Municipal Election 2021 Candidate Information - As at September 21, 2021 Subject to change This booklet is provided as Information Only ...
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Municipal Election 2021
Candidate Information
As at September 21, 2021
Subject to change
This booklet is provided as Information Only,
prospective candidates should review the relevant legislation.Table of Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................... 4
Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA) ................................................................................................. 4
Municipal Government Act (MGA) current as of June 1 2021 ........................................................... 4
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP) .......................................................... 5
Electoral Boundaries .............................................................................................................................. 6
Information on the Election Procedures are in the Local Authorities Election Act and Municipal
Affairs website ....................................................................................................................................... 6
http://www.municipalaffairs.alberta.ca/mc_elections ..................................................................... 6
Election................................................................................................................................................... 6
Are You Qualified LAEA Section 21. (1) Excerpt ............................................................................... 7
Ineligibility for Nomination LAEA Section 22.1 Excerpt ................................................................... 7
Candidate Registration, Contributions & Expenses LAEA Part 5.1 Excerpt ....................................... 7
Nomination Paper and Candidate’s Acceptance Form 4 ................................................................... 7
Withdrawal of Nomination ................................................................................................................ 8
Candidate’s Scrutineers or Official Agent .......................................................................................... 8
Election Signage - Placement of Campaign Literature ........................................................................... 9
Thorhild County Land Use Bylaw 1194-2018 Excerpt ........................................................................ 9
2.2 Signs Not Requiring a Development Permit .......................................................................... 9
Government of Alberta, Guidelines for the Installation of Election Signs ......................................... 9
Location Guidelines ..................................................................................................................... 10
Safety Precautions....................................................................................................................... 10
Sign Removal ............................................................................................................................... 11
Election................................................................................................................................................. 11
Ballots LAEA Part 6 148 (5)Excerpt.................................................................................................. 11
Contents of Ballots Section 43 Excerpt ............................................................................................ 11
Advance Vote ................................................................................................................................... 11
Election Day ..................................................................................................................................... 11
Election Day Voting Station Locations. Final determination will be made following Nomination
Day. .............................................................................................................................................. 12
Eligibility to Vote – LAEA Section 47 Excerpt ................................................................................... 12
Rules of Residence – LAEA Section 48 (1) Excerpt ........................................................................... 12
Page 2 of 19Proof of Elector Eligibility - LAEA Section 53 Excerpt ...................................................................... 12
Unofficial Election Results................................................................................................................ 13
Recounts .......................................................................................................................................... 13
Official Results.................................................................................................................................. 13
Campaign Disclosure Statement and Financial Statement Form 26 ............................................... 13
Roles and Responsibilities of Municipal Officials ................................................................................. 13
The Councillors................................................................................................................................. 14
Duties of Council .............................................................................................................................. 14
The Chief Elected Official (CEO): Reeve ........................................................................................... 14
Pecuniary Interest of Municipal Councils ............................................................................................ 15
Time Commitment - What to Expect ................................................................................................... 15
Council and Committee Meetings ................................................................................................... 15
Council Meetings ............................................................................................................................. 16
Swearing-in Ceremony, Organizational & Council Meeting ............................................................ 16
Council Orientation .......................................................................................................................... 16
Council Budget Meetings ................................................................................................................. 16
Committee Meetings ....................................................................................................................... 17
Committees, Boards, Commissions ................................................................................................. 17
Conferences, Seminars, and Community Events ............................................................................. 18
Community Events ........................................................................................................................... 19
Council Remuneration and Expense .................................................................................................... 19
Contacts ............................................................................................................................................... 19
Page 3 of 19Introduction
This guide is designed to provide prospective candidates with an overview of the requirements for
running for election; and what to expect as a Thorhild County Elected Official. Preparing for the
October 18, 2021 Election requires a great deal of consideration.
