The Department of Municipal Affairs has suspended the entire Victoria town council, and has appointed a temporary administrator to handle town operations until a new council can be elected.

The department says it determined that the town was facing serious challenges and that the council was unable to function effectively.

The department says the administrator is bound by the same legal requirements as council, and operates under provincial oversight. It assures that residents should not see any interruption in essential services.

Municipal Affairs says the aim is to return an elected council to the town as soon as the department determines that it is viable to do so, and that the action was taken to protect residents, public funds and the long-term viability of the community.