A new policy focused on parental leave for councillors has been approved in Grande Prairie.
Councillor Dylan Bressey has been a major advocate for better parental leave guidelines. He hopes this will attract more young people to consider running for office, with the confidence they can still manage the early stages of parenthood.
Grande Prairie is the youngest city in Canada, with a population of over 25,000 residents.
Most of the terms from Alberta Municipalities that focus on parental leave include a maximum of 26 weeks, with some being up to 16 weeks. All municipalities require six weeks of written notice and include some level of remuneration based on different factors.
Under the new policy, councillors who require parental leave for any reason will now have a maximum of 16 weeks. The member would still be required to attend mandatory meetings like budget deliberations, either online or in person.
Councillors who wish to take parental leave will be required to begin the leave either within three months of the baby’s due date or three months after they are born.
