Tag: GMMs

Members’ Meeting Rules of Order — Quick Reference

General Members’ Meeting  (GMMs) Rules — Quick Reference

Rules of Order Guidance Note

This document explains the provisions of the bylaws as an aid to chairs and participating members

When a members’ meeting is called, the board decides the format —whether attendance is in person, electronic, or a choice of both — while considering human rights and accessibility.

Quorum: Sixty (60) members is the minimum number that must be present for the co-op to hold a legal members’ meeting. A quorum must be present at the beginning of the meeting and at the time of any vote. Quorum inludes the chair if a member and those present electronically.

1. Chair

  • Selected by the Board; may be a member or non-member (non-member requires members’ approval).
  • If no selection, the President is chair.
  • Keeps order, ensures fairness, and rules on procedure (subject to appeal).
  • Must step aside to speak for/against a motion.
  • Voting by the chair:
    • Only if a member and
      • On secret ballots, or
      • To break a tie.

2. Agenda and Motions

Approving the agenda

Members must approve the meeting agenda at the meeting.

The agenda may only include items listed in the meeting notice or in a proposed agenda distributed with the notice.

Members may only vote on items that appear on the agenda or notice of meeting, though they may discuss other matters without voting.

Business arising from the minutes

This is for updates on items recorded in the previous meeting’s minutes. Members should only address progress or completion of agreed actions. New topics and previously decided matters should not be raised here. New issues or unrelated matters should be discussed under the appropriate agenda heading.

How agenda items are handled

Items proceed either by motion or by discussion; the chair decides whether a motion is needed.
A motion must be moved and seconded before it can be debated.
Only one main motion may be before the meeting at a time.
Motions should be clear and, when practical, written and circulated in advance.

3. Speaking

  • Speak only after a motion is moved and seconded.
  • Address remarks to the chair.
  • Limit: 3 minutes per turn (unless changed).
  • Speak again only after others have had a turn.
  • The mover or seconder may respond to questions, with the chair’s permission.

  • Non-members can speak at members’ meetings only if the chair gives them permission. The members at the meeting can reverse permission to speak.

4. Amendments

  • Must be moved and seconded.
  • Same voting threshold as the main motion.
  • Must relate to the motion (chair may rule out of order).
  • Friendly amendments accepted by mover and seconder do not require a vote.
  • Motion may be withdrawn with seconder’s consent.

5. Amendment Procedure

  • Debate only the amendment until resolved.
  • Return to main motion after vote.
  • One amendment at a time (normally).

6. Voting

  • Votes are called by the chair when debate ends, time expires, or the question is called.
  • Motions must be worded identically for all voters, in the room and online.
  • The default voting method is show of hands unless a ballot is required.
  • Procedural items (e.g., approval of agenda, minutes, chair) can use negative voting (members indicate only opposition).
  • Moving and seconding are done by raising hands, in person or virtually.
  • Non-procedural votes should use virtual polls where possible to reduce counting errors.
  • Where multiple members share one device, only one vote may be cast from that device.
  • Results from in-person and virtual voting are combined and announced.
  • A simple majority is more than half of the votes cast.
  • A two-thirds majority is at least two-thirds of the votes cast.

    • A simple majority is more than half of the votes cast.
      A two-thirds majority is at least two-thirds of the votes cast.
      Abstentions do not count as votes cast.

Recounts
  • Immediate upon request; ballot recounts require support from four additional members.

7. Procedural Motions

  • Call the question: End debate; needs seconder + 2/3 vote.
  • Postpone: Defer, refer, or table; simple majority.
  • Take from table: Resume; simple majority.
  • Chair may rule dilatory motions out of order.

