Victoria – The Office of the Ombudsperson has released an updated edition of its Open Meetings: Best Practices for Local Governments guide, designed to support municipalities, regional districts, and other local governments in meeting their legal obligations to hold meetings that are open, accessible, and transparent.
Originally published in 2012, the guide has been comprehensively updated to reflect legal, operational, and societal changes that have occurred in the more than a decade since its initial release. The revised version addresses evolving meeting practices – including the rise of electronic and hybrid formats – and incorporates updated legislation such as the Accessible BC Act and the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act, as well as lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This guide helps clarify the rules around when meetings must be open to the public and how local governments can meet their obligations,” said BC Ombudsperson Jay Chalke. “Clear and accessible guidance ensures that local decision-making is transparent, accountable, and aligned with the law.”
In recent years, concerns about transparency and closed-door decision-making have drawn considerable public attention. The Ombudsperson says this guide responds to the growing need for clarity about what the law requires, and provides practical support to local governments across the province.
“Local governments make decisions that affect communities every day,” said Chalke. “When those decisions are made openly and transparently, it fosters trust and confidence in our democratic institutions.”
The update guide includes:
- practical best practices for complying with open meeting requirements
- clarification on when and how meetings can be closed to the public
- guidance on emerging challenges such as hybrid meeting formats, accessibility obligations, and maintaining clear and adequate records
The revised guide follows a public consultation period in fall 2025 during which the office received feedback from provincial and local governments as well as members of the public. The final version incorporates those insights and serves as both an educational tool and a preventative resource for local governments across the province.
In the BC Ombudsperson’s 2024/25 Annual Report, complaints about local government made up 13% of all complaints received – the fourth highest category. Among those, concerns about council member conduct, including compliance with open meetings rules, were among the most commonly reported issues.
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