List of municipalities in British Columbia

Map of Canada with British Columbia highlighted in red
Location of British Columbia in Canada
Skyline of Vancouver
Skyline of Vancouver, British Columbia's largest city
Skyline of Surrey
Skyline of Surrey, British Columbia's second largest city and suburb of Vancouver
Skyline of Burnaby
Skyline of Burnaby, British Columbia's third largest city and suburb of Vancouver
Skyline of Richmond
Skyline of Richmond, British Columbia's fourth largest city and suburb of Vancouver
Skyline of Abbotsford
Skyline of Abbotsford, the largest city outside of Greater Vancouver
Coquitlam's Town Centre
Skyline of Coquitlam, British Columbia's sixth largest city and suburb of Vancouver
Kelowna Skyline
Skyline of Kelowna, the largest city in the interior of British Columbia
Areal view of Saanich, British Columbia
Aerial view of Saanich, the largest municipality on Vancouver Island and suburb of the capital Victoria

British Columbia is the third-most populous province in Canada, with 5,000,879 residents as of 2021, and is the second-largest in land area,[a] at 920,687 km2 (355,479 sq mi).[2] British Columbia's 161 municipalities cover only 11 percent of the province's land mass yet are home to 89 percent of its population. A municipality is a local government incorporated by the province allowing a community to govern itself and to provide and regulate local services. These services typically include, but are not limited to, the provision of drinking water, sewers, roads, fire protection, street lights, garbage/recycling collection, land use planning, building inspection, and parks.

Within their limited jurisdictions, municipalities are autonomous, responsible and accountable to their citizens and to the province. Their powers and responsibilities are regulated through the Local Government Act,[3] the Community Charter, and, in the case of Vancouver, the Vancouver Charter. They have the power of a natural person, the power to expropriate, and the power to establish and enforce bylaws. They are able to raise funds through property taxes and user fees, and borrow a limited amount through the Municipal Finance Authority of British Columbia to pay for capital costs.[4]

Municipalities are governed by a mayor and council who are democratically elected every 4 years on the third Saturday in October. The most recent election took place on October 15, 2022; the next election will take place on October 17, 2026.[5] Each municipality is a member of a regional district to which their councils elect representatives. The board of directors of the regional district is used as a forum to discuss regional issues.[4]

To become a municipality, a community, with the assistance of the provincial Ministry of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, defines its borders and holds a referendum on the issue. If successful the Cabinet of British Columbia issues a letters patent incorporating the community. Part 2 of the Local Government Act sets out a classification scheme that gives each new municipality a designation. If the population is fewer than 2,500 people the new municipality is designated a village, if between 2,500 and 5,000 a town, and if greater than 5,000 a city. If the new municipality has an area greater than 800 hectares (2,000 acres) and an average population density of fewer than 5 persons per hectare then is it designated a district municipality. The municipality must request change in designation but is not compelled to do so, despite population growth or loss – Greenwood has retained its city status, for example, rather than relinquishing it as other boomtowns of its era have done. There is no longer any legal difference between the designations.[4]

  1. ^ "Land and freshwater area, by province and territory". Statistics Canada. February 1, 2005. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  2. ^ "Population and dwelling counts, for Canada, provinces and territories, 2021 and 2016 censuses – 100% data". Statistics Canada. March 14, 2022. Retrieved March 14, 2022.
  3. ^ "Local Government Act". British Columbia Queens Printer. 1996. Retrieved July 7, 2007.
  4. ^ a b c Union of British Columbia Municipalities. "Local Government in British Columbia: A Community Effort" (PDF). 2006 Edition. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 3, 2007. Retrieved July 1, 2007.
  5. ^ "Municipal Election Schedule in Canada". Intergovernmental Committee on Urban and Regional Research. December 15, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2023.


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