The Joy of Governing
The Joy of Governing is a practical guide developed to help municipal leaders understand their core purpose and improve decision-making around service delivery and infrastructure. It explains that municipalities exist to provide shared services that enhance community quality of life and that good governance depends on elected officials setting clear policy direction while administration manages day-to-day operations. The guide emphasizes the critical importance of asset management as a strategic tool to plan and budget effectively, reduce risk, and ensure long-term sustainability of essential municipal services. This resource helps councils move from reactive decisions to proactive leadership grounded in data, collaboration, and responsible stewardship of public assets.
AYC Const., Policies, Strat Plan, M. Act, Resolutions
Acronyms
| ADM | Assistant Deputy Minister |
| AAMDC | Alberta Association of Municipal Districts & Counties |
| Ad hoc | a Latin phrase which means “for this purpose |
| AFUDC | Allowance for funds used during construction |
| AIGA | Alaska Gas Inducement Act |
| AML | Alaska Municipal League |
| AMSC | Alberta Municipal Services Corporation |
| AUMA | Alberta Urban Municipal Association |
| ATIPP | Access to Information and Protection of Privacy |
| AYC | Association of Yukon Communities |
| BANANA | Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anything (or Anyone). |
| BCF | Building Canada Fund |
| Bcf/d | Billion cubic feet per day |
| CA | Community Affairs |
| CAFN | Champagne/Aishihik First Nation |
| CAO | Chief Administrative Officer |
| CCME | Canadian Council Ministers of the Environment |
| CDF | Community Development Fund |
| CEO | Chief Executive Officer |
| CESO | Canadian Executive Services Organization |
| CRA | Canada Revenue Agency |
| CS | Community Services |
| CSIF | Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund |
| CTTS | Community Training Trust Society |
| CWWA | Canadian Water and Wastewater Association |
| CYFN | Council of Yukon First Nations |
| DM | Deputy Minister |
| ED | Executive Director |
| EMO | Emergency Measures Organization |
| EMR | Energy Mines & Resources |
| ERCB | Energy Resources Conservation Board |
| FCM | Federation of Canadian Municipalities |
| FERC | Federal Energy Regulatory Commission |
| FN | First Nation |
| GTA | Gas Tax Agreement |
| GDP | Gross Domestic Product |
| GTP | Gas Treatment Plant |
| ICSP | Integrated Community Sustainability Planning |
| IMBL | Inter-Municipal Business Licence |
| LAC | Local Advisory Committee |
| LGANT | Local Government Administrators of the NWT |
| LGMA | Local Government Management Association of B.C. |
| LNG | Liquid Natural Gas |
| MARC | Municipal Act Review Committee |
| MMbtu | Million British thermal units |
| MRIF | Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund |
| MWWE | Municipal Waste Water Effluent |
| NEB | National Energy Board |
| NIMBY | Not in My Back Yard |
| NIMTO | Not in My Term of Office |
| NRAHTA | Northern Rockies Alaska Highway Tourism Association |
| OCP | Official Community Plan |
| OH & S | Occupational Health & Safety |
| OTOF | Our Towns Our Future |
| PEP | Partners for Economic Progress or Prosperity |
| PW | Public Works |
| RDI | Rural Development Institute |
| REDF | Regional Economic Development Fund |
| RFT | Request for Tender |
| RI | Reciprocal Insurance |
| RRRT | Ross River Round Table |
| SIMSI | Shared Information Management System for Infrastructure |
| TIA | Tourism Industry Association of The Yukon |
| TILMA | Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement |
| TOR | Terms of Reference |
| TTC | Teslin Tlingit Council |
| TTTF | Tourism Training Trust Fund |
| UBCM | Union of British Columbia Municipalities |
| WCSB | Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin |
| YCB | Yukon Convention Bureau |
| YCEE | Yukon Council on the Economy and the Environment |
| YESAB | Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board |
| Yukon CIA | Yukon Community Insurance Association |
| YMB | Yukon Municipal Board |
| YWWA | Yukon Water and Waste Association |
| YRRT | Yukon Regional Round Table |
| YSAR | Yukon Species at Risk Act |
| YSCP | Yukon Sustainable Community Partnership |
| YTG | Yukon Territorial Government |
| YTIC | Yukon Technology Innovation Centre |
| YWCH&SB | Yukon Workers’ Compensation Health & Safety Board |
| YWWA | Yukon Water and Waste Association |