Elections

 Voter Eligibility

(Information provided by the Government of BC website.)

Resident electors

In order to be eligible to vote in general local elections or by-elections as a resident or non-resident property elector, a person must:

• Be 18 years of age or older when they register to vote, or 18 years or older on general voting day
• Be a Canadian citizen
• Have been a resident of B. C. for at least six months immediately before they register to vote
• Be a resident of the municipality or electoral area on the day they register to vote; and
• Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment from voting in local elections or be otherwise disqualified by law

Eligible electors who live on a First Nation reserve can vote. Where that person votes depends on whether the reserve is located within a municipality or regional district jurisdiction.

Non-resident property electors

When a person lives in one jurisdiction and owns property in one or more other jurisdictions, they may vote once in each of the other jurisdictions where they own property - as long as they meet the voter eligibility requirements.

A non-resident property elector must:

• Be 18 years of age or older when they register to vote, or 18 years or older on general voting day
• Be a Canadian citizen
• Have been a resident of B. C. for at least six months immediately before they register to vote
• Be the registered owner of real property in the jurisdiction where they intend to vote for at least 30 days immediately before they register to vote and
• Not be disqualified under the Local Government Act, or any other enactment from voting in local elections or be otherwise disqualified by law

If a person owns a property with one or more other individuals, only one person is eligible to vote as the non-resident property elector for that property. The owner entitled to vote must be designated, in writing, by the majority of the property owners.

A person cannot vote on behalf of a corporation, or as a non-resident property elector, based on a property owned wholly or in part by a corporation.

 About your local council

Mayor

The position of mayor of Kitimat acts as a member of Council with some additional responsibilities than are typically expected of Council members.

• Act as Chair of Council and Committee of the Whole meetings.
• Generally be a community spokesperson for Council's direction and vision for the community.
• Attend community events as invited and provide remarks or speeches as necessary.
• Provide a leadership role and actively work with and communicate with all of Council.

Councillor

A councillor works together with all other members of the Council towards the vision and direction of the community.

• Each councillor, as does the mayor, gets one vote on matters at a meeting.
• Considers the well-being and interests of the community.
• Must participate in Council meetings and contribute to decision making.
• Adheres to all local and provincial regulations pertaining to their role and authority.

Supports for elected officials

In the District of Kitimat, there are supports to ensure our elected officials have the resources they need to fulfil their role to the best of their abilities. 

Remuneration

Elected officials receive payment for their time in the position.

Mayor | $50,060 per year

Councillor | $27,777 per year

Remuneration for Council is established through bylaw and existing policy is to tie increases to increases in the Consumer Price Index. (CPI) Council votes each year for an amended remuneration bylaw.

The above remuneration is current as of January 1, 2025. 

Childcare

Council members are eligible for childcare expenses.

There are various stipulations to eligibility under this policy, but for persons eligible it provides for child care costs associated with the time required for meetings, as well as up to half an hour of travel. There are additional considerations for meetings that are held outside of Kitimat.

Refer to Policy E-52 for further details about this policy. 

Maternity and Parental Leave

Members of Council may apply for a parental or maternity leave. 

Maternity and Parental Leave can provide up to 17 weeks of consecutive paid leave.  

For further details on this leave policy, refer to Policy M-10. 

Virtual Participation

Council members have the option to participate electronically for meetings up to seven times in a calendar year. Electronic participation is also permitted if necessary due to illness of the Council member or as caregiver to an ill family member.

For full details on this ability, refer to Kitimat Municipal Code, Part 2, Division 2, Subdivision 5.

Council Travel

There are times where members of Council may need to travel, for instance to conferences to advocate on issues on behalf of the community.

Costs associated with business travel are covered under the E-02 Personal Expense and Travel Policy.

Time commitments

The following is a general guide for expected time commitments for an elected member of Kitimat Council.