Our Services
The City Clerk's Office is mandated by legislation to perform specific duties; in some of these duties, the office is independent of City Council. We have three major service areas:
Electing government by ensuring elections readiness and managing elections operations.
Making government work by managing government decision-making processes, supporting elected and accountability officials, providing ceremonial and official event services and delivering provincially delegated services.
Promoting open government by leading corporate information management, enabling corporate information stewardship and delivering information production services.
Our customer service commitment
Our standards
We are committed to achieving the highest standards in terms of accuracy, timeliness, compliance, accessibility, fairness and equity. Read about our standards on the City's Customer Service site.
Accessibility for people with disabilities
The City Clerk's Office is committed to making our services accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities; learn more about our accessible customer service policy and how to contact us.
Complaints
We are committed to satisfying expectations in all our services, and have procedures for receiving and handling complaints from people dissatisfied with service, actions or lack of action by a City Clerk's Office business unit or staff member. Learn more about our complaint procedure.
Business units
The City Clerk's Office is made up of five business units that work together in an integrated manner to deliver our core services of electing government, making government work and promoting open government.
Corporate Information Management Services promotes open government and safeguards the City's information assets by providing leadership on information management policies and strategies, supporting City programs in their information management practices and ensuring appropriate public access to City records and information. The unit receives and processes freedom of information requests for the entire City and manages responses to access appeals filed with the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario. Through the City Archives, the unit preserves and makes accessible the archival records of the City and engages the community with public outreach activities and exhibits. In addition, the unit provides design, off-set printing and high-speed copying services, courier and mail distribution for the City administration.
Council and Support Services provides administrative, financial and information technology support to the Mayor’s Office, City Councillor offices, accountability officers, and all units within the City Clerk’s Office. The unit promotes accountability and compliance of these offices with Council approved policies and procedures. The unit prepares the online disclosure of Councillor expenses. In addition, the unit provides strategic planning support to the City Clerk's Office, manages Council reception staff, receives and registers all written complaints for the Office, official correspondence received by the City Clerk, and insurance claims against the City.
Elections and Registry Services manages and conducts the municipal election, by-elections, referendums and appointments to Council vacancies. As part of the election process, the unit also manages the filing and disclosure of candidates' financial statements, and administers the rebate program for contributions to municipal election campaigns.
The unit also provides services to the public that are mandated by the provincial government. These include access to assessment rolls (property listings), and issuing marriage licenses, burial permits and lottery licenses. Other services include administering wedding chamber bookings, managing municipal clearance for liquor licenses and coordinating polls for City divisions on matters of local interest such as traffic calming and boulevard cafes.
Protocol Services, often referred to as Toronto Protocol, profiles the City of Toronto in a politically sensitive and positive manner by providing overall direction and leadership in all aspects of the City’s protocol function. This includes organizing and managing ceremonial events, visits by dignitaries and delegations, flag raisings, corporate awards and recognition, and coordinating conferences and seminars. In addition, the unit creates and produces congratulatory messages, proclamations and the Mayor’s protocol correspondence, provides translation, interpretation, photography and videography services. The unit also provides curriculum-based information sessions for students through the Municipal Education Program.
The Secretariat facilitates government decision-making by managing meetings of City Council and its committees, coordinating appointments of citizens and members of Council to committees and special purpose bodies, and providing easy public access to Council’s decision-making processes and information. The unit maintains the Toronto Municipal Code and City by-laws for easy access by City officials, members of Council and the public. The unit also sends out planning and other public notices as mandated by legislation.
