Municipal Government in Canada | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Article published February 07, 2006; Last Edited October 23, 2020."> <li class="title">CHICAGO 17TH EDITION</li> <li class="description">Plunkett, T.J.. "Municipal Government in Canada." <em>The Canadian Encyclopedia</em>. Historica Canada. Article published February 07, 2006; Last Edited October 23, 2020.</li> <li class="link"><a data-text="Plunkett, T.J.. "Municipal Government in Canada." <em>The Canadian Encyclopedia</em>. Historica Canada. Article published February 07, 2006; Last Edited October 23, 2020." href="#" class="js-copy-clipboard b b-md b-invert b-modal-copy">Copy</a></li> </ul> </li> <li> <ul class="citation-reference"> <input id="copy4" type="text" value="TURABIAN 8TH EDITION | <em>The Canadian Encyclopedia</em>, s.v. "Municipal Government in Canada," by T.J. 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Plunkett</a> </span> </p> <p class="info-text">Updated by <span class="info-text__value"> Julie Smyth, Andrew McIntosh </span> </p> </div> <div class="article-info__column"> <p class="info-text">Published Online <span class="info-text__value--date"> February 7, 2006 </span> </p> <p class="info-text">Last Edited <span class="info-text__value--date"> October 23, 2020 </span> </p> </div> </div> <div class="article-toolbar"> <button data-target="popup-share" data-toggle="modal" class="article-toolbar__item articleNavPopupEvent"> <div class="article-toolbar__item__icon--share"></div> <span class="article-toolbar__item__title">Share</span> </button> <button id="js-print" class="article-toolbar__item"> <div class="article-toolbar__item__icon--print"></div> <span class="article-toolbar__item__title">Print</span> </button> </div> <div class="article-content"> <div class="article-content__summary"> <p>Municipal governments are local elected authorities. They include <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/city/">cities</a>, <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/local-government/">towns</a> and villages, and rural (county) or <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/metropolitan-government">metropolitan</a> municipalities. They are created by the <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/provincial-government">provinces</a> and <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/territorial-government">territories</a> to provide services that are best managed under local control; from <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/waste-disposal">waste disposal</a> and public transit to fire services, <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/police">policing</a>, community centres and <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/libraries">libraries</a>. A municipal government’s revenue is raised largely from property taxes and provincial grants.</p> </div> <div class="article-content-body"> <div id="article-content-def"> <div><img src="https://d3d0lqu00lnqvz.cloudfront.net/media/media/025d8897-da53-44a4-9e7e-7c1433e935d1.jpg" title="Montreal City Hall" alt="Montreal City Hall"></div> <h3>Municipal Structures</h3> <p>The administration of <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/local-government">local government</a> is handled by the municipal <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/public-service/">public service</a>. It is made up of officials and employees appointed by an elected council and is organized into departments. Council members are politicians who are voted into office in municipal elections. <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/school-trustee">School trustees</a> and some other local officials are also elected, including <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/city-parks">parks</a> representatives in cities such as <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/vancouver/">Vancouver</a>. Council members are generally non-partisan and run for office as individuals, rather than as part of a political party. This sets them apart from <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/federal-government">federal</a> and <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/provincial-government">provincial</a> politicians, who take part in a <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/party-system">party system</a>.</p> <p>Municipalities employ large numbers of staff to look after <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/roads-and-highways">roads</a>; sewers; fire prevention; <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/police">police</a>; recycling and <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/waste-disposal">waste disposal</a> programs; transit; parking enforcement; city recreation (parks, <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/sports-facilities">sports facilities</a>, local paths); <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/public-health">public health</a> services; and by-law enforcement. Most municipal councils establish <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/committees">committees</a> to direct and control the public service. Each committee makes recommendations to the municipal council. Committees deal with issues ranging from <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/transportation">transportation</a> to policing to finances.</p> <h3>Mayor</h3> <p>In some American cities, duties such as <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/budgetary-process">budget</a> formation and appointment of administrators are the responsibility of the mayor. In Canada, the significance of the office of mayor does not stem from the assignment of such powers; but rather, from its high profile. In provincial <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/act-statute">statutes</a>, the mayor is variously described as the “chief officer,” “chief executive officer” or “head of council.” The mayor may be high profile; but they have little power independent of the municipal council.</p> <p>All provinces provide that the mayor shall be elected at large. This means that unlike councillors, they do not represent a specific geographic area or “ward” of the municipality. Canadian mayors generally preside at all council meetings. They are ex officio members of all committees and can make recommendations to the council.