https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-local-governance-reform-1.6253482
New Brunswick reforms merge dozens of local governments and rural areas
Number of local entities will be cut from 340 to 90: there will be 78 municipalities and 12 rural districts
Around 161,000 people, or 22 per cent of the provincial population, who now live in unincorporated local service districts will find themselves residents of enlarged municipalities when the transition is complete.
The remaining local service districts will be combined into 12 rural districts with elected advisory boards that will advise the province on local tax ratesand other decisions.
The Higgs government is describing it as a way to give those residents power over local issues.
"Your voice will be heard. The democratic deficit currently affecting 30 per cent of the province's population will be rectified," Local Government Reform Minister Daniel Allain says in a white paper released Thursday.
All told, the number of local entities will be cut from 340 to 90. There will be 78 municipalities and 12 rural districts.
"We've been talking about this for 25 years," Allain told reporters. "We've had 25 studies. The municipal associations … all told us we needed reform. We needed to move ahead."
The reform is intended to deal with a range of chronic local government problems that have been building up for years, including the sharing and funding of local services and infrastructure, and the growth of urban sprawl just outside the taxation reach of cities, towns and villages.
Expanded role for commissions
Regional service commissions created a decade ago to co-ordinate some of those issues will be beefed up, with new mandates and voting rules to reduce the procedural gridlock on some votes and put limits on opting out.
The commissions, which include all municipalities and rural LSDs in their areas, will now have a role in economic development, tourism promotion, regional transportation and the cost-sharing of recreational infrastructure such as arenas.
Daniel Allain, the minister of local governance reform, announced changes intended to deal with a range of chronic local government problems that have been building up for years. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
They'll also have public safety committees to oversee policing and fire services. And the three largest commissions, anchored by Moncton, Saint John and Fredericton, will get a role in paying for homelessness, mental health and poverty reduction services.
Communities within the regions will not be able to opt out of the "mandated" services the commissions must provide, and will have to help pay for them under the changes.
A new voting formula will require support from members representing a simple majority of the population, not the current two-thirds requirement that has led to stalemates on some decisions.
Smaller municipalities affected
There are no major amalgamations involving the province's three largest cities. Saint John's boundaries remain unchanged and Moncton gains a small part of one local service district but not Dieppe or Riverview.
Fredericton will absorb several outlying adjacent areas but no nearby municipalities.
But a number of smaller municipalities will be fused together, along with some neighbouring local service districts, into larger entities. They include:
- Sackville and Dorchester
- Alma, Hillsborough and Riverside-Albert
- Blacks Harbour and St. George
- Cambridge Narrows and Gagetown
- Minto and Chipman
- Bath, Florenceville-Bristol and Centreville
- Grand Falls and Drummond
- Campbellton, Atholville and Tide Head
All the new entities will be in place in January 2023.
In local service districts that are absorbed by municipalities, there will be "increases or decreases" in property tax rates, the white papers says.
Those changes will be determined during the transition period next year and will be phased in over time.
It also says future local government mergers will no longer have to be approved by residents in plebiscites but will be approved by a new provincial commission.
Liberals see lots to weigh
Tracadie-Sheila Liberal MLA Keith Chiasson said it will take time to digest all the information in the proposed reform package. (Radio-Canada)
Opposition parties were tepid in their reactions.
"The sense I got over the last few months with the consultations was that people were very open to some kind of change," said Liberal MLA Keith Chiasson.
"Obviously, what was announced today was a major change. So there's a lot of information shared with us and the population in general. We're going to need some time, and the population also needs some time to digest it."
Chiasson said he also didn't oppose the elimination of the plebiscite requirement.
"I don't think so, because I think a lot of communities actually wanted to work together, so I don't think we need a plebiscite to confirm what they've been asking for for years."
People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin said his party had questions but would have to take a closer look at the package.
Greens welcome change
Green MLA Kevin Arseneau says the proposed changes are 'a good reform and a very important reform.' (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
The Green Party welcomed the changes. "Honestly, it's pretty comprehensive," said MLA Kevin Arseneau. "It's a good reform and a very important reform."
He said there needs to be more discussion about how to include citizens in the democratic process even more, and he added he hopes Allain will be open to adjusting some of the mergers and boundaries if there is feedback calling for that.
Allain, however, suggested he wasn't inclined to make changes.
"We have to move forward on this reform, and yes, there are going to be some questions," he said.
"However, with the consultation process we did in the last year … our plan is what people were saying, and hence the reason why we're here today. There are no big surprises with some of the entities that are proposed here today."
Next elections delayed
The next municipal elections will be pushed back from 2025 to 2026 because some of the new entities will need elections or byelections scheduled for November 2022.
Major changes to local government financing won't happen until the new municipal entities are in place but will take place before 2025.
Among possible changes at that time will be passing on the cost of rural roads to their new local entities, which the white paper says would lead to tax increases.
Other sought-after changes, including exempting apartments and other secondary properties from the provincial portion of property taxes, were also put off until then.