It provides a brief introduction into understanding the process and legislative requirements of
running for municipal office in Thorhild County. The focus is on your role as a Thorhild County
Elected Official.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this document is a summary only. Each candidate is
responsible for reading, understanding and complying with all relevant legislation and for ensuring
that their campaign meets the requirements of all legislation.
The Alberta Government, Municipal Affairs website also has useful information to assist you in your
decision to run for Thorhild County Council.
http://www.municipalaffairs.alberta.ca/municipalities-and-communities
This guide highlights excerpts from legislation, it has no legislative sanction; therefore we
recommend that you obtain a copy of the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA); Municipal
Government Act (MGA); Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP).
Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA)
The Municipal Government Act provides that every municipality shall have a Council, the members
of which shall be elected in accordance with the Local Authorities Election Act. The Local
Authorities Election Act is the primary legislation that guides the conduct of a municipal or school
board election.
Municipal Government Act (MGA) current as of June 1 2021
The Municipal Government Act (MGA) is the legislative framework in which all municipalities and
municipal entities across the Province of Alberta operate.
https://www.qp.alberta.ca/570.cfm?search_by=alpha&letter=M
The current MGA is one of Alberta’s largest pieces of legislation, containing 18 parts and 710
sections. The MGA provides the governance model for cities, towns, villages, municipal districts,
specialized municipalities, summer villages, and other forms of local government. It lays the
foundation for how municipalities operate, how municipal councils function, and how citizens can
work with their municipalities.
The MGA contains three major areas of focus:
• governance;
• planning and development; and
• Assessment and taxation.
Page 4 of 19Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP)
This FOIP Act protects an individual's privacy by setting out rules for collection, use or disclosure of
personal information by public bodies. It also provides a method of requesting access to
information which is not available by other means.
Public bodies include all provincial government departments, agencies, boards and commissions. It
also includes local public bodies such as municipalities, universities, school boards and others.
Personal or constituency records of a council member are excluded from the Act Section 4(1)(m)).
This exclusion is intended to cover:
• records such as private correspondence of an elected official that has not been sent or
received by the official in his or her capacity as a council member but which may be
maintained in his or her office for convenience.
• records relating to the election campaign of a council member (other than those records
required to be submitted to the authority governing the election).
• records relating to the private business activities of a council member.
Records dealing with the business of the municipality are covered by the Act even if they are stored
at a councillor's home.
http://www.servicealberta.ca/foip/documents/faq-municipalities.pdf
Copies of Acts and Regulations can be obtained through the Alberta Queen’s Printer,
http://www.qp.alberta.ca Most are able to be downloaded. email: qp@govab.ca
Phone: 780-427-4952
Other resources available to you
• Thorhild County website www.thorhildcounty.com
• Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) https://rmalberta.com/
• Alberta Municipal Affairs https://www.alberta.ca/municipal-government.aspx
Page 5 of 19Electoral Boundaries
Consult the Thorhild County 2019 Land Ownership Map
Information on the Election Procedures are in the Local Authorities
Election Act and Municipal Affairs website
http://www.municipalaffairs.alberta.ca/mc_elections
Election
This is a brief summary of election procedures. The Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA) has over
200 sections describing the Election Process.
The next Municipal Election will be held on Monday, October 18, 2021 where Thorhild County
residents will elect the following positions:
• One (1) Councillor for each of the five (5) Divisions
The Reeve is elected from within Council at the Organizational Meeting.
Page 6 of 19A person may file a nomination to be a candidate for a general election within the period beginning
on January 1 in year in which a general election is to be held and ending at 12 noon on nomination
day.
Are You Qualified LAEA Section 21. (1) Excerpt
A person may be nominated as a candidate if on nomination day the person:
a) Is eligible to vote:
i. be at least 18 years of age, and
ii. be a Canadian Citizen
b) Has resided in local jurisdiction for the 6 consecutive months immediately preceding
nomination day; and
c) Is not otherwise ineligible or disqualified.
