RSC Roles & Responsibilities

The following summary document is intended to give readers a good understanding of the basics of the Regional Service Commissions (RSCs) model and how it works within the local governance system in New Brunswick. More detailed information can be found in the legislation and regulations pertaining to the RSCs referenced throughout this document. Furthermore, each RSC has a website that provides more detailed information on their respective organization, services, and activities.

The Regional Service Commissions (RSCs) were established in 2013 by bringing together the former Solid Waste Commissions and the District Planning Commissions in 12 regions across the province. These new entities were created to enhance capacity by improving inter-community collaboration and strengthening regional service delivery. Along with the mandate to provide solid waste and planning services, the RSCs were given the authority to seek voluntary opportunities for collaboration between communities within their respective regions.

In 2022, legislative amendments were made giving the RSCs an expanded service mandate and new functions. In addition, a variety of governance, structural, and administrative changes were made to improve regional representation and decision-making.

The RSCs are not a level of government; they are service delivery bodies and regional forums that were established to work on behalf of their member local governments and rural districts on regional offerings (projects and services). 

Details regarding the RSCs’ mandate, governance structure, geographical boundaries, financial framework and powers are specified in the Regional Service Delivery Act and its three accompanying regulations: the General Regulation, (Regulation 2012-109), the Regions Regulation (Regulation 2022-46) and the Regional Services Support Fund Regulation (Regulation 2023-35). 

The General Regulation sets out, among other things, detailed provisions regarding decision-making and voting procedures, the apportionment of service costs among members, the process for amending regional boundaries, RSC board meeting requirements, financial management matters, the Regional Strategy framework, annual reporting obligations, and conflict of interest rules. 

The Regions Regulation specifies the official names of the RSCs and identifies the local governments and the rural district found within each RSC boundary. 

The Regional Services Support Fund Regulation sets out the framework governing the Department of Environment and Local Government’s Regional Services Support Fund (RSSF), including definitions, eligibility of activities, the funding distribution formula, and reporting requirements. The RSSF is a dedicated provincial funding program that provides Regional Service Commissions with the financial support needed to implement the priorities and activities identified in their Regional Strategies. It is designed to ensure that all regions have the capacity to deliver core services regardless of differences in regional fiscal capacity. The RSSF is guided by principles that promote equity and fairness, support timely and predictable funding for annual and multi-year planning, allow flexibility for a wide range of eligible activities, require accountability through clear reporting and transparency, and ensure the long-term viability of regional services by keeping them sustainable and affordable. 

Several other important pieces of legislation affect the work and administration of the RSCs including, but not limited to, the Local Governance Act, the Community Planning Act, the Community Funding Act, the Clean Environment Act, the Economic and Social Inclusion Act, the Official Languages Act, the Local Governance Commission Act, and the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act.

Maps of the current RSC boundaries, along with names of the local governments and rural district within each RSC can be found here: RSC Region maps and member communities. 

The RSCs are required to provide a variety of services and functions for their members. While these may appear as separate areas of responsibility, in practice they are closely interconnected. Decisions in one area often have direct consequences for others. Recognizing these linkages helps Board members make better and more strategic decisions.

The RSCs have flexibility in how they deliver their mandated services and may choose an in-house, contracted, or hybrid approach based on regional needs, existing local capacity, and available resources. Services may be delivered directly by the RSC, or through a third party engaged under a service agreement that sets out expectations, deliverables, reporting, and performance measures.  This option allows the RSC to leverage specialized expertise, established infrastructure, or organizations well positioned to provide the service. A hybrid approach combines both models, with the RSC retaining responsibility for coordination, oversight, and strategic direction, while contracting out specific components or specialized tasks, providing flexibility and efficiency while maintaining accountability for overall service delivery. 

The mandated services are:

The RSCs are responsible for solid waste disposal within their respective regions.  This may include operating a landfill, operating a transfer station, providing various recycling programs, and in some cases, power generation. There are several inter-regional arrangements in place regarding the transfer to and disposal of solid waste at the province’s six major landfills.

The RSCs are required to provide planning and building inspection services to all rural districts and to those local governments not providing their own planning and building inspection services.  A local government may request that the RSC provide such a service and enter into a service delivery agreement.

The RSCs are required to provide and/or facilitate regional transportation services. With appropriate planning and investments, regional transportation is becoming a sustainable development tool through the promotion of fair mobility, reducing access to inequalities to services, and preserving the environment. It helps enhance the quality of life for residents in different regions and ensures a more sustainable future for all.

