Ministerial approval refers to decisions requiring personal authorization from a provincial minister, typically the Minister of Municipal Affairs. Provincial legislation may require ministerial approval for significant municipal actions like amalgamations, major boundary changes, certain borrowing, or dissolution of municipalities. This requirement ensures provincial oversight of consequential decisions and provides a check on municipal actions with broad implications. The approval process typically involves municipal application, provincial staff review, and ministerial decision. Ministerial approval processes can be time-consuming, so municipalities should factor approval timelines into project planning when required.