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https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/local-governance-reform-reaction-1.6253870
Municipal leaders offer largely positive response to local governance reforms
Mayors say many details left to sort out, hoped to see faster action on taxation changes
"I think it's a fantastic first step," Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold said. "Again, the devil will be in the details."
Daniel Allain, the minister of local governance reform, released a white paper Thursday that lays out a series of proposed changes to municipal boundaries and powers to be enacted over the coming years.
The changes would represent the first major overhaul of the local governance system since the 1960s. The proposed reforms would largely do away with local service districts where the minister serves as mayor, replacing them with new "rural districts" or folding whole or parts of districts into neighbouring municipalities.
The total number of local government entities, things like local service districts and municipalities, would be cut from 340 to 90. There will be 78 municipalities and 12 rural districts.
Jules Bossé, president of the Association of Local Service Districts of New Brunswick, says rural districts should have more power. (Radio-Canada)
Jules Bossé, president of the Association of Local Service Districts of New Brunswick, was critical of the plan, saying rural districts would still largely serve an advisory role to the minister.
Ian Comeau, Campbellton's mayor, called the release of the white paper a historic moment. It calls for Campbellton to be merged with the villages of Atholville, Tide Head and several local service districts to form a community of about 12,300.
"I think now the work begins," Comeau said of the many steps, including the name of the new community, to enact the reforms.
Adam Lordon, Miramichi's mayor and president of the Cities of New Brunswick Association, says structural changes to local government entities are a good step. (Shane Magee/CBC)
Adam Lordon, mayor of Miramichi and president of the Cities of New Brunswick Association, echoed Arnold's comments about it being a positive step, but he said cities hoped to see more immediate changes to taxation powers.
The white paper says work on finances and taxation will come in a second phase of reforms after the new community boundaries are established.
"We were hoping to see that addressed on the front end," Lordon said.
Dieppe Mayor Yvon Lapierre hoped to see a greater reduction in the number of local governance entities in line with recommendations from l'Association francophone des municipalités du Nouveau Brunswick.
"There's nothing that I can criticize except maybe a little lack of courage when it comes to some of the rural areas," Lapierre said. "But at least they're being they're being put all together … I think it will in time, perhaps, require some additional changes in the future."
Dieppe Mayor Yvon Lapierre says the plan strikes a good balance in accomplishing the province's goal of reducing local governance entities, though he expects more may need to be done in the future. (Shane Magee/CBC News)
Dieppe's boundaries will largely stay the same, only adding small portions of the neighbouring local service districts of Moncton and Scoudouc.
Several community boundaries won't be affected. Those include Belledune, Tracadie, Neguac, the Rural Community of Upper Miramichi, Riverview, Memramcook, Petitcodiac, Quispamsis, Rothesay, Saint John, Grand Manan, Campobello Island, McAdam, Fredericton Junction, Tracy, and New Maryland.
All others will be changed to some degree, either merging with other nearby municipalities or absorbing all or part of local service districts.
Alex Scholten, president of the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick and a New Maryland councillor, said he would be talking to the group's board Thursday evening.
He expected some to be concerned, but said the changes largely follow discussions that have been taking place locally.
"There's communities that recognize that they're probably not going to be able to survive given their financial realities and their population base in their communities," he said. "Those communities would be looking to consolidate to be able to provide the services that their residents may be looking for or would be looking for."
Jordan Manzer, who is part of the Keswick Ridge local service district advisory committee and a regional director for the LSD association, said it's positive the minister largely followed the group's goal to combine areas with similar areas of interest.
The province said decisions on what areas to combine were based on geography, language, school catchment zones, historic communities boundaries, and other factors.
Twelve new rural districts will largely replace areas that were previously unincorporated local service districts in New Brunswick. (Government of New Brunswick)
Manzer also said it's positive that residents of rural areas will now be able to elect local representatives. However, he said there are concerns with new powers for regional service commissions.
One planned change gives those bodies, already responsible for waste collection and regional land use planning, responsibility for recreational infrastructure cost-sharing. Commissions in the Moncton, Fredericton and Saint John areas will also be able to co-ordinate funding related to homelessness, mental health and poverty.
"We would certainly like to have conversations around cost-sharing for projects that make sense for our areas, but we don't feel a forced mechanism is the way to proceed," Manzer said.
Several leaders contacted for comment said they will study the report and speak to the recommendations at a later point, including in the cities of Bathurst and Saint John.
---------- Original message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Thu, 10 Jun 2021 12:56:52 -0300
Subject: Fwd: Talk of May 18, 2021
To: jbosse3058@gmail.com
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
Sure please excuse my spelling but I will resend it warts and all
Notice that Higgy's computer answered me??
On 6/10/21, Jules Bosse <jbosse3058@gmail.com> wrote:
> Hi Mr. Amos,
>
> Thank you for your email this morning that confirmed the facts in your talk
> with Mrs Martin on May 18, 2021. By mistake I erased that email. Can you
> please forward me that same email.
>
> Thanks, and have a great day!
