Council Orientation Toolkit

CAMA’S COUNCIL ORIENTATION TOOLKIT

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Recognizing that strong governance begins long before difficult decisions, conflict, or public scrutiny arise, CAMA has developed a comprehensive suite of resources to support Chief Administrative Officers (CAOs), Mayors, Chairs, Councillors, Clerks, and senior municipal leaders in building effective Council-administration relationships and governance foundations.

Council orientation is more than an onboarding exercise. It is one of the most important governance tools available to establish role clarity, reinforce professional boundaries, support respectful decision-making, protect staff, and create a strong foundation for the Council term ahead.

About the Toolkit

Designed primarily for Chief Administrative Officers, this practical toolkit provides a structured framework for planning and delivering meaningful Council orientation programs before, during, and throughout the Council term.

The toolkit recognizes that effective governance does not happen by accident. It is built intentionally through education, shared understanding, clear expectations, respectful relationships, and ongoing reinforcement.

Whether supporting a newly elected Council, onboarding a new Mayor, Chair, or CAO, conducting a governance check-in, or helping a Council navigate challenging situations, this resource provides practical guidance, tools, and leading practices drawn from municipalities across Canada.

The toolkit can be used following an election, during leadership transitions, mid-term governance reviews, or as a resource to support role clarity, respectful conduct, and effective decision-making throughout the Council term.

The Toolkit Provides the Following Tools

• Governance Foundations and Role Clarity:  Supports a clear understanding of the distinct roles and responsibilities of Council, the Mayor or Chair, the CAO, and administration.
• Building Strong Council-Administration Relationships:  Provides practical guidance to foster trust, respect, communication, and productive working relationships between Council and administration.
• Council Orientation Planning Frameworks:  Includes orientation pathways, agendas, timelines, checklists, and implementation tools that municipalities can adapt to their local context.
• Decision-Making and Meeting Governance:  Reinforces effective decision-making processes, meeting discipline, agenda planning, and the governance principles that support defensible decisions.
• Political Acumen and Governance Leadership:  Introduces practical strategies to help elected officials and administrators navigate complex political environments while maintaining professionalism and organizational integrity.
• Ethics, Conduct and Workplace Protection:  Addresses codes of conduct, conflict of interest, confidentiality, respectful workplace expectations, and the protection of staff and organizational integrity.
• Managing Conflict, Tension and Incivility:  Provides tools and strategies to prevent, address, and recover from governance challenges while maintaining respectful relationships and public trust.
• Practical Resources, Templates and Checklists:  Includes ready-to-use tools, governance exercises, sample agendas, working agreements, reflection tools, and orientation resources for municipalities of all sizes.

Each resource reflects real municipal experience from communities across Canada and is designed to support stronger governance, healthier Council-administration relationships, and more effective local government leadership.

CAMA hopes these resources will help municipalities establish clear expectations from Day One, strengthen governance throughout the Council term, and foster respectful, professional, and productive Council environments.

Download the Resources

How to Build a Successful Council Orientation: Building Strong Governance, Relationships & Respectful Decision-Making

Companion Resources for CAOs

To complement the Council Orientation Toolkit, CAMA has identified several key sections of the Toolkit that are particularly valuable for Chief Administrative Officers. While these resources are included within the full Toolkit, they have also been extracted as stand-alone companion documents for easy reference and practical application.

These companion resources address some of the most important governance responsibilities facing CAOs, including Council-administration relationships, role clarity, governance leadership, managing challenging situations, and supporting effective decision-making. They can be used independently as quick-reference tools or alongside the full Toolkit as part of a broader governance framework.

• Governance Foundations: Setting Expectations from Day One (Part 2)
• Leading Effective Governance: Decision-Making – Meetings and Council Dynamics (Part 4)
• Managing Conflict: Tension and Incivility at the Council Table (Part 10)
• Protecting the Organization: Ethics, Conduct and Respectful Governance (Part 5)
• The CAO Survival Guide: Practical Tools for Challenging Situations (Part 12)
• The Governance Playbook: Building Effective Council-CAO Relationships (Part 3)

Stand-Alone Resources for Council Members

Recognizing that elected officials often benefit from concise and practical reference materials, CAMA has also extracted several key resources from the Toolkit that municipalities can share directly with Council members as part of orientation or ongoing governance development.

These resources reinforce key concepts such as governance, decision-making, respectful conduct, role clarity, meeting effectiveness, and strategic leadership in an accessible and easy-to-reference format.

• Best Practices for Councils Navigating Zoning Controversies (Appendix K)
• What New Councillors Should Know – A Plain Language Guide to Decision-Making & Meeting Governance (Appendix E)
• Fostering Respectful Dialogue for Councillors: What to Do When Council Meetings Go Off Track (Appendix F)
• What to Expect Over the Council Term – A Governance Roadmap for Elected Officials (Appendix G)
• Roles at the Council Table – Quick Reference (Appendix J)