C-19 - Cities and Towns Act

Section 332.1 Disposition versions

2024-09-06

332.1. A member of the council of a municipality who so wishes may participate remotely in a sitting of the council by a means allowing all persons who participate in or attend the sitting to see and hear each other in real time, in the following cases:

(1)  during a special sitting;

(2)  because of a reason related to the member’s safety or health, or the safety or health of a close relation, and, if a health reason is invoked, for a maximum of three regular sittings per year or, where applicable, for the duration indicated in a medical certificate attesting that remote participation by the member is necessary;

(3)  because of a deficiency causing a significant and persistent disability that constitutes a barrier to the member’s participation in person in council sittings; or

(4)  because of the member’s pregnancy or the birth or adoption of the member’s child, in which case remote participation shall not exceed the following number of consecutive weeks:

(a)  50, if the member was not absent due to pregnancy or the birth or adoption of the member’s child in accordance with section 317 of the Act respecting elections and referendums in municipalities (chapter E-2.2); or

(b)  the number obtained by subtracting 50 from the number of weeks the member was absent for a reason referred to in subparagraph a.

Remote participation is allowed only if the member participates in the sitting from a location situated in Québec or in a bordering province.

The minutes of the sitting must mention the name of any council member who participated in the sitting remotely.

If a majority of the council members participate in a sitting remotely, the municipality must make a video recording of the sitting and make it available to the public, on the municipality’s website or on any other website it designates by resolution, from the working day following the day on which the sitting ended.

2024, c. 24, s. 30.