Council policies are Council's instructions to the City Manager and the organization.

In 2012 Council adopted a Policy Governance framework which is a comprehensive set of integrated principles designed to enable accountable leadership.

Policy Governance 

In the Policy Governance sections below, there are four types of policies, plus Bylaws that are set by Council:

1. Purpose Statements
2. Executive Limitation Policies
3. Council to Management Delegation Policies
4. Governance Process Policies

Purpose Statements Policies: Provide a description of the goals and directions of Council for the City.

Purpose of Purpose Statements (pdf)
PS-A-1.0 General Purpose (pdf)
PS-A-2.0 Civic Pride & Ownership (pdf)
PS-A-2.1 Wellbeing of the Community (pdf)
PS-A-2.2 Integrated & Accessible Transportation (pdf)
PS-A-2.3 Safety (pdf)
PS-A-2.4 Sustained & Enhanced Prosperity (pdf)
PS-A-2.5 Sustainable Use of Resources (pdf)
PS-A-2.8 Financial Sustainability (pdf)

Governance Process (GP) Policies: Provide a description of Council's role and how it will fulfill its accountability to its community and itself.

Purpose of Governance Process Policies (pdf)
GP 1.0 Governing Principles (pdf)

A) Accountability
GP-A-2.0 Accountability (pdf)
GP-A-2.1 Transparency (pdf)
GP-A-2.3 Decision Making (pdf)

B) Council Roles

GP-B-2.0 Councils Role & Responsibilities (pdf)
GP-B-2.1 Mayor & Acting Mayors Role (pdf)
GP-B-2.2 Deputy Mayors Role (pdf)
GP-B-2.2 01 Deputy Mayor Representation at Functions (pdf)
GP-B-2.3 Proclamations & Letters of Support (pdf)

C) Cost of Governance
GP-C-2.0 Cost of Governance (pdf)
GP-C-2.1 Workshops (pdf)
GP-C-2.2 Retreats (pdf)
GP-C-2.3 Council Compensation & Benefits (pdf)
GP-C-2.4 Council Expenses (pdf)
GP-C-2.5 Council Recognition (pdf)
GP-C-2.6 Civic Recognition for Committee Board & Commission Members (pdf)
GP-C-2.7 Expenses for Council Committee Board & Commission Members (pdf)

D) Public Engagement/Relationships
GP-D-2.0 Council Committee Principles (pdf)
GP-D-2.1 01 Nomination Committee (pdf)
GP-D-2.2 Community Relations & Public Participation (pdf)
GP-D-2.3 Municipal Features Naming (pdf)
GP-D-2.4 Sponsorship (pdf)

E) Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation
GP-E-2.0 Planning Monitoring & Evaluation (pdf)

F) Financial
GP-F-2.0 Reserves (pdf)
GP-F-2.1 Capital Grants & Loans (pdf)
GP-F-2.2 Debt (pdf)
GP-F-2.3 Investments (pdf)
GP-F-2.4 Property Tax Cancellation (pdf)
GP-F-2.5 Fees and Charges (pdf)
GP-F-2.6 Community Development Grants (pdf)
GP-F-2.7 Utility Governance (pdf)
GP-F-2.8 Electric Utility Governance (pdf)

Council-Management Delegation Policies: Describe the manner in which Council connects its governance direction to management action (through the City Manager).

Purpose of Council-Management Delegation Policies (pdf)
CMD-1.0 Delegation Principles (pdf)
CMD-2.0 City Manager's Role & Responsibilities (pdf)
CMD-2.1 City Manager Compensation (pdf)
CMD-2.2 City Manager Performance Assessment (pdf)
CMD-2.3 Annual Exempt Staff Compensation Adjustment (pdf)

Executive Limitation Policies: Define the limitations within which the City Manager works to accomplish Council directives
 
Purpose of Executive Limitation Policies (pdf)
EL 1.0 General Executive Constraints (pdf)

A) Human Resources
EL-A-2.0 Acting City Manager (pdf)
EL-A-2.1 Compensation & Benefits (pdf)
EL-A-2.2 Treatment of Employees (pdf)
EL-A-2.3 Treatment of Public (pdf)
EL-A-2.4 Ethical Behaviour (pdf)

B) Organizational Effectiveness
EL-B-2.0 Communication and Support to Council (pdf)
EL-B-2.1 Emergency Management (pdf)
EL-B-2.2 Public Image (pdf)
EL-B-2.3 Relationships With Other Entities (pdf)
EL-B-2.4 Growth (pdf)

C) Service Levels
EL-C-2.0 Cosmetic Pesticide Use City Maintained Parks & Public Land (pdf)

D) Financial 
EL-D-2.0 Financial Sustainability (pdf)
     EL-D-2.0.4 Use of City Owned Land (pdf)
     EL-D-2.0.5 Investments (pdf)
     EL-D-2.0.6 Parking Fine Revenue Sharing (pdf)
EL-D-2.7 Public Art (pdf)

Other Council Policies

Prior to adoption of Policy Governance, traditional policy development was structured along organizational departments and functions. Many of these policies still exist and over time, as appropriate, will be amalgamated within the Policy Governance framework. They continue to stand as instructions to the organization.