Municipal inspection reports

Overview

Municipalities have broad authority and autonomy under the Municipal Government Act. Councils have the powers necessary to develop and maintain safe and viable communities, balanced by their accountability to the citizens who elect them.

In rare instances where significant concerns arise, the Minister of Municipal Affairs has authority to intervene in the overall administration and/or governance of a municipality through a municipal inspection.

A municipal inspection is an investigation ordered by the Minister of Municipal Affairs that may look at any issues or concerns within the municipality to ensure council and administration are acting appropriately and in accordance with provincial legislation.

The Minister may order an inspection in response to:

a request by the municipality’s council
a petition
serious issues brought to the Minister’s attention

An inspection can take between 6 and 18 months. The inspector may review the municipality’s council meetings, bylaws, finances, and other documents. In addition, the inspector may interview anyone they feel is necessary.

Once the inspection is finished, a report is presented to council and residents in an open meeting to help the public understand the inspection results. The Minister has the authority to order the council and administration to do whatever is necessary to fix problems found during the inspection. Completed municipal inspection reports can be found in the Municipal inspection reports section below.