New Brunswick context

New Brunswick’s local governance framework has undergone many significant and varied reforms in the last 60 years. These reforms have focused on structural adjustments (local boundary changes and incorporations), changes to the property assessment and tax systems, the introduction and subsequent modifications to numerous local government funding programs, the establishment and refinement of regional service delivery and cooperation mechanisms, along with many legislative changes – from minor amendments to the introduction of completely revised or new provincial statutes. These reforms have in many ways built upon one another and today’s local governance system is a reflection and product of all these changes, both large and small.

While it is important to be aware of the evolution of local government in New Brunswick, the focus of this manual is on how local governments are governed, administered and function in the present day.

A local government council is elected by eligible voters to ensure that quality community-appropriate services are being delivered, that by-laws, programs and policies are meeting community needs, and that development is occurring in a manner that is sustainable, healthy and appropriate for the community. Examples of services include recreation, street construction and maintenance, fire and police protection, solid waste collection, the provision of water and wastewater management, land use planning, and animal control, to name a few. 

Each local government has a council made up of a mayor and councillors who are elected through a general local government election every four years to represent their constituents locally. 

There are three types of local governments in New Brunswick: municipalities (city, town or village), regional municipalities (Tracadie being the only current example) and rural communities. 

The names and boundaries of local governments are found in Regulation 2022-50 under the Local Governance Act.

On January 1, 2023, rural districts were established to ensure that the residents living outside local governments continue to receive important services, such as emergency measures, police, fire, land use planning, dog control, management of dangerous or unsightly premises and property, and solid waste management. These services are coordinated by the provincial government through a Rural District Manager (RDM). 

Rural districts were established to meet another very important need: elected representation at the local level for all New Brunswickers who do not fall within an area that is governed by a local government. Each rural district has an advisory committee of members of which are elected every four years (occuring at the same time as the local government general elections) to represent their constituents and to advise the Minister of Local Government. 

The names and boundaries of rural districts are found in Regulation 2022-45 under the Local Governance Act.  

Regional Service Commissions (RSCs) were established in 2012 to replace 12 solid waste commissions and 12 land use planning commissions. The role of the Regional Service Commission has since evolved and these organizations now have a larger mandate. More details are found in Chapter 16.

The names of the regional service commissions are outlined in Regulation 2022-46 under the Regional Service Delivery Act.