A proposal to give Prince Albert youth a stronger voice in City decision-making is moving forward after a presentation to the Executive Committee on Tuesday.
Gabrielle Bonney, a Grade 12 student and member of the Students’ Commission of Canada, appeared before council with other youth and Students’ Commission participants to ask City Hall to consider creating more opportunities for youth representation.
The presentation follows months of meetings between youth, City administration and councillors, and comes after the recent You-th Speak Up event at Gateway Mall, where more than 100 young people shared feedback on transit, safety, jobs, accessibility, recreation and the need for more places to gather.
Bonney told council that being included in conferences, workshops and sessions over the last two years helped her develop confidence in high-level spaces and encouraged her to invite other youth to do the same.
“It inspired me to put my efforts into community causes and wanting to make an impact,” Bonney said.
She said one way youth tried to make an impact was by reaching out to City Hall to discuss issues important to many young people in Prince Albert.
“We as youth sometimes find our perspectives overlooked, though we are often the most vulnerable and dependent upon the city services and structure,” Bonney said.
Bonney said youth have been meeting regularly with managers and councillors, and she described those meetings as productive, affirming and encouraging.
“This is the impact of having meaningful and intentional relationships to places and people of power,” she said. “We are stronger together, more capable, and more invested together.”
The proposal asks the city to consider youth representation on boards, committees and council, including areas such as police, library, downtown business improvement, budget, the rec multiplex, parks and recreation, arts and culture, heritage, tourism, sidewalks, transit and transportation.
Arjun Pillai/Daily Herald
Coun. Dawn Kilmer speaks during Tuesday’s Executive Committee meeting. Kilmer moved to refer the youth decision-making proposal to the City Clerk’s office for a report back to council.
Bonney said youth often drop out of community activities in their teen years because of barriers such as a lack of entry points, lack of invitations from adults, lack of mentorship, not feeling qualified, and challenges related to availability, time, and transportation.
She said the solution should not be symbolic.
“Now we know it is not as simple as putting a youth on a committee,” Bonney said. “Doing just this may even appear tokenistic in nature, and it does not account for the unique needs and challenges of both youth and committees.”
Instead, she suggested focus groups, surveys and a youth council that could meet outside City Hall hours and provide input to different departments.
The proposal also points to a practical challenge for any long-term youth voice at City Hall. Young people eventually graduate, move into post-secondary education, enter the workforce or age out of youth-focused roles. That means any future structure would likely need regular entry points for new participants, support from adults, and ways for older youth to help guide younger ones as they become ready to take part.
Tara Switenky, community lead with the Students’ Commission of Canada in Prince Albert, said in an earlier interview that youth engagement has to be built around repeated opportunities, not one-time invitations. She said youth need chances to talk things through as their lives change, from early teen years to high school, post-secondary education and work. That means a long-term structure would need regular access points for new youth, support from adults, and enough flexibility for young people to take part at different stages of life.
Deputy Mayor Troy Parenteau thanked the Students’ Commission of Canada and said parts of council and administration have worked closely with the group for about a year. Parenteau also attended the You-th Speak Up event at Gateway Mall, where youth shared feedback with City officials, and called it “a very hopeful day.”
Coun. Dawn Kilmer said she has met with the group a few times and praised their work on transportation. She moved the recommendation to refer the proposal to the City Clerk’s office, with a report back to council.
Kilmer said the City Clerk’s office can review committees, bylaws and policies to see how different voices can be included.
“We are moving the needle toward getting your voices heard,” Kilmer said.
Mayor Bill Powalinsky asked Bonney what the best relationship with council might look like. Bonney said one idea would be a sign-up model with monthly meetings after school hours, where youth could speak in a less formal setting about changes that affect them, such as bus routes.
Bonney also said many young people do not realize involvement at City Hall is even an option.
“Once I tell them some of the things that our group has done, they start to give me even more ideas,” she said.
The mayor also asked what platforms would be best for reaching youth. Bonney said TikTok, Instagram and Snapchat are common among people her age, but said face-to-face contact and sharing information through schools have been some of the most effective ways to bring youth into the conversation.
Arjun Pillai/Daily Herald
Coun. Daniel Brown speaks during Tuesday’s Executive Committee meeting. Brown suggested Prince Albert could look at youth council models in other communities as the City considers ways to include more youth voices.
Coun. Daniel Brown said Prince Albert could look at youth council models in other communities as it considers how to involve young people. He pointed to Melville as one example, where a youth council uses council chambers and runs through meeting scenarios. Brown later approached Students’ Commission representatives, including Tara Switenky, and showed them information on his phone as he explained the example further.
City Clerk Savannah Price said there is no age limit for volunteer applications and encouraged youth to watch for upcoming collaborative group applications.
“We definitely want to see more youth involved,” Price said.
The motion to refer the proposal to the City Clerk’s office and report back to council passed.
arjun.pillai@paherald.sk.ca
