There are referendums in municipalities virtually once a week. It must be noted that there has to be a referendum, for example, when a municipality decides to adopt a borrowing bylaw or make a zoning change, if there are enough signatures in a register kept by the city clerk. If enough people sign the register, there will be a referendum, if the municipality still wants to have its planning bylaw or borrowing bylaw adopted. So there are referendums regularly.
There are sometimes also consultative referendums. I recall one case in particular that was somewhat interesting. In the mid-1990s, the issue was whether the City of Sainte-Foy would support holding the Olympic winter games in Quebec City. The City of Sainte-Foy and the then mayor objected fiercely. It organized a referendum to consult the public. Again, there are referendums virtually once a week in Quebec, in the municipalities, but never at the same time as an election.