Under the Community Charter all council meetings, council committees, advisory boards formed by council, council commissions, parcel tax roll review panels, variance boards and other bodies with the power to exercise the power of local government must meet in public, unless it qualifies under one of the exceptions listed in the legislation.
If city council is discussing a request under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, is informed of an investigation under the Ombudsperson Act, or receives information on negotiations involving the federal or provincial government it must discuss those matters in a closed meeting.
There are also 13 other exceptions which council may choose to discuss in a closed meeting. The 13 exceptions are often summarized as the three L's: law, labour and land.
Legal matters such as litigation against the municipality, information subject to lawyer-client privilege or information which could compromise an ongoing police investigation may be discussed in a closed meeting.
Labour relations matters; personal information about staff, job candidates and municipal award recipients; and administrative tribunal hearings may also be dealt with in closed meetings.
The acquisition, disposition or expropriation of lands; preliminary negations about the provision of services; and the security of municipal property may also be discussion in camera.
Information which would be illegal to disclose under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act may also be discussed behind closed doors, as can discussions regarding objectives, measures and progress reports on the city's annual report.
Council may also hold closed-door discussions on if a subject should be discussed in a closed meeting, or if people outside of council should be allowed to attend a closed meeting.
Before holding a closed meeting council must state, by resolution passed in a public meeting, that a closed meeting will be held and why.
The charter provides council with the authority to establish its own procedures bylaws. Under the council procedures bylaw, the city clerk has the sole authority to determine the agenda for council meetings.
