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The Corporation of the Township of North Huron
By-law No. 38-2026
Being a By-law to adopt a Corporate Communications Policy for the Corporation of the
Township of North Huron.
This accessible version of this by-law is printed under the authority of the Council of
the Township of North Huron.
Printing Date: May 20, 2026
Disclaimer:
The following version is an electronic reproduction made available for information only.
It is not an official version of the by-law. The format may be different, and plans,
pictures, other graphics or text may be missing or altered. The Township of North
Huron does not warrant the accuracy of this electronic version. This consolidation
cannot be distributed or used for commercial purposes. It may be used for other
purposes only if you repeat this disclaimer and the notice of copyright. Official versions
of all by-laws can be obtained from the Clerk's Department by calling 519-357-3550.
The Corporation of the Township of North Huron
By-law No. 38-2026
Being a By-law to adopt a Corporate Communications Policy for the Corporation
of the Township of North Huron
WHEREAS Section 5(3) of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25, as amended
provides that municipal power shall be exercised by by-law;
AND WHEREAS Section 224 of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001, c.25, as amended,
states "It is the role of Council to (b) develop and evaluate the policies and programs of
the municipality";
AND WHEREAS the Council of the Corporation of the Township of North Huron deems it
desirous to adopt a Corporate Communications Policy;
NOW THEREFORE the Council of the Corporation of the Township of North Huron
ENACTS as follows:
1. That the Corporate Communications Policy attached hereto as Schedule "A" is
hereby adopted and shall form part of this by-law.
2. That this by-law shall come into force and takes effect on the day of the final
passing thereof.
Read a first and second time this 19th day of May, 2026.
Read a third time and passed this 19th day of May, 2026.
__________________________________
Paul Heffer, Reeve
CORPORATE SEAL
__________________________________
Carson Lamb, Clerk
Schedule "A" to By-law No. 38-2026
Corporate Communications Policy
Approval Date: May 19, 2026 Page 1 of 13
Township of North Huron
Corporate Communications
Policy
Schedule "A" to By-law No. 38-2026
Corporate Communications Policy
Approval Date: May 19, 2026 Page 2 of 13
Table of Contents
1.
Purpose ................................................................................................................ 3
2.
Policy Objectives .................................................................................................. 3
3.
Values and Guiding Principles .............................................................................. 3
4.
Scope ................................................................................................................... 4
5.
Definitions ............................................................................................................. 4
6.
Responsibilities ..................................................................................................... 5
7.
Visual Branding and Editorial Branding Guidelines .............................................. 6
8.
Corporate Communications .................................................................................. 6
9.
Media Relations and Conflict Communications Training ...................................... 9
10. Copyright ............................................................................................................ 10
11. Reporting Violations............................................................................................ 10
12. Inappropriate Communications Toward Employees ........................................... 10
13. Amendments ...................................................................................................... 11
14. Policy Review ..................................................................................................... 11
15. Related Township Documents ............................................................................ 12
16. Acronyms ........................................................................................................... 12
17. Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation ............................................................ 12
18. Artificial Intelligence ............................................................................................ 13
Schedule "A" to By-law No. 38-2026
Corporate Communications Policy
Approval Date: May 19, 2026 Page 3 of 13
1. Purpose
1.1
The purpose of the Township of North Huron's (Township) Corporate
Communications Policy (Policy) is to establish an internal and external
communications framework that foster equitable, consistent, effective, timely
and transparent communications as key components of its information sharing.
The Township is committed to improving its sharing of information and
community engagement with openness and clarity supporting cross-
departmental collaboration and service excellence.
2. Policy Objectives
2.1
This Policy provides the framework for the Township's Corporate
Communications to achieve the following objectives:
a)
Enhance public engagement by fostering transparent, timely, and
effective communications with stakeholders.
b)
Improve accessibility and inclusivity, ensuring communications are
accessible, inclusive and compliant with the Accessibility for
Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).
c)
Administer the Policy and its related procedures in accordance with
the Municipal Act, 2001, the Municipal Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Act, and any other relevant legislation.
d)
Manage crisis communications by providing a structured approach
for timely and accurate information during emergencies.
e)
Promote awareness of the Township's services and initiatives
informing residents and stakeholders about programs, services,
policies and community developments.
f)
Encourage transparent communications and facilitate dialogue
between the Township and the community to foster trust and
engagement.