8. Interruptions (allowed only for:)

  • Point of order (rules breach / quorum)
  • Question of privilege (comfort/safety)
  • Point of information (clarification)
  • Appeal chair’s ruling (needs seconder; no debate; tie = chair upheld)

9. Unacceptable Behaviour

    • Members may vote (no debate) to eject a disruptive person (simple majority).
    • Refusal to leave = by-law breach; further action may follow.
Based on Organizational Bylaw #83, especially Schedule A: Rules of Order. As specified in the bylaw, the rules replace any other rules such as Robert’s Rules of Order.

For more information:

Rules of Order for Board and General Members’ Meetings

Budget GMM – Tuesday May 12, 7pm

Members will be asked to vote on the co-op budgets and housing charges at the general members' meeting (GMM) on Tuesday May 12, 7pm.

A general members meeting will be held online and in person to discuss and to ratify the 2026/2027 operating and capital budgets.

The GMM package will be delivered to you by May 1st. This will contain the Draft Proposed budgets.

If you have any questions, please send them to Mary at: notserp50@gmail.com We will get your questions to our financial person, Diane, at Homestarts prior to the meeting so that she is better prepared to respond.

Thanks for your participation in this very important process.

Board of Directors

For information on budgets, see Annual budgets, housing charges and reserves

For information on general meetings and rules of order, see these articles on members meetings.

 

Member meeting process guide (GMM, AGM)

Member Meeting Process Guide for GMMs and AGMs

Version 1.0 – Approved by Woodsworth Co-op Board of Directors on July 24, 2025

1. About this process guide

1.1 Organizational Bylaw

This process guide is an explainer alongside Woodsworth’s Organizational By-law #83. Where there is a conflict, Organizational By-law #83 governs. To fully understand the meeting process, members should navigate to the Woodsworth webpage for Organizational By-law #83 and review, especially the following:

o   Schedule A: Rules of Order

o   Article 5: Procedure for Members Meeting

1.2 Applicability

This process guide is applicable in full to Annual General Meetings (AGMs) and General Members Meetings (GMMs) and is generally not relevant to Forums, Committee, or Board meetings.

1.3 Relevance to external chair

Meetings may be chaired by a Cooperative Housing Federation of Toronto (CHFT) representative if approved by members. In such cases, Woodsworth will send this process guide and related resources to CHFT in advance.

2. Prior to Meetings

2.1 Scheduling and Planning

• Meeting dates and times for the upcoming year will be determined by the Board and communicated to membership by January. Notice of each individual member meeting will be sent as per Organizational By-law #83 Section 3.3.

• Committees may request time, or be assigned time, to present at meetings. Such requests will go through a Committee’s Board liaison.

• The proposed agenda will end with 15 minutes as an open forum for questions.

• Staff will set up any non-procedural motions as virtual polls prior to meetings.

• Members must opt in to receive electronic communication, such as meeting packages. Members may review the Woodsworth Electronic Communications Agreement webpage for more information.

• Members who plan to join virtually via Zoom, Woodsworth’s current virtual meetings platform, must:

o   Ensure their devices can access Zoom.

o   Have a basic understanding of how to use Zoom. Members may review the “Getting Started with Zoom Meetings” webpage for more information.

• Members who plan to join via Zoom are recommended to visit the Zoom Download Center webpage and install Zoom on their device.

2.2 Additions to the agenda

• If members or committees wish to add to a meeting agenda, they must submit a Members Meeting Agenda Item Submission Form to the office at least 4 weeks in advance. The form can be found on the Co-op Forms used by Woodsworth webpage.

• The Board will make the decision on items being added to the proposed agenda. Staff will inform members if their item was added, and the reasoning if not.

• Members should note that anything they wish to add to the agenda must be within the powers of the members as per Organizational By-law #83 Section 6.1, Member Control: Co-op Act Requirements.

2.3 Meeting Packages

• Meeting packages include the proposed agenda and will be sent either electronically or printed to each member.

• Staff will send electronic meeting packages to each member who has opted in to receive electronic communication.

• Staff will send meeting printed meeting packages to each member who has not opted in to receive electronic communication, up to a maximum of 2 per unit. Extra printed copies can be requested through the office if required.

