In local government, there is often an assumption that political careers move in one direction. A resident runs for council. A councillor becomes deputy mayor. Eventually, that person may seek election as mayor, or reeve, or warden. The progression seems pretty straightforward. What is less common, and often more surprising, is when a sitting mayor decides to run for council in the next election instead of seeking another term as mayor. From time to time though, this is exact

Most local government councils invest significant time and energy into developing strategic plans. Council members participate in workshops, administration gathers input, community priorities are discussed, and eventually a document emerges that outlines where the municipality wants to go over the next generation based on the work the current council either starts or continues from previous councils. The challenge, however, is not creating the plan. The real challenge is fund

In my first weeks and then months of going through Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Requests for Quotations (RFQs) and other tenders, I could not help but notice one stark difference in the tender documentation released by municipalities all over Canada: the presence or lack of budgets. When a tender document does not have a budget specified, I always ask the municipality or buyer if they can release this information. Some do, and some do not. I am always relieved when they do