How to Champion a Municipal Proclamation - Language Access and Advocacy Day (Part 1 - The Why and How)

Why Municipal Proclamations Matter

Across Canada, municipalities serve increasingly multilingual communities. Many residents engage with public meetings, emergency alerts, housing services, and health programs in languages other than English or French. When language barriers persist, access to services, rights, and democratic participation is curtailed.

A municipal proclamation of Language Access and Advocacy Day is more than symbolic. In practice, proclamations formalize council recognition, establish a public record of commitment, and often initiate cross-department coordination.

They can:

• Signal municipal resolve to advance universal language-access policy.

• Prompt departments to review translation, and interpretation standards.

• Strengthen partnerships with community-based organizations.

• Raise public awareness of residents’ rights to accessible services.

• Bolster future funding proposals by demonstrating official endorsement.

In short, proclamations create both normative and operational momentum.

Why Now

Across provinces, from Ontario to British Columbia and Quebec, immigrant and multilingual populations continue to grow, while municipalities shoulder more responsibility for housing, public health coordination, recreation, and emergency management In this context, language access is not ancillary; it directly affects public safety (emergency alerts), health compliance (vaccine and outbreak guidance), tenant protections (leases and bylaw enforcement), and civic engagement (participation in hearings and elections).

Proactively designating a Language Access and Advocacy Day signals commitment to an equity-first approach and reduce of downstream risks, from miscommunication in crises to uneven service uptake, by encouraging and funding consistent translation, interpretation, and outreach to diverse linguistic communities across all departments.

How to Request a Proclamation of Language Access and Advocacy Day

1. Research Local Protocol

Each municipality has a formal proclamation policy. Review your city’s website under “Mayor and Council” or “Clerk’s Office.” Identify submission deadlines, required documentation, and whether a council member must sponsor the request.

2. Draft a Clear Rationale

• Concise description of Language Access and Advocacy Day

  • Define the day’s purpose: advancing equitable, multilingual access to municipal information, services, and civic processes.

  • State outcomes: improved public safety communications, fair access to housing and health services, and stronger participation in hearings, consultations, and elections.

  • Position it as a governance and service-quality initiative, not a cultural observance. (see an example of LACC’s proclamation request submitted to the City of Toronto)

• Statement of local relevance (demographics, service gaps, community need)

  • Cite recent local data (e.g., Statistics Canada census, municipal community profiles) on top languages spoken, newcomer trends, and multilingual households.

  • Identify service touchpoints where language barriers persist (311, emergency alerts, housing/bylaw enforcement, clinics, libraries, permit counters) with brief examples or incident data.

  • Reference community feedback (settlement agencies, public health, school boards, libraries, Indigenous partners) demonstrating unmet needs and the anticipated benefits of standardizing translation and interpretation.

  • Note downstream risks (miscommunication during emergencies, uneven program uptake, lower hearing participation) and the opportunity to mitigate them through a coordinated approach.

• Alignment with existing municipal strategies and commitments

  • Link the proclamation to adopted plans and policies (e.g., Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy; Accessibility and customer service standards; Emergency Management and public communications protocols; Public Health equity frameworks).

  • Show consistency with council priorities (risk management, compliance, service excellence) and with regional/provincial guidance on equitable service delivery.

  • If applicable, reference past council motions or audits that recommended stronger language-access practices.

• Proposed date and suggested wording for the proclamation

  • Proposed date: Select a date that aligns with municipal equity programming, budget planning, or public safety awareness (e.g., late Q1 to enable a 90-day activation window; or near International Translation Day on September 30 to leverage external awareness).

  
  

  • Draft proclamation text (sample):

    • Whereas the City serves residents who communicate in many languages and dialects; and whereas equitable access to timely, plain-language information and services is essential to public safety, health, housing stability, and democratic participation; and whereas language barriers can impede service quality, compliance, and engagement, with disproportionate impacts on newcomers, seniors, families, and small businesses; and whereas the City is committed to equity-first governance and continuous improvement in translation, interpretation, and outreach across departments;

    • Therefore, be it proclaimed that [Municipality] designates [Date] as Language Access and Advocacy Day.

    • Be it further resolved that Council affirms its intent to:

      • Coordinate cross-department standards for translation, interpretation, and plain-language communication;

      • Partner with community organizations to extend multilingual outreach and education;

      • Implement near-term activation (awareness, staff training, interpretation pilots) and report on metrics such as emergency message reach, program uptake, and participation in hearings.

• References (policy-oriented)

  • Include brief citations or links to:

    • Statistics Canada demographic profiles and local census snapshots;

    • Municipal Equity, Diversity and Inclusion strategy and customer service standards;

    • Emergency Management/public communications protocols and public health guidance;

    • Community partner letters and service utilization data (libraries, settlement agencies, school boards, public health).

  • Use neutral, evidence-based language focused on inclusion, equitable service delivery, risk reduction, and civic participation.

3. Secure Community Endorsements

If possible, gather letters of support from a diverse coalition such as settlement agencies, advocacy groups, school boards, public health units, libraries, Indigenous partners, and faith or cultural organizations.

Ask signatories to briefly describe their community reach, note specific language-access gaps they encounter, and state how the proclamation would aid service delivery and civic participation. Include senior-level sign-off, contact information, and a willingness to collaborate on activation (e.g., outreach, training, or pilots).

Broad, cross-sector endorsements demonstrate legitimacy, local relevance, and the anticipated impact across multiple municipal services.

(Part 2 - How to Engage Elected Officials and Create an Activation Plan)