The City of Sarnia is developing a draft caregiver policy for members of city council hoping it removes another barrier for those interested in running for municipal government.
Councillor Brian White said it will apply to any member of council in need of childcare to attend meetings, regardless of marital status or family composition.
"This is just another notch towards making serving on Sarnia city council accessible to more folks," said White. "I know when I first was elected I was in this exact situation, especially with meetings after 4 o'clock where my kids were home that I needed care for and that was obviously an out of pocket expense I was willing to incur, but I do think that could be a potential barrier for other folks."
White said it's a small cost to provide that accessibility to the number of people it may actually apply to who end up being elected.
The policy was first proposed by resident Robert Dickieson who asked council to consider using his union's, the Professional Institute of the Public Service of Canada (PIPSC), as a template.
To allow PIPSC members to participate in union activities, caregivers receive $12 an hour to a maximum of $80 a day for the first family member and $12 an hour to a maximum of $55 a day for each additional family member.
Councillor Mike Stark described the barrier of childcare expenses as "another example where city council is vastly underpaid" and people have to "reach into their own pockets" in order to serve the community.
"If we are ever going to attract younger people to serve on this council, we have to take away all of the impediments that are there," said Stark. "Unless we start addressing this, both in terms of this kind of an issue as well as compensation in general, we're never going to get around the fact that this is becoming a retiree-only type of club."
Councillor Terry Burrell couldn't support the motion.
"This is not something that we offer to our own employees even, so I don't know why we would offer it to ourselves," said Burrell. "I don't think that would be fair. Additionally, if this were to pass, it might be available to people who are on council, but it would also apply to committee meetings."
The motion passed in a 6-3 vote.
Councillors Dave Boushy and Bill Dennis also voted against the idea.
Once the draft is complete council will still be required to vote on its approval.
Council also directed staff to forward the draft to the county for consideration.
