarding a proposed community plan or zoning bylaw, you will be allowed up to five minutes to address Council regarding the issue under consideration. You must sign a speakers' list prior to speaking. Please review the Public Hearing Protocol.

Public Hearings are held on Tuesdays, commencing at 4:00 pm in the Council Chamber. Dates are set by Council resolution.

You may also contact Mayor and Council in writing and by email. All correspondence addressed to Mayor and Council is received and routed appropriately. Appropriate correspondence may be added to a Council Meeting agenda.  All correspondence to Council must include a name and address in accordance with Council Procedure Bylaw 5000, 2000.

Written submissions may be mailed to:
Mayor and Council
City of Delta
4500 Clarence Taylor Crescent
Delta, BC V4K 3E2

Please see Council members' individual pages.