Rules on local political parties revealed 2 weeks before Bill 20 comes into effect

Alberta municipalities are getting their first look at new rules around local political parties and how they will be funded.

Alberta municipalities are getting their first look at new rules around local political parties and how they will be funded.

Details of the province's new Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, or Bill 20, are being revealed Friday, two weeks before the legislation comes into effect.

The bill, which has been heavily criticized by Alberta municipal leaders, makes changes to the Municipal Government Act and the Local Authorities Election Act.

Those changes include allowing political parties on local ballots in Calgary and Edmonton and province-wide changes to expense limits, though details were not given at the time the bill was passed in May.

In the new Local Political Parties and Slates Regulation (LPPSR) released Friday, the province outlines how the new political parties will act.

Regulation include that: 

While campaign expenses will remain limited, there will be no limits on operational spending for local political parties and contributions can be carried forward into subsequent election cycles.