List of municipalities in British Columbia

This is a list of municipalities in British Columbia, Canada. Municipalities in British Columbia are local governments incorporated by the province. In total, there are 160 municipalities in the province, covering over 85% of its population. They range from a 44 hectares (109 acres) village with less than 200 people to a city of 578,000 people. A municipality is created to allow a community to govern itself and to provide and regulate local services. These services typically include, but are not limited to, the provision of drinking water, sewers, roads, fire protection, street lights, garbage/recycling collection, land use planning, building inspection, and parks.

Municipal status

Within their limited jurisdictions Municipalities are autonomous, responsible and accountable to their citizens and to the province. Their powers and responsibilities are regulated through the Local Government Act of British Columbia,^[1] the Community Charter, and, in the case of Vancouver, the Vancouver Charter. They have the power of a natural person, the power to expropriate, and the power to establish and enforce bylaws. They are able to raise funds through property taxes and user fees, and borrow through the Municipal Finance Authority to pay for services and capital costs.^[2]

Municipalities are governed by a mayor and council who are democratically elected on the third Saturday of November every three years. The last municipal election occurred on November 15, 2008, and the next will occur on November 19, 2011. Each municipality is a member of a Regional District to which their councils elect representatives. The Board of Directors of the Regional District is used as a forum to discuss regional issues.^[2]

To become a municipality, a community, with the assistance of the provincial Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, defines its borders and holds a referendum on the issue. If successful the Cabinet of BC issues a Letters Patent incorporating the community. Part 2 of the Local Government Act sets out a classification scheme that gives each new municipality a designation. If the population is less than 2,500 people the new municipality is designated a village, if between 2,500 and 5,000 a town, and if greater than 5,000 a city. If the new municipality has an area greater than 800 hectares (2,000 acres) and an average population density of less than 5 persons per hectare then is it designated a district municipality. There have been 3 other designations given: a Resort Municipality given to Whistler, an Island Municipality given to Bowen Island, and an Indian Government District given to Sechelt Indian Government District (NB not the same as the District of Sechelt). The municipality must request change in designation but is not compelled to do so, despite population growth or loss - Greenwood has retained its city status, for example, rather than relinquishing it as other boomtowns of its era have done. There is no longer any legal difference between the designations.^[2]

List of municipalities

References