Summary#

Calgary City Council defeated Councillor Andre Chabot’s notice of motion on September 22, 2026. It would have directed City staff to prepare changes to the Procedure Bylaw requiring councillors to attend Council and Standing Policy Committee meetings in person, with limited exceptions. The motion’s stated goal was to support deliberation, accountability, transparency and public confidence.

• The proposed exceptions included emergencies, serious illness or medical need, parental or compassionate leave, travel for other Council-appointed committees, and other cases Council approved.
• If remote attendance were approved, the motion would have required the reason to be recorded in the meeting minutes.
• The motion would have required City staff to bring bylaw amendments to Council by the end of 2026’s fourth quarter. Council defeated the motion 4–11, so it gave no such direction.

What it means for you#

• Councillors and City staff: This decision does not create a new in-person attendance rule or require staff to prepare the proposed bylaw amendments.
• Residents: The decision does not change meeting attendance rules or how the public can take part. The materials do not establish what the current rules are.

Money#

No cost information is in the available material.

• The defeated motion did not authorize spending or staffing.

What is unclear#

• The current Procedure Bylaw’s rules for remote attendance are not included, so the materials do not show what rules remain in place.
• The minutes give the vote result and names of the 11 members who voted against, but not their reasons.

Case for#

• The motion’s stated rationale was that in-person attendance could support debate, collaboration and relationship-building among councillors.
• It argued that making in-person meetings the main forum for decisions could support public confidence and residents’ participation.
• Its proposed exceptions would have allowed remote participation in listed circumstances and required the reason to be recorded.

Case against#

No clear concern from those who voted against is available in the supplied material. The motion was defeated 4–11; Councillors Ward, Pantazopoulos, Jamieson, Dhaliwal, Atkinson, Tyers, Kelly, Schmidt, Wyness, Johnston and Mayor Farkas voted against.