3. Values and Guiding Principles
3.1
All communications shall embody and reflect the Township's values as
contained within the Township's Strategic Plan and through the following:
a)
Accessibility by using plain language and a variety of communication
methods to be inclusive and responsive to the needs of the target
Schedule "A" to By-law No. 38-2026
Corporate Communications Policy
Approval Date: May 19, 2026 Page 4 of 13
audience.
b)
Diversity by using gender neutral, and non-discriminatory language
and excluding words and/or images that connote stereotypes, any
negative or passive language relating to physical appearances and
exclude clichés, slang, and jargon.
c)
Accountability by being responsible for the actions, goals, and
objectives of the Township and when an error is made, it must be
acknowledged and corrected, with intention and accountability.
d)
Cordiality and professionalism by delivering communications with
friendliness, kindness and compassion.
e)
Timeliness by aiming to communicate with residents as quickly as
possible without compromising key values, e.g., should an interaction
or request require additional or detailed information and input, the
request should be first acknowledged as received with an estimate of
how long a more thorough response will take.
f)
Transparency by communicating honestly and openly with
stakeholders including providing proactive disclosure of information
where appropriate.
4. Scope
4.1
The Policy applies to all internal and external Township communications and is
inclusive of all Members of Council, employees, contractors, and volunteers.
5. Definitions
5.1
"CAO" means the Chief Administrative Officer for the Corporation of the
Township of North Huron.
5.2
"Office of the CAO (Communications Team)" means a working group
responsible for managing internal and external communications including
public relations, media relations, social media management, crisis
communications, branding, marketing, and stakeholder engagement. This
team includes the Community Engagement Coordinator (CEC) and Economic
Development Officer (EDO) with direct inputs from the Reeve, the Director of
Legislative Services/Clerk (CLERK) and the CAO.
5.3
"Corporate Communication(s)" means the variety of ways the Township, as
a government body, communicates with external and internal audiences.
Schedule "A" to By-law No. 38-2026
Corporate Communications Policy
Approval Date: May 19, 2026 Page 5 of 13
5.4
"Emergency" means a situation that requires prompt action to maintain
community health and safety and to limit damage to persons, property, or the
environment.
5.5
"Inappropriate Communications" means communications that includes, but
is not limited to, in-person, electronic, telephonic, written or other forms of
communication that:
a)
a person knew or reasonably ought to have known would cause
the subject of the communication, the person receiving the
communication, or both to feel humiliated or intimidated
b)
is
discriminatory,
threatening,
violent
or
defamatory
c)
is part of a pattern of communications that may be considered
frivolous, vexatious or made with malicious intent
5.6
"Media Product" means the type of document used to communicate with
members of the media and the public, including, but not limited to, news
releases, press conferences, media releases, public service announcements
(PSAs) and media advisories.
5.7
"Media Relations" means reactively or proactively engaging with
representatives from print, online, social or broadcast media outlets.
5.8
"Social media" includes websites and digital applications that enable users to
create, share and interact with content online, or to participate in social
networking, which may change from time to time.
5.9
"Stakeholder" means a resident, business, municipal neighbor, elected
official, staff, upper tier level of government, board, committee, authority,
agency, association and anyone participating in municipal affairs.
5.10
"Township" means the Corporation of the Township of North Huron.
6. Responsibilities
6.1
The Communications Team provides media relations support to the Township
as required and which may include:
a)
Coordinating day-to-day interaction of Township staff with media.
b)
Preparing Township staff by providing advice and support to
facilitate positive media interaction.
Schedule "A" to By-law No. 38-2026
Corporate Communications Policy
Approval Date: May 19, 2026 Page 6 of 13
c)
Providing timely notification to the CAO and Communications
Team of issues in which there is media interest.
7. Visual Branding and Editorial Branding Guidelines
7.1
All corporate communications must adhere to the Township's Visual Brand and
Editorial Branding Guidelines. Usage of the Township's brand outside of
corporate communications shall be at the discretion of the CAO. It is the staff's
responsibility to ensure that the logo and brand are used in accordance with
these
guidelines
as
contained
within
the
Township's
Corporate
Communications Plan and in accordance with The Canadian Style: A Guide to
Writing and Editing.
8. Corporate Communications
8.1
The Township shall maintain a website to provide the public with information
regarding municipal services, Council decisions, Council and Committee
meeting schedules, minutes and agendas, by-laws, policies, activities, events,
and ongoing government business.
8.2
The CAO shall be the official spokesperson for matters related to the
administration of the Township. All media inquiries shall be referred to the CEC
to further be discussed with the CAO.
8.3
If authorized by the CAO, an employee may serve as the designated
spokesperson for matters relating to their position, skills, and expertise.
8.4
The Township recognizes all federal commemorative days as specified on the
Government of Canada website at Canada.ca, as well as any additional special
days identified by the Reeve through Township social media accounts.
8.5
All Township social media use and interaction by employees and Council shall
be done in adherence with the Township's Social Media Policy.
