Summary#

Councillor Andre Chabot’s notice of motion was defeated by Calgary City Council on September 22, 2026, by a vote of 4 to 11. It would have directed City staff to draft changes to the Procedure Bylaw requiring councillors to attend regular and special Council and Standing Policy Committee meetings in person, with listed exceptions. The notice said its goal was to support deliberation, accountability, transparency and public confidence.

• The proposed exceptions included emergencies; serious illness or medical need; maternity, parental or compassionate leave; travel for other Council-appointed committees; and other exceptional cases approved by Council.
• If remote attendance were approved, the reason would have had to be recorded in the official minutes. City staff would have had to bring proposed bylaw changes to Council by the end of 2026.
• The Executive Committee had forwarded the notice to Council after approving it on its consent agenda. Council rejected it. Councillors Ward, Pantazopoulos, Jamieson, Dhaliwal, Atkinson, Tyers, Kelly, Schmidt, Wyness and Johnston, and Mayor Farkas, voted against.

What it means for you#

• Councillors and the public: This decision does not require councillors to attend these meetings in person or change the rules for remote attendance. The materials do not include the current Procedure Bylaw, so the existing rules cannot be verified here.
• City staff: The defeated motion does not direct staff to prepare the proposed bylaw changes.

Money#

No cost estimate is provided.

• The defeated motion would have directed City staff to prepare bylaw amendments, but it gave no staffing or cost estimate.

What is unclear#

• The materials do not provide the current rules for councillors’ remote attendance.
• The minutes give the names of those who voted against, but not their reasons.

Case for#

• The notice argued that in-person attendance could support more effective discussion, collaboration and public engagement.
• It also argued that requiring councillors to attend in person could reinforce public confidence and accountability, while allowing remote attendance for specified exceptional circumstances.

Case against#

• Eleven councillors and the Mayor voted against the motion, but the available materials give no specific reasons for their opposition. No clear case against is available from the supplied material.