Interested in Running for Council?

The Municipality of Boissevain-Morton has seven elected positions: one mayor and six councillors. This group is known as council. The mayor is chair of council and represents the entire Municipality.

What are the qualifications to be mayor or a councillor?

You must be:

• A Canadian citizen
• At least 18 years of age on Election Day
• A voter in the municipality (you are a resident or own property for six months prior to the date of the election)

Why would you want to be mayor or a councillor?

• You care about your community
• You want to make your community better
• You want to serve and give back
• You want to make a difference
• You want to help set direction for the community

Senior Election Official
The election in the Municipality is handled by a Senior Election Official or SEO, with assistance from office staff. Council has appointed Leo Poulin as SEO. He can be reached by email at admin@boissevain.ca.

Manitoba Municipal Relations 2026 Candidates Guidebook

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Click here for more information about Municipal Elections in Manitoba.

What are the responsibilities of a council?

Council sets direction for the municipality. Council develops and approves by-laws and policies that help in the decision-making process in a consistent and transparent manner. Duties also include being present at hearings for various initiatives, such as the annual financial plan hearing, and to make decisions on subdivision and variation applications.

Administratively, the Chief Administrative Officer is the main contact with council members and oversees senior staff.

What are the time demands to be a mayor or a councillor?

As a member of council, you will serve a four-year term to 2030. Your term officially begins at noon on October 29, 2026.

Meetings of Council
Each council member is expected to attend regular council, held on the third Thursday in December and January, and every three weeks after that. In July and August, council has only one council meeting per month. Meetings commence at 8:00 am and last between 3 and 5 hours.

Council members are expected to prepare for the meetings by reading the agenda package and reports prior to the meeting. This can take between 1-2 hours per council meeting.

Please note that the council meeting schedule is set by municipal by-law, and a new council is able to change the meeting dates and times to accommodate new council members if needed.

Committee Meetings
Each council member is typically appointed to 2 or more committees that have Municipal representation. These committees may meet monthly or quarterly or on an as needed basis. These meetings are often in the evenings Monday through Thursday.

Other Time Commitments
Council members may feel inclined to support community events such as parades, Christmas parties, and staff/volunteer recognition events as well. Speaking with the public is an important responsibility of council members. Council members will likely receive some phone calls and direct emails, but are just as likely to be approached at the grocery store or a sporting event.

The demands on the time of a council member ebbs and flows throughout the year and throughout the four-year term. Orientation, committee meetings, long term planning, public hearings and budget meetings are all examples of an additional time commitment. Council members claim compensation for these meetings.

Conferences and training workshops play an important role in training new council members and developing a network of contacts to help council discover the various “best practices” used by other municipalities in Manitoba. Council members claim compensation for these meetings.

How much time does that add up to on a monthly basis?
Meetings of council and committees and conversations with citizens generally take between 10 to 20 hours a month. A typical council member attends approximately 7 days away annually for conferences. All attendance at conferences is optional.

Do I get paid to be mayor or a councillor?

• Council members are compensated monthly. Annual indemnity is $12,324.55 for Councillors and $13,985.95 for the Mayor, plus the cost of Blue Cross or additional salary (includes regular council meetings and budget meetings).
• Committee and conference work is compensated at a rate of $200 per day (4 hours or more), $100 per ½ day (2 hours or more), $50 per ¼ day (for periods less than 2 hours). These rates are outlined in By-law No. 2018-19.