Gail Thornhill, Director of Housing Services at Stella’s Circle
Providing Invaluable Guidance to Council Every day, City Council is tasked with making many decisions based on the best available information. Council relies on a variety of sources for that information, including our expert staff, public opinions, input from public engagement, legislation and legal advice. One important tool in the decisionmaking process is the use of advisory committees, expert panels and a working group. While these bodies do not have any formal, delegated powers to make decisions on behalf of Council, they can and do provide invaluable guidance in their areas of expertise and greatly assist Council on understanding and
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CITY GUIDE | FALL 2021
appreciating public concerns and opinions. The City’s Inclusion Advisory Committee, for example, provides information and advice to Council on matters of accessibility and inclusion as they relate to City programs, policies and services. In recent months, the Inclusion Advisory Committee has offered opinions on everything from the Pedestrian Mall and the design for the new H.G.R. Mews Centre to traffic signals and street design, snow clearing and the City’s budget. “People with disabilities, seniors, aboriginal peoples, women, racialized people, people living in
poverty, youth, newcomers, and LGBTQ communities face barriers when accessing employment, housing, and healthcare,” says Debbie Ryan of the CNIB and member of our Inclusion Advisory Committee. “The City of St John’s utilizes the expertise of people representing these diverse groups, so that they can be sure they are always making the kinds of decisions that benefit the community as a whole, and I am proud to be a part of that.” Members of our advisory committees are volunteers, representing a wide spectrum of our community and ensuring that all voices are heard at the Council table.
