Welcome to our new website!

Welcome to our new City of Niagara Falls website! Explore our updated pages, improved navigation, and new features designed to serve you better.

Please note that for approximately 24 hours, you may experience intermittent changes or minor glitches as the update is completed. By January 8, the website will be fully updated and operating smoothly.

If you encounter any issues after January 7, please report them by emailing service@niagarafalls.ca or by calling 905-356-7521.

Engaging with Council

Everyone can participate in open meetings and share their views with the City Council. Here, you can learn more about requesting to speak at a council meeting, writing to the council, and submitting petitions.

 

How to request to speak at a Council meeting

Individuals, groups, or organizations may request to appear before City Council during a public meeting to speak on a specific topic or agenda item.

You can request to speak at a Council meeting in a few easy ways:

Note: All deputations are subject to the rules outlined in the City’s Procedural By-law and any pertaining policies.

Submit a request

Speaking on an agenda item (Delegation)

  • If you want to talk about something already on the agenda, you're a "Delegation"
  • Submit your request using our form at least 24 hours before the meeting
  • Your request will become part of the official record of the council proceedings and will be a public document

Speaking on a new topic (Appointment)

  • If you want to bring up something not on the agenda, you need an "Appointment"
  • Request an appointment by submitting your name, contact details, and a brief of your topic and what request/direction you seek from the council
  • Submit your request using our form at least seven days (one week) before the meeting
  • Your request will become part of the official record of the council proceedings and will be a public document
  • A total of five appointments are allowed per meeting

Speaking time

You’ll get up to five minutes to speak unless Council decides otherwise.

Writing to Council

  • You can write to Council and include your correspondence in the public agenda. Any personal information you write about will become part of the public record.
  • Include your full name and contact info (address, phone, or email)
  • Send your correspondence to the Clerk by noon the day before the meeting
  • You must address your correspondence to all members of council, not just one, for it to be placed on the agenda
  • You can find your submitted correspondence in the agenda section “Communications of the City Clerk”

Submitting a petition to council

A petition is a request signed by multiple people to support a shared cause or concern and will become part of the public record.

  • Petitions can be sent to the Clerk in person, by mail, fax, or email
  • Petitions can be made on paper or electronically
  • Include the start date, the organizer’s contact info, the names and addresses of those who signed, and a clear statement communicating the petition's purpose. Important: Only those signed individuals with their name and local address on the petition are counted as relevant petitioners.
  • Submit the petition by noon on the Friday before the meeting to get it on the agenda
  • Council may decide to file the petition for information unless they vote to take further action

Where to send

By mail or email:

City of Niagara Falls
Attention: City Clerk
4310 Queen Street
P.O. Box 1023
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6X5
clerk@niagarafalls.ca

The Clerk has the right to reject any requests or petitions that don’t follow the rules. The following topics are not accepted:

  • Anything outside council authority or that misrepresents their process and purpose
  • Advertisements or solicitations of business
  • correspondence that is anonymous, disrespectful, offensive, illegible or contains false information
  • Education and training sessions of council
  • Election campaigns
  • Employee issues, labour relations or union negotiations
  • Insurance claims
  • Matters already decided upon in the current council term
  • Matters that staff have been directed to prepare a report about until the matter is before council
  • Ongoing legal proceedings
  • Vexatious matters that will cause the city to incur additional costs

Contact Us

City of Niagara Falls
4310 Queen Street
P.O. Box 1023
Niagara Falls, ON L2E 6X5
Canada
905-356-7521
service@niagarafalls.ca