Online Community Commenting Guidelines

We don’t all have to agree. We do need to be respectful of each other.

Best Practices

Be civil and respectful. Profanity, personal insults, racist, hateful, obscene language, name-calling, labelling others, or threats of any kind will be removed.
Spam, trolling, and comments from bots or anonymous accounts will be removed.
Be concise, and focus on the topic being discussed. Where possible, support your views with facts and information from credible, trusted sources.
Understand the difference between opinion and fact. Opinions are personal; facts are shared and verifiable. Rumours, gossip, accusations, or allegations without evidence will be removed.
Do not share private or personal information, such as phone numbers or addresses. To request follow-up with the Mayor, please email the office directly at mayor@burlington.ca.
We review all third-party links before posting.

The commenting guidelines have been in place since 2016 to foster respectful debate and create a safe, civil space where diverse perspectives are welcome. They continue to evolve as platforms and circumstances change.
As a member of Burlington City Council, Mayor Meed Ward is required under the City’s Code of Good Governance (Item 13) to monitor her online communities to ensure a high standard of courtesy and respect. This includes refraining from impugning the motives, integrity, or competence of council colleagues, members of the public, or staff, and addressing false or misleading information. More information on this requirement is available here.
Mayor Meed Ward encourages thoughtful, informed, and respectful dialogue on all of her online platforms. Comments will be removed without warning if they are not in accordance with the guidelines.
Individuals who repeatedly violate these guidelines may be prevented from commenting on the Mayor’s social media platforms.
Community members may always contact the Mayor directly by email at mayor@burlington.ca or by telephone at 905-335-7777.