Local government regular meetings

Municipal councils and regional district boards are required to hold regularly scheduled meetings.

First regular meeting

Municipal councils

The first regular municipal council meeting must be held sometime during the first ten days of November following the general local election. The specific day is set by the council's procedure bylaw.

If a quorum of council members elected at the general local election has not taken office by that time, the first regular council meeting must be called by the corporate officer and held as soon as reasonably possible after a quorum of members has taken office.

• Community Charter, section 124 - Procedure Bylaws
• Local Government Act, Part 3 - Electors and Elections

Regional district boards

The first regular regional district board meeting must be held after November 1 every year. At that meeting, the directors must select a chair and a vice chair.

• Local Government Act, section 215 - Chair and vice chair of board

Notice of Meetings

Municipal councils

Council must provide in its procedure bylaw for the giving of advance public notice as to the date, time and place of council committee meetings and establish the procedures for giving that notice. A municipal council must also make available to the public a meeting schedule that includes the date, time and place of regular council meetings. At least once a year, council must give notice of the availability of the schedule in accordance with section 94 of the Community Charter.

• Community Charter, section 127 - Notice of council meetings

Regional district Boards

A regional district board must provide in its procedure bylaw for the giving of advance public notice as to the date, time and place of regular board and board committee meetings and establish procedures for giving that notice.

• Local Government Act, section 225 - Procedure bylaws

Meeting attendance

Holding local government office represents a significant time commitment. Councils usually hold one meeting every week or two, and regional district boards generally hold one meeting each month.

Councillors and regional district board members may also sit on special committees, boards or commissions that may require additional meetings and time commitment.

Disqualification for absence

Disqualification does not apply if the absence is due to illness or injury or is with the leave of the council or board.

• Community Charter, section 125 - Council meetings
• Local Government Act, section 204 - Director disqualification for failure to attend meetings