Ineligibility for Nomination LAEA Section 22.1 Excerpt
A person is not eligible to be nominated as a candidate in any election under this Act if on
nomination day
• if you are the auditor of the municipality;
• if you are an employee of the local jurisdiction, unless you take a leave of absence;
• if your current property taxes are more than $50 in arrears;
• if you are indebted to the local jurisdiction for any debt exceeding $500 and in default for
more than 90 days; or
• if within the previous 10 years you have been convicted of an offense under the Local
Authorities Election Act, Election Act, the Election Finances and Contributions Disclosure Act
or the Elections Act (Canada).
• If a report was transmitted under Effect of Non-compliance in Relation to Disclosure
Statements Section 147.8(1).
Candidate Registration, Contributions & Expenses LAEA Part 5.1 Excerpt
Candidates are strongly urged to read and understand of the Local Authorities Election Act Part 5.1
Municipal Election Finance and Contribution Disclosure. There are specific requirements for
contributions, expenses, and surplus funds. These forms are required to be filed with Thorhild
County on or before March 1 2022. Third Party Advertising LAEA Part 8 may also apply to your
campaign.
Nomination Paper and Candidate’s Acceptance Form 4
A person may file a nomination to become a candidate for a general election within in the time
period of January 1, 2021 and ending at 12 noon on Nomination Day, September 20 ,2021.
Page 7 of 19Nomination Day
Monday, September 20, 2021
8:00 a.m. to 12 noon
Thorhild County Administration Building
801-1 Street Thorhild Alberta
Every nomination of a Candidate shall be completed through submission of a Nomination Paper and
Candidate’s Acceptance Form 4. http://www.thorhildcounty.com/Government/Election/Municipal-
Election-2021
There is a $100.00 deposit required to be submitted with the Nomination Paper and Candidate’s
Acceptance Form 4. Deposit can be made by cash, certified cheque, money order, credit card or
debit card.
Withdrawal of Nomination
A person nominated as a candidate may withdraw as a candidate at any time during the nomination
period.
At any time within twenty-four (24) hours after the close of nomination period, which is Nomination
Day at 12:00 noon on September 20th, 2021, a Candidate may withdraw their nomination, provided
that more than one (1) Candidate for Councillor in each Division have been nominated. The
Returning Officer is unable to accept a withdrawal if it would result in less than the required
number of Candidates for that office.
If a Candidate wishes to withdraw their nomination papers, a written notice must be provided to
the Returning Officer no later than 12:00 noon, Tuesday, September 21st, 2021
Candidate’s Scrutineers or Official Agent
Each person nominated as a candidate may appoint an elector to be the candidate’s official agent.
Candidates may appoint scrutineers for the purpose of observing the voting process during Advance
Vote and Election Day. Scrutineers or Official Agents must present written notice signed by the
candidate, appointing the person to represent that candidate at the voting station.
Written notice must have the following.
The (Name of Scrutineer) presenting this notice is to represent (Name of Candidate) as the
Candidate’s Scrutineer at Division (number) voting station.
Signed and dated by the Candidate.
When they present written notice to the Presiding Deputy Returning Officer, they will then sign the
Statement of Scrutineer or Official Agent Form 16 RSE. This form stays with the Election Workers.
Page 8 of 19Election Signage - Placement of Campaign Literature
The following guidelines for placement of election signs along public roadways are set by Alberta
Transportation and Thorhild County; and are to be adhered to by all candidates in the upcoming
elections.
Under the Safety Codes Act, Electrical & Communication Utility System of the Province of Alberta,
electrical utility poles and structures shall be kept free of all materials not required for the system.
Action may be taken against candidates or their agents who deface utility poles with election
campaign literature.
Signs may be placed on private property with the permission of the landowner.
