Municipal government resources

Overview

The following list of publications and resources are intended to provide information on specific components of local government, council and administration.

For assistance with resources published by the Government of Alberta, please contact a Municipal Advisor at ma.lgsmail@gov.ab.ca or 780-427-2225, toll-free in Alberta by dialing 310-0000 first.

For assistance with grants for municipalities, please contact a Grants Advisor at ma.geptbranch@gov.ab.ca or 780-422-7125, toll-free in Alberta by dialing 310-0000 first.

For assistance with resources published by third-parties, please contact the third-party directly.

General resources

• Acronym List
• Alberta Ombudsman
• Local Authorities Elections Act
• Municipal Government Act
• Municipal Government Board
• Municipal indicators
• Find a municipal official
• Municipal data and maps

Administration

• Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Handbook
• Employment standards
• Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy (FOIP)
• Labour relations
• Municipal careers awareness toolkit
• Municipal Sustainability Strategy
• Political Acumen Toolkit – A resource from the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators to develop political acumen as a core competency for municipal leaders
• Retention and scheduling of municipal records
• Roles and responsibilities of municipal officials
• Statistical Information Returns
• Welcoming and inclusive communities toolkit

Bylaws, policy and legislative matters

• Basic Principles of Bylaws
• Preparation of Meeting Minutes
• Procedure Bylaw and the Agenda
• Municipal Census Manual

Collaboration and dispute resolution

• Board Leadership and board governance
• Collaborative Governance Initiative
• Cost sharing for success toolkit (developed by Rural Municipalities of Alberta)
• Facilitating Large Public Events
• Intermunicipal Collaboration Frameworks
• Municipal Dispute Resolution Services
• Peer Network for Municipal Dispute Resolution

Community engagement and public participation

• Petition information for electors
• Public input toolkit with digital engagement
• Public participation in municipal government
• Public Participation Policies and Public Notification: A Guide for Municipalities (co-developed by the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association and Rural Municipalities of Alberta)

Council

• CAO Performance Evaluation Toolkit (developed by the Canadian Association of Municipal Administrators)
• Closed Meetings of Council
• Councillor Code of Conduct: A Guide for Municipalities (developed by Alberta Urban Municipalities Association)
• Hiring a Chief Administrative Officer
• Pecuniary Interest for Municipal Councillors
• Performance Appraisal System - of Chief Administrative Officer
• Roles and responsibilities of municipal officials
• What Every Councillor Needs to Know!

Elections

• Municipal elections
• Municipal election forms
• Running for Municipal Office in Alberta: A Candidates Guide

Emergency management and protective services

• Emergency management training
• Enterprise risk management
• Guide for Declaring Municipal Agriculture States of Emergency (developed by Rural Municipalities of Alberta)
• Pandemic Response Planning
• Policing

Finance

• A Guide to the New Legislative Requirements for Municipal Financial and Capital Plans
• Asset management
• Debt Limit Worksheet
• Financial Reporting Requirements
• Grants for municipalities
• Municipal Financial and Statistical Data

Information bulletins

Find information bulletins related to key municipal dates and changes that may affect municipalities.

• Municipal information bulletins for administrators
• Property assessment bulletins

Infrastructure and utilities

• Local road bridges
• Municipal Climate Change Action Centre – A joint initiative by municipal associations and the Government of Alberta to provide funding, technical assistance and education to support Alberta municipalities to address climate change.
• Roadside development next to provincial roads and highways
• Waste Management
• Water and wastewater
• Water for Life Strategy

Planning and development

• Annexations
• Brownfield redevelopment
• Builder licensing for municipalities
• Community and economic development
• Expropriation
• Municipal historic resource designation
• Municipal planning and development documents
• New home warranties for municipalities

Property assessment and taxation

• A Guide to Equalized Assessment in Alberta
• A Guide to Tax Recovery in Alberta
• Assessment bulletins
• Assessment review boards
• Municipal tax incentives
• Property Tax Exemptions
• Property Tax: Adding Amounts to the Tax Roll

Contact

Connect with Municipal Affairs at:

Phone: 780-427-2225
Toll free: 310-0000 before the phone number (in Alberta)
Email: ma.lgsmail@gov.ab.ca