Public Hearings

Public hearings allow affected members of the public to provide their views to Council on advertised planning and development matters and other matters as determined by Council or as required under the Municipal Government Act. Public hearings are formal hearings that allow anyone impacted by a proposal to address Council prior to a decision being made. Comments may be submitted in writing prior to the hearing or verbally during the hearing, and Council can ask questions of the people who are present.

Public Hearings are advertised in the local newspaper and on the Town’s website for a minimum of two consecutive weeks prior to the Public Hearing. They are held at the beginning of regular Council meetings..

If you plan to attend a public hearing and wish to speak:

Public Hearings start promptly at 6:00 p.m. - ensure you arrive a few minutes early to ensure you do not miss your chance to speak.
Please ensure your presentation is organized and to the point. Time for presentations is limited to five minutes (additional time may be considered)
Council may ask you questions regarding your presentation
Once you have made your presentation and closing remarks, you will not have another opportunity to address Council, unless you are asked a direct question

Upcoming Public Hearings

Click on the links below for more information on the upcoming Public Hearings.

Note: If there are no options listed below, there are no upcoming Public Hearings scheduled.

Intermunicipal Development Plan Bylaw 2019-12, Amendment Bylaw 2026-16

The Town of Westlock Council will hold a Public Hearing to consider amendments to the Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP) with Westlock County. The Town of Westlock and Westlock County Intermunicipal Development Plan (IDP) is a shared land-use planning document between the Town and County. It provides a framework for coordinating land use, development, infrastructure and other matters of mutual interest near their shared boundary. It also establishes processes for referrals, information sharing and resolving intermunicipal disputes.

Bylaw 2026-16 is the Town of Westlock’s proposed bylaw to adopt updates to the Town of Westlock and Westlock County IDP. The updated plan retains the plans’ overall vision while revising its boundaries and maps, refining land-use and growth policies, clarifying referral and information-sharing processes, and updating policies related to economic development, environmental protection, infrastructure, dispute resolution and future plan reviews. The updated IDP will take effect once it has been adopted by both the Town of Westlock and Westlock County Councils.

Westlock County will be holding a respective public hearing for County residents regarding the proposed amended plan.

Attachments

Proposed Intermunicipal Development Plan Bylaw 2019-12, Amendment Bylaw 2026-16

Schedule A - Updated IDP with Annotations

Where and When?

Date: Monday, October 26, 2026 at 6:00 p.m.
Location: Council Chambers, 10007 100 Avenue, Westlock, AB

This public hearing can also be attended virtually via Zoom, using the below link.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/7803494444?pwd=if38wlSXOTwA7DkWbYI0bkbGZTxn5u.1&omn=82629045656

Meeting ID: 780 349 4444

Passcode: 3494444

How to Participate

Register to Speak: Register by emailing planning@westlock.ca or by calling 780-349-4444 by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, October 26. Speakers will be limited to 5 minutes maximum in order for everyone to be provided an opportunity to be heard.
Submit Written Feedback: Send your feedback to planning@westlock.ca, or mail/drop off your feedback to the Town Office (10003 106 Street, Westlock, AB T7P 2K3) by 4:30 p.m. on Monday, October 26.

Public Hearing FAQ's

When items are scheduled for public hearing, copies of a proposed bylaw can be viewed:

online in the dropdowns above
in person at the Town Office (10003 106 Street, Westlock) during business hours
in the Council agenda package (available the Friday prior to the public hearing date)

Council agendas and reports can be found in advance of the meeting on our Meeting Agendas & Minutes page.

Public Hearings are held in Council Chambers, in the Heritage Building (10007 100 Avenue, Westlock). Members of the public are welcome to attend and observe.

You may also attend a public hearing virtually via Zoom. The zoom link will be made available for each public hearing online on the Council Calendar.

Should you wish to address Council during a Public Hearing, we recommend that you register to speak by 4:30 pm the day of the hearing. People registered to speak will be heard first. To ensure everyone an equal opportunity to speak, presentation time is limited to five minutes.

If your are unable to attend a public hearing, you can still participate in the process by submitting your comments in writing by 4:30 p.m. the day of the hearing.

Comments can be dropped off or mailed to the Town Office (10003 106 Street, Westlock, AB T7P 2K3), emailed to planning@westlock.ca, or faced to 780-349-4436.

Digital submissions are encouraged. All submissions to a public hearing must be received prior to, or during, a hearing. Submissions cannot be made following the conclusions of public representations.

All submissions become public documents and persons may want to limit personal information provided.

Once a public hearing has been adjourned, Council may not consider any further public input. This is to ensure all councillors receive the same information as part of their decision-making process. Any comments received after the hearing cannot be formally recognized by Council or become part of the public record. After the public hearing Council will decide to:

Make amendments (if necessary) and pass the bylaw
Defeat the bylaw
Postpone consideration of the bylaw to another date

If you have any questions regarding a proposed bylaw, please contact Planning & Development at 780-349-4444 or planning@westlock.ca.

If you have questions regarding registering to speak or meeting procedures, please contact the Municipal Clerk at 780-349-4444 or by email.