A Moment with the Mayor: The Lloydminster Charter

The City of Lloydminster functions similarly to other communities; the framework in which that functionality is built is completely different and tries to encompass our unique bi-provincial nature.

The Lloydminster Charter, created in 1959 by the provincial governments of Saskatchewan and Alberta, helps provide direction and guidance for elected officials and city administration in Lloydminster. This document is identical in both the Saskatchewan and Alberta legislatures.

The Lloydminster Charter deals with our city, regardless of the province. The Municipal Government Act governs municipalities and cities in Alberta, and if we were located in the province of Saskatchewan, we would fall under the Cities Act. This is where the Lloydminster Charter comes into play. It’s a combination of these two acts and provides some direction on how the City of Lloydminster operates and manages the affairs of council and administration.

The Charter covers a broad range of topics relating to the timing for the election of council members through to the taxation of properties and helps to clarify the roles and responsibilities of council and administration.

The Charter mentions the Education Act and states that the Saskatchewan Education Act applies across the entire city of Lloydminster. Every student who graduates from either the public or separate school system in Lloydminster graduates with a Saskatchewan diploma. For many other provincial responsibilities, the Charter is silent and has no bearing on the department or crown corporation. There are many areas that the Charter does not cover, and for these, we look to the respective provincial act, regulation or policy. 

Some things are very clearly laid out regarding how they must be implemented. Lloydminster follows the Saskatchewan municipal election schedule; because of this, we will hold a general municipal election to elect city council and school board members on November 13, 2024. Another area that is clearly defined in the act is public safety; according to the Charter, we follow the Alberta Emergency Act.

Back in late 2022, the Lloydminster Charter was reopened and updated by both provinces. We are grateful they accepted some of the changes we requested. In a perfect world, all of the changes we had recommended would have been implemented, but this didn’t happen. The good news is that both provincial governments have agreed to review and are open to amendments every five years. This is now part of the Charter itself and will allow dialogue and discussion and ensure the legislation governing our community is current and relevant to the municipal acts in both provinces.

If you want to learn more about the Lloydminster Charter, you can find it at Lloydminster.ca/Charter. Happy reading!

Mayor Gerald S. Aalbers
City of Lloydminster