Live Streaming Policy — full text

This is an automated transcription (OCR) of the captured official document — minor recognition errors are possible; the source document governs. Snapshot f04a0f18e70f · verified 2026-06-05 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

## Live Streaming Policy ## 1. Purpose The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines for the live streaming and recording of Council and committee meetings in compliance with Nova Scotia's Municipal Government Act (MGA) and other relevant legislation, regulations, and policies. This policy aims to enhance transparency, accessibility, and public engagement while ensuring the protection of personal information. ## 2. Scope This policy applies to all live-streamed and recorded Council and committee meetings of the Town of Antigonish. It governs the management, storage, and dissemination of video and audio recordings, ensuring compliance with legal and privacy requirements. ## 3. Live Streaming and Recording - 3.1 The Municipality will live stream and record all public Council meetings excluding in-camera sessions and may live stream and record Council committee meetings excluding in-camera sessions, as permitted under the MGA. - 3.2 Any parts of Council's and Council committees' meetings that are closed to members of the public under Section 239 of the Municipal Act are regarded as confidential and will not be aired or recorded. - 3.3 Should Council adopt a policy respecting virtual Council meetings, this policy respecting live streaming and recording of virtual participants will apply, as though these individuals were part of the in-person Council or committee meetings. ## 4. Privacy Considerations - 4.1 Members of the public attending meetings may be captured in the live stream; signage will be posted at meeting locations notifying attendees of the live streaming and recording. - 4.2 The Municipality will take reasonable measures to avoid recording members of the public or disclosing sensitive personal information during broadcasts. - 4.3 Verbal notice will be provided by the Chair at the start of each meeting or event and a notice will be included on meeting agendas indicating that the meeting is being live streamed and recorded. - 4.4 Individuals or delegates making presentations or comments during a meeting are deemed to consent to being recorded and live streamed. - 4.5 Live streaming of public Council meetings is a form of publication of information which is a matter of public record, which means the live stream and recording is exempt from PIIDPA legislation, per section S4.2 of PIIDPA. | Ver. | Date | Description | |--------|--------------|-----------------| | 1.0 | / 2025-05-20 | Initial release | ## 5. Retention, Storage, and Public Use - 5.1 The live stream will be made available through the Municipality's official website and/or a designated online platform. - 5.2 Recorded meetings will be accessible to the public and retained for a minimum of one (1) and maximum of five (5) years and will be disposed of in accordance with the Municipality's records management policy. - 5.3 Storage of recorded meetings will comply with Municipal document management and privacy policies and the province of Nova Scotia's MGA, PIIDPA, and other applicable legislation. - 5.4 The Town of Antigonish retains copyright for the live stream and recordings of Council and committee meetings so the use of recorded Council and committee meetings must comply with the following guidelines for use: - The video may only be used with its original audio component and no other audio or video material may be added to audio or video material used. - Television and radio broadcasters may use recorded excerpts of the proceedings in their news or public affairs programs in balanced, fair and accurate reports of proceedings. - Neither the audio nor the video may be used for political advertising, election campaigns, or any other political or partisan activity except that members of the town Council may, for the purpose of serving their constituents, make use of recorded excerpts of the proceedings on their websites or on social media if not altered or presented in a misleading manner, and if a link is provided to the full proceeding is also included in the posting. - Neither the audio nor the video may be used in any edited form that could mislead or misinform an audience or viewer or that does not present a balanced portrayal of the proceedings in the Council or committee meeting. - Neither the audio nor the video may be edited in such a way that alters the essence of presentations, discussions, or decisions during the Council or committee meeting. - Neither the audio nor the video may be used for commercial purposes. ## 6. Technical and Operational Considerations - 6.1 The Municipality will ensure that the live streaming platform is cost effective, reliable, and accessible to the public. - 6.2 Live streaming and recordings will be made using reasonable efforts, however due to potential for technical issues, the Municipality does not guarantee uninterrupted access. Technical issues may include, but are not limited to, the availability of the internet connection, device failure or malfunction, unavailability of social media platforms, or power outages. - 6.3 In the event of technical issues that prevent or interrupt streaming, the meeting will continue in person and if applicable a recording may be uploaded after the meeting. - 6.4 Recordings will not be edited or altered, except to remove in-camera portions, rectify technical errors, or to add proceeding details such as meeting or committee title and date information and Town contact information at the start of the live stream or recording. - 6.5 The Chair and/or the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) have the discretion and authority at any time to direct the termination or interruption of live streaming. Such direction will only be given in exceptional circumstances when deemed relevant. Circumstances include, but are not limited to instances: - where the content of debate is considered misleading, defamatory or infringing on copyright - that breach the privacy of an individual or unauthorized disclosure of the personal information of an individual - that constitute discrimination, hatred or vilification of an individual or group of individuals based on race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, age, religion or other protected human right - which disclose confidential or privileged information, pose a threat to Town infrastructure, personnel, or the security of Town systems - other as deemed necessary - The CAO or delegate will be responsible for: - Setting up, positioning, and testing the video equipment for each Council meeting. - Providing ongoing support to ensure the live stream is operational for each meeting. ## 7. Accessibility - 7.1 Where possible, live streams will include closed captioning or transcripts to ensure accessibility. - 7.2 The Town will make efforts to ensure streaming platforms are user-friendly and compatible with assistive technologies. ## 8. Disclaimer - 8.1 The Municipality is not responsible for any misinterpretation of meeting content due to technical issues, audio/video quality, or third-party platform performance. - 8.2 Official meeting minutes remain the legally recognized record of Council and committee meetings. ## 9. Compliance and Review - 9.1 This policy will be reviewed periodically to ensure compliance with legislative requirements and best practices. - 9.2 Any updates to this policy will require Council approval, be communicated publicly, and be posted to the Town's website. - 9.3 In cases of policy violation, the Town may investigate and determine appropriate corrective action. ## 10. Contact Information For inquiries regarding this policy, contact: Municipal Deputy Clerk Town of Antigonish 274 Main Street Antigonish, NS 902-870-6204 [email protected]  ## CAO's Annotation for Official Policy Date of Notice to Council Members Intent to Consider (Minimum 7 Days): May 7, 2025 Date of Passage of Current Policy: May 20, 2025 I certify that this Policy was adopted by Council as indicated above. Chief Administrative Officer 2025-06-06 Date