Latest news with #municipalities
CTV News
4 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Calls to cap salaries of Metro Vancouver board
Vancouver Watch Calls to cap the salaries of politicians service on Metro Vancouver's board are growing louder, with both municipal and provincial voices weighing in.
The Herald
16 hours ago
- Politics
- The Herald
Theft and vandalism in municipalities: SAHRC releases policy brief to tackle ‘water mafias'
'Many municipalities confirmed the prevalence of water mafias and construction mafias. When I recently had discussions with mayors, they also confirmed the presence of water mafias in municipalities,' he told Simelane. Boshoff said they know the only reason for the appointment of some 'service providers' in municipalities was for them to benefit financially. ' They are appointed to provide water tankers, for example, and there is a reluctance by municipal officials to appoint staff members or fill vacant positions in municipalities to perform the services. As Environment Month draws to a close, the SAHRC put a spotlight on water. The commission was concerned that the right to access clean water, a constitutional entitlement, is under threat. The SAHRC published a policy brief delving deeper into systemic sabotage of essential water infrastructure, particularly by water mafias.
CTV News
19 hours ago
- General
- CTV News
Essex County Library Board calling for further communication and agreements among branches
The Vice Chair of the Essex County Library Board wants to see formal agreements with all local municipalities to ensure everyone's responsibilities are properly identified. Essex mayor Sherry Bondy raised a notice of motion during the Library Board meeting on Wednesday evening, requesting that the library administration work with local municipalities to get formal agreements in place that would set out level of service benchmarks, heating and cooling agreements, health and safety expectations, or other requirements. The motion was unanimously passed. Bondy said following the air quality concerns that were brought up and are currently being addressed at the Stoney Point Library branch, she began to question what level of service each municipality has to provide in order for the Library Board to provide adequate services. Bondy, who also serves as the Vice Chair of the Essex County Library Board, added it would be good to spell out exactly what each municipality would be responsible for. 'And this would spell out exactly who does what,' she said. 'It could be down to the condition of the building, it could be down to snow removal, whether the building is accessible or not, it could even be the size of the building, potentially even the location. It depends on what the municipalities in the County or the Library Board come up with.' She said that everyone needs to know what their role is, helping to ensure that services aren't disrupted. 'Nobody wants to shut down a library, or not to have an area in service, but we also have to make sure that as the Library Board, we're providing services in places that are safe, not only for employees, but for members of the public that goes to these branches.' By delegating a responsibility to each, that would also put costs for improvements on the specific branch in charge. 'Municipalities would have to incorporate that in their budget,' said Bondy. 'If a roof is leaking or an air conditioner needs fixing. Another example is Amherstburg Library. The air conditioning is not working to its full potential, so that branch had to be closed. So, it could potentially spell out areas of improvement for local municipalities.' She added that this will take time for the conversations to take place. The Stoney Point facility closed to the public on April 30 following concerns of air quality issues as staff and library users were experiencing throat and eye irritation during periods of warmer temperatures. The Municipality of Lakeshore has opened a temporary facility to be used for the next year while those issues are being addressed. The Essex County Library posted to social media on Wednesday that the Amherstburg Branch would be closed for the day due to extreme heat and air condition issues. - Written by Rob Hindi/AM800 News.