</p> <p>Mayors also act as the point person during major civic emergencies. For example, the 2013 <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/floods-and-flood-control">flooding</a> in <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/calgary/">Calgary</a> put <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/naheed-nenshi">Naheed Nenshi</a> in the national spotlight while he led the city through the crisis. Mayors also help promote their cities to attract workers and tourists, and to promote local business. </p> <p>Mayors also sometimes rise to higher political office. <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/ralph-klein/">Ralph Klein</a>, mayor of Calgary from 1980 to 1989, was later the <a href="https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/conservative-party">Conservative</a> premier of <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/alberta">Alberta</a> from 1992 to 2006. Glen Murray was the first openly gay mayor of a major North American city when he served as mayor of <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/winnipeg/">Winnipeg</a> from 1998 to 2004. He later became a <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/liberal-party">Liberal</a> <a href="https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/cabinet">cabinet</a> minister in the <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ontario">Ontario</a> government.</p> <p> <iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/rFgdb8jOa7I" width="640" height="360" class="note-video-clip"></iframe> <br> </p> <h3>Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)</h3> <p>The Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) may be known as the city administrator, municipal manager or city commissioner. It is a modified version of the council-manager in the United States. The position separates policy making from administration: the former is assigned to the elected municipal council; the latter to the non-elected CAO. The CAO is appointed by and accountable to the council. However, he or she can also make policy recommendations. In the same way, municipal councils often make suggestions with respect to administration.</p> <p>A clear-cut distinction between policy and administration is not always easy to maintain. In practice, there is some crossover in the activities of council and the CAO. The creation of the position of CAO has allowed some councils to abolish <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/committees">committees</a>. When this occurs, the municipal council usually acts as a committee of the whole; it receives reports from the CAO and other officials. Alternatively, some councils have consolidated and reduced the number of committees to which the CAO must report.</p> <h3>Board of Commissioners</h3> <p>The use of a board of commissioners evolved in Western Canada; particularly in <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/edmonton/">Edmonton</a>, Calgary, Winnipeg and, for a period, in Vancouver. It was dropped by Edmonton and Winnipeg; both cities created a city manager position instead. Under a board of commissioners system, a management group of three or four commissioners is appointed. One of them becomes the chief commissioner. Each commissioner is responsible for a broad range of responsibilities, including a group of departments. The board is responsible to the council for the entire administration. Variants of these structures also exist. <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/quebec-city/">Quebec City</a>, for example, has an executive committee with a city manager accountable to it.</p> <p> <iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/13kIEyBEUfk" width="640" height="360" class="note-video-clip"></iframe> <br> </p> <h3>Special Purpose Bodies</h3> <p>Municipal governments also include special purpose boards or commissions. These are usually created by <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/provincial-government">provincial governments</a>. However, the extent of their use can vary greatly. They include <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/libraries">library</a> boards; water <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/utilities">utility</a> commissions; transit authorities; <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/police">police</a> commissions; <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/city-parks">parks</a> boards; and <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/conservation">conservation</a> authorities. Provincial <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/act-statute">statutes</a> outline the procedures for the appointment of members.</p> <p>Most of these groups enjoy varying degrees of independence from municipal jurisdiction. However, municipalities provide most of their funds. These bodies fall under the control of both the provincial and municipal governments. This makes it difficult for the public to know who is responsible and for what.</p> <h3>Provincial Authority</h3> <p>The relationship between a province and its municipalities is one of superior and subordinates; not of equals. (<em>See</em> <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/municipal-provincial-relations">Municipal-Provincial Relations</a>.) Municipal governments have no constitutionally recognized existence. They are creations of the provinces, which assigns to them certain duties and responsibilities. Some areas are regulated by the provinces. These can include <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/municipal-finance/">municipal finance</a> and land-use planning powers. The relationship between municipalities and the <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/federal-government">federal government</a> is relatively unimportant. Federal programs that affect <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/local-government">local governments</a> are generally handled through federal-provincial agreements. (<em>See also</em> <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/federal-provincial-relations">Federal-Provincial Relations</a>.)