1. Administration will provide an overview of the topic. 
2. The applicant (or their designate) will be allowed five minutes to speak to the proposal. 
3. The Chair, who is typically the Mayor or designate, will then call the names on the list of speakers in order. Each person may speak for a maximum of five minutes.
4. If you don't add your name to the list, there is still an opportunity to speak. After all the names on the list have been called, the Chair will call three times for any additional speakers. You can indicate your wish to speak at that time. 
5. City Council may then choose to ask questions of any of the presenters. Once all their questions are answered, the Chair may call the public hearing closed. 

After the public hearing has been closed, the matter cannot be discussed further. City Council may make their decision at that time, or they may defer it to a future date. They will not hear any further speakers or accept any further written comments on the topic. 

Anyone may submit a written submission or give a verbal presentation to a public hearing. 

A written submission provides your comments directly to an item as part of the agenda, and will be received by City Council in advance of the public hearing when the agenda is published. This may allow Council to consider your comments prior to the public hearing. 

A verbal presentation is open to anyone, any group or any representative to articulate their position on a public hearing topic. These presentations are received at the public hearing and form part of the archived video recording of the meeting.

You may submit written comments for a public hearing to the City Clerk's Office. 

Your comments must include your first and last name. You may also wish to provide your address, telephone number, and email address. This information will be used to create the speakers list. 

Written comments must be received before 12:00 P.M. the Monday, 8-days before the public hearing is scheduled. 

All information submitted will become part of the public record, and will appear as part of the agenda for the public hearing, unless you expressly request the City Clerk's Office to remove it. 

Personal information is being collected under the authority of Section 33(c) of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and will be used for purposes of managing and administering the public hearing and to schedule you as a speaker. If you have any questions regarding the collection and use of your personal information, please contact the FOIP Coordinator at 311 or 403-320-3111 (if outside of Lethbridge).

All meetings of City Council are recorded. The City maintains a video archive of all City Council, Community Issues Committee meetings and public hearings. 

The following suggestions may assist you in clarifying your position on a public hearing.

• A written submission that highlights the issue and provides your position; and
• Pictures or maps to provide visual clarity. 

City Council may choose to make a decision the same day as the public hearing or defer their deliberations until a later date. 

Final decisions will be reflected in the Minutes of the meeting in which the item was voted on. Minutes can be found at: agendas.lethbridge.ca/AgendaOnline.  

After the proposed bylaw receives first reading, the proposed bylaw and information about it are located on the City's website. 

You can also get a copy of the proposed bylaw and related information from the City Clerk's Office.

Public hearings are your chance to share your opinions and views on specific topics with City Council. These hearings are open for anyone to speak at or to submit written comments to. Written comments must be received before 12:00 P.M. the Monday, 8-days before the public hearing is scheduled (or the following Tuesday when there is a Holiday).

When a Public Hearing is required by provincial legislation, notice of the Public Hearing must be given. During the Public Hearing Council must hear any person or group claiming to be affected, and may hear any other person who wishes to speak. Public Hearings are required before the second reading of many different Bylaws. These include Road Closure Bylaws, Charter Bylaws, Brownfield Tax Incentive Bylaws, Clean Energy Improvement Tax Bylaws, and Planning Bylaws.

A Public Hearing is also required before a municipality passes a resolution authorizing the municipaliy to control a corporation, to enter into a brownfield tax exemption agreement, or to change the designation of reserved land or dispose of the land by sale or lease.

All meetings of City Council and its Standing Policy Committees are established during Council's annual Organizational Meeting, where Council adopts their annual meeting calendar.

View the full Council Calendar.

The Mayor may call a special meeting with a specific purpose if the Mayor considers it appropriate to do so, or if requested by a majority of Councillors. A special council meeting must be held within 14 days after the date of request. The meeting is called by giving at least 24 hours’ notice in writing to each Councillor and the public stating the purpose of the meeting and the date, time and place at which it is to be held.

Less than 24 hours’ notice to Council (and no notice to the public) is acceptable if at least 2/3 of the whole Council agrees to this in writing before the beginning of the meeting. No matter other than that stated in the notice may be transacted at the meeting unless the whole Council is present at the meeting and the Council agrees to deal with the matter in question.

These notices are to inform the public of bylaws that will authorize the City Council to incur indebtedness/borrow funds from the Government of Alberta or another authorized financial institution to finance the items outlined in the corresponding Bylaws.

For the purposes of the Municipal Government Act, sections 251 and 231(3), the following bylaws were last advertised on August 13, 2022.

Anyone wishing to file a petition with respect to a Borrowing Bylaw, please Click Here.

Each municipality must publish a notice that the assessment notices have been sent. Our Tax and Assessment department provides notices to the public to ensure that taxpayers are aware of assessments, tax deadlines, distribution of tax notices, and Public Auctions on properties. 

For Information about the mailing of 2022 Assessment Notices and Appeal Process, click here.

Recently-issued development permits for discretionary uses and for waivers of regulations.  This public notice is in addition to the official public notice in the Saturday issue of the Lethbridge Herald.

Any affected person objecting to these permits has the right to appeal the decision within a specified period.  Appeal procedures are explained in each notice.

Subdivision and Development Appeal Board.

Proposals to be considered by the Municipal Planning Commission at its next meeting.  Any affected person has the right to appear before and provide input to the Commission.  Meeting date, time, location and procedures are explained in each notice. 

Any affected person objecting to these permits has the right to appeal the decision within a specified period.  Appeal procedures are explained in each notice.

Subdivision and Development Appeal Board.

Applications to be considered by Council at the next Public Hearing.  Any affected person has the right to appear before and provide input to Council.  Meeting date, time, location and procedures are explained in each notice. 

Any affected person objecting to these permits has the right to appeal the decision within a specified period.  Appeal procedures are explained in each notice.

Subdivision and Development Appeal Board

​A Member of Council may submit a Notice of Motion to the City Clerk for inclusion on an Agenda, such Notice of Motion should contain the date of the Regular Council Meeting the Member wishes it to be brought forward for debate. If a Notice of Motion does not contain a date, it will be removed from the Agenda after four (4) months. While the notice does not have to be publicized, the City can publish these on the website.

​Bylaws required to be advertised by the muniipality under provincial legislation include a Road Closure Bylaw, Borrowing Bylaw, Loan Bylaw, Guarantee Bylaw,  and Local Improvement Tax Bylaw- Municipality's share of the cost, Off-Site Levy Bylaw, and a Bylaw for Changes to Environmental Reserve.

​The City of Lethbridge has applied to Alberta Environment Parks for an amendment to the existing approval to construct, operate, and reclaim the proposed Class 1 compost facility. View it here