Thorhild County Land Use Bylaw 1194-2018 Excerpt
2.2 Signs Not Requiring a Development Permit
The following signs do not require a development permit provided that they comply with other
bylaws and regulations:
(h) the erection of campaign signs for federal, provincial, municipal or school board election on
privately-owned lots for no more than thirty (30) days, or such time as regulated under provincial or
federal legislation provided that:
(i) such signs are removed within seven (7) days after the election date,
(ii) such signs do not obstruct or impair vision or traffic,
(iii) such signs are not attached to fences, trees, or utility poles; and
(iv) such signs indicate the name and address of the sponsor and the person responsible
for removal.
CALL BEFORE YOU DIG!
ALBERTA ONE-CALL 1-800-242-3447
www.albertaonecall.com
Government of Alberta, Guidelines for the Installation of Election Signs
http://www.transportation.alberta.ca/Content/docType233/Production/14Election_SignsRevMar20
12.pdf Check the complete guideline.
For signs located within highway rights-of-way, the maximum sign size is 1.5 square metres.
The following types of signs will not be allowed:
• signs that display an intermittent flashing, rotating or moving light;
Page 9 of 19• signs that are floodlit in such a manner as to cause visual distraction to the motoring public;
• signs that have moving or rotating part;
• signs that imitate giving a command to stop, stop ahead, look, caution or similar command,
or,
• signs that bear a legend that in any way imitates a standard or commonly used highway
sign. (i.e. stop sign).
If a sign is in contravention of these guidelines, a peace officer or a person authorized by the road
authority may, without notice or compensation, remove the sign.
Location Guidelines
In general, election signs shall be placed as far from the shoulder lines as practical, always allowing
the traveling public to have an unobstructed view of the roadway.
• Signs must be placed no closer than 2 metres from the edge of pavement, (or, in the case of
gravel roads, no closer than 2 metres from the shoulder of the road).
• During winter conditions, there is a high probability that signs less than 6 metres from the
road will be either covered with snow or damaged during snow removal and sanding
operations.
• No election signs will be allowed within the median of a divided provincial highway.
• No election signs shall be mounted on highway signs or signposts. Any signs so mounted
will be removed immediately.
• No election signs shall be placed in or within 500 metres of construction zones.
• No election signs shall be placed that within 50 metres of an intersection in an urban area or
within 250 metres of an intersection in a rural area.
• Alberta Transportation will not be responsible for any signs damaged for any reason.
When the removal of an election sign is necessary due to safety or operational concerns, Alberta
Transportation or Thorhild County will notify the responsible candidate to take the required action
to remove/relocate the sign. Failure to respond within the specified time will result in the sign being
removed. Signs will be stored either at the nearest highway maintenance facility or Alberta
Transportation office or at the Thorhild County office. The candidate will be notified to arrange to
have the sign(s) picked up.
Signs that pose an immediate hazard to the public will be removed immediately without notification
to the candidate.
Safety Precautions
Individuals installing election signs must use safety precautions to ensure their safety and prevent
driver distraction.
Reflective vests shall be worn when working near a roadway.
Page 10 of 19Election signs shall be installed during daylight hours only.
Vehicles used for transporting election signs must be parked so as to minimize the impact to the
travelling public (preferably on an approach), as far as possible from the travel lanes, and have four-
way hazard warning signals operating at all times.
Sign Removal
Candidates are responsible to ensure that all advertising be promptly removed from both public
and private property immediately following the election (within 3 days).
Removal of signs includes removal of the sign panel, supporting structure and any tie wire used to
install and support the sign; cleaning up of the site; and filling of any holes created by the sign
installation.
Election
Ballots LAEA Part 6 148 (5)Excerpt
No person shall print or distribute or cause to be printed or distributed in any advertisement,
handbill, placard, poster, circular, pamphlet, newspaper or other paper a form of ballot printed by
the returning officer, indicating or showing it to be marked for any candidate or candidates.
Contents of Ballots Section 43 Excerpt
Ballots are printed with names of the candidate arrange alphabetically in order of the surnames.
Example of Ballot
Apple, Betty
Cupcake, Vanilla
Pie, Cherry
Advance Vote
For all potential elections for Council
To be determined
Election Day
Monday, October 18, 2021
9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Page 11 of 19Election Day Voting Station Locations. Final determination will be made following Nomination Day.
