Requirements for Council Orientation
The Municipal Government Act (MGA) requires that all elected officials (new and returning) must now complete mandatory orientation training following a general election or by-election. Previously, municipalities only had to offer training and councillor attendance was optional.
Section 201.1 of the MGA sets out the orientation topics and timelines:
Additional Requirements:
- Under the Local Authority Emergency Management Regulation, councillors must also complete emergency management training within 90 days of taking office.
- Training must be completed by all councillors, including those who have served previously.
Flexibility in Delivery
Municipalities have discretion in how they deliver training. Options include:
- In-house training delivered by municipal staff.
- External facilitators such as lawyers or consultants
- Signing councillors up for a Munis 101 course offered through The Elected Officials Education Program (EOEP)
- Municipalities can choose a single option or a combination of approaches.
Why Munis 101?
While municipalities can provide their own orientation, Munis 101 is designed to meet all legislative requirements under the MGA.
- Delivered by independent instructors.
- Provides impartiality.
- Reduces administrative workload.
- Offered in-person or online.
- Now available in a one-day format to accomodate busy schedules.
- Councils often supplement Munis 101 with local sessison to reinforce core themes and ensure alignment between independent advice and local priorities.
Missed Training
If a councillor misses their scheduled traning, the municipality is responsible for arranging an alternative. EOEP provides multiple offerings of Munis 101 in October and November to ensure councillors have multiple opportunities to meet the requirement
Reporting
Currently there are no requirements for reporting when elected officials have successfully completed their orientation training.