The RSCs have are required to undertake regional economic development activities with the aim of building and sustaining a healthy investment and business climate in their region. This includes supporting initiatives that strengthen the regional workforce, such as collaborating with employers, educational institutions, and provincial partners to align training, labour force participation, and business needs. 

The RSCs have are required to undertake and coordinate tourism promotion in their region through such activities as, developing a regional tourism strategy, establishing a regional destination marketing organization, developing marketing partnerships and building a regional tourism website.

The RSCs are required to support community development, and one of the first steps of implementing this mandate was the integration of the Community Inclusion Networks to the RSCs through a Memorandum of Understanding between respective RSCs and the Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation. This approach strengthened the RSCs’ role in shaping a coordinated regional vision to focus on the priorities of the provincial Overcoming Poverty Together (OPT) plan such as affordable housing, newcomer settlement and diversity promotion, social inclusion and healthy communities.

The RSCs are responsible for identifying and facilitating cost sharing agreements among entities (local governments and rural districts) within their respective regions for sport, recreation and cultural infrastructure that is deemed to be regional. The RSCs may also support the development of cost sharing arrangements at the sub-regional level. 

Each RSC must establish a Public Safety Committee. These committees are to facilitate the exchange of information and discussion of potential resource sharing and joint planning withing the region regarding policing, fire protection and emergency measures planning services. 

The RSCs designated in the General Regulation to take on an expanded social mandate are expected to play a facilitating and coordinating role, developing plans to better integrate and align services at the regional and local levels to address issues such as poverty, mental health, and homelessness. In carrying out this work, RSCs will engage with provincial departments, agencies, and community-based organizations to promote alignment of priorities, coordination of efforts, and effective delivery of services. 

The RSCs have the flexibility to facilitate and establish administrative, financial, or service-sharing agreements among local entities within their region. These arrangements may apply to the entire area served by an RSC or to a specific portion of the region and may also be established between RSCs to support collaboration across multiple regions. 

While accountability will always lie with the RSC board of directors, the services of regional economic development, regional tourism development and regional transportation, along with some of the other services provided by the RSC, can be delivered in three different ways:

1. In-house: RSC staff coordinate and deliver the service themselves.
2. Contracting out: Through an agreement, a third party (a private sector company, a local government or a non-profit organization) is hired by the RSC to deliver the service to member entities.
3. Hybrid approach: The RSC takes on some of the activities related to a service while other aspects of the service are contracted.  

To carry out their activities, the RSCs have a variety of general corporate powers granted to them through the Regional Service Delivery Act. As such, RSCs may: 

• acquire by purchase, lease, gift, donation, bequest or otherwise any real or personal property, and own, hold, sell, manage or deal with the property as the RSC may determine
• manage and control its bank accounts and other necessary banking operations
• engage and pay personnel
• become a party to any contract or agreement within its powers
• purchase or dispose of capital assets
• sue and be sued
• subject to the Regional Service Delivery Act and its accompanying regulations or any other Act or regulation, finance any of its undertakings
• assess, charge and collect fees for services from its members and other persons provided a service
• perform any function or duty fixed by or in accordance with the regulations

Each RSC is governed by a board of directors made up of the mayor of each local government in the region and the chair of the rural district advisory committee. The CEO of the RSC is also considered as a member of the board of directors but has non-voting status.  

In cases where the number of mayors combined with the Chair of the rural district advisory committee totals less than six in a region, the RSC board size is doubled. This means that each local government must appoint an additional council member to the RSC Board and the rural district advisory committee must also appoint an additional committee member to the RSC board. 

Alternates for each board member must be designated by each local government council and the rural district advisory committee. The alternates attend board meetings when the regular members are unable to participate.

The RSC board selects, according to its procedural by-law, a chair and vice-chair. The Chair plays a pivotal role in ensuring that Board meetings run smoothly and provides leadership in facilitating strong working relations among Board members and with staff, ensuring good decision-making practices and promoting a healthy and constructive work environment.

The role of the RSC Board is to provide strategic direction and oversight regarding the business and affairs of the organization.  It is not responsible for the day-to-day administration of the RSC – this role is fulfilled by the Chief Executive Officer. 

