Why Municipalities are important?

Local (municipal) government is closer to the people and results in representation where your elected mayor and council know the communities.

Depending on where you live and the services you receive, municipalities have a daily impact; water and sewerage services, emergency measures planning, fire services, parks and recreation, building development permits, nuisance or animal control bylaws, and more.

What do municipalities do?

The authority of municipal government is determined by the provincial government. Municipal government on PEI has the authority to create bylaws to govern the municipality and to provide services as outlined in the Municipal Government Act – MGA.  Create Bylaws to govern municipal residents for the safety, health and welfare of people and the protection of persons and property.

Enforcement Bylaws:

• Noise & Nuisance
• Dangerous & Unsightly Properties
• Animal Control
• Cosmetic Pesticide
• Firearms
• Zoning & Development

Service Bylaws:

• Water & Sewer
• Fire Department
• Recreational (Grants/Fees)
• Emergency Measures
• Policing
• Planning

Administrative Bylaws:

• Procedural/Election
• Code of Conduct
• Conflict of Interest
• Procurement/Remuneration
• Access to Info/Records
• Tax Rate/Borrowing/Reserve

Below are some of the services municipalities may provide:

• Fire services
• Land-use planning, zoning, sub-division, and development permits  
• Emergency management (E.g. warming centres for weather events and power outages)
• Public utilities (water, sewer, energy)
• Recreational services (rinks, centres, halls, programming, active transportation, etc.)
• Libraries
• Policing and enforcement services
• Sidewalks, streets and lighting
• Public transit
• And more.

Municipalities collect taxes and user fees to enable them to provide services.

Difference between a community and a municipal government.

Community is an identity that could be connected to the neighborhood or area you live in, where you go to school or church, your hobbies or what sports you participate in. Municipalities are a level of government that can include your communities. Municipality is level of government or governing body that creates bylaws and provides services to residents and businesses. A community can be within a municipality; for example, Sherwood is a community within the City of Charlottetown.

Benefits of Living in a Municipality

The municipal governing structure of elected officials and professional staff provides organized, transparent, and accountable leadership.  

• Democratically elected representatives making decisions in the best interest of residents in the area.
• Quality services to the area
• Development and infrastructure
• Potentially greater availability of funding
• Professional administration with a Chief Administrative Officer (CAO)
• Organized local initiatives for economic and social development
• Engagement of residents to provide for their needs
• Bylaws to govern the municipality