Municipalities move to four-year term
By Shara JJ Cooper
After the next municipal elections, councils across BC will be in effect for a four-year term instead of the previous three years. This change is being proposed at the current legislative session. It is expected to approved and in effect by November of this year. That means that the next municipal elections will be held in 2018.
Greenwood Mayor Nipper Kettle says that this chance has two major benefits.
“For taxpayers it will mean a savings for elections costs,” he said. “For elected officials the four-year term will give them a chance to follow through on the commitments they made in the lead up to their election.”
According to Kettle, it can take a new council over a year to make the right connections with upper levels of government and learn the ropes. Especially regarding the community charter and Local Government Act
“These are important rules that govern all local governments and all elected officials that must be followed not only to protect your elected official but to protect the voters as well,” said Kettle.
However, Kettle said that if the four-year cycle had taken effect in 2017, “municipalities would always follow provincial (elections) by 5 to 6 months and no municipal by-elections would be needed for those who win provincially.”
With the next elections being held in 2018, the provincial elections will have been just 18 months before and every municipality that gets a member of legislature will have to hold a by-election. Kettle said this adds to the costs of local governments.
The changes will affect all elected officials in BC’s municipalities and regional districts, as well as park boards, school boards and the Islands Trust.
All other provinces in Canada have a four-year term.
