Strengthening local elections and councils

Changes to local election rules and processes

Changes will:

• align candidate eligibility criteria with councillor disqualification criteria in the Municipal Government Act
• allow municipalities to require criminal record checks for local candidates
• limit the amount of money third-party advertisers could accept in contributions to $5,000 (previously $30,000)
• require third party advertisers interested in plebiscites to register and report finances
• enable regulation-making authority to define local political parties
• see Local Parties and Campaign Expense Limits – Fact Sheet
• require municipalities to use the most current provincial register of electors from Elections Alberta
• expand the use of special ballots while strengthening special ballot processes
• limit vouching to the ability to vouch for someone’s address
• repeal the ability for a candidate or returning officer to object to an elector
• enable regulation-making authority to postpone elections in emergencies
• prohibit automated voting equipment, such as electronic tabulators
• require recounts if requested by a candidate when the margin is within 0.5% of total votes
• allow union and corporate donations to local candidates
• allow donations outside the local election year
• introduce campaign expense limits for municipal candidates and third-party advertisers across Alberta and similar limits for local political parties in Edmonton and Calgary
  • see Local Parties and Campaign Expense Limits – Fact sheet
• update rules for scrutineers

Changes to municipal councils and councillor accountability

Changes will:

• require a councillor’s seat to become vacant upon disqualification
• require mandatory orientation training for councillors
• allow Cabinet to remove a councillor by ordering a vote of electors to determine whether the councillor should be removed. An elector vote to remove a councillor is limited to councillors who Cabinet consider to be unwilling, unable, or refusing to do the job for which they were elected, or if Cabinet considers such a vote to be in the public interest by taking into consideration illegal or unethical behaviour by a councillor. 
• allow elected officials to recuse themselves for real or perceived conflicts of interest and clarify that this choice is not subject to third-party review
• make the Minister of Municipal Affairs responsible for validating municipal recall petitions
• enable the provincial Cabinet to require a municipality to amend or repeal a bylaw given one of the following specific requirements are met. Intervention may occur if a bylaw: 
  • exceeds the scope of the Municipal Government Act or otherwise exceeds the authority granted to a municipality under the act or any other statute
  • conflicts with the Municipal Government Act or any other statue
  • is contrary to provincial policy
  • contravenes the Constitution of Canada
• give the provincial Cabinet authority to direct a municipality to take specific action to protect public health and/or safety

Changes to help municipalities accelerate housing development

Changes will:

• require municipalities to offer digital options for public hearings on planning and development and restrict them from holding extra hearings when not required by legislation
• fully exempt non-profit subsidized affordable housing from property taxation (comes into force on Jan. 1, 2025)
• enable multi-year residential property tax incentives
• expand the Community Revitalization Levy program to support capital costs of privately owned affordable/attainable housing
• limit the ability of municipalities to require non-statutory studies as requirements for building and development permits