Deputation policy for stakeholders

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    Policy Owner: Corporate Governance
    Approval: Board of Directors
    First Approved: February 2005
    Effective Date: July 18, 2025

    Policy statement

    Toronto Community Housing (TCHC) is committed to making decisions through an open process. We want to hear from tenants, staff, and the public on decisions that affect them and their community.

    Not every TCHC Board of Director (Board) decision will directly impact TCHC tenants. However, many Agenda Items that the Board discusses can affect tenant communities when they are put into practice. Before the Board makes a decision, it is important to give people and groups a chance to contribute to the decision, especially if it affects them.

    TCHC involves tenants, staff, and others when making or introducing a plan or policy. TCHC uses its engagement processes to get input from tenants, staff, and the public on decisions that affect them and their community in several ways. For example, we might consult with tenant surveys, meeting with tenants, or consultations. We may also reach out to and consult with local groups outside of our communities, such as neighbourhood councils and local business planning committees. Tenants, staff, and others can also make deputations to provide information or share their views on the matters that will be discussed during a TCHC Board of Directors meeting or at a Committee meeting. 

    A deputation is a written or verbal presentation that tenants, community groups, or any other interested party can make to the TCHC Board of Directors (“Board”) or to one of its Committees. Deputations must be related to a topic that is on the Agenda Item of the Board or the Committees. The agenda and reports for each meeting are posted on the TCHC website at least seven days before the meeting date. Deputations give the Board an opportunity to listen to the people affected by its decisions. It demonstrates TCHC’s commitment to open and transparent decision-making and ensures that it hears from tenants, staff and community members.

    This policy helps Toronto Community Housing make sure that tenants, staff, and others can provide information or share their point of view on the matters presented to the Board. This policy sets out the principles and guidelines for deputations to the TCHC Board of Directors.  

    Scope

    This policy applies to Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) tenants, staff, and members of the public who use deputations to provide information or share their opinions with the Board.

    This policy covers matters that are on the Agenda Item of the Toronto Community Housing’s Board of Directors or Board Committees.

    Principles

    TCHC’s Deputation Policy is based on the following principles:

    • TCHC makes decisions in an open and transparent way.
    • People and groups (including tenants and staff) who are affected by TCHC’s decisions are involved in its decision-making process.
    • TCHC makes decisions in a way that helps build partnerships with tenants, staff, and others.
    • TCHC’s decisions respect its values and policies.
    • Deputations help the Board of Directors, and its Committees, make better decisions that benefit TCHC tenants, staff, and others.

    Policy details

    4.1 Board and Committee Reports

    TCHC staff provide advice and share information with the Board in reports to the Board or its Committees (“Reports”) to support decision making.  

    • If the recommendations in a Report directly affect tenants or staff, TCHC will consult them before presenting the Report to the Board or one of its Committees. The Report will explain how TCHC consulted tenants, staff, and others. It will summarize any concerns and any support for the recommendations.
    • The Board will receive a listing of written or verbal deputations received at a Committee Meetings related to matters on a Board Meeting Agenda. The listing will provide links to the recording of the Committee Meeting and indicate when the verbal deputation and the Agenda Item is found within the recording of the Committee Meeting. 
    • Written deputations will be added to the public materials for the meeting and will form part of the TCHC public record.
    • TCHC livestreams its Public Board and Committee meetings, in real time, and posts recordings of those meetings to its website.  Verbal deputations are part of the public record of those meetings.

    4.2 Deputation Criteria:

    Members of the public, including TCHC tenants and staff, can make a deputation about a matter that appears on an Agenda for either a Board or Committee meeting. 

    • Deputations must relate to an Agenda Item and should provide information to help the Board understand the issue.
    • Deputations are not a conversation or a debate.  Deputations are made as part of the Public Board or Committee meeting.  They should not be used to involve the Board in an issue related to any individual TCHC tenancy.  
    • Deputants should not share their own personal information or the personal information belonging to other people when they make a deputation.  Deputants should not refer to someone else, by name, or share someone else’s image in a deputation or without first obtaining that person’s consent.

