▁own ▁nom en cl ature ▁for ▁municipal ities ▁and ▁some ▁have ▁local ▁elections ▁for ▁un in cor por ated ▁areas ▁which ▁are ▁not ▁techn ically ▁municipal ities . ▁These ▁entities ▁can ▁be ▁called ▁cities , ▁towns , ▁villages , ▁town ships , ▁ham lets , ▁par ishes ▁and , ▁simply , ▁municipal ities , ▁county ▁municipal ities , ▁regional ▁county ▁municipal ities , ▁municipal ▁districts , ▁regional ▁districts , ▁count ies , ▁regional ▁municipal ities , ▁special ized ▁municipal ities , ▁district ▁municipal ities ▁or ▁rural ▁municipal ities . ▁Many ▁of ▁these ▁may ▁be ▁used ▁by ▁Statistics ▁Canada ▁as ▁the ▁basis ▁for ▁census ▁divisions ▁or ▁census ▁sub div isions . ▁▁ ▁Municipal ▁elections ▁usually ▁elect ▁a ▁mayor ▁and ▁city ▁council ▁and ▁often ▁also ▁a ▁school ▁board . ▁Some ▁locations ▁may ▁also ▁elect ▁other ▁bodies , ▁such ▁as ▁V ancouver , ▁which ▁elect s ▁its ▁own ▁par ks ▁board . ▁Some ▁municipal ities ▁will ▁also ▁hold ▁refer enda ▁or ▁ball ot ▁initi atives ▁at ▁the ▁same ▁time , ▁usually ▁rel ating ▁to ▁sp ending ▁projects ▁or ▁tax ▁changes . ▁▁ ▁E lections ▁for ▁city ▁coun c ils ▁are ▁held ▁through ▁either ▁a ▁w ard ▁system ▁or ▁an ▁at - large ▁system , ▁depending ▁on ▁the ▁location . ▁V ancouver ▁is ▁the ▁largest ▁city ▁in ▁Canada ▁to ▁use ▁the ▁at - large ▁system , ▁while ▁most ▁other ▁large ▁cities ▁use ▁w ards . ▁▁ ▁Most ▁coun c ils ▁are ▁non - part isan ▁and ▁elect ▁only ▁independ ents . ▁However , ▁some ▁municipal ities ▁have