This year’s municipal election is fast approaching, and voters will soon learn the names of all candidates running to become City Councillors, School Trustees, and the Mayor.
The nomination period runs from Sept. 1 to 11 — that’s the window for candidates to submit the required paperwork to make their candidacies official. The campaign period then begins on Sept. 19, with the election being held on Oct. 17.
City Councils and School Boards have a lot of responsibilities. Now that Abbotsford voters will be selecting new elected officials, it’s the perfect time for a reminder of the roles of different levels of government.
At the city level, we take care of most of the basic services that you rely on every day. This includes the police and fire departments, plus infrastructure like water, roads, sewers and drainage. We also handle business licenses, permits, bylaws, parks, cemeteries, solid waste collection, snow removal, and we set the municipal property tax rate. We’re unique in that we also have our own City-owned and operated Abbotsford International Airport. Areas like solid waste management, air quality, animal control and regional and rural transit are the responsibility of the Fraser Valley Regional District.
The Abbotsford Board of Education, on the other hand, is focused on things like school staffing and budgets, catchment areas, busing and the management and operation of schools and facilities. The school curriculum, however, is set out by the provincial government.
And speaking of the Province, they’re the ones responsible for big items like provincial court, healthcare (including mental health and addiction), housing (including social and supportive housing), and highways (including those within municipal boundaries). Some major provincial agencies include ICBC and BC Assessment, which determines the value of your home. They also cover wildlife and conservation, agricultural land regulations, provincial parks and child protection. The Province also sets out the provincial income tax, property tax, purchase taxes and sales tax.
At the highest level we have the federal government. They handle immigration, international relations, the RCMP, the military, banking and interest rates, fisheries, employment insurance, the Canada Pension Plan and First Nations title and land issues, to name a few things. They also set the federal income tax and federal fuel taxes.
We hope this refresher on government roles helps you make an informed decision as you mark your ballot or if you choose to run for City Council or the School Board.
For more information about the upcoming election, including how to vote, how to run, and how to get involved, visit www.abbotsford.ca/elections.
Abbotsford City Council