BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
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On Thursday, April 16, the Almaguin Clerks Group hosted a candidate information session for anyone thinking about throwing their name in the ring for local office.
Whether you’re passionate about your community or just curious about the process, here are five things you need to know from the session before you hit the campaign trail.
1. It’s a bigger commitment than you think
Serving on municipal council isn’t a side quest, it’s closer to a second job. Councillors are expected to review agendas, reports, bylaws and legislation before meetings, and those meetings happen during business hours and evenings. Appointments to external boards and committees add even more to the plate. The role, as the clerks group put it, doesn’t have an on/off switch.
2. You’re one voice, not a one-person show
There are no political parties at the municipal level. Every councillor sits as an independently elected representative, which means you’ll need to make your case, persuade colleagues and accept that decisions are made collectively by majority vote. Coming in with a single issue and expecting to steamroll it through? The Almaguin Clerks group wants you to know that’s a recipe for frustration.
3. Municipal government has real limits
Councils in Ontario draw their authority from provincial legislation, primarily the Municipal Act 2001 and the Planning Act. That matters because many of the issues — cost of living, gas prices at the pump, housing — fall under provincial or federal jurisdiction, not the township’s. Further than that: roughly 25 per cent of budgeted property taxes flow to nondirect services like the Ontario Provincial Police, Parry Sound District Paramedic Service and the District of Parry Sound Social Services, costs that municipalities have no control over. During the 2022-26 term of council alone, those costs have climbed nearly 20 per cent.
4. Everything you say is on the record
The moment you announce you’re running, you’re a public figure. Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Privacy Act, the public has the right to access council members’ correspondence, including email. The clerks group’s advice: don’t say or write anything you wouldn’t say out loud in a public meeting. That goes double for social media, where the guiding principle is simple: when in doubt, don’t post.
5. Conflict of interest rules are serious business
Every councillor swears a Declaration of Office and is bound by the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act. If you have a pecuniary interest — direct or indirect — in a matter before council, you must declare it, stay out of the discussion and not vote. Failing to do so can end in court. An Integrity Commissioner is available to provide guidance and investigate complaints.
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