Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2024*

Summary#

• Bill 20 changes Alberta’s local election laws, municipal powers, and referendum rules. It focuses on election integrity, campaign finance, recall of councillors, and tools to speed housing.
• It standardizes voter ID, tightens mail‑in voting, bans vote‑counting machines, and creates a permanent voter list. It also allows Alberta corporations and unions to donate to municipal candidates under new limits.
• The bill gives the provincial cabinet new powers over municipalities, including the ability to order bylaw changes and dismiss a councillor in the public interest. It lets municipalities use tax tools to encourage housing and defines when affordable housing is tax‑exempt.

Key changes

• Elections: province-wide voter ID rules; permanent electors register; tighter special ballot rules; no tabulators or voting machines; possible criminal record checks for candidates by local bylaw; more public access to disclosure records.
• Campaign finance: Alberta corporations, Alberta trade unions, and Alberta employee organizations may donate (within limits). Individuals’ limits become annual and aggregate by municipality/board. Annual public disclosures.
• Third‑party advertising: definition expanded (includes positions on bylaws/questions); maximum advertising contributions lowered to $5,000 per period.
• Party/slate option: enables, by future regulation, local political parties or slates and listing them on ballots.
• Municipal powers: cabinet may direct a municipality to amend or repeal a bylaw; may dismiss a councillor or order a local vote on dismissal; recall petitions now go to the Minister (effective Jan 1, 2025).
• Housing/tax: allows municipalities to offer tax exemptions/deferrals to spur residential building; affordable housing can be tax‑exempt; limits to one public hearing on many residential planning bylaws; requires councils to allow electronic public hearings.

What it means for you#

• Voters

  • You must be on the permanent electors register and show one piece of government photo ID (like an Alberta driver’s licence or ID card). Local ID bylaws are repealed.
  • If you are in line when polls close, you can still vote. Scrutineers may observe at more than one station.
  • Special (mail‑in) ballots need a witness who is an elector, a copy of your ID, and your own signature that matches your ID (if your ID has a signature). No drop boxes or central collection points; only you can send your ballot. Late arrivals are rejected.
  • Ballots must be marked with an “X.” Other marks may be rejected.
  • Results will be counted by hand; no tabulators.

• Potential candidates

  • A municipality can pass a bylaw (before Dec 31 of the year before the election) to require a criminal record check with your nomination. The results will be public (addresses redacted).
  • You are disqualified mid‑campaign if convicted of certain serious offences or if you misuse contributions after giving notice to raise money.
  • Annual disclosure of contributions/expenses is required for any year you receive contributions. Some nomination papers and disclosures are posted online with limited redactions.
  • Alberta corporations, Alberta trade unions, and Alberta employee organizations can contribute to you (within limits). You can self‑fund up to $10,000 per campaign period if not reimbursed.
  • If you work for the Ombudsman, you must take an unpaid leave to run.

• Donors and third parties

  • Individuals who live in Alberta can give up to $5,000 per calendar year in total to all council candidates in a single municipality, plus separate $5,000 totals for public and separate school board candidates.
  • Alberta corporations, Alberta trade unions, and Alberta employee organizations can each give up to $5,000 per year per municipality/board (same aggregate structure).
  • Third‑party advertising now also covers promoting or opposing a position on a bylaw/question. The maximum a person or entity can give to a third party during an election advertising period drops to $5,000.

• Homeowners, renters, and developers

  • Councils may offer property tax exemptions or deferrals to encourage new homes. Affordable housing can be tax‑exempt (council may opt to tax it).
  • Councils must allow electronic public hearings and are limited to one public hearing for many residential planning bylaws, which may speed approvals.
  • The province can set rules on what studies a development authority may request before approval.

• Municipal officials

  • You must build and maintain a permanent electors register (with data from the Chief Electoral Officer) and post more election and finance records online.
  • Recall petitions will be filed with and decided by the Minister (from Jan 1, 2025).
  • Cabinet may direct you to amend or repeal a bylaw, require actions to protect safety/health, or dismiss a councillor (or order a local vote on dismissal).

Expenses#

Estimated fiscal impact: unclear; likely mixed for municipalities.

• Likely higher election administration costs for:
  • Building and maintaining a permanent electors register and website publishing.
  • Manual vote counting (no tabulators), longer count times, more staffing.
  • Managing criminal record checks and added public records.
• Possible savings by not purchasing/leasing tabulators and ending door‑to‑door enumerations.
• Housing tax tools do not have a specific cost; they allow local choices that may reduce tax revenue in the short term to spur construction.
• No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Standard ID rules and tighter special ballot rules improve election integrity and public trust.
• Hand counting, scrutineer access, and clear ballot marking reduce disputes and make counts transparent.
• Permanent voter lists reduce duplication and long lines; centralized data improves accuracy over time.
• Allowing Alberta‑based corporations and unions to donate broadens local support while keeping caps and transparency; annual disclosures strengthen accountability.
• Enabling local political parties or slates (by regulation) can give voters clearer choices and responsibility lines.
• Provincial tools to dismiss a councillor or order bylaw changes protect the public interest and help resolve dysfunctional councils.
• Housing measures (tax incentives, streamlined hearings, electronic participation) speed approvals and encourage more homes, including affordable units.

Opponents' View#

• Banning tabulators may slow results, raise staffing needs, and increase human error, especially in big cities.
• Stricter ID and mail‑in rules (no drop boxes, signature checks) could make voting harder for seniors, students, rural residents, and people without government photo ID.
• Requiring and publishing criminal record checks may deter qualified people from running and raise privacy concerns.
• Allowing corporate and union donations re‑introduces “big money” into local races; lower individual limits per municipality may disadvantage grassroots campaigns.
• Enabling local political parties/slates could polarize non‑partisan local councils and import provincial or federal party conflicts into city halls.
• Provincial powers to dismiss councillors and force bylaw changes erode municipal autonomy and could be used for political ends.
• Limiting to one public hearing on residential proposals may reduce community input on major changes.