• Packages will have page numbers throughout, formatted as Page X of Y.

• Packages will include full motions (i.e. not just summaries).

2.4 Penthouse Setup and Equipment

• The in-person portion of meetings may be held at the Woodsworth penthouse. In such cases the following will be scheduled:

o  Set up of audio-visual equipment. The microphone should be in the middle of the chair placement so it can pick up all speakers.

o  Set up of chairs (e.g. in a semicircle around the audio-visual equipment). Maintenance can do this with proper notice.

o   Assignment of facilitator to run audio-visual equipment from the penthouse.

3. During Meetings

3.1 Attendance

• Members may join meetings by attending in person or via Zoom.

• The following attendance options are not currently offered as they do not allow reasonable participation (e.g. accessibility and voting):

o   More than one member per device (i.e. on the same Zoom account).

o   Dialling in to the meeting via phone.

• Members who wish to join in person have a responsibility to follow instructions for in person meeting technology (e.g. use of microphones).

3.2 Role of Staff

• Staff are responsible for running the meeting from the Woodsworth Zoom account including starting the meeting, admitting members, and promoting relevant attendees to host or presenter.

• Staff will establish a quorum by audible roll call at the beginning of the meeting and share the total for both virtual and in person.

• Staff will keep an ordered speakers list, grant ability to unmute, and revoke ability to unmute when members are done speaking.

• Staff will turn on the Q+A function when discussion opens or a speakers list is being gathered. Once discussion has closed, staff will turn off the Q+A function.

• Staff will monitor the chat and Q+A when applicable.

3.3 Role of Members

• Members joining in person must sign in via presented sign-up sheet.

• Members joining via Zoom must sign in by changing their name to the following format: (Member Full Name) from (Unit #). This should only be one member’s name as additional members are not counted for attendance. Members can review the “How to change your name on Zoom during a meeting” webpage.

• Members who wish to speak to a motion, can raise their hand (in person or using the virtual raise hand function) to be recognized by the chair. Members joining virtually will need to be granted permission to unmute themselves.

• Once members are recognized by the chair and able to speak, they should introduce themselves as (Full Name) from (Unit #) before raising their point.

• Members should only use the Zoom chat function for small talk (i.e. for saying hello, not for official questions).

3.4 Role of Board Members

• Board members joining virtually will be promoted to Host. Due to Zoom settings Hosts cannot vote in polls, so Board members must vote via chat.

• A Board member joining electronically may volunteer to be chat moderator, monitoring the chat and Q+A where applicable.

• At least one Board member will join in person.

3.5 Voting

• The question asked and response required of those voting in person and those voting electronically should be the same.

• After a vote the results for both in person and virtually will be totalled and announced to the meeting.

• Negative voting will be used for procedural items such as approval of agenda, minutes, or chair. Negative voting is a term used for when one is only asked to vote against or opposed to a motion.

• Moving and seconding will be done by raising of hands, virtually or in person.

• Virtual polls will be launched for all non-procedural votes. This is due to the virtual raised hand function leading to error and confusion for complex votes.

• As additional members joining from the same device is not offered as an option, there is no way for these members to vote virtually via chat or otherwise.

There is also a bylaw summary about general meetings.

Member meetings at Woodsworth – a summary of the bylaws

Member meetings are at the heart of Woodsworth’s democratic life. They are where members make important decisions together, review finances, set the budget, elect directors, and guide the future of our co-op.

Our bylaws and Rules of Order set out how meetings are called, how they operate, and the powers members have. This document is a summary of our bylaws relating to member meetings.

There is also another document on how Woodsworth sets up meetings – the Member Meeting Process Guide for GMMs and AGMs. This  document explains the process of setting up meetings and how to operate a hybrid meeting (in person and online meetings.)

1. Attendance

    • Mandatory: All members must attend General Members’ Meetings (GMMs), as required in the Occupancy Bylaw.