Division 1 Division 4
Radway Agri Centre Abee Community Hall
Division 2 Division 5
Egremont Community Hall Newbrook Community Hall
Division 3
Thorhild Legion Hall
Eligibility to Vote – LAEA Section 47 Excerpt
A person is eligible to vote in an election if the person is
a) Is at least 18 years old;
b) Is a Canadian citizen; and
c) Resides in Alberta and the person’s place of residence is located in the local jurisdiction
on election day
Rules of Residence – LAEA Section 48 (1) Excerpt
(1) For the purposes of this Act, the place of residence is governed by the following rules:
(a) a person may be a resident of only one place at a time for the purpose of
voting under this Act;
(a.1) if a person has more than one residence in Alberta, that person shall, in
accordance with subsection (1.1), designate one place of residence as a
person’s place of residence for the purpose of this Act;
(b) the residence of a person is the place where he lives and sleeps and to which,
when he is absent, he intends to return;
(c) a person does not lose his residence by leaving his home for a temporary
purpose;
Proof of Elector Eligibility - LAEA Section 53 Excerpt
One piece of identification issued by Canadian government, whether federal, provincial or local, or
an agent of that government that contains a photograph of the person, the person’s’ name and
address of the person’s residence. or one piece of identification authorized by the Chief Electoral
Officer - Alberta under the Alberta Election Act Section 95(1)(a)(ii) that establishes the elector’s
name and current address.
The complete is list available at http://www.municipalaffairs.alberta.ca/mc_elections and on the
Thorhild County website www.Thorhildcounty.ca
Page 12 of 19Unofficial Election Results
Once voting has closed, as the results are received, they will be posted on the Elections page
located on Thorhild County’s website at www.Thorhildcounty.ca, Facebook, and Twitter.
Once all results have been tabulated, a News Release will be sent to all Thorhild County media
outlets advising of the unofficial election results on election night.
Recounts
Deadline to request a recount is
Wednesday October 20, 2021 at 4:00 p.m.
Official Results
Released
October 22, 2021 at 12 noon.
Campaign Disclosure Statement and Financial Statement Form 26
All candidates must file this form.
This form is to be filed on or before March 1, 2022 if the candidate’s election campaign is funded by
others or a combination of self funded and others.
Roles and Responsibilities of Municipal Officials
The Municipal Government Act (MGA) provides for a broad spectrum of powers and duties.
The MGA provides that Councils can only exercise the powers of the municipal corporation in the
proper form, either by bylaw or resolution.
The councillor's job is to work with other Council members to set the overall direction of the
municipality through their role as a policy maker. The policies that council sets are the guidelines
for administration to follow as it does the job of running a municipality. A councillor will spend a lot
of time while on council creating new policies or reviewing the current ones.
As an individual member of council, you will not have the power to commit your municipality to any
expenditure or to direct the activities of municipal employees. Any promise you make as part of
your election campaign that involves municipal expenditures or the activities of County
Administration/employees can only be carried out if a majority of council votes in favour of the
matter in a meeting.
Page 13 of 19The Councillors
Under the MGA, councillors have the following duties:
a) To consider the welfare and interests of the municipality as a whole and, to bring to
council's attention anything that would promote the welfare or interests of the
municipality;
b) To promote an integrated and strategic approach to intermunicipal land use planning and
service deliver with neighboring municipalities;
c) To participate generally in developing and evaluating the policies and programs of the
municipality;
d) To participate generally in developing and evaluating the polices and programs of the
municipality;
e) To participate in council meetings and council committee meetings and meetings of other
bodies to which they are appointed by the Council;
f) To obtain information about the operation or administration of the municipality from the
Chief Administrative Officer or a person designed by the chief administrative officer;
g) To keep in confidence matters discussed in private at a council committee meeting until
discussed at a meeting held in public;
h) To adhere to the code of conduct established by council under section 146.(1)
i) To perform any other duty or function imposed on councilors by this or any other
enactment or by the Council.
