WTC
Resources
About the Resources
Local or municipal governments are the closest level of government to communities and significantly impact our day-to-day lives. Municipal issues might not get the attention that provincial and federal policy receives, but they are still incredibly important! The impact of a federal policy could take years to feel, but you’ll instantly notice if your garbage is not collected or your bus route to work stops running. Local government decisions and policies directly influence how individuals and communities can navigate their lives.
Despite their importance, most people don’t know how their local government operates. Trying to understand how the system functions can be intimidating and feel overwhelmingly complicated. As an organization, we believe municipal governments work best when the public can participate meaningfully. To help make local governments more inclusive, we developed a series of educational resources to help demystify local government systems. Our aim is to make civic engagement more accessible, in the hopes of living in cities that better reflect all of our needs.
Use our comprehensive downloadable resources to learn more about how you can participate in your local government.Take a deep dive into the intricacies of municipal operations, from understanding decision-making procedures to decoding city budgets.
These resources were developed with the help of UBC graduate students. A special thank you to Alex Thomson, Asya Savelyeva, Karla Jubaily, Lily Liu, and Maliha Rehan for their contributions to this project.
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This project was made possible through funding from Women and Gender Equality Canada.
Downloadable Resources:
Understanding Vancouver's Local Government
Download all the resources in one file here.
How to Get Involved in Your Municipality
Explore these resources to help you get involved in your municipality! Download the PDFs and learn more about how you can appear as a delegation, speak on motions, get involved with engagement opportunities, public hearings, and access your municipality's Official Community Plan.
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Final Report: Action on Systemic Barriers to Women's Participation in Local Government (2020)The final report offers an overview of this three-year project, concentrating on four areas in which women participate in local civic life: as candidates and elected decision-makers; as participants in citizen-led municipal advisory bodies; as municipal employees; and as participants in city-led public engagement efforts. See the report
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Voter Engagement, Electoral Systems, and Diverse Women’s Political Representation: A Brief Review (2019)"Using the 2018 Vancouver, BC elections as a case study, this brief review looks at representation on city council and who votes in municipal elections. See the review
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Pathways to a Women-friendly Surrey: Outcome Report (2018)This outcome report presents the expertise of women participating in a forum held in Surrey, BC. The forum set out to find out why and how women become involved in the city, what helps and supports a woman candidate and what barriers or challenges she faces. See the outcome report
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Hot Pink Pathways to a Women-Friendly Vancouver: Outcome Report (2018)This outcome report presents the expertise of women participating in a forum held in Vancouver, BC. The forum set out to find out why and how women become involved in the city, what helps and supports a woman candidate and what barriers or challenges she faces. See the outcome report
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Barriers Facing Women in Politics Briefing Note (2018)Submitted to the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Status of Women. See the briefing note
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Systemic Barriers to Women's Participation in Local Government Project's Literature Review (2017)Literature review of major research pieces and providing an overview of identified barriers to women's involvement in local government. See the literature review