CBC
2 days ago
- Business
- CBC
B.C. municipalities allowed to take on more debt for small projects, says province
Social Sharing Municipalities in British Columbia are fiscally conservative whether they want to be or not — but the province is letting that change, at least a little. "The last time [we changed] the amount local governments could borrow to build infrastructure, Pavel Bure, Kirk McLean and Trevor Linden were making a run to the playoffs for the Canucks," said Ravi Kahlon, B.C.'s minister of housing and municipal affairs, referring to the NHL team's run of success in the '90s. Municipalities aren't allowed to run operational deficits on a yearly basis. If they want to build or renew city infrastructure but don't have enough reserves, they generally have to approve capital debt through a referendum or an alternative approval process (AAP) — a type of reverse referendum where a project is approved if fewer than 10 per cent of electors fill out a form in opposition. On Tuesday, the province announced changes that will: Allow municipalities to borrow up to $150 per person without a referendum or AAP if the term of the borrowing is less than five years, up from $50. Raise the borrowing limit without a referendum or AAP from five per cent of annual general revenue to 10 per cent for projects with a longer repayment schedule. The changes won't allow municipalities to bypass public input for their biggest projects, but will allow more small projects to be approved quickly, said Kahlon. "This is something local governments have been asking for for more than 30 years and we believe it is time for them to be able to catch up," he said. WATCH | B.C. to allow municipalities to take on more debt B.C. to allow municipalities to take on more debt 9 hours ago Duration 2:45 Municipalities in B.C. face serious restrictions on borrowing money. But the provincial government has just given municipalities the green light to go more in the red. Justin McElroy explains why and how the current system for taking on debt can create confusion. Are municipalities Dickensian orphans? While some municipalities have taken pride in not going into debt for projects, the change came as a relief to cities that feel hamstrung by the current model. "So kudos to the government. But like Oliver Twist said, 'Please sir, we want some more,'" said Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog, adding that it would help many cities deliver the increased housing and density mandated by the province. "There is a tension around municipalities being expected to deliver housing … it's not as if we're paying for it in the direct sense, but we're responsible to ensure that the housing is serviced appropriately," he said. Nanaimo has failed three times in the last two years to approve debt for a new operations centre through the alternative approval process, and Krog argued there's a funding gap between cities and other levels of government. "Municipalities are treated differently. We're not recognized under the Constitution as a level of government that has an inherent right to exist," he said. "But we deliver the most basic of services, the services that people may not wish to pay for, but if we turn them off tomorrow would have a tremendous impact on their lives." Public approval still necessary for big projects As more than 90 per cent of B.C. municipalities are under 100,000 people and $200 million in yearly revenue, virtually all big ticket items will still need AAPs or referendums to be approved. One example is playing out in Saanich, where on Wednesday the deadline passed for residents to write in opposition against a proposed $150-million operations centre to replace the one that was built in the 1950s. Organizers of the campaign against the AAP are confident that enough forms in opposition of the plan have been submitted, and argue the municipality should hold a referendum on the project instead. "We chose to go the AAP route because it was a way for us to limit the potential additional cost to this project," said Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock, who estimated a recent referendum to approve a new pool in neighbouring Victoria cost $300,000. "When you consider that so many of our facilities are going to require replacement or significant upgrades, I think the AAP is an appropriate tool," he said, adding that if it failed, Saanich would likely embark on a referendum. The municipality with the most discussion around AAPs over the last year may be Kamloops, which has used them to move forward on a performing arts centre, arena multiplex, and a new RCMP detachment. Kamloops deputy mayor Mike O'Reilly said that beyond the cost, going the AAP route instead of a referendum is a pragmatic choice. "If an AAP fails, you can then move to a referendum," he said. "If you do a referendum first, and it does not pass … you cannot fall back."
