Saskatchewan to Amend Local Government Election Act
February 3, 2010No CommentsMunicipal Affairs Minister Jeremy Harrison today announced plans to lengthen the term of office for urban, northern municipal and school board officials.
Amendments to The Local Government Election Act will be introduced in the fall of 2010 and will lengthen the term of office from three years to four in the 2012 municipal and school board elections.
“We have consulted with various stakeholders and feel this is an innovative way of helping municipal officials,” Harrison said. “Taxpayers will benefit from cost savings from holding fewer elections and there will now be longer periods for municipal councils to plan and implement programs and longer term goals.”
The Saskatchewan Urban Municipalities Association (SUMA) convention passed a resolution in 2008 to extend the term of office from three to four years. The Ministry of Municipal Affairs consulted with the education sector as school board elections are held concurrent with municipal elections.
The move would not affect rural municipalities. Rural municipalities prefer the two-year term of office under which they currently operate, but do not object to a four year term for other local governments.
The move would see Saskatchewan join seven other provinces which have four year terms (New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Ontario and Manitoba). British Columbia and Alberta have three year terms, as well at the Yukon. The Northwest Territories and Nunavut have two-year or three-year terms dependant on the size of the community.
Education, Local Government