BC Municipal Elections
October 17, 2026
BC municipal elections will be held October 17, 2026. Mayors, Councillors and School Board Trustees will be elected across the Province. Muncipal elections have notoriously low voter turn out. And yet, the people elected can have the largest impact of any elected officials on BIA members.
Why it matters
Municipal governments make decisions every day that shape the success of British Columbia's downtowns, neighbourhood commercial districts and main streets. From public safety and transportation to permitting, festivals, economic development and public spaces, local councils help create the conditions that allow businesses and communities to thrive.
Business Improvement Areas understand these issues better than anyone. Representing thousands of businesses across British Columbia, BIAs work every day to make commercial districts safer, more welcoming and more vibrant places to live, work, shop and visit.
The October 17 municipal election provides an important opportunity to build relationships with current and future local leaders.
Our objective is simple
Create opportunities for constructive conversations that strengthen local economies and the communities they serve.
The 2026 Municipal Election Toolkit
This toolkit has been developed to help BIAs:
- Engage municipal candidates in a respectful, non-partisan manner.
- Share local business priorities.
- Host successful candidate meetings or forums.
- Encourage informed participation in the election.
- Establish productive relationships with newly elected councils.
BIA Interactive
On September 10, BIA held a BIA Interactive session on the municipal elections. View the video and download the PowerPoint presentation.
Additional Resources
Check out Elections BC for additional information about municipal elections.
Elections BC Candidate List (note, while this list is updated regularly, it may be a week or so before it is complete)
Your municipal website will have a candidate list as well as information on voting in your municipality.