City Council

The Council of the City of Yellowknife is comprised of eight Councillors and one Mayor who are elected for three year terms.

Council oversees all municipal activities, including:

Municipal planning and zoning by-laws
Land development
Property taxes
The borrowing of money for capital expenditures
By-law Enforcement
Fire protection
Recreation programs and facilities
Building standards
Transportation/traffic
Storm sewer, sidewalk, road maintenance and improvement
Water & sewage
Disposal of garbage

All of these powers are delegated to the municipality from the Government of the Northwest Territories through legislative Acts and Regulations.

Council meetings are held in the Council Chambers at City Hall on the second and fourth Monday of each month at 7:00 p.m. and are open to the public.

Any person who wishes to speak at a City Council meeting may do so provided that notice is first given to the City Clerk's Office at 920-5602, no later than 12:00 noon on the Thursday preceding the Council meeting. Delegations (or presentations as they are more commonly known) pertaining to items on the agenda are heard by Council shortly after the meeting convenes. Delegations pertaining to items not at the agenda are heard generally after the business of the meeting has been dealt with. While there is no limit to the number of presentations which may be made by the public, the length of each is limited to five minutes. In the interest of time, presenters are urged to refrain from repeating the same information as previous speakers.

The meetings of Council and its Committees are regulated by the rules contained in the Council Procedures By-law. Procedures have evolved over the years and are intended to facilitate efficient handling of Council business. The provisions of the Procedures By-law are observed both by Council and by its Committees.

The Mayor is the Chief Executive Officer of the City and is responsible for its overall operation.