The demise of printed local community newspapers has led the Town of The Blue Mountains to propose some changes to its policies about notifying the public of town activities and initiatives.
On July 9, the town held a public meeting to consider comments from the community about proposed updates to its various notice policies. The meeting did not generate much public interest, with council receiving only two comments on the matter.
Tim Hendry, the town’s manager of communications and economic development, said the town adopted its current notice policies in 2008 and they were due for a refresh.
Hendry said one of the driving forces behind the updates was the end of printed newspapers in the community. Hendry explained that the town’s existing policies followed provincial rules, which required the town to advertise public meetings and other activities in a printed newspaper with general circulation in the community.
With Metroland Media shutting down the Collingwood Connection and, earlier, The Blue Mountains Courier-Herald, the town was left with no options.
“When the Collingwood Connection closed, we did not have a newspaper with broad circulation that met standards,” said Hendry, noting that the province required a weekly or daily newspaper to be used for advertising.
As a result, town staff are proposing that the town’s policy be amended to allow public notices of upcoming activities to be advertised in a newspaper that may not fit the legislated definition of a newspaper, but that has circulation in the community.
“It is the best middle solution we can offer at this time,” said Hendry.
The policy change will allow the town to notify the public through CollingwoodToday and The Blue Mountains Review. The town also uses its website and social media platforms to notify the public of town activities.
Hendry said municipalities across the province are in the same situation and have made requests to the province to alter the definition of newspaper for the purposes of municipal notice.
Members of council were supportive of the change.
“This is the time we are living in,” said Coun. Shawn McKinlay, who said he reads CollingwoodToday on his mobile phone several times a day. “It is with me everywhere I go.”
Coun. Gail Ardiel said the Association of Municipalities of Ontario is working on the issue.
“There are 444 municipalities in Ontario and more than half have sent in resolutions asking for a change,” said Ardiel. “(The current situation) is not serving any of the municipalities well. It’s number one of the agenda for AMO that this government has to fix.”
Council did not make any decisions at the meeting, which was held to gather public comments. A follow-up report will come to a committee of the whole meeting in August, followed by council’s final decision in September.
