Declare October 31 Cities and Municipalities Day

Summary#

This bill would name October 31 of every year as “Cities and Municipalities Day” across Canada. It is a commemorative day only. The bill states it is not a legal holiday. It does not change funding, services, or powers of any government.

• Names October 31 as Cities and Municipalities Day nationwide (Bill, Cities and Municipalities Day).
• Clarifies it is not a legal holiday; no closures or paid leave are required (Bill, Not a legal holiday).
• Does not create new programs, mandates, or funding.
• Aligns with the United Nations’ World Cities Day on October 31 (Preamble).
• Recognizes the role of the country’s roughly 3,500 municipalities and the services they provide (Preamble).

What it means for you#

• Households and workers:

  • No day off is created. Schools and workplaces operate as usual unless they choose otherwise (Bill, Not a legal holiday).
  • You may see announcements or events if local groups choose to mark the day. The bill does not require this.

• Businesses:

  • No required closures or special pay rules. Normal operations continue (Bill, Not a legal holiday).
  • Any observance would be voluntary, such as promotions or community events.

• Municipalities and local governments:

  • May choose to issue proclamations or host events, but nothing is required by the bill (Bill text contains no mandates).
  • No change to municipal powers, duties, or funding mechanisms.

• Schools and community organizations:

  • No required activities. Any educational or community programming would be optional.

• Federal, provincial, and territorial governments:

  • No mandated actions. They may choose to acknowledge the day through communications.

• Timing:

  • The bill sets no delayed start date. Once it becomes law, October 31 each year will carry this designation (Bill text contains no coming-into-force delay).

Expenses#

Estimated net cost: Data unavailable; the bill contains no appropriations, mandates, or tax changes.

• Appropriations in the bill: None (Bill text).
• Mandated spending or revenue changes: None (Bill text).
• Implementation requirements: None. Any observance or communications would be voluntary and at the discretion of institutions (Bill text).
• Fiscal note: Data unavailable.

Proponents' View#

• Raises national awareness of the role cities and municipalities play in daily services like water, roads, waste, snow removal, recreation, and social services (Preamble).
• Aligns Canada’s observance with the United Nations’ World Cities Day on October 31, which promotes sustainable urban development (Preamble).
• Offers a low-burden way to recognize local governments because it is not a legal holiday and imposes no mandates (Bill, Not a legal holiday; Bill text contains no mandates).
• Could encourage dialogue on major municipal challenges noted in the preamble—housing, climate adaptation, infrastructure financing, cultural integration, and poverty—by giving them a recurring focal day (Preamble). Assumes voluntary engagement by governments and stakeholders.

Opponents' View#

• Symbolic only: the bill does not change funding, powers, or responsibilities, despite acknowledging major challenges faced by municipalities (Preamble; Bill text contains no funding or powers changes).
• No measurable outcomes or accountability mechanisms are created; observance is voluntary and may vary widely (Bill text contains no mandates).
• Does not address the financing constraints cited in the preamble (heavy reliance on property taxes) or provide tools to meet those challenges (Preamble; Bill text contains no fiscal provisions).
• Legislative time used for a commemorative day may not advance concrete solutions on housing, infrastructure, or climate adaptation; impact on these issues depends on voluntary actions beyond the bill (Preamble; Bill text).