Whitehorse city council unanimously passed a motion in favour of using alternative methods of public notification for the remainder of the Canada Post strike.
At a special meeting on Dec. 12, 2024, council approved the use of alternative notification methods. For the duration of the strike, City will share information about public hearings for proposed zoning amendments in the newspaper, on the city’s social media platforms, the city’s website, radio, and with the placement of signs near the location of the proposed rezoning.
The city is beholden by its zoning bylaw to notify the public of any proposed zoning amendment. According to the agenda for the special meeting, the city is required to mail out written notices to property owners within a defined area, including information regarding the amendment, as well as the date, time and place of the public hearing.
Postal workers in Whitehorse allege the city has been using city workers to deliver these written notices.
As previously reported by the News, Canadian Union of Postal Workers Local 852 president Mac Clohan said postal workers usually deliver these written notices, and the use of city workers to do so now is scab labour.
During the meeting, Councillor Lenore Morris requested that the motion be amended so that it said alternative notification methods were not to include hand delivery of notices by city staff. The amendment was adopted unanimously.
The amended motion was then also passed unanimously, authorizing the use of alternative methods for public notification of zoning amendments.
There are a few upcoming zoning bylaw amendments that will require public notification, including: an application to amend the zoning at 1702 Centennial Street in Porter Creek to enable residential development and an application to change the Copper Ridge Master Plan area behind Copper Ridge Place to future planning to “to support the anticipated amalgamation and sale of the site to a private developer.” Both applications have public hearings that will take place when council meets on Jan. 13, 2025. Further information regarding upcoming bylaw amendments are available on the City of Whitehorse website.
Contact Talar Stockton at talar.stockton@yukon-news.com
