Committee Vacancies

Join a City Board or Committee

Joining a board or committee of Council is a great way to get involved in your community, provide valuable insight, and gain experience with local government.

The City of Owen Sound is committed to creating a welcoming and inclusive environment that recognizes and celebrates all dimensions of diversity, types of disabilities, and demographics of its community. The City of Owen Sound recognizes that the City is best served by committees which generally reflect the diversity of its community. In the City's Inclusion Strategy, one of the four Pillars of Inclusion is 'Workforce and Committees' with a specific objective of "attract and recruit a talented and diverse workforce, and committee membership, that is reflective of the labour market and community."

As a commitment to our Inclusion Strategy, the membership of the City's various boards and committees should reflect the community we serve.

There are several vacant positions where you'll have opportunities to guide recommendations, and share your input, advice and expertise.

For information on the City's Boards and Committees, their mandates, and meeting dates and times, please visit our Council and Committees webpage.

Apply Now

To apply, click on the 'Apply Now' button below to complete the online application form. Application forms are also available at the Service Owen Sound counter in City Hall.

Applications will be accepted starting Friday, September 15, 2023 at 8:30 a.m. and must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. on Friday, October 6, 2023. A resume must be submitted with an application form.

If you have questions about the application process, or require assistance with the application form, contact Staci Landry, Deputy Clerk, at slandry@owensound.ca or 519-376-4440 ext. 1235.

Personal information contained in the application form is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act, 2001 and in accordance with the provisions of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. The information will be used by members of Council and City staff to complete the committee selection process. Questions about this collection should be addressed to the City Clerk, Briana Bloomfield, at bbloomfield@owensound.ca or 519-376-4440 ext. 1247.

Apply Now

Recruitment for public vacancies for additional City Committees, including the Community Services Committee, Corporate Services Committee, and Operations Committee will begin on October 16, 2023 and the application form will be made available as of that date.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who can apply?

All members of the public are eligible for public appointment.

How do I apply?

To apply, click on the 'Apply Now' button above to complete the online application form and attach a current resume.

Alternatively, application forms are available at the Service Owen Sound counter in City Hall and may be submitted with a current resume by mail, email or in person to:

Staci Landry, Deputy Clerk
City of Owen Sound
808 2nd Avenue East
Owen Sound, ON N4K 2H4
slandry@owensound.ca

Can I apply for more than one Board or Committee?

Yes. On your application form, you must select the Board(s) and/or Committee(s) for which you want to apply and rank them in order of preference.

How are appointments made?

• All applications are presented to City Council during a closed session. During this session, City Council will assess all applications using the scoring tool in effect at the time, select applicants to be added to a roster of recommended appointees, and direct staff to bring forward an open report to appoint members.

• Recommended appointees will be contacted by the Clerk's Office to ensure that they wish to have their name stand for appointment.

• A report and by-law will be presented to City Council in open session to appoint all public members.

• Appointments are effective as of February 1, with the exception of the Strategic Planning Ad Hoc Committee which will be effective as of November 7, 2023.

How do I find out if I am appointed?

You will receive formal notification of your appointment from the Clerk's Office indicating the term and any other pertinent information. Unsuccessful applicants are also notified following completion of the appointment process.

Will I get paid to sit on a Board or Committee?

Most of the positions are voluntary with the exception of the Committee of Adjustment.

How do I find out what each Board and Committee does?

Visit the Council and Committees webpage and select the 'Committee Mandates' accordion to view the mandate for each of the Committees of Council. Information on Boards can be found on our Boards webpage.

Who do I contact for additional information?

Each Committee has a Recording Secretary that is responsible for the administration of the Committee. Their contact information can be found on the Council and Committees webpage by selecting the 'Committee Members' accordion.

City of Owen Sound staff provide administration for the River District Board of Management; however, administration for the other four (4) Boards is provided by those organizations. Information on those Boards can be found on our Boards webpage.

What day and time do the Boards and Committees meet?

Committee meeting dates and times, as well as the River District Board of Management meeting dates and times, can be found by visiting our Council and Committees webpage.

Meeting dates and times for the other four (4) Boards can be found by visiting our Boards webpage.

Where are meetings held?

Committee meetings, as well as the River District Board of Management meetings, are held in the Council Chambers at City Hall which is a fully accessible building. All meetings are livestreamed to the City's website.

Meetings for the other four (4) Boards are held in the following locations:

• Grey Sauble Conservation Authority Board - Administration Centre (237897 Inglis Falls Road, Owen Sound)

• Owen Sound and North Grey Union Public Library Board - Library Auditorium (824 1st Avenue West, Owen Sound)

• Owen Sound Municipal Non-Profit Housing Corporation and Owen Sound Housing Company - Location to be determined by the Board

• Owen Sound Police Services Board - 2nd Floor Public Meeting Room (922 2nd Avenue West, Owen Sound)

Are meetings held in person or electronically?

Meetings are held in person, but electronic participation is permitted. As per the City's Procedural By-law, a public member may participate in a maximum of two (2) Regular Meetings of a Committee per calendar year by electronic means. The Committee Chair may permit a member to participate in additional Regular Meetings by electronic means at their discretion.

What is the time commitment to sit on a Board or Committee? 

Approximately 1.5 hours per meeting, depending on the committee selected, and preparation time of approximately 1-2 hours per meeting.

Is training provided to Board and Committee members?

There will be preliminary courses that need to be completed on your own time (approximately 4 hours) and a 2-hour training session in Council Chambers for public members who have been appointed to a Committee of Council.

Public members who have been appointed to a Board will receive training at the first meeting of the new Board.

Do I need a computer to be a Board or Committee member? 

Meeting invites are sent electronically and the agendas and minutes are available on the Council and Committees webpage. If you do not have a computer, you can connect with the Committee's Recording Secretary to obtain a printed copy of the agendas.