8.6
Emergency Communications:
a)
In times of emergencies or crises, the Township shall
communicate all information needed to protect the health, safety
and security of residents and their property.
b)
Communications decisions shall be made by the Township
Schedule "A" to By-law No. 38-2026
Corporate Communications Policy
Approval Date: May 19, 2026 Page 7 of 13
Emergency Information Officer (EIO) in consultation with the
Community Emergency Management Coordinator (CEMC) and
the CAO.
c)
Communications may take any form as necessary to keep
residents, businesses and visitors safe and that they receive
accurate, timely, and relevant information to prevent, mitigate,
respond to, or recover from an emergency.
d)
Due to the role of the Fire and Rescue Services, the Fire
Department has its own spokesperson, being the Director of Fire
& Public Safety (Fire Chief) or designate, to respond to media
requests related to fire and rescue incidents.
8.7
Reeve and Council Media Relations:
a)
The Reeve is the primary spokesperson on Township matters.
b)
The Reeve, in their capacity as the spokesperson and Head of
Council, may receive communications support from the
Communications Team. Such assistance may include but is not
limited to speaking notes for public appearances or events,
scripts or research notes for media interviews, and/or key
messages for media requests or emergency situations.
c)
In all communications from Members of Council, including the
use of social media, the following shall be considered:
i. Obligations under the Council's Code of Conduct.
ii. Obligations under Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
legislation.
iii. The accuracy of the information provided.
iv. If the communication could bring about disrepute to or expose the
Township to legal action.
v. Whether the subject or position on a matter is enabled or prohibited
by a statutory law, Township By-law and/or Policy.
vi. Whether the communication reflects Township values.
Schedule "A" to By-law No. 38-2026
Corporate Communications Policy
Approval Date: May 19, 2026 Page 8 of 13
vii. Whether Council has taken a particular position, by way of a motion,
on the topic.
d)
When sharing Township information on social media, Members
of Council are encouraged to share directly from the Township's
official social media channels to ensure information is accurate
and up to date.
i. Individual members of Council are encouraged to reflect the position
of Council in their communications, or state they are providing a
personal opinion whether the Council member in in support or not in
support of the council decision. Where an individual Member of
Council expresses a personal opinion, whether written or verbal, it
must be explicitly clear to the audience that the Member is not
speaking on behalf of the Township or Council.
Accordingly, when a Member of Council is communicating as
an individual, they may include the following statement in
written correspondence:
"The information contained in this correspondence reflects the views
of an individual Member of Council, and not those of Council as a
whole or the Township of North Huron."
ii. With respect to communicating the business of the Committees of
Council, the Members of Council serving as Chair shall refer to and
be bound by the policies of their respective Committee.
e)
Media inquiries received by Members of Council.
f)
Councillors shall refer all media inquiries to the Reeve and CAO
for direction and assistance.
g)
The Reeve shall be the default spokesperson for all media
inquiries regarding Council matters, unless another Member of
Council is designated by the Reeve to respond to a particular
matter.
h)
Nothing in this policy is intended to limit a Council Member's
ability to respond to communication received from the public.
8.8
Staff Media Relations:
Schedule "A" to By-law No. 38-2026
Corporate Communications Policy
Approval Date: May 19, 2026 Page 9 of 13
a)
Township staff contacted directly by the media shall refer all
inquiries to their immediate Director as well as the CEC.
b)
The CEC will provide support to the designated Township
spokespersons in the way of briefing notes, communications
messages, question and answer packages or other information
materials.
c)
All media crews, reporters, etc., requesting access to non-public
areas shall sign-in at the front desk and the CAO and/or the CEC
will be notified to facilitate the visit.
d)
All media products, news conferences and media advisories are
arranged by the CEC (and/or Communications Lead in event of
emergency) in conjunction with the appropriate department.
e)
All media products shall identify the CAO as the contact for
further information and, where appropriate, a program contact is
identified as well.
f)
All Media products are to be prepared and coordinated by the
Office of the CAO (and/or Clerk). If a media product is initiated
by a department, a draft is to be sent to the CEC for review and
distribution to the media.
g)
Where appropriate, media products will include an approved
quotation from the Reeve. A Member of Council, staff member
or a third-party stakeholder may also be asked to provide a
quotation. This will be determined by the Reeve and/or CAO.
h)
Prior to publication of a media product containing quotes,
approval of the final product must be obtained by each individual
quoted.
9. Media Relations and Conflict Communications Training
9.1
Media relations and conflict communications training is offered through the
Communications Team to the Reeve, Members of Council, Department Heads
and other individuals who are designated as media spokespersons. The
purpose of the training is to assist them in communicating the Township's
activities and operations to the public in an effective, consistent and non-
confrontational or reactionary manner.
Schedule "A" to By-law No. 38-2026
Corporate Communications Policy
Approval Date: May 19, 2026 Page 10 of 13
10. Copyright
10.1
The use of images in print and digital communications products, and their
distribution to target audiences, will comply with Canada's Copyright Act. The
Township will ensure that the ownership rights associated with works subject
to copyright are fully respected in the Township's communications channels
and products.
