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Lesson 4: Your Municipality

Lesson 4: Your Municipality. Municipalities in Ontario. Ontario is separated into 444 different communities called municipalities. There are different names given to municipalities. City Town Village Township County Region. Powers and Responsibilities.

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Lesson 4: Your Municipality

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  1. Lesson 4: Your Municipality

  2. Municipalities in Ontario • Ontario is separated into 444 different communities called municipalities. • There are different names given to municipalities. • City • Town • Village • Township • County • Region

  3. Powers and Responsibilities • Municipalities are given their powers and responsibilitiesby the provincial government. • Examples are: Roads and sidewalks, transportation systems/public transit, social housing, waste removal, community centres, and water and sewage.

  4. Key Features of Municipalities Municipalities have a few things in common: 1) A specific geographic area with boundaries 2) The power to collect money from people (tax) 3) A council that is formed through an election (where citizens vote for their preferences)

  5. Taxes • Municipalities collect money from people through a tax based on property ownership (property taxes). • If you own a property, you will pay a certain percentage of its value in taxes every year. • This money is used to pay for services that benefit the community such as police, and the building and maintenance of roads, sidewalks and parks.

  6. Single-Tier or Two-Tier • Municipalities in Ontario are either part of a single-tier or two-tier system. • Asingle-tiersystem has one government with one local council and it operates on its own. • Atwo-tiersystem involve two layers of government and two councils.

  7. Lower-Tier and Upper-Tier • Two-tier systems include lower-tier and upper-tier municipalities. • Thelower-tier municipality has a local municipal council and government. • Anupper-tier municipality has a regional council and government, and acts as an umbrella by joining together two or more lower-tier municipalities. • Upper-tier municipalities are responsible for regional services, such as police.

  8. Local Council • A local municipal council (single-tier or upper-tier) is made up of a head of council, known as the mayoror reeve, and several council members, known as councillorsor aldermen. • Heads of council are elected by all voters in the municipality. This is called an at-largesystem. • Council members can be elected either at-large or by a ward system of voting (where the municipality is broken down into smaller areas or sections).

  9. The Role of Council • Council members work together to manage the municipality and they take responsibility for its safety and future growth. • Council members talk about issues of concern with the people in their municipality. • These issues are then discussed with the whole council in order to make necessary changes (creating and amending by-laws).

  10. Final Thoughts • Do you like living in your municipality? Why? • Is there anything in your community that you would change or improve?

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