Consent Agenda Process

What is a Consent Agenda?

A Consent Agenda is a procedural tool that allows multiple items to be passed (or recommended to Council) with a single motion if the Committee or Council is in agreement with the recommendation on the agenda. If an item listed on an agenda isn't identified for further discussion  (sometimes called "pulled for discussion"), the Committee or Council do not discuss the item during the meeting and the recommendation on the agenda is considered passed.

Council and Standing Committees use a Consent Agenda for their meetings, however the process is slightly different for Committee vs. Council.

Standing Committee Process

The Chair of the Standing Committee will ask Members of the Committee to identify any items listed under the agenda heading of Consent Agenda that they wish to discuss before voting. The Chair will then ask for a motion to adopt all of the remaining items under the heading of Consent Agenda. This excludes those items identified for discussion.

The items that were pulled for discussion will be considered one at a time, in the order they appeared on the agenda. The Member who identified the item for discussion will be asked to move a motion on the item before discussion may begin. This can be the recommendation included on the agenda or a new motion for the item.  

Items on Standing Committee agendas are recommended to City Council for a final decision.

City Council Process

At Council, the Mayor will ask for a motion to adopt all items listed under the heading of Consent Agenda before any items are identified for discussion. They will then ask Members of Council if they have any items they wish to be excluded from the Consent Agenda for further discussion. A vote will be taken to adopt all of the remaining items under the heading of Consent Agenda.

The items that were pulled for discussion will be considered one at a time, in the order they appeared on the agenda. At Council however, the recommendation from the Standing Committee is the motion on the floor; if a Member wishes to move something different, the Committee recommendation has to be voted down first.

If an item at Council has an associated By-law on the agenda, the By-law is automatically pulled as well if the item is identified for discussion.

What Items are Part of a Consent Agenda?

A Consent Agenda generally includes correspondence and reports. To learn more about submitting correspondence to Council or one of its Committees, visit Correspondence and Delegations.

Items on a Consent Agenda for Standing Committee may include:

• Correspondence with recommendations from staff
• Staff Reports that include a recommendation 

Items on a Consent Agenda for City Council may include:

• Previous Meeting Minutes
• Correspondence with Recommendations from staff
• Reports from the Standing Committees
• Staff Reports that include a recommendation
• By-laws

A Consent Agenda and Conflicts of Interest

If a Member (or Visiting Councillor at a Committee) declares a pecuniary interest on an item that is under the heading of Consent Agenda, the item is automatically pulled to considered and voted on under the discussion part of the agenda. To learn more about Conflicts of Interest, visit Accountability and Transparency.