11. Reporting Violations
11.1
Members of Council and employees shall immediately report known or
suspected violations of this Policy to the CAO. All good faith allegations of
violations of this policy will be confidentially investigated.
12. Inappropriate Communications Toward Employees
12.1
If employees believe they have received inappropriate communication, they will
report the incident in writing to their supervisor through an Incident Report.
Where the incident is limited to written or electronic communication, a copy of
that written or electronic communication should be included.
12.2
If, upon receipt and review of an Incident Report, the manager or director
believes the incident may have violated this Policy and/or any other Township
policy, they will forward the Incident Report and other relevant background
information to the CAO.
12.3
When the CAO receives an Incident Report, they will take such action as they
deem appropriate in the circumstances, considering the following guidelines:
a)
whether the inappropriate communication concerned a matter
for which the author of the communication had a statutory right
to be heard;
b)
the role of the individual to whom the Inappropriate
communication was directed;
c)
whether the inappropriate communication relates to comments
and feedback regarding a program, service, or initiative of the
Township;
d)
whether the inappropriate communication is violent, threatening,
defamatory of an individual or discriminatory;
Schedule "A" to By-law No. 38-2026
Corporate Communications Policy
Approval Date: May 19, 2026 Page 11 of 13
e)
whether the inappropriate communication was a single or
repeated act;
f)
whether the person has acknowledged wrongdoing or
apologized for the inappropriate communication;
g)
whether the person had received previous warnings or actions
from the Township regarding inappropriate communication.
12.4
The CAO may determine that the incident did not constitute a violation of this
Policy and take no further action.
12.5
The CAO may determine that the incident constituted a violation of this Policy
and take one or more of the following steps:
a)
issue a written warning letter to the person who engaged in
inappropriate communication.
b)
impose limits on the way and channels through which a person
communicates with employees including:
i)
limiting the person to communicating in a particular manner
(e.g., email only).
ii)
at a particular time (e.g., telephone calls only one day per
week, emails only reviewed once per week).
iii)
a particular duration of time (e.g., a maximum time for
telephone calls) require that all communications from the
person be directed to their respective manager and advise
other employees not to respond.
c)
any other action the CAO considers appropriate in the
circumstances.
13. Amendments
13.1
None.
14. Policy Review
14.1
This policy shall be reviewed at a minimum of every two years, pending
departmental
changes
and
any
recognized
national
and/or
global
Schedule "A" to By-law No. 38-2026
Corporate Communications Policy
Approval Date: May 19, 2026 Page 12 of 13
communications developments.
15. Related Township Documents
-
Township of North Huron Strategic Plan 2024-2027
-
Social Media Policy
-
Internal Communications Plan
-
Communications and Marketing Plan (External)
-
Visual Branding Guidelines
-
Editorial Branding Guidelines
-
Township Indigenous Land Acknowledgement Statement Policy
-
Artificial Intelligence Policy (To Be Proposed)
16. Acronyms
AI
Artificial Intelligence
AODA
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
CAO
Chief Administrative Officer
CEC
Community Engagement Coordinator
CEMC
Community Emergency Management Coordinator
EIO
Emergency Information Officer
Policy
Corporate Communications Policy
Township
Township of North Huron
17. Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation
17.1
The Township recognizes and embraces the principles of Truth and
Reconciliation with Canada's Indigenous population, as outlined in the Truth
and Reconciliation Commission Report.
Schedule "A" to By-law No. 38-2026
Corporate Communications Policy
Approval Date: May 19, 2026 Page 13 of 13
17.2
The Township consulted with local First Nations communities and received
feedback on the development and finalizing of the two following land
acknowledgement statements:
a)
"We [I] would like to begin by acknowledging that the land on
which we gather is the traditional territory of the Anishinabewaki,
Odawa and Mississauga Peoples."
b)
"The Township of North Huron would like to begin by
acknowledging that we are situated on Treaty 29 and Treaty 45
1/2 territory and the land on which we gather is the traditional
territory of the Anishinabewaki, Odawa and Mississauga
Peoples. For this, we are grateful to have the opportunity to work
on this land."
17.3
It is at the discretion of Council and staff which of the Township's Indigenous
Land Acknowledgement Statements is chosen to be recited. It is encouraged
be recited in the following circumstances:
a)
Council and Committee Meetings
b)
Corporate Documents (newsletters, strategic plan, etc.)
c)
North Huron Special Events
For more information about the land acknowledgement statement, please refer
to the Indigenous Land Acknowledgement Statement Policy.
18. Artificial Intelligence
18.1
The Township recognizes the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence in all
aspects of society including the workplace. An Artificial Intelligence Policy will
be developed by the Township to ensure a common understanding and agreed-
upon practices for how this evolving technology can be used as a positive tool
for advancing Township goals.