</p> <p> <iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/21V8tZjFYnU" width="640" height="360" class="note-video-clip"></iframe> <br> </p> <h3>Annexation and Amalgamation</h3> <p>Municipal <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/boundaries">boundaries</a> are often extended by the annexation of nearby rural areas. This is usually justified on the grounds that urban services such as <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/water-treatment">water treatment</a>, sewage facilities and <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/roads-and-highways">roads</a> can be provided more readily by the <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/metropolitan-government">urban municipality</a> than the rural one. When a major city is encircled by several smaller municipalities, separate municipal jurisdictions complicate the provision of necessary services. This is also true when two municipalities have developed side by side and share a common boundary. This problem is sometimes solved by amalgamation; multiple municipalities are merged into a single entity.</p> <p>Decisions about annexation or amalgamation can only be made by the <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/provincial-government">provincial government</a>. Both options are usually controversial. Most provinces have procedures that involve hearings held by <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/administrative-tribunals">administrative tribunals</a>. Examples of these include the Ontario Municipal Board and the Local Authorities Board in Alberta. In some cases, a province may establish a special investigating commission. It studies the matter and makes a recommendation. In large metropolitan areas where several municipal governments operate, amalgamation has been considered difficult if not impossible. Some provinces have established <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/metropolitan-government/">metropolitan governments</a>, <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/regional-government/">regional governments</a> or special districts.</p> <p> <iframe frameborder="0" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sqG0J5pnuxQ" width="640" height="360" class="note-video-clip"></iframe> <br> </p> <p>However, some provinces have carried out amalgamations. <a href="https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/manitoba">Manitoba</a> merged the city of Winnipeg and nine other municipal governments into the single city of Winnipeg in 1974. <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/timeline/nova-scotia">Nova Scotia</a> amalgamated the cities of <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/article/halifax/">Halifax</a> and <a href="https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/dartmouth">Dartmouth</a>, the town of <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/bedford">Bedford</a> and part of the county of Halifax in 1996. In 1998, Ontario consolidated the municipality of Metropolitan Toronto, the city of Toronto, the four cities of <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/scarborough">Scarborough</a>, Etobicoke, <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/north-york">North York</a>, and <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/york">York</a>, and the borough of <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/east-york">East York</a> into the single City of <a href="https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/toronto">Toronto</a>. And in 2001, eleven municipalities — <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/cumberland">Cumberland</a>, <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/gloucester">Gloucester</a>, Goulbourn, <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/kanata">Kanata</a>, <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/nepean">Nepean</a>, Osgoode, Ottawa, Rideau, Rockcliffe Park, Vanier and West Carleton — were amalgamated into the single city of <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/ottawa-ont">Ottawa</a>.</p> <p>Amalgamations are controversial. One Ottawa councillor who had supported the amalgamation of his city told the <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/canadian-broadcasting-corporation">CBC</a> in 2009 that it no longer works to combine the city’s urban and rural needs under one government. Clive Doucet said the city should break up. He told the CBC: “They just have different priorities. Maybe they’re better served not being in the amalgamated city.” He said it gets too complicated when committees deal with transit issues, for example; and rural and urban councillors have vastly different constituents and interests.</p> <p><em>See also</em> <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/local-government">Local Government</a>; <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/local-elections">Local Elections</a>; <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/metropolitan-government">Metropolitan Government</a>; <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/municipal-finance">Municipal Finance</a> <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/regional-government">Regional Government</a> <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/urban-citizen-movements">Urban Citizens Movements</a>; <a href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/improvement-district">Improvement District</a>.</p> </div> </div> <div id="def" class="article-content-body hide"></div> </div> <div id="article-definitions"> <definitions route="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/json/define" id="municipal-government"></definitions> </div> <div class="article-widget widget-adsense"> <script async src="//pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:468px;height:60px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3964766461879185" data-ad-slot="1946780682"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script> </div> </article> </main> <div id="modal-overlay" class="overlay"></div> <div id="article-image" class="article-img-modal" role="dialog" aria-labelledby="article-modal-title"> <button class="article-img-modal__close" aria-label="close image modal"></button> <div id="js-article-modal-image" class="article-img-modal__container"> <div class="image-container"> <img class="article-img-modal__img" src="" alt=""> </div> <div class="text-container"> <span role="heading" aria-level="3" id="article-modal-title" class="article-img-modal__title"></span> <span class="article-img-modal__description"></span> <span