Some of the key elements in providing direction and oversight include, but are not limited to, the following activities: 

• Developing the RSC’s strategic direction and ensuring implementation of its Regional Strategy
• Overseeing the progressive governance and management of the Commission
• Promoting a positive corporate culture
• Building and maintaining strong working relationships
• Monitoring performance and progress on items outlined in the regional strategy
• Evaluating options, proposals and recommendations
• Making decisions in accordance with legislation and the various voting requirements
• Providing direction, evaluating and giving feedback to the CEO

The diversity of experience of a Board is a strength, but it also requires a shared commitment to collaboration and respect for differing viewpoints. Board members must balance the priorities of their own local governments with the broader needs of the region. 

Effective regional collaboration depends on members acknowledging that decisions made at the RSC have implications beyond individual communities. A willingness to compromise, to seek common ground, and to consider what best serves the collective interests of the region is essential. This means looking beyond local boundaries to identify opportunities and solutions that support sustainable growth, improve service delivery, and enhance the quality of life for all residents and businesses within the region. 

Ultimately, the success of an RSC depends on members’ ability to evaluate with both a local and regional lens while recognizing that what strengthens the region will in turn benefit each community within it. 

Individual board members (including the chair and vice-chair) have, among others, the following roles:    

• Seeking opportunities or presenting ideas where the Commission may be able to provide expanded or additional services to communities. 
• Regularly communicating and liaising with their respective councils or rural district advisory committees regarding RSC activities. (To help Board members fulfill this task, the RSC CEOs, local government chief administrative officers and the rural district managers all have a role to play in ensuring Board members are informed and prepared for the decisions that need to be debated and made at the RSC table).
• Board members carry a dual responsibility: they represent the interests of their own communities while also being expected to act from a regional perspective when serving at the RSC Board table. This means balancing local priorities with the broader needs of the region and making decisions that support the collective interests of all member communities.Reviewing agenda materials and actively participating in Board meetings. 
• Participating in various organizational planning activities (e.g., developing the regional strategy, involvement in the annual budget process, etc.). 
• Sitting on various committees of the Board. 

Legislation specifies that every RSC Board must appoint a CEO. In addition, if a director of finance is retained, they must be a chartered professional accountant. An RSC must also appoint a registered planner as planning director, and this person will also be the development officer (for those members for which the RSC provides planning and building inspection services). 

For purposes of accountability, only the CEO reports to the Board. Any other employees of the RSC report through the RSC’s organizational structure to the CEO. They do not report to the RSC Board. Furthermore, the CEO is ultimately responsible for hiring, overseeing the work and reviewing the performance of the RSC employees. This is done through and with department heads, directors, and managers in the RSC organization. 

Other employees may include department heads, financial and administrative personnel, supervisory staff, various technical and program specialists (e.g., planners, engineers / technologists, building inspectors, project managers and coordinators, program managers, communications / public relation individuals, etc.) and individuals to responsible for operational activities (e.g., running a landfill or transfer station, collecting solid waste and handling recyclables, running the regional transportation service, etc.). 

The General Regulation requires that at least four meetings of the Board be held each fiscal year. Most RSCs meet monthly or every two months. The frequency of regular meetings is a decision of the RSC’s Board members and is specified in the organization’s procedural by-law.  Special meetings of the Board may also be held as necessary. Board meetings are an essential component of RSC governance, as they are where key decisions are made regarding the budget, services, and programs of the organization.

Regular and special meetings must be open to the public. However, the public may be excluded from such meetings for reasons outlined in subsection 13(3) of the Regional Service Delivery Act — General Regulation.

All RSCs must have a procedural by-law. This organizational by-law addresses such matters as Board meeting protocols, standard agendas for regular meetings, standing committee structures and compositions, additional duties of the RSC Chair, notice provisions for special meetings, Board member remuneration, etc. This by-law is critical in ensuring that the RSCs have an effectively run organization. These by-laws should be reviewed periodically to ensure they continue to meet the needs of the RSCs. 

RSC Board members and staff routinely make decisions involving significant public funds, staffing, contracts, and infrastructure that directly affect communities across the region. Given the level of responsibility and authority entrusted to them, these decisions must be made impartially and in the best interests of the Commission and the public. To preserve public trust and confidence in the regional governance model, any real or potential conflicts of interest must be promptly identified, disclosed, and properly managed so that personal, professional, or external interests do not influence, or appear to influence, decision-making. 

As detailed under section 35 of the Regional Service Delivery Act and section 21 of the General Regulation, board members and staff are prohibited from accepting any fees, gifts, gratuities, or other benefits that could reasonably be seen as influencing their judgment or actions. They must also not use their position, or any confidential or privileged information obtained through their role, for personal gain or for the benefit of a family member or associate. These standards are fundamental to ensuring transparency, accountability, and integrity in all decisions, and to reinforcing that the Commission’s work is carried out objectively and in the best interests of the entire region. 

