The Community Charter is British Columbia's primary legislation governing how municipalities operate. Enacted in 2003, it replaced outdated Municipal Act provisions with a framework granting municipalities broader powers and more flexibility. Rather than listing specific things municipalities can do, the Charter provides broad authority to provide services, regulate activities, and make decisions in the community interest. The legislation recognizes municipalities as an order of government, not merely administrative arms of the province. It covers council procedures, bylaw-making, taxation, borrowing, and relations between municipalities and the provincial government. The Community Charter represents a more enabling approach to municipal governance than older restrictive legislation.