Local government division history

Since its establishment in 1934, the Local Government Division has helped to foster a collaborative and effective relationship between local governments and the B.C. government.

The Local Government Division (or "Department of Municipal Affairs," as it was originally named) has played an important role in shaping B.C.'s local government system and has collaborated with other partners to develop innovative and practical solutions to the challenges of the day. Many of these solutions, such as the establishment of the regional district system and the Municipal Finance Authority, have attracted national and international attention.

Learn more about the Local Government Division's history and the evolution of the local government system in B.C.:

• Born in Hard Times: Formation of the Department of Municipal Affairs (PDF)
• From Company to 'Instant' Towns: Building Resilient Local Government in B.C.'s Resource Communities (PDF)
• Tumbler Ridge: Birth of a Resilient Community (PDF)
• Regional Districts Part 1: The Roots of Regional Districts (PDF)
• Regional Districts Part 2: J. Everett Brown and New Directions in the 1950s (PDF)
• Regional Districts Part 3: The Rise of Regional Districts (PDF)