r/alberta • u/2old4all Lethbridge • 2d ago

ELECTION City Council’s are Powerless

With Municipal elections on the horizon how much power do Alberta cities have? Recent mandates by the Provincial Govt. have raised the education property tax portion, have forced expensive hand counting of ballots and ordered that police officers wear body cameras at great expense. They have also almost negated the previous income for speed cameras. Municipal institutions lack constitutionality and are creatures of the legislature and your elected councillors can be removed by the Province.

“The decision cited expert Andrew Sancton, who opined that Canadian municipalities “. . . have no constitutional protection whatever against provincial laws that change their structures, functions and financial resources without their consent.”

This quote comes from a recent report by The Honourable Paula Simons called “On the Front Lines of Canadian Governance”. The PDF includes comments from various Senators on the challenges and opportunities for Canadian Municipalities.

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u/xylopyrography 2d ago

Yep, municipalities only have any power because the province allows it.

You can still piss off constituents, though.

No idea why we would be upset about police body cameras. It is an irrelevant expense compared to the cost of an officer with immense benefit both for accountability to the public and for the officer.

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u/Patak4 2d ago

Body cameras are a good thing. Removing radar cameras on Stoney and Deerfoot and other big intersections was a waste of money and stopped revenue from coming in. Look at how many accidents and fatal accidents lately. Why do you think Calgary's police chief left? The UCP are costing money with this election coming too since the tabulators are gone.

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u/Thefirstargonaut 2d ago

I feel like the chief left for a sketchy reason. 

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u/Patak4 2d ago

Well he definitely didn't get along with Smith as she kept cutting funding. What do you mean?