Incorporation is the process of establishing a village or resort village as a legal corporation from an existing organized hamlet (OH). Section 51 and Section 53(1)(d) of The Municipalities Act and Section 6 of The Municipalities Regulations provide the authority to apply for an incorporation.
To apply for incorporation as a village or resort village, an OH must:
- have been an OH for at least three years;
- have a population of 300 or more in the most recent census taken pursuant to the Statistics Act (Canada);
- contain 150 or more separate dwelling units or business premises; and
- have a minimum taxable assessment of $30,000,000.
If considered appropriate by the Minister, an OH may apply to incorporate as a resort village when:
- the most recent census shows a population of 100 or more people;
- a total permanent and seasonal population of at least 300 people is demonstrated;
- there are at least 150 separate dwelling units or business premises;
- the taxable assessment is at least $35,000,000;
- the community is predominately of a resort nature; and
- all other criteria and application requirements for incorporation are met.
Municipal officials wishing to learn more about incorporating as a village or resort village should refer to the Voluntary Restructuring Guide for more detailed information. They are also encouraged to contact the Advisory Services and Municipal Relations branch for guidance.