The Provisions of Programs and Services Through Municipalities

Services provided by municipalities

A municipal council is empowered to undertake a variety of activities and actions as provided for within provincial statutes and regulations. This includes:

  • Passing bylaws, policies and regulations for the peace, order and good government of the municipality, promoting the health, safety, morality and welfare of it, and governing the proceedings of the council, the conduct of members and the calling of meetings
  • Establishing an administration to carry out the responsibilities of the municipality
  • Entering into agreements including those with other municipalities or school districts
  • Raising funds through property and business taxes, borrowing, fines and fees for service provided
  • Adopting plans and regulations for the use and development of land
  • Providing a variety of services which might include the following (links go to related topics in the Municipal Affairs website)
    • airports
    • ambulance
    • building codes
    • bylaw enforcement
    • cemeteries
    • community/agriculture services
    • convention centre
    • cultural facilities
    • day care
    • emergency management / disaster services
    • domestic animal control
    • electrical production/distribution
    • family and community support services
    • fire protection
    • garbage collection and disposal
    • land/housing/building rentals
    • municipal planning, zoning, development
    • natural gas production/distribution
    • parks and facilities
    • police
    • public housing
    • public safety and security
    • public transport
    • recreation programs
    • roads, streets, walks, lighting
    • sanitary sewage and treatment
    • storm sewers and drainage
    • subdivision development
    • telephone system
    • water supply and distribution
    • weed control

Policy making and program monitoring

The municipal council is responsible for establishing the programs that residents need and want within their fiscal means and responsibility. This responsibility involves providing input into the municipality's programs and services (policy making) and making sure that the administration provides the programs and services in the best possible way (program monitoring).

A policy provides a way of ensuring that consistent decisions are made on similar matters. Policies should establish general guidelines that the council sets for the administration to follow. The administration then provides programs and services to the residents according to those policies. Program monitoring means staying up to date on the programs and services that the municipality offers and assessing the results against what the council planned to achieve.

Administration exists to take care of the everyday work of running a municipal government. This includes providing a variety of programs and services, based on the priorities that the council has set for the municipality.