Whereas the City of Richmond Hill is committed to a transparent and inclusive democratic process that encourages all residents to participate in local governance;
Whereas current Procedure By-law 125-23, as amended, require residents to provide their full name and residential address, which are published in public-facing online agendas and permanent digital archives;
Whereas the persistent online publication of full residential addresses creates modern risks, including identity theft and data scraping, which act as a systemic barrier to participation for many residents;
Therefore Be It Resolved:
1. That effective the start of the new term of Council (November 15, 2026), for public participation (delegations, public forum and correspondence) in Council and Committee meetings:
a) The City Clerk will continue to collect, use and disclose the names and full addresses of all public participants for notice purposes under the Municipal Act, 2001, Planning Act, Ontario Heritage Act, or any other provincial legislation or municipal policy. This information will be maintained in the Office of the Clerk and the requirements for the collection, use and disclosure of information will be determined by the City Clerk;
b) That only the name and Ward Number of Richmond Hill residents, or the name and the municipality of persons who are not residents of Richmond Hill, appear in the Council Agenda and Minutes; and
c) That in the case of businesses or organizations, the name of the person representing the business or organization, and the organization or business name and municipality of operation appear in the Council Agenda and Minutes.
2. That the Clerk place any necessary By-law to amend the Procedure By-law 125-23, as amended, on a future Council agenda; and
3. That no changes to past Council or Committee records (agendas or minutes) shall be authorized or necessary as a result of the adoption this motion.