North Fraser Regional Municipality

North Fraser Regional Municipality is one of five upper-tier municipalities which make up the Lower Mainland, the most populous region of the Canadian province of British Columbia (BC), along with South Fraser Regional Municipality, Coquitlam Regional Municipality, Capilano County and Golden Ears County.

In December 2020, North Fraser Regional Municipality had an estimated population of approximately 4.58 million, making it the most populous upper-tier or single-tier municipality in the Lower Mainland or BC.

Government
As a fully urbanised regional municipality, the majority of local government services are provided by the upper-tier (the regional municipality), with lower-tier municipalities providing only some services, such as zoning, property taxes and maintenance of some local roads.

As is typical for upper-tier municipalities, North Fraser Regional Municipality uses the council-manager system of local government: it is governed by an elected eleven-member committee called the North Fraser Regional Municipal Council (NFRMC). The NFRMC chooses from amongst its membership a council chairperson to preside over NFRMC meetings, and also appoints an outside professional manager to handle the day-to-day executive affairs of the municipal government, who is given the title of Municipal Manager. The Municipal Manager reports weekly to the Municipal Council Chairperson.

The Municipal Council (NFRMC) meets at least monthly to deliberate upon all issues presented by the municipal secretariat, and to appoint, scrutinise, and if necessary replace members of the North Fraser Regional Municipality Secretariat (NFRMS, or just the "Secretariat". Each executive department of the North Fraser Regional Municipality (from the Department of Education to the Department of Sanitation) is chaired by a secretary, who is appointed to the position by the Municipal Council. Department secretaries ultimately answer to the Municipal Council, but on a routine basis report to the Municipal Manager.