Duties of Council
A Council must not exercise a power or function or perform a duty that
is, by this or another enactment or Bylaw, specifically assigned to the
Chief Administrative Officer or a designated officer.
The Chief Elected Official (CEO): Reeve
The CEO, in addition to performing a councillor's duties, must
a) preside when attending a council meeting, unless a bylaw provides that another councillor
or other person is to preside; and
b) perform any other duty imposed under the chief elected official by the MGA or any other
enactment or bylaw.
In practice, the CEO is also generally the main spokesperson for the municipality, unless that duty is
delegated to another councillor. The title CEO may be changed to one that Council feels is
appropriate to the office, such as Reeve.
The Reeve of Thorhild County is elected by a vote of Council at the Organization Meeting.
Page 14 of 19Pecuniary Interest of Municipal Councils
https://open.alberta.ca/publications/pecuniary-interest-for-municipal-councillors-2021
Alberta’s municipal councillors have a strong record of public service to their communities. As a
public servant, you are responsible for upholding the public interest ahead of any private interests
you may have.
The MGA describes pecuniary interest and sets out the procedures you must follow if a matter in
which you have a pecuniary interest comes up at a Council meeting or a committee of Council
meeting. These rules are designed to protect the public interest while ensuring that your ability to
work is not adversely affected by your election to Council. In order that the public interest is
served and seen to be served, it is important that you be open and honest about dealing with
the municipality. Be fair to yourself, your electors, and your municipality by keeping your
private interests in harmony with the public interest.
Candidates should review this document available on the Alberta Government website.
Time Commitment - What to Expect
The MGA provides an outline of duties for members of Council. The Act does not, however,
indicate the minimum number of hours per week members should spend in performing their duties.
The amount of time spent is left to the discretion of each member of Council; and is dependent on
individual commitment to Boards, Committees, and Council functions;
The demands on your time while being an elected official will be considerable. You will be elected
for a four (4) year term of office and during that time you will be required to attend:
• Regular and special meetings of Council;
• Council committee meetings;
• Meetings of other boards and agencies to which you are appointed as a Council
representative;
• Conferences, conventions, seminars and workshops for training and discussion: and
• Other events promoting Thorhild County.
There is a substantial amount of time spent reading agenda material; speaking with residents, the
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) and other relevant stakeholders.
Council and Committee Meetings
The Thorhild County Procedure Bylaw establishes the rules and provisions to regulate the conduct
of business in Council and Council Committee Meetings. A copy of Bylaw 1301/16 can be found at
www.thorhildcounty.com or under Election Resources.
Page 15 of 19This document sets out the common rules and procedures for conducting a meeting and making
decisions as a group.
Council Meetings
Council meetings are held every second and fourth Tuesday commencing at 9:30 a.m. The 2nd
Council meeting in December is typically cancelled each year.
Council meetings can run until 4:00 p.m.
Special meetings may be called as per MGA Section 194, to deal with items that require attention
before a regularly scheduled meeting.
Swearing-in Ceremony, Organizational & Council Meeting
Following the 2021 election, successful Candidates will be sworn-in as members of Council for the
County. The Swearing-in Ceremony will take place in the Council Chambers at Thorhild County
Administration Building on Tuesday, October 26, 2021 at 9:30 a.m., followed by the Organizational
meeting.
Organizational meetings are mandated under the Municipal Government Act and must be held no
later than two (2) weeks after the 3rd Monday in October. Organizational meetings are held
annually.
Council Orientation
Council Orientation dates are tentatively scheduled for;
• October 19 - Welcome Lunch & County Introduction
• October 26 – Swearing in & Organizational Meeting and Council Meeting
• TBD - Tours of the County
• October 29 - Council Orientation - All Day Session
• November 3 - Department Overviews/Budget Presentations - All day
There are 18 other commitments, until the end of December see the tentative New Council
Schedule October 22 2021 to December 31 2021.