    4.3 Deputation Process

    Before the Meeting 

    • TCHC tenants are asked to advise the Board Secretary that they intend to make a deputation.  The Board or Committee may waive this requirement.
    • Members of the public, who are not TCHC tenants, are required to advise the Board Secretary that they intend to make a deputation by 3 p.m. on the business day before the meeting.
    • Members of the public may also submit their deputation in writing, or in another format  by noon on the business day ahead of the meeting 
    • Advance notice allows time for:
      • The Chair to confirm that the deputation is related to a matter on the Agenda;
      • TCHC staff to share the deputation with Board/Committee members before the meeting;
      • Board members to gather information on the issue; and
      • TCHC staff to explain the issue to Board members and address any questions or concerns.

    During the Meeting  

    • At the start of each public meeting, the Chair will ask if any TCHC tenants want to make a deputation about an Agenda Item. 
    • TCHC tenants, who did not give advance notice to the Board Secretary but who wish to make a deputation should identify themselves at that time. 
    • Deputations are normally heard at the same time that the Board or Committee considers the related Agenda Item.  A deputant who is making deputations on more than one Agenda Item may be offered the opportunity to speak about all Agenda Items at the same time.
    • Each deputant will have five (5) minutes to speak. This time limit helps ensure that everyone who wants to speak has a chance to do so. After each deputation, Board members may ask questions. The Board or Committee Chair will monitor this time limit with the assistance of Governance staff.
    • If more than ten (10) people want to make a deputation at the same meeting, the Chair may reduce the five (5) minute speaking time to three (3) minutes to give everyone a chance to speak. 
    • A member of the public can only make one deputation on the same Agenda Item at a meeting. However, deputants can speak about more than one Agenda Item and they can speak about a matter at both a Committee and the Board, if it appears on both Agendas.
    • In keeping with TCHC’s values and policies, the Chair will make sure that the everyone at the meeting behaves respectfully.  Any disrespectful, disruptive or disorderly behaviour will not be tolerated. 

    4.4 Education and Communication Strategies

    TCHC will inform tenants and staff about the Deputation Policy and expectations through the TCHC website, community posters and will provide all tenant leaders with a copy to share with other tenants to help raise awareness about deputations.

    4.5 Posting of Materials

    • TCHC will post Board and Committee Agendas on the TCHC website at least seven (7) days before each meeting.
    • TCHC will make information about Committees’ mandates, functions, and meeting schedules available to members of the public.
    • TCHC will keep annual Board and Committees workplans up-to-date and available on the TCHC website.

    Definitions

    • “Agenda”: the detailed list of topics or Agenda Items discussed during a Meeting.
    • “Agenda Item”: the specific subject matter that will be discussed during a Meeting. 
    • “Board of Directors or Board”:  the Board of Directors of the Toronto Community Housing Corporation.
    • “Board Committee or Committee”: a group appointed by the Board of Directors to oversee a specific area of focus. 
    • “Board and Committee Report or Report”:  the detailed summary about a specific subject. A report may include information on progress, key findings, or issues relating to the subject. 
    • “Deputant”: any TCHC tenant, staff or Member of the Public that provides a written or verbal presentation to a TCHC Board or Committee meeting.
    • “Deputation”: the written or verbal presentation made by tenants, staff, or members of the public during a Board or Committee meeting.
    • “Meeting”: a meeting of the Board or Committee that TCHC tenants and Members of the Public is invited to attend. 
    • “Member of the Public”:  any other individual who wishes to depute except for TCHC staff, tenant, or Board member 
    • “Minutes of the Meeting”: a written record of what was discussed and decided on during the Board or Committee meeting

    Related policies and procedures

    Policy contact

    Corporate Governance

    Download the Deputation policy for stakeholders (PDF)