New requirements for council orientation

The Government of Alberta made changes to the requirements for orientation of council in 2024. To help ABmunis members navigate these changes, this article explains the new rules and answers the common questions we have received from ABmunis members. 

All municipal elected officials must now take orientation training. Previously, municipalities had to offer orientation to councillors, but attendance was optional. The timeline to complete the training is now shorter, as outlined below.  

Section 201.1 of the Municipal Government Act (MGA) outlines the orientation requirements that every municipal elected official must complete after a general election.  

Is there a regulation that prescribes other orientation training requirements? 

Yes. Section 8 of the Local Authority Emergency Management Regulation prescribes that municipal elected officials must take emergency management training within 90 days of taking office.  

Does a councillor have to take the orientation training if they were previously on council? 

Yes. The new rules mandate that every elected official must take this training after their election.  

Are there minimum standards to be met in meeting the legislative requirements? 

No. The Government of Alberta has not set specific standards other than what is listed in section 201.1 of the MGA. Therefore, municipalities have discretion on how much information and emphasis they want to place on training for each orientation topic.  

Can the Part 1 orientation items be completed during the organizational meeting?  

Yes. Part 1 of orientation is required to be completed before or on the same day as the organizational meeting. There is flexibility in how municipalities may choose to fulfill this requirement. Options may include:  

• Prior to the newly elected council taking the oath of office, administration could present an information report, briefing note, or presentation as a part of the organizational meeting that reviews the requirements
• Arranging for council to attend a session immedately prior to the organizational meeting
• Arranging the session on a different day in the lead up to the organizational meeting 

Does council have to take the Munis 101 course?  

No. The municipality can provide orientation training through any format as long as it covers the content in MGA section 201.1. Municipalities can offer orientation using many different approaches, such as one, or a combination of the following: 

• The municipal staff may choose to conduct the orientation themselves.
• Hire a service provider (e.g., lawyer/consultant) to provide orientation.
• Sign up for a Munis 101 course offered by Alberta’s Elected Officials Education Program (EOEP).  

What is the value of using Munis 101 for council orientation?  

It was designed by ABmunis and the RMA through EOEP to meet the needs of councils.  

• Your council will learn from independent instructors. A lawyer and a professional with a municipal administration or governance background. This removes any perceived bias that can arise when orientation is delivered by municipal staff.
• Reduces the workload for your administration.
• Available online or in-person to meet the learning needs of each councillor.
• Now shortened to a one-day course.  

While Munis 101 covers all requirements of section 201.1, your administration may want to supplement with local training. For example, Munis 101 will explain council’s requirements for approving budgets, financial statements, debt borrowing limits, and how property tax rates are set, but your administration will want to go through a process to ensure your council understands the details specific to your municipality.  

It is common for municipalities to use a combination of training options, including Munis 101, to help reinforce learning for council.  

What if a councillor misses their scheduled orientation training?  

The municipality must make alternative plans for the councillor to complete the training. To give municipalities options, EOEP is offering Munis 101 on seven dates in late October and November.   

Does the municipality have to report when each councillor has completed their training?  

No. Like many aspects of the MGA, there are rules to be met and municipalities and councillors meet them on a daily basis without having to report them to another authority.  

Summary 

The key point to remember is that Part 1 training items must be completed by every councillor before or on the same day as council’s first organizational meeting. But council does have some flexibility to defer Part 2 training items by up to 90 days if council passes a resolution to do so. The resolution must be passed before or at the first regularly scheduled council meeting after the election.