When you move to a new city, it's hard to get used to all the new services and numbers for city departments. Your Etobicoke real estate agents can show you where to leave your garbage and on what day, but they can't introduce you to your new city council, because like most people, they probably don't know who they are or what they really do. City councils work hard for their citizens and deserve a little recognition for their efforts. If you're wondering what a city council is and who is on it, this article should clear things up for it.

City councils are elected bodies, which means that as a proud owner of a unit of Toronto lofts you now get to help choose the government. You can tell when the municipal elections come around (usually every few years, the exact interval changes from city to city) because suddenly there will be a lot of election signs touting so and so for mayor and this person for ward whatever. You should receive a voter registration card in the mail telling you where to go and when to participate in the election.

City councils are never the same between two cities. Larger cities like Toronto will have enough members to host their own powwow complete with team building drums, while small cities and towns could fit their entire governing bodies into a single office. Generally speaking, though, city councils are made up of a certain number of councilors, each one elected by and representing an area of the city known as a ward or district. The councilors are usually headed by the mayor, who is elected on a separate ballot. City councilors are almost never affiliated with any political parties.

You should think very carefully about casting your vote for city council and the mayor, because these people will have control over the city's finances and services. There will be events like meet and greets where everyone wears meeting badges and debates during the election that you can go to and listen to everyone's plans for what they would do if they were elected. Some promise to crack down on crime, for example, while others vow to repair the roadways or attract more businesses to create jobs.

City councils meet regularly according to the city's schedule to discuss plans for the future and how to allocate the city's money that comes in from taxes on property and businesses. Toronto bookkeeping is difficult because there is so much to do, but they have a larger staff to cope. The city council is in charge of all services, departments, and public works, so if you have a problem with waste pickup schedules or policies regarding stray dogs, you should talk to the city counselor from your ward or district.