Elementary, secondary and post-secondary schools can now use the Orillia council chamber — for free.
At this week's council meeting, city politicians agred to allow the chamber to be used as a classroom to support "democratic and civic engagement."
Back in October, Councillors Janet-Lynne Durnford and Jay Fallis requested a staff report on the topic. The report came back to the last council meeting recommending that fees for chamber rental not be waived or reduced.
Coun. Durnford prepared alterative motions, one for post-secondary and one for elementary and secondary school, for schools to allow the use of the space free of charge.
"I believe there is potential for partnership to really encourage civic engagement in youth," Durnford said.
She added that staff recommended against waiving the fees because education is funded by the province. But the province does not fund educational excursions, which is what the chamber would be used for, she explained.
"I think there is a role for the municipality to encourage civic engagement and education around democracy and municipalities by waiving the fees," she said.
Coun. Fallis said he remembered coming to the old council chamber with members of the Sunshine Youth Senate.
"I remember those students being fascinated with the council chamber. It is an opportunity for engaging youth in the democratic process. We need to look for these opportunities ... high school debates, model parliaments ... these types of opportunities can make a big difference in terms of motivating youth to take an interest in democracy," Fallis said.
As a retired teacher, Coun. Durford said she has also witnessed the interest students have in the goings-on of council and said research backs that up.
"Meaningful engagement in the democratic process when students are in elementary and high school very much predicts their behaviour as adults and their continued engagement in the democratic process, which is critically important," she told her colleagues.
Additionally, allowing the council chamber to be used by youth aligns with the Association of Municipalities of Ontario's democracy project, which has a youth component, Durnford added.
The inquiry motion came out of a request by Lakehead University for its education students to have some classes in the chamber, which seats up to 150 people. Faculty of education classes are already located in downtown Orillia at the Heritage Place building.
This decision will allow them to use the chamber for classes in the 2025/2026 school year.
Chamber rentals must take place during the working day, not interfere with council meetings and be no longer than four hours. In addition, any set-up and take-down of audio-visual equipment will be subject to a cost-recovery fee.
