Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, 2025*

Summary#

• Bill 50 changes Alberta laws on local elections, municipal councils, and new home warranties. It aims to make voting more accessible, adjust campaign finance to include local political parties, set clearer rules for how councils meet, and strengthen protections for people buying new homes.

• Key themes: better voting access and privacy, tighter recount rules, new powers for the Municipal Affairs Minister over council meeting procedures, changes to how towns share services, and stronger disclosure when a new home has no warranty.

• Main changes:

  • Allows accessible ballot-marking machines for voters who need them, while keeping paper ballots.
  • Lets displaced Jasper residents vote and run in 2025–2026 with a simple signed statement and photo ID.
  • Limits access to voter lists to election officials only; clarifies recount rules and timelines.
  • Recognizes local political parties in civic races and allows recorded transfers between a party and its endorsed candidates.
  • Removes local codes of conduct for councillors, and lets the Minister set meeting procedures councils must follow.
  • Tightens rules so a new home cannot be sold without warranty unless a hardship exemption is granted and a warning is placed on the land title.

What it means for you#

• Voters

  • If you have a disability, your city or school division may offer an accessible ballot-marking device that prints a paper ballot. It must be offline and keep your vote private.
  • If you live in Jasper and were displaced by the 2024 wildfire, you can vote and run in 2025–2026 by signing a statement and showing one piece of government photo ID. Polls must post notice and offer you the chance to make the statement.
  • Scrutineers and candidates can no longer view or copy the permanent voter list. Only the returning officer can use it.
  • Close elections have clearer recount triggers and deadlines.

• Candidates and local political parties

  • Local political parties are recognized. Parties can endorse candidates.
  • A party and its endorsed candidate may transfer money, goods, services, or debt between them. These transfers are not “contributions” or “expenses,” but must be recorded and disclosed.
  • Contribution limits still apply to donations to candidates. Wording now also covers trustees (school board members).

• People with disabilities

  • “Elector assistance terminals” can be used where approved by bylaw. Devices must let you vote privately, verify your ballot, and create a paper record.

• Homebuyers and owner builders

  • A new home generally cannot be sold during construction or within the warranty period unless it has warranty coverage.
  • A sale without warranty is only allowed if the Registrar grants a hardship exemption, gives written permission to sell, and a warning (caveat) is registered on the land title. Buyers must get a disclosure notice saying whether the home has warranty.
  • The caveat can only be removed when warranty is added or the warranty period ends.

• School families

  • Cities and towns cannot charge off-site levies on land used for a school building project if the land is owned by a school board or leased to a school board in the way the law allows. This can lower school site costs.

• Municipal councillors and councils

  • Codes of conduct for councillors are removed. Existing code complaints and sanctions end. Councils cannot pass bylaws or resolutions about councillor behavior.
  • The Minister can set meeting procedures for councils and committees. Councils can add to them, but cannot conflict. Councils must update their procedure bylaws within 6 months of an order.
  • A council must appoint a single chief administrative officer (CAO), not multiple people.
  • The CAO must report in writing within 72 hours after using the municipality’s “natural person” powers (for example, signing agreements).
  • When one councillor gets information from the CAO to do their job, all councillors must receive it within 72 hours. The CAO can refuse personal or confidential information based on privacy rules but must give reasons.

• Rural municipalities (intermunicipal collaboration)

  • Neighbouring municipal districts may agree that they do not need an intermunicipal framework, if they publish reasons and notify the Minister. They can change their minds later.
  • Where a framework is required, it must cover five core services: roads/transportation, water and wastewater, solid waste, emergency services, and recreation.
  • New facilities’ capital costs for these services can be shared only if all parties agreed beforehand to design and build the facility.
  • If talks fail, the arbitrator’s award must be turned into a framework and adopted. The Minister can impose a framework and require payment of arbitration costs if a municipality does not comply.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

• Improves access to voting for people with disabilities while keeping a secure paper trail.
• Protects voter privacy by limiting access to voter lists and sets fair, clear recount rules.
• Helps displaced Jasper residents keep their civic voice during recovery.
• Brings transparency and consistency by recognizing local political parties and recording party–candidate transfers.
• Reduces red tape and local conflict by removing uneven code-of-conduct systems and setting standard meeting rules.
• Protects homebuyers with clearer “no warranty, no sale” rules and visible title warnings if a warranty is missing.
• Makes intermunicipal service sharing more focused, fair, and enforceable, ensuring core services are covered.

Opponents' View#

• Ending local codes of conduct may weaken tools for addressing councillor behavior and local accountability.
• Minister-set meeting procedures and stronger intervention powers could reduce municipal autonomy.
• Limiting off-site levies for school sites may shift more infrastructure costs to municipalities and local taxpayers.
• Restricting candidate access to voter lists may hinder campaign oversight and scrutineering.
• Recognizing local political parties and allowing non-contribution transfers could further politicize local elections and complicate financial transparency.
• Buying and testing accessible voting devices could add costs for municipalities.
• Allowing hardship exemptions for selling unwarrantied homes, even with caveats, may still expose buyers to risk.