The Calgary City Council on Tuesday approved a motion to lobby the provincial government to allow permanent residents to vote in municipal elections. The motion, introduced by Ward 8 Councillor Courtney Walcott, passed with a 9-6 vote despite opposition from some councillors who believed it to be an “exercise in futility” given the province’s stated lack of interest in amending the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA).
Currently, the LAEA restricts voting rights to Canadian citizens who are at least 18 years old and reside permanently in Alberta. Walcott argued that permanent residents deserve the right to vote in municipal elections as they pay property taxes, use city services, and contribute to the community. However, opposing councillors maintained that achieving the right to vote serves as an incentive for permanent residents to pursue citizenship.
The debate also touched on the potential creation of a “tiered system” in municipal government, as extending voting rights to non-citizens could also grant them the ability to run for office. Despite these concerns, supporters of the motion, such as Ward 11 Councillor Kourtney Penner, emphasized the importance of challenging the status quo and having conversations about potential changes.
The city council will now forward the resolution to the AB Munis’ annual conference in September, where it will seek support from the organization to lobby the provincial government for the necessary amendments to the LAEA. The outcome of this effort remains uncertain, given Alberta Municipal Affairs Minister Ric McIver’s earlier statement indicating the province’s unwillingness to entertain such changes.
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