Council Budget Meetings
In addition to the regular Council meetings, members meet for days to review County Department’s
Budgets, which establish the policy direction for the County’s Capital and Operating Budgets. These
all-day meetings have tentatively been scheduled for:
Page 16 of 19Committee Meetings
Councillors serves on Internal Council Committees and External Committees. Only those Councillors
who are appointed to serve on a Committee have voting privileges at the Committee. Councillors
may also serve on other special committees, commissions and boards as appointed by Council.
There are several types of Committee appointments:
• Committees established by Council under the Municipal Government Act.
• Committees established under other legislation; e.g. Agricultural Service Board Act, Emergency
Management Act.
• Outside committees, boards, etc. which request or require representation by a Member of
Council;
• Ad Hoc Committees, which are formed by Council for reviewing of a specific matter.
Council members are each expected to sit on their proportionate share of standing committees and
ad hoc committees. Some of the meetings are monthly with the time commitment varying
depending on the committee.
Committees, Boards, Commissions
Board/Committee/Commission Members
Agricultural Services Board All of Council
Community Economic Development One Council Member
Advisory Board
Emergency Management Advisory All of Council
Committee
Family & Community Services Support All of Council
Services
Municipal Planning Commission Three Council Members
Subdivision and Development Appeal One Council Member
Board
Page 17 of 19Board/Committee/Commission Members
Federation Gas Co-Ops / Zone 3 All of Council
Highway 28/63 Regional Water Services Two Council Members
Commission
NEWTHORAD Seniors Foundation Three Council Members
Northern Lights Library System Board One Council Member
Shell Quest Advisory Board One Council Member
Thorhild County Library Board One Council Member
Conferences, Seminars, and Community Events
There are many conferences, seminars and workshops that Council receives information on.
Depending on the committees that a Council member sits on, there are additional council related
events to attend.
Rural Municipalities of Alberta www.rma.alberta.com
The Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) is an independent association comprising Alberta’s
counties and municipal districts. Since 1909, they have helped rural municipalities achieve strong,
effective local government. The RMA provides Advocacy and Aggregated Business Services
including Trade, PFA Canada and Jubilee Insurance.
The RMA represents the interests of rural Albertans to the Provincial and Federal governments.
The RMA holds a convention in the spring and in the fall each year, usually in Edmonton. This is an
opportunity for Council members to network with other Councillors from across the Province, as
well as to interact with Provincial Government officials. Each convention debates resolutions
presented by the membership to direct the RMA’s advocacy efforts.
Pembina River District No. 3
The Rural Municipalities of Alberta is divided into five (5) zones. The Pembina River District No. 3 is
one of the five (5) zones. The purpose of this Association is to enable the twelve (12) municipalities
within the Pembina River District to discuss various issues and topics relative to the delivery of
services and programs. Resolutions are often discussed and adopted for the spring and fall
conference held in Edmonton. The District meets once a quarter.
Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) – www.fcm.ca
Thorhild County is a member of FCM and as such, members of Council have the opportunity to
attend the annual conference of FCM once during their term of office.
FCM conducts research, develops policies, and through appropriate mechanisms, takes action on
matters of national municipal concern. FCM serves as the central linkage among Canadian
municipalities and municipal associations acting upon their shared goals in the intergovernmental
arena while also serving as a networking forum for municipal officials across Canada.
Page 18 of 19Community Events
As a councillor, you will be invited to attend many community events through out the year.
Council Remuneration and Expense
Policy 203 Councillor Remuneration, listed in Election Resources
Contacts
Returning Officer
Ryan Maier, Interim CAO
801-1 Street
Thorhild, AB T0A 3J0
Phone: 780-398-3741
Email: election@thorhildcounty.com
Deputy Returning Officer
Carol Revega
Phone: 780-398-2808
Email: election@thorhildcounty.com
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