View Royal residents interested in having their say at council meetings need to make some amendments to their calendars – meeting times have changed.
To help improve accessibility and make it easier for more people to take part in local government, View Royal town council has officially changed the start time for
all council and committee of the whole meetings to 6 p.m.
Shifting committee of the whole meetings from 3:30 p.m. to early evening will help accommodate those with daytime commitments, said the council in a news release. Council meetings previously started at 7 p.m.
"With this change, council hopes to reduce barriers to participation and encourage more residents to consider running for office in the 2026 municipal election," they said.
The amendment to the council's Procedure Bylaw No. 677, was formally adopted July 2.
The bylaw also introduces a formal Consent Agenda process, allowing routine and non-controversial items to be grouped and addressed in a single motion. The aim is to streamline meeting procedures while preserving transparency.
“Moving everything to 6 p.m. just makes sense – it gives more folks a real chance to be part of the conversation," said Coun. Damian Kowalewich. "For me, it’s always been about making things more inclusive and opening the door for more people to get involved, whether that’s attending a meeting or stepping up as a candidate.”
The new meeting times take effect immediately. Upcoming meeting dates and agendas are available at www.viewroyal.ca.
