Whereas newspaper closures in communities throughout British Columbia are affecting local governments ability to publish mandatory public notification advertisements in local newspapers especially in regional districts which already have unique geographical challenges due to local newspaper circulation areas not aligning with regional district boundaries; And whereas the Municipalities Act of the Province of Saskatchewan enables local governments to choose their own manner of providing public notice that suits their communities; Therefore be it resolved that both the Local Government Act and Community Charter be amended to replace the mandatory requirement to advertise in newspapers with the requirement for local governments to adopt a public notice policy based on local criteria that would enable local governments to choose their own manner of providing public notice tailored to best serve their communities.
Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development Public notices are an important component of local democracy. They serve to alert the public to important local government business, and facilitate communication between local elected officials and community members. Careful consideration and consultation would be needed before making changes to public notice requirements. The Community Charter provides a degree of flexibility for communities to use alternative means where it is not practical to publish a public notice in a newspaper. The Community Charter also explicitly authorizes additional public notices, including by the internet or other electronic means. While there is flexibility already in place, the Province also recognizes that local media environments are evolving. Although newspapers continue to reach residents in many communities, in some places, electronic and internet-based forms of communication have become increasingly important as a source of local information. The Province will continue to monitor how local media evolves; if appropriate, consideration could be given to a future dialogue with UBCM regarding changes to public notice requirements.