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charter community
DCHP-2 (Sep 2012)
n.n. — Northwest Territories, Administration
a settlement of at least 25 residents in the Northwest Territories granted the status of a municipal government.
Type: 1. Origin — The Charter Communities Act, established by the government of the Northwest Territories in 1988, was designed to provide remote settlements with the opportunity to form their own local governments (Dickerson 1992: 172). The first charter community was Déline, which was granted charter community status in 1993 (see Canadian Encyclopedia reference). Settlements that have over 25 residents are able to apply for this standing, which provides them with the ability to elect a municipal council whose members can decide on issues of local importance such as public transportation and utilities, the enforcement and creation of municipal bylaws, and other forms of local infrastructure. The head of the local First Nations band is typically on the council. Usage of the term appears to be almost exclusively restricted to the Northwest Territories (see Chart 1), and is consequentially very uncommon outside of Canada (see Chart 2).
Quotations
1993
The Minister, on the recommendation of the
Executive Council, under sections 6 and 7 of the
Charter Communities Act and every enabling power,
orders as follows:
1. The Hamlet of Fort Franklin is declared to be a
charter community and shall be known as the Charter
Community of Déline.
2007
"There's fish in some of those small lakes that you can't find anywhere else in the world," said Chief Frank T'seleie of the K'asho Cot'ine Charter Community Council.
2008
Charter communities agree to become carbon-neutral by 2012 by reducing emissions of greenhouse gases in their own operations and encouraging developers to create compact, sustainable buildings.
2010
(3) Section 35 is amended by striking out "the Charter Communities Act, Cities,
Towns and Villages Act and Hamlets Act" and substituting "the Cities, Towns and
Villages Act or the Hamlets Act,".
2011
The general legislative powers of a charter community to make bylaws are to be interpreted as giving broad authority to council to govern the municipality in whatever way council considers
appropriate, within the jurisdiction given to a charter community under this or any other enactment, and to address issues not contemplated at the time this Act is enacted.
References
- Dickerson (1992)
- The Canadian Encyclopedia • "Déline"
Images
Chart 1: Regional Internet Domain Search, 13 Sep. 2012
