Improvement Districts

Improvement districts are local authorities responsible for providing local services for the benefit of the residents in a community. They vary considerably in size from small subdivisions to larger communities and are usually located in rural areas of the province.
 

Improvement districts are focused on providing local services such as water, fire protection, street lighting, dyking, drainage, garbage collection and parks, rather than general governance or land use planning. Typically an improvement district provides one or two services. These services are financed by taxation or user fees
 

Every improvement district is governed by a board of elected trustees (elected by area property owners) one of whom acts as chair. The powers exercised by the trustees (to enact and enforce its regulations and charges, to assess and collect taxes, to acquire, hold and dispose of lands, to borrow money and to expropriate lands) flow from the improvement district's bylaws, the Local Government Act and other applicable provincial statutes. Information on these topics can be found in the Improvement District Manual.
 

Most improvement districts are located within the boundary of a regional district, yet they are independent of each other. Others are located inside municipalities. Overlaps in jurisdiction can and do occur, so co-ordination between the two is essential. Regional districts can apply on behalf of improvement districts for infrastructure planning and capital grants from the Local Government Department.
 

The Local Government Department actively works with improvement district boards of trustees and staff to provide information and develop advisory materials, such as the Improvement District Manual, the Improvement District Conversion Guide (235 KB) and Improvement District Governance Policy (125 KB). The Department also plays a role in reviewing improvement district bylaws, annual general meeting minutes, financial statements, and facilitating changes to improvement district boundaries.
 

Over the years, many improvement districts have either incorporated, as municipalities, or have transferred the services they provide to municipalities or regional districts. Department staff have created the Improvement District Conversion Guide (235 KB) to assist those communities interested in transferring their services to a municipality or regional district.