  • The Occupancy Agreement that members must sign upon Board approval of membership says:  You agree to obey all co-op by-laws and decisions made by the board and co-op members.
    Under the Co-operative Corporations Act and the co-op’s by-laws, the co-op can change the terms of membership and occupancy. You are entitled to a notice of all general meetings where members will decide on these changes. You are also entitled to attend and vote at these meetings. You will be bound by these changes even if you do not agree with them.

Typical Meetings:

    • Annual General Meeting (AGM): Held in November. Members review audited financial statements, elect Directors, and appoint the auditor for the coming year.

    • Budget Meeting: Usually in May. Members approve the operating budget and housing charges (effective the third month after approval). The Capital Budget may be approved at the same meeting or separately.

    • Other GMMs: Called as needed to decide on bylaws, policies, or proposals.

  • Forums / Town Halls: Informal meetings for discussion only (no binding decisions).

 

2. Notices and Agendas

  • Timing: Notice must be sent at least 10 days before a meeting (but not more than 49 days).

  • Who Gets Notice: All current members (membership is complete once the occupancy agreement is signed).

  • Contents: Date, time, and place of the meeting plus the agenda (or general nature of the business).

  • Special Cases:

    • Financial statements & auditor’s report must be sent at least 10 days before the AGM.

    • Proposed bylaws or budgets must be mentioned in the notice, with a full copy provided at least 5 days before the meeting.

  • Adding Items: Members may submit written requests at least 15 days before a meeting. The Board must include them if they fall within member decision-making powers. (As stated in section 6.1 of this By-law
    (Co-op Act Requirements). See also Amendments in Schedule A Rules of Order, Section 4.)

  • Other Business: May be discussed at the meeting but not voted on unless it was included in the notice.

3. Quorum

At least 60 members (including those attending on Zoom or other live streaming service) must be present for a meeting to have legal standing. Without quorum, no votes can be taken.

4. Participation

  • Non-Members: Staff or other non-members may attend or speak only with the Chair’s permission. Members may overturn this permission. Non-members cannot vote or make motions.

  • Speaking: Members may speak for up to 3 minutes (unless extended by the Chair). Everyone gets a turn before anyone speaks again.

  • Amendments: Must be relevant and consistent with the original motion. If the mover/seconder accepts, it becomes a “friendly amendment.” Otherwise, it is debated and voted on separately.

5. How Meetings Operate

  • Meetings follow Woodsworth’s Rules of Order.

  • The Chair keeps discussion fair and orderly. The Chair rules on procedure, but members may appeal the ruling.

  • Motions & Debate: Discussion begins only after a motion is moved and seconded.

6. Voting

  • Chair’s Vote: The Chair may vote only if they are a member and only in two cases:

    • On a secret ballot (with no second vote in case of a tie).

    • To break a tie in other votes.

  • Simple Majority: More than half the votes cast (abstentions not counted). Required for most decisions, including the operating and capital budgets. A tie defeats the motion.

  • Two-Thirds Majority: Needed to confirm bylaws, bylaw amendments, and special resolutions (such as Articles of Incorporation changes or Major Commitments – see Organizational Bylaw, Article 24.1(a) ).

  • Examples: See Rule 6 of the Rules of Order for details on calculating majorities.

7. Member Authority

The Board manages the day-to-day affairs of the co-op, but members have final authority in key areas, including:

  • Electing or removing Directors

  • Approving housing charges

  • Approving operating and capital budgets

  • Appointing the auditor

  • Approving major commitments (Article 24.1)

  • Confirming bylaws and bylaw changes

The official Rules of Order have many examples to help meeting chairs and participants.

Members Meeting – agenda item submission form

This form is to suggest an item for inclusion on the agenda on an upcoming Members Meeting (GMM/AGM). To be considered, submissions must be received at least 4 weeks in advance of a members meeting.
Anything added to the proposed agenda has to be within the powers of the members as stated in section 6.1 of the Organizational By-law (Co-op Act Requirements).