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Calvin council is now allowing those authorized to sign documents on behalf of the municipality to do so electronically to increase the speed of business. These documents can include by-laws, contracts, letters of intent, applications, permits, reports, notices, leases, or purchase orders.
Ontario’s Electronic Commerce Act of 2000 gives municipalities authority to deal with documents electronically, and council felt “that electronic signatures are necessary for the timely execution of certain agreements and or documents,” the motion outlined.
Signing electronically saves a trip to the municipal office “to execute documents during open hours,” the motion noted.
Under the new by-law, the following documents may not be signed by electronic signature. Third-party agreements of contracts if the third-party does not consent to using an electronic signature. Cheques, bank drafts, debentures and “other similar financial documents” still require one’s John Hancock.
So will agreements or other documents that involve values of over $500,000, and any document prohibited by law from being signed electronically.
Council passed the by-law unanimously, and plan to review the by-law next year.
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.