Provincial interference is the term municipalities sometimes use when provincial governments override or restrict local decision-making in ways seen as unwarranted or heavy-handed. Examples include provinces overruling local planning decisions, mandating service delivery approaches, amalgamating municipalities against local wishes, or limiting municipal revenue options. Since municipalities are constitutionally 'creatures of the province,' provincial governments have legal authority to intervene, but doing so can strain provincial-municipal relations and undermine local democracy. Municipal associations advocate for greater local autonomy and consultation before provincial intervention. What provinces see as necessary coordination, municipalities may view as interference.