A provincial takeover occurs when a provincial government removes local elected officials and appoints administrators to run a municipality directly. This extreme intervention happens rarely, typically when a municipality faces severe financial crisis, complete governance breakdown, or inability to provide essential services. Examples include provincial supervision of financially distressed municipalities. Legislation in most provinces allows for such interventions as a last resort. Appointed supervisors or administrators run the municipality until problems are resolved and local elections can be restored. Provincial takeovers reflect the ultimate expression of provincial supremacy over municipal governments, though they're avoided whenever possible due to democratic concerns.