Steinbach residents regularly see public hearing notices posted on properties or listed in the news, but many may not know what a public hearing actually involves.
Mayor Earl Funk says public hearings are a key part of the city’s decision-making process, offering residents a formal opportunity to speak directly to Council—most often on land use matters such as zoning changes or conditional use applications.
How public hearings work
Funk says the public hearing begins once the regular portion of a council meeting is paused. At that point, the hearing is formally opened, and both the applicant and members of the public can speak on the issue.
“Basically, we start the Council meeting off as normal and then we get to the public hearing,” Funk explains. “I will close the Council meeting, open the public hearing and that allows the public to come forward.”
If a developer or applicant is present, they speak first. Then, residents are invited to ask questions, share comments or raise objections. Funk says all speakers must provide their name and address for the record.
“There’s a policy that we need to follow because if there’s enough objections, we need to contact these people again because they have to further object (for it to go) to the Municipal Board,” he says.
Once all comments have been made, the applicant is given a final chance to respond. Then the public hearing is closed, the council meeting resumes, and Council may make its decision.
Notices sent to nearby residents
Deputy Mayor Michael Zwaagstra says they inform residents of public hearings in advance to make sure they have the opportunity to take part.
“Public hearings are always advertised, and so certainly on the city website there will be information there. It also has to be advertised in local media,” says Zwaagstra.
For site-specific proposals, he says notices are also posted directly on the property in question.
“So that way anyone who lives in the area is likely to see it,” he notes, adding that if you live within 100 metres of that particular property, you would get a registered letter in the mail informing you of the public hearing.
Zwaagstra says the city uses several tools to keep residents informed.
“We use as many communication avenues as possible to let people know about a public hearing,” he says. “Whether it’s our website, registered mail going out to people in the area, advertising in local media, even posts on social media.”
A key part of the democratic process
Funk says public hearings are an important part of council’s role in listening to the community and making informed decisions.
“This is one of the mechanisms where we hear from the residents,” he says. “I think it’s a very important part of our meetings, a very important part of our job and it’s a very important part of our fact finding.”