The Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act (No. 4), 2022 will strengthen current legislation and give local governments new tools to assist them when elected officials are charged with or convicted of a criminal offense so they can better serve people.
This new legislation allows local governments to ensure good governance by limiting the disruption that can happen when a local elected official is being charged with or convicted of a criminal offense, so they can continue their critical work for their communities. These legislative changes will provide municipalities and regional districts in B.C. with a new tool requiring a leave of absence for a local elected official charged with a criminal offence. These amendments also change the existing rules on disqualification to ensure that a local elected official is disqualified, meaning they are ineligible for office, at the time of conviction rather than at the time of sentencing as is currently the case. Along with the new requirements, the amendments will also help modernize and clarify current legislation as well as repeal redundant legislation.