In Canada, federal and provincial legislators tend to command the spotlight. But much less is known about the thousands of municipal politicians who, apart from ensuring potholes are filled and garbage is collected, are doing the vital work of designing and redesigning their communities. They are responsible for the public services that Canadians experience most directly, and can meaningfully shape attitudes toward, and expectations of, public institutions.
In 2020, the Samara Centre for Democracy joined the Canadian Municipal Barometer, a partnership of universities and researchers surveying municipal politicians in the more than 400 municipalities across Canada. From Corner Brook, Newfoundland, to Squamish, British Columbia, over 940 councillors, mayors, reeves, and borough councillors responded to the first annual Canadian Municipal Barometer survey, shedding light on their paths to politics and lives as local politicians.
Read the report below or download the PDF.
The data analyzed in this report was taken from the Canadian Municipal Barometer, an annual survey of elected municipal officials in every Canadian municipality with a population greater than 9,000. The survey is administered by a pan-Canadian partnership of academic and non-academic institutions, led by Jack Lucas of the University of Calgary.
The survey was conducted online in English or French. Invitations to complete the 2020 Canadian Municipal Barometer survey were distributed by email on January 6, 2020, and the survey closed on February 28, 2020. A total of 841 individuals completed the survey questions examined in this report, with at least one respondent from 85% of the municipalities included in the survey.
If you have any questions regarding the methodology or data, please contact us.