A St. Albert youth council could be in place early next year, after council gave first reading to a bylaw establishing the committee.
Councillors unanimously approved first reading of the Youth Council Bylaw at the Nov. 28 meeting, agreeing to debate some minor tweaks to wording on another day.
Coun. Tim Osborne, who has pushed for the creation of a youth council during his term on council and put forward the motion, said it was crucial for council to have a way to hear the voices of youth in the community and urged councillors to support it.
“We had one meeting with youth in our term, and I don’t think that’s good enough,” he said. “I think getting the bylaw formalized to get a youth council together is a step in the right direction.”
Community strategy manager Connie Smigielski presented the recommended bylaw, which outlines how the council would be set up.
It would comprise eight to 16 youths, between the ages of 15 and 24 years old, appointed by council. They would receive no salary or honorarium, but would be reimbursed for out-of-pocket expenses.
The committee’s roles would include researching and writing policy proposals on topics that impact youth in the community, advise council on youth matters, give youth the opportunity to experience city governance and report to council at least once per year about the committee’s progress.
The city would provide administrative support to the council, along with a $5,000 annual budget.
Ben Throndson, a St. Albert resident and current political science student at the University of Alberta, said he was happy about the decision and looks forward to seeing youth having a greater voice in the city and an ability to play a greater role in the city’s direction.
“I think giving young people the opportunity to play a role in city governance is a really great way to create more active and engaged citizens over time,” he said. “That can only serve to make our community a better place to live.”
As for what a youth council might set out to do once it’s formed, however, he said that will remain to be seen, but he added that he’s looking forward to seeing what creative and unique solutions to different issues might be proposed.
“I know there’s been some really great work done in other communities,” Throndson said. “In Edmonton they did a great project on youth homelessness, and other issues young people find relevant and important to their lives.”
The bylaw is expected to come back before council in 2017 for second and third readings.
