The municipal elections in Calgary and Edmonton on Oct. 20 this year promise to be multi-party affairs, as new regulations introduced by the Alberta government last fall allow municipal political parties to field candidates.
When the initiative was announced, fears arose the municipal parties would be subservient to provincial and federal parties, but rules under the Local Authorities Election Act (LAEA) forbid them from being associated with established parties at any level nor in any way.
An Alberta government release says “Local political parties and slates must not be affiliated with any provincial or federal political party. A prospective local political party or slate will not be registered if its proposed name or abbreviation resembles the name of a political party at the provincial, federal, or local level. Provincial and federal political parties are also prohibited from donating to local political parties.”
The release adds “the Local Political Parties and Slates Regulation (LPPSR) rules are generally aligned with those currently governing municipal candidates and those for the creation and operation of provincial political parties.”
Groups or individuals wanting an application to register for municipal party status must submit the names, addresses and signatures of a minimum of 1,000 people who are eligible to vote in an election in either Calgary or Edmonton and are members of the local political party and support the party’s registration.
Applications must also include a list of candidates who have committed to run as endorsed candidates under the party name and who, if elected, would make up at least 1/3 of the local council, as well as names of the party’s leader, if any, and chief financial officer.
“Financial information including the names of the financial agent, signing authorities, bank account information and a statement of the party’s assets and liabilities must also be included,” says the government’s release. “Local political parties will not be permitted for school board trustee elections.”
Registered parties are required to submit a list of candidate members, and the slate name will be listed next to the candidate members’ names on the ballot.
The regulations also cover campaign expenses, which cover, among other things, advertising, meeting place rentals as well as surveys and research.
During an election year, mayoral candidates are allowed to spend up to $1 per person based on the population of the municipality, or $20,000, whichever is greater.
Councillor candidates will be allowed to spend up to $1 per person based on the average population of the wards in the municipality (if applicable), or $20,000, whichever is greater.
Local political parties will be allowed to spend up to $1 per person based on the average population of all wards in the municipality, for each ward in which the party has endorsed candidates running.
Contributions to local parties can be made only by Alberta residents and organizations, including unions and corporations, within the four-year campaign period. Parties are allowed to carry forward campaign funds into the next election cycle. The maximum contribution amount allowed is $5,000 in the aggregate to all registered local political parties per municipality, per year.
To date, three local parties have been registered in Calgary: The Communities First Party; A Better Calgary Party and; The Calgary Party. In Edmonton there were two parties, The Principled Accountable Coalition for Edmonton and TAPYeg, which merged into one party under the PACE banner.
Nominations for the general municipal election in Alberta are now open and close Sept. 23, 2025.
For more information on registering a party click here
