Teens find warm reception at city hall

On Tuesday, she asked council to build on that momentum by creating youth roles on the multiple committees the City has that impacts them.

She said that over the past two years, conferences, workshops and meetings that welcomed youth perspectives helped build confidence among herself and other young people to speak up in high-level spaces

Mayor Bill Powalinsky’s response suggested that message is landing. Remembering earlier conversations with the group, he told Bonney and other councillors that he was struck by the scope of their vision.

“The thing that really impressed me was the fact that the answers were very holistic. It looked at the entire community at large,” Powalinsky said.

He then asked Bonney what an ideal relationship between youth and council could look like, opening the door to a discussion about more regular and less intimidating ways for young people to share input on issues such as bus routes and other decisions that affect them.

Powalinsky noted the city recently changed their committee structure, making it easier for residents to sign up for committees, saying opportunities for participation may be available quickly.

Bonney said that kind of followup matters because many young people become interested once they realize their voices are being taken seriously and clarified that sharing information through the school system is good way to make the connection, as well as TikTok and Instagram.

Tuesday’s presentation was a followup to work she and others have been doing as part of the Student Commission of Canada, a national non-profit. They held an open house at Gateway Mall at the beginning of May in order to get input from students from across the city.

Transit has been one of the clearest examples of that ongoing work. Bonney noted youth have already done considerable work around transit and want to stay involved as the city looks at routes, stops and bus shelters. She said reducing barriers is key because young people cannot change school hours or easily overcome transportation challenges on their own, which is why being heard early in the process matters.

Council voted to send the presentation to the City Clerk’s office, which will report back to council in the future and the group members were asked to let council know which working groups or committees they were interested in being part of.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com

by Susan McNeil

Teens find warm reception at city hall

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