Mail & Guardian
2 days ago
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
Why a review of the White Paper on Local Government matters
Local government are elected to provide services, but many struggle to do this. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy In April 2025, the department of cooperative governance and traditional affairs released a discussion document on the review of the 1998 White Paper on Local Government. The latter was a bold and necessary step in South Africa's democratic journey. Its main aim was to redefine and establish municipalities as development engines capable of delivering basic services and driving social and economic development. Yet, as the past 27 years have shown, its assumptions and prescriptions have not fully aligned with the complex realities facing municipalities and their residents. The persistent failures of local government are not merely technical glitches; they reflect deeper structural, financial and governance challenges. Therefore, a critical review of the White Paper is not just a bureaucratic exercise but a matter of urgent national importance. For millions of people, municipalities determine whether they have water, electricity, decent roads and a healthy and dignified life. They are the foundation upon which inclusive development, social justice and democratic legitimacy rest. A central problem facing local government is the widespread failure to deliver basic services consistently. Many are financially distressed and some argue this distress is rooted in the very assumptions and structural arrangements articulated in the Revenue One key assumption was that municipalities would be able to raise enough revenue to fund the bulk of their operational expenditures. It was anticipated that municipalities would finance 90% of their recurrent costs, including salaries, repairs, maintenance and other daily operating expenses, using their own revenue streams, such as property rates and service charges. In other words, the remaining 10% would be funded by national transfers. This assumption underpinned the funding model for local government. It implied a local government model that is financially self-sufficient and capable of meeting its constitutional developmental mandates. But years of evidence have shown that this model was overly optimistic — if not fundamentally flawed. Municipalities in rural or economically marginalised areas struggle with their revenue collection because ratepayers can't or won't pay. The former is linked to high unemployment and poverty levels, while the latter could be attributed to administrative weaknesses. Apart from the metros, debt collection rate ranges from an average of between Many rely heavily on intergovernmental transfers that are insufficient to cover operational and capital needs. The over-reliance on property rates and service charges has also exposed deep inequalities, with wealthier urban municipalities faring better than rural municipalities that remain trapped in a cycle of underfunding and As such, the anticipated 90% self-funding benchmark is a structural revenue shortfall that remains elusive in many municipalities with cascading effects on service delivery, infrastructure maintenance, and overall governance. The inability to generate adequate revenue has direct consequences for service delivery. Countrywide, people face persistent water shortages, unreliable electricity supply, deteriorating roads, and poor waste management. Problems with governance It is no secret that many municipalities suffer from chronic governance problems, such as the lack of accountability, political instability and infighting, cadre deployment, poor consequence management, and skills shortages. Back in 1998, the White Paper envisaged professional, accountable local administrations; instead, many councils today are beset by instability, political interference and a lack of technical expertise. This undermines both strategic planning and day-to-day operations. The funding model has inadvertently entrenched spatial and economic inequalities. Affluent municipalities with a stronger revenue base can deliver better services and maintain their infrastructure, while poorer municipalities continue to lag further behind. This perpetuates the legacy of apartheid-era spatial planning and undermines the goals of equitable development and developmental local government. For the average person, the failures of local government are not abstract policy issues; they are realities that shape daily lives. In short, the effectiveness of local government is a 'litmus test' for the health of the country's democracy. When municipalities fail, people pay the price, and the consequences are immediate and profound: Dysfunctional municipalities deter investment, hinder local businesses and restrict job creation, thereby exacerbating poverty and inequality. Without reliable municipal services, people are forced to use unsafe water sources and makeshift sanitation, with dire health implications. Power outages, potholes and crumbling infrastructure disrupt livelihoods, hinder economic activity and erode public trust. Poor waste management and inadequate environmental health services expose people to disease and environmental hazards. When local government is seen as corrupt or incompetent, it undermines legitimacy and trust, social cohesion and fuels disillusionment with democracy itself. Differentiated approach It is clear that the White Paper must be comprehensively reviewed and reformed. This moment also creates an opportunity to rethink the local government funding model critically. A re-imagined national policy on developmental local government must take seriously the funding model that is supposed to bring it to life. A differentiated approach is needed, one that recognises the local government history, the diverse capacities and contexts of municipalities. This may require increased and better-targeted national transfers, especially for poorer municipalities, alongside innovative approaches to local revenue generation. Such approaches may typically include a review of the Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations Framework to pursue a truly equitable sharing and allocation of revenue raised nationally. Reforming local government through a revised White Paper must also be part of a broader strategy to address spatial and economic structural inequalities. This must include targeted investment in infrastructure, support for local economic development and measures to expand the municipal rate base over time. But improving municipal governance will require both political will and systemic reforms that seek to professionalise local government and strengthen oversight mechanisms to root out corruption. Appointing skilled, qualified officials — rather than prioritising comradeship or political loyalty — must become the norm. This will go a long way toward strengthening local governance and accountability. As we look to the future, we must learn from the past, confront uncomfortable truths, and forge a new consensus on municipalities' role, funding, and functioning. This will go a long way in ensuring that all municipalities are 'fit for purpose' and capable of addressing the ever-evolving needs for all effectively. Dr Lungelwa Kaywood is a local government specialist and postdoctoral fellow in the Chair in Urban Law and Sustainability Governance at the Faculty of Law at Stellenbosch University.
