GovHandbook
Quick, sourced answers to the questions people actually ask their local government.
3,464 answers · 161 places · 20,151 facts matched word for word to official text
Browse by place
What people ask
15 categories, the same for every place- Getting startedContacting City Hall, reporting problems, moving here, and who handles what.
- Property taxes and utility billsDue dates, how to pay, grants, deferment, and water, sewer and garbage fees.
- Building, renovating and your propertyPermits, zoning, fences, decks, suites, trees and development applications.
- Garbage, recycling and wasteCollection, recycling, the landfill, bins, large items and hazardous waste.
- Water, sewer, roads and snowDrinking water, leaks, potholes, streetlights, snow clearing and road work.
- Pets, animals and wildlifeDog licences, leash rules, lost pets, complaints, chickens and wildlife.
- Parking, tickets and drivingPaying or disputing tickets, permits, abandoned vehicles, licences and insurance.
- Bylaws, noise and complaintsFinding bylaws, noise rules, fires, fireworks, unsightly property and complaints.
- Starting and running a businessBusiness licences, home businesses, cannabis, food, signs, tenders and grants.
- Housing and rentingShort-term rentals, rental standards, tenant disputes and affordable housing.
- Recreation, parks and facilitiesPools and arenas, programs, bookings, parks, trails, events and the library.
- City Hall, council and electionsCouncil meetings, speaking to council, voting, jobs, FOI, grants, budget and claims.
- Emergencies and safetyAlerts, emergency preparedness, wildfire, police, fire, ambulance and power outages.
- Getting aroundTransit, regional buses, ferries, airports, trains and cycling.
- Life events and provincial servicesMarriage, births, deaths, cemetery, health care, ID, schools and child care.
For AI agents. Start at llms.txt, which lists every place with its
index.json. Every answer is available as Markdown (.md) and JSON (.json) at the same address as its HTML page, and each fact carries its source, the official wording and the date that wording was matched. How answers are checked.