Live video streaming coming to East Gwillimbury council meeting Jan. 8

Cost of adding video estimated at $5,600 per year

Yorkregion.com
September 6, 2018
Simon Martin

If you want to keep a close eye on the new East Gwillimbury council after the election, there will be an extra tool at your disposal. Live streaming of town council and committee of the whole meetings will be available on YouTube starting Jan. 8.

East Gwillimbury is the second -last municipality in the region to broadcast meetings via the internet, with most using video live streaming.

Video live streaming is a great way to maximize exposure, increase transparency and help stakeholders keep up to date with municipal activities and debates without having to be in attendance, according to the staff report.

Town staff have implemented a system and are able to broadcast open council and committee of the whole meetings to YouTube.

Additionally, a single, fixed-position camera has been installed in the council chambers. Staff have carried out several preliminary tests using the town’s microphone system with the newly installed broadcasting solution and have determined that it is ready for recording and live streaming purposes.

The cost of video streaming was estimated at $5,600 a year. Council chambers receives an audio system upgrade and new microphones, at a cost of $16,000.