The Municipality of Clarington has temporarily disabled comments on its official social media channels for the duration of the municipal election period. The move is intended to protect the municipality’s obligation to remain non‑partisan and to prevent municipal resources from being used for election campaigning.
Reason and scope
Municipal officials say staff have been spending increasing amounts of time moderating comment sections to remove campaign material and links to campaign websites. Despite moderation, campaign‑related content has continued to appear, requiring intervention outside normal working hours and diverting staff from regular service delivery.
As a result, the municipality will keep comments turned off on its social channels but will continue to use those channels to publish news, public notices, service information and emergency updates. The measure is described as temporary and intended to ensure consistent application of the municipality’s policy on use of corporate resources during elections.
How residents can connect
The municipality emphasises that residents still have multiple ways to contact staff and participate in civic matters. Alternatives listed by the municipality include submitting customer service requests, taking part in public engagement on the Clarington Connected platform, and visiting the municipal website for official information.
- Customer service & service requests — submit issues directly to municipal staff.
- Public engagement — participate at www.claringtonconnected.ca.
- News & notices — check www.clarington.net for official announcements.
“We appreciate residents' understanding as we work to uphold the principles of fairness, neutrality and good governance throughout the election period.”
Local implications
Residents who often post questions or discuss municipal matters under social posts will need to shift to the listed channels for two reasons: to ensure their inquiries reach the appropriate staff and to avoid removal of campaign‑related content that could appear in public comment threads. The change also reduces the need for staff to handle moderation after hours.
| Channel | Primary use |
|---|---|
| Social media (comments disabled) | Broadcast of municipal updates and emergency messaging |
| Clarington Connected | Public engagement and consultations |
| Municipal website | News, notices and official information |
| Customer service portal | Service requests and operational issues |
The municipality framed the decision as a way to treat all candidates fairly and to use public resources responsibly during the election period. It did not set a specific date for re‑enabling comments beyond saying it will remain in effect until the election period concludes.
