Municipal elections should be held in the spring every four years, the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association – prompted by resolutions from the City of Grande Prairie – will urge the Alberta Government.

Resolutions calling for a four-year term for elected officials and a spring election, passed at Friday’s convention in Edmonton. Six provincial jurisdictions, most recently Ontario, have increased terms for municipal councils from three to four years. Municipal elections are government by the Local Authorities Election Act.

“The issues facing us are more complex and challenging than ever before and that makes it imperative that we do more long-term planning,” explains Mayor Dwight Logan. “Four years provides that additional time to plan and implement initiatives, similar to the provincial and federal governments. Extending terms also results in a cost savings for communities through less frequent elections.”

By having the election in the spring, newly elected council members would have more time to become familiar with municipal operations before voting on operating and capital budgets in the fall. The calendar year is the financial year for municipalities.

“Newly elected councils need time to develop and establish a strategic plan and priorities before effectively considering operating and capital budgets,” Mayor Logan says.

Two other Grande Prairie resolutions were passed at the convention. One calls for municipalities being allowed to impose a local improvement tax on properties for the construction of drinking water systems and associated infrastructure where the municipal council considers it to be in the public interest. The other calls for legislation changes to ensure both municipalities involved in an annexation approve infrastructure improvements before a debenture is undertaken.