Watch Council
A collective of WTC members who want to understand, track, and influence their local governments’ decisions through an intersectional feminist lens.
WTC supports Watch Council participants by building community, providing mentorship, and strengthening civic literacy and advocacy skills. This looks like...
Watch Council Drop-In Sessions
Biweekly office hours for members to receive support from WTC staff on civic engagement, navigating local government, and campaigning
Watch Council Field Trips
Quarterly events that foster community and strengthen civic education and advocacy skills, such as touring city hall or observing a meeting together
Watch Council Alerts
Regular communications highlighting upcoming motions and reports in the City of Vancouver that impact our community
Watch Council Slack channel
A slack space for members to monitor, discuss, and organize around council decisions in their cities
Member Learning Series
Monthly workshops focused on civic participation, campaigning and advocacy, or issues impacting our community
Skill-building tasks
Hands-on learning and mentorship opportunities that contribute to WTC’s advocacy goals, such as tracking council voting records
Civic engagement resources
Educational resources designed to demystify local government and increase civic participation
Who is Watch Council For?
All WTC members are invited to participate in Watch Council. No existing knowledge of local government or advocacy is required – we encourage those who are new to civic engagement to come with questions, as learning together helps everyone improve their advocacy skills.
Is Watch Council just for Vancouver?
No! Watch Council is for anyone wanting to understand, track and get involved in local government decision-making. No matter where you live, you can attend a drop-in session, post in the Slack channel and attend events. Our Watch Council Alert emails are specifically for council agendas in the City of Vancouver, but we hope to expand that in the future.
How do I get involved?
The first step is to become a member. In the sign up form, select the Watch Council field and a WTC team member will be in touch. If you’re already a member, contact info@womentransformingcities.org to find out about upcoming ways to get involved.
Why Watch Council?
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Final Report: Action on Systemic Barriers to Women's Participation in Local Government (2020)The final report offers an overview of this three-year project, concentrating on four areas in which women participate in local civic life: as candidates and elected decision-makers; as participants in citizen-led municipal advisory bodies; as municipal employees; and as participants in city-led public engagement efforts. See the report
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Voter Engagement, Electoral Systems, and Diverse Women’s Political Representation: A Brief Review (2019)"Using the 2018 Vancouver, BC elections as a case study, this brief review looks at representation on city council and who votes in municipal elections. See the review
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Pathways to a Women-friendly Surrey: Outcome Report (2018)This outcome report presents the expertise of women participating in a forum held in Surrey, BC. The forum set out to find out why and how women become involved in the city, what helps and supports a woman candidate and what barriers or challenges she faces. See the outcome report
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Hot Pink Pathways to a Women-Friendly Vancouver: Outcome Report (2018)This outcome report presents the expertise of women participating in a forum held in Vancouver, BC. The forum set out to find out why and how women become involved in the city, what helps and supports a woman candidate and what barriers or challenges she faces. See the outcome report
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Barriers Facing Women in Politics Briefing Note (2018)Submitted to the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women. See the briefing note
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Systemic Barriers to Women's Participation in Local Government Project's Literature Review (2017)Literature review of major research pieces and providing an overview of identified barriers to women's involvement in local government. See the literature review
WTC Community Members on a field trip to New Westminster's City Hall. We learned more about how local government operates and what we can do as residents to influence decisions at the local level.
"The Watch Council program is a unique opportunity to learn about important local issues. The WTC team does a great job of making city council meetings less intimidating and welcomes people who have no prior experience. Since joining Watch Council, I feel empowered to have a say in what’s happening in my community and support others who want to get involved at the municipal level."
- Watch Council participant
“Watch Council makes me feel like I’m making a difference. It's empowering to be in community with other women and non-binary people taking civic action. It's empowering to be able to understand how my city functions, and raise my voice. I feel like I am making a tangible impact and reducing anxiety related to feelings of inaction.”
- Watch Council participant
“I never would have thought about sending letters to council or joining an advisory committee but after participating in Watch Council and learning more about it, I felt more confident and was able to help other people feel that way as well.”
- Watch Council participant
