What is a petition to Council?
A petition to Council is a formal way for residents, business owners and property owners to bring a matter to the attention of Wrenford City Council. If you want Council to review a policy, a by-law or a specific neighbourhood issue, a petition is the right tool.
Council uses petitions to understand community priorities and to guide its decisions. Submitting a petition does not guarantee a vote, but it guarantees that a City official will review it and that it will be considered for a Council agenda.
How to submit a petition
To submit a valid petition, you must follow the rules in the Procedure By-law 2023-018. Here is what you need to do:
- Prepare a clear statement of the issue you want Council to address.
- Collect signatures from Wrenford residents or property owners. You must include the signer's full name, address and signature.
- Submit the completed petition to the City Clerk's office. You can drop it off at Wrenford City Hall, 100 Mercer Street, or mail it to the same address.
- Allow at least two weeks for processing before the next scheduled Council meeting.
Only one signature per property owner is counted, even if they own multiple properties in Wrenford. The City Clerk's office will check the petition for completeness and place it on the agenda for the next available Council meeting.
Local improvement petitions
If you are a property owner or resident who wants a specific improvement to a street, park or public space in your neighbourhood, you can start a local improvement petition. Common requests include:
- Street resurfacing or lane paving
- Street lighting or traffic calming measures
- Sidewalk construction or repair
- Park upgrades or playground equipment
Local improvement petitions follow a separate process under the Procedure By-law 2023-018 and the relevant department's standards (Roads & Winter Maintenance, Parks & Trails or Planning & Development).
Once a petition reaches the required support threshold, staff will review the technical and financial details. If approved, the improvement is added to the capital works program and construction usually takes place the following spring or summer. Property owners in the immediate area may be asked to share a portion of the cost through a local improvement charge on their property taxes.
What happens after you submit a petition?
After you submit your petition, the City Clerk's office will verify the signatures and add the item to a Council agenda. You will receive a confirmation email once the petition is placed on the agenda.
You can request to speak at the Council meeting when your petition is discussed. You must fill out a Public Submission form and submit it at least two hours before the meeting starts. You will be given up to three minutes to present your case to Council.
Council will review the petition, listen to staff recommendations and any public comments, and then make a decision. The decision and next steps will be recorded in the meeting minutes and posted on the Council meeting schedules page.
Contact us
If you need a petition template, have questions about the signature requirements or want to check the status of a submitted petition, contact the City Clerk's office.
City Clerk
Nadia Kowalczyk
Wrenford City Hall
100 Mercer Street, Wrenford, ON N4Q 1A1
Phone: 519-555-0100
Email: [email protected]