Designated employees include: 

• Chief Executive Officer
• director of finance
• planning director
• a person delegated the duties of a development officer, if any
• a person responsible for purchasing on behalf of the Commission
• any employee of a Commission who is in a senior management position
• an Executive Director
• a manager of the solid waste disposal service
• a planner
• a building inspector or the person who has the primary responsibility to the Commission for the enforcement of local government by-laws or other provincial laws with respect to building and construction within the region

Commissions are required to produce annual budgets. The budget year (or fiscal year) for RSCs is the same as for local governments and rural districts (i.e., the calendar year). Two budgets (operating and capital) must be produced and are combined into one overall budget document.

The operating budget includes: 

• anticipated expenditures for the administration and delivery of the RSC’s mandate
• required revenues to support the administration and delivery of the RSC’s mandate

The capital budget includes: 

• the estimated capital expenditures related to the delivery of the RSC’s mandate
• planned sources of funding for the capital expenditures (e.g., from reserves, borrowing, the operating fund and / or the Regional Services Support Fund)

The RSC’s annual budget document also specifies the members’ (local governments and the rural district) contributions required to support its various services and activities. 

The annual budget development process typically begins in July (or earlier) and concludes at the end of October. The budgets must be approved by the RSC boards by November 1 so that the required financial contributions can be included in the budgets of the member local governments and rural districts. 

The primary source of funding for RSC services and activities is the contribution made by its members. Member contributions for the various services provided by the RSC are determined in accordance with the cost-sharing and apportionment methodologies set out in the General Regulation. This ensures that each member’s contribution reflects its share of the costs for the services it receives. 

While member contributions remain the foundation of RSC funding, additional financial support is available through the Regional Services Support Fund (RSSF). The RSSF provides targeted funding to help RSCs advance the objectives of their Regional Strategy and strengthen regional collaboration. Projects supported through the RSSF focus on priorities outlined in the regional strategy and promote efficiency or innovation in service delivery. To encourage shared investment and local commitment, the RSSF requires a 50% matching contribution from other sources, such as member contributions, partners, or other funding programs. 

The RSCs may access funding from other GNB departments such as WorkingNB, the Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation (ESIC), Regional Development Corporation (RDC), Opportunities New Brunswick (ONB), Justice and Public Safety (JPS), and Health, along with federal government programs that align with regional priorities. The RSCs may also generate revenue from other sources, including tipping fees or service charges to businesses and residents who use RSC facilities or programs. 

Together, these funding streams provide RSCs with the flexibility to sustain core services while pursuing regional initiatives that respond to the unique needs and opportunities within their region.  

The Regional Service Delivery Act requires that each RSC develop and implement a multi-year Regional Strategy. In general terms, the Regional Strategy sets out the RSC’s vision, priorities, goals and related actions with respect to its service and function mandate. Details regarding the form, content, implementation, reporting and review for the Regional Strategy are contained in sections 18.6 through 18.9 of the General Regulation.       

Funding provided to the RSCs through the Regional Services Support Fund is directly tied to the priorities and planned activities identified in the Regional Strategy. It is therefore critical that all the activities identified in the Regional Strategy are clearly described and well planned in terms of their implementation. 

Every RSC is required to prepare an annual report within three months after the end of the fiscal year and must provide it to the member local governments and to the Rural District. The annual report sets out a description of the activities of the RSC during the previous fiscal year and, at a minimum, must include the information listed in section 20 of the General Regulation, which includes: 

• audited financial statements
• a description of the services provided by the RSC and to whom
• the names of the members of the Commission or other persons for whom the Commission provides a land use planning service
• the number of Board meetings
• attendance at Board meetings
• an update on the implementation of the regional strategy of the RSC
• a description of how funds from the Regional Services Support Fund have been used, including an assessment of the performance of the activities and their impact on the region
• the per diems and expenses paid to Board members
• performance measures (once adopted) and progress made with respect to these measures

The Annual Report is a public document and must be posted on the Commission’s website. 

The RSC’s website must include, at a minimum:

• its solid waste tipping fees
• names of all members of the Board
• any other fees assessed, charged, and collected from its members for services, and from other persons who received a service
• its regional strategy and all related documents

A list of contact information for all RSCs can be found online.