class="article-img-modal__creator"></span> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="main-grid article-related"> <ul class="article-tags-list main-grid__content"> <li class="article-tags-list__item"> <a class="article-tags-list__item__link" href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/search?query=provincial%20government&tag=provincial-government">provincial government</a> </li> <li class="article-tags-list__item"> <a class="article-tags-list__item__link" href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/search?query=Government&tag=government">Government</a> </li> <li class="article-tags-list__item"> <a class="article-tags-list__item__link" href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/search?query=local%20authorities&tag=local-authorities">local authorities</a> </li> <li class="article-tags-list__item"> <a class="article-tags-list__item__link" href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/search?query=municipalities&tag=municipalities">municipalities</a> </li> </ul> <div id="furtherreading" class="article-related-two-column main-grid__content--wide"> <h3 class="article-related-two-column__title">Further Reading</h3> <ul class="article-related-two-column__list"> <li class="article-related-two-column__list__item">Samuel Morley Wickett, <em>Municipal Government in Canada</em> (2010).</li> <li class="article-related-two-column__list__item">T.J. Plunkett, <em>City Management in Canada</em> (1992).</li> <li class="article-related-two-column__list__item">Richard Tindal and Susan Nobes Tindal, <em>Local Government in Canada</em>(4th edition, 1995)</li> </ul> </div>   <div class="callouts-layout main-grid__content--full"> <h3 id="recommended" class="callouts-layout__title">Recommended</h3> <div class="callouts-layout__grid"> <div class="callout-item"> <div class="callout-item__container"> <h6 class="callout-item__title"> <a class="callout-item__link" href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/local-government" > Local Government </a> </h6> <span class="callout-item__category">Article</span> </div> <div class="image-container"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/images/tce_placeholder.jpg?v=e9dca980c9bdb3aa11e832e7ea94f5d9" alt="" class="image-container__image" /> </div> </div> <div class="callout-item"> <div class="callout-item__container"> <h6 class="callout-item__title"> <a class="callout-item__link" href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/local-elections" > Local Elections </a> </h6> <span class="callout-item__category">Article</span> </div> <div class="image-container"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/images/tce_placeholder.jpg?v=e9dca980c9bdb3aa11e832e7ea94f5d9" alt="" class="image-container__image" /> </div> </div> <div class="callout-item"> <div class="callout-item__container"> <h6 class="callout-item__title"> <a class="callout-item__link" href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/metropolitan-government" > Metropolitan Government </a> </h6> <span class="callout-item__category">Article</span> </div> <div class="image-container"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/images/tce_placeholder.jpg?v=e9dca980c9bdb3aa11e832e7ea94f5d9" alt="" class="image-container__image" /> </div> </div> <div class="callout-item"> <div class="callout-item__container"> <h6 class="callout-item__title"> <a class="callout-item__link" href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/urban-citizen-movements" > Urban Citizen Movements </a> </h6> <span class="callout-item__category">Article</span> </div> <div class="image-container"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/images/tce_placeholder.jpg?v=e9dca980c9bdb3aa11e832e7ea94f5d9" alt="" class="image-container__image" /> </div> </div> <div class="callout-item"> <div class="callout-item__container"> <h6 class="callout-item__title"> <a class="callout-item__link" href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/regional-government" > Regional Government </a> </h6> <span class="callout-item__category">Article</span> </div> <div class="image-container"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/images/tce_placeholder.jpg?v=e9dca980c9bdb3aa11e832e7ea94f5d9" alt="" class="image-container__image" /> </div> </div> <div class="callout-item"> <div class="callout-item__container"> <h6 class="callout-item__title"> <a class="callout-item__link" href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/municipal-finance" > Municipal Finance </a> </h6> <span class="callout-item__category">Article</span> </div> <div class="image-container"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/images/tce_placeholder.jpg?v=e9dca980c9bdb3aa11e832e7ea94f5d9" alt="" class="image-container__image" /> </div> </div> <div class="callout-item"> <div class="callout-item__container"> <h6 class="callout-item__title"> <a class="callout-item__link" href="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/improvement-district" > Improvement District </a> </h6> <span class="callout-item__category">Article</span> </div> <div class="image-container"> <img loading="lazy" src="https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/images/tce_placeholder.jpg?v=e9dca980c9bdb3aa11e832e7ea94f5d9" alt="" class="image-container__image" /> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div id="donation_banner" class="donation-banner"> <button id="donation-banner-expand-btn" class="donation-banner__expand-btn" aria-label="expand donation banner window"> </button> <div class="donation-banner__container"> <div class="text-container"> <h3 class="text-container__title">Flag Day Contest</h3> <div class="text-container__text"><p class="MsoNormal">Celebrate the 60th anniversary of the national flag by taking our Flag Day quiz and be entered into a draw for a chance to win a flag from the Peace Tower in Ottawa for your school!<span lang="EN-CA"></span><o:p></o:p></p><p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p></p></div> </div> <a class="b-invert solid b-sm donation-banner__button" href="/en/article/flag-day-contest"> Take the quiz </a> </div> </div> <footer id="footer"> <div class="full-width footer-first-part"> <div class="wrap--narrow"> <div class="footer-information grid--col2"> <div class="divider"> <h6>Updates? 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Municipal Government in Canada | The Canadian Encyclopedia