There are three distinct levels of government in Canada: municipal, provincial (or territorial), and federal.
Municipal governments, like the Town of Devon, establish local bylaws and deliver essential services that directly support the community. Municipal governments can take many forms — including cities, towns, counties, villages, summer villages, and municipal districts — but they all serve residents within their specific boundaries.
The Town of Devon provides a wide range of services to enhance community life, such as fire protection, snow removal, waste and recycling management, road maintenance, and the upkeep of parks, trails, and green spaces. Municipal governments also plan for future growth, support local businesses, and ensure residents have access to recreational and cultural opportunities.
Provincial or territorial governments, such as the Government of Alberta, make decisions that affect the entire province. These responsibilities include areas like affordable housing and homelessness supports, education (including K–12 and post-secondary), health care and hospitals, provincial taxes, and determining the legal age of majority.
The Province also partners with municipalities to provide funding for local infrastructure, public safety, and community programs that benefit residents.
The Government of Canada, also known as the Federal Government, manages programs and services that impact the entire country. This includes national defence, postal services, immigration and citizenship, the Supreme Court, passports, federal income taxes, and employment insurance.
The federal government often works with provinces and territories to fund major initiatives in health care, housing, and the environment that benefit communities across Canada.
Some responsibilities clearly belong to one level of government — for example, national defence and Veterans Affairs are exclusively federal. However, many programs and services are shared across multiple levels of government. For instance, addressing housing affordability, mental health supports, or environmental protection often involves collaboration between federal, provincial, and municipal governments.
Refer to the chart to see some common programs and services, and which level(s) of government is/are responsible for providing them.
Municipal governments rely on several main sources of funding to deliver programs and services to residents:
Some programs — such as homelessness initiatives, addiction and mental health supports, or affordable housing — involve shared responsibility between provincial and federal governments. When funding from higher levels of government is reduced or unavailable, municipalities often face added pressure to fill those gaps and continue supporting residents at the local level.
As an organization, the Town of Devon actively advocates on behalf of residents to the Province and the Government of Canada to ensure appropriate funding and resources are available. Residents are also encouraged to reach out to their Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) or Member of Parliament (MP) if they have concerns about programs or funding that affect municipal services.