>
> Jules Bossé
>
---------- Original message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2021 15:24:31 -0300
Subject: Re: Talk of May 18, 2021 Higgy can never claim he didn't know
To: Jules Bosse <jbosse3058@gmail.com>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Higgs, Premier Blaine (PO/CPM)"<Blaine.Higgs@gnb.ca>
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2021 18:21:01 +0000
Subject: RE: Talk of May 18, 2021
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Hello,
Thank you for taking the time to write.
Due to the volume of incoming messages, this is an automated response
to let you know that your email has been received and will be reviewed
at the earliest opportunity.
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Merci d'avoir pris le temps de nous écrire.
En raison du volume des messages reçus, cette réponse automatique vous
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secteur du gouvernement, le personnel vous renverra votre courriel
pour examen et considération.
If this is a Media Request, please contact the Premier’s office at
(506) 453-2144 or by email
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S’il s’agit d’une demande des médias, veuillez communiquer avec le
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Email/Courriel:
premier@gnb.ca/premier.
---------- Original message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Wed, 9 Jun 2021 15:18:11 -0300
Subject: Re: Talk of May 18, 2021
To: jbosse3058@gmail.com, Daniel.J.Allain@gnb.ca, gail.dube@gnb.ca,
mathieu.cassie@gnb.ca, sylvie.martin3@gnb.ca, Martin.Corbett@gnb.ca,
ryan.donaghy@gnb.ca, "denis.bujold"<denis.bujold@gnb.ca>,
Denyse.Smart@gnb.ca, "hugh.flemming"<hugh.flemming@gnb.ca>,
"Mike.Comeau"<Mike.Comeau@gnb.ca>, "andrea.anderson-mason"
<andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>
"Ross.Wetmore"<Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, "rob.moore"
<rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, premier <premier@gnb.ca>,
"blaine.higgs"<blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, Daniel.Allain@gnb.ca,
"jeff.carr"<jeff.carr@gnb.ca>, "fin.minfinance-financemin.
<fin.minfinance-financemin.
Good Day Mr Bossé
What you has stated is true about ur cnersation on May 18th and I
would be more than willing to sign an affidavit to that effect
Trust that I have very serious concerns about the actions of Premier
Higgs his new Minister Daniel Allain and his many minions
https://www2.gnb.ca/content/
As I said I strongly suggest that you print the pdf file hereto attached
Veritas Vincit
David Raymond Amos
---------- Original message ----------
From: Jules Bosse <jbosse3058@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 5 Jun 2021 15:12:31 -0300
Subject: Talk of May 18, 2021
To: david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Hi Mr. Amos,
Following the following interview on the morning of May 18th, you undertook
to contact me: CBC St-John May 18:
https://www.cbc.ca/listen/
In reference to the summary of the conversation you had with Mrs. Sylvie
Martin from the office of the local LSD manager in Edmundston where she
would have informed you in an affirmative way that I will no longer be in
position on the advisory committee of my LSD after May 31st. You then gave
me her phone number (735-2763) to confirm that we were talking about the
same person.
As part of a province-wide file, the New Brunswick Association of Local
Service Districts (ALSDNB ), a file is being compiled to identify as many
irregularities as possible in reference to these makeshift elections under
section 170(2) of the Local Government Act. To that effect, please confirm
our discussion of May 18th and add any other details you deem relevant.
Thank you for your cooperation and your interest in the fairness of our
democratic system.
Jules Bossé
President of the ALSDNB
735-7214
T
<https://www.avast.com/sig-
Garanti
sans virus. www.avast.com
<https://www.avast.com/sig-
<#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-
This is proof that I sent emails to Premier Higgs and many others at
the the same point in time which I forwarded to you in its entirety
after we talked again correct?
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Ministerial Correspondence Unit - Justice Canada <mcu@justice.gc.ca>
Date: Tue, 18 May 2021 12:06:54 +0000
Subject: Automatic Reply
To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Thank you for writing to the Honourable David Lametti, Minister of
Justice and Attorney General of Canada.
Due to the volume of correspondence addressed to the Minister, please
note that there may be a delay in processing your email. Rest assured
that your message will be carefully reviewed.
We do not respond to correspondence that contains offensive language.
-------------------
Merci d'avoir écrit à l'honorable David Lametti, ministre de la
Justice et procureur général du Canada.
En raison du volume de correspondance adressée au ministre, veuillez
prendre note qu'il pourrait y avoir un retard dans le traitement de
votre courriel. Nous tenons à vous assurer que votre message sera lu
avec soin.
Nous ne répondons pas à la correspondance contenant un langage offensant.
---------- Original message ----------
From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.
Date: Tue, 18 May 2021 09:06:50 -0300
Subject: Fwd: Hey Higgy Methinks Dorothy Shephard must admit that
Dependable Public Health Care begins with a Medicare Card instead of
having her nasty minions inviting me to sue her in order to get one Correct?
To: czwibel@ccla.org, "kerri.froc"<kerri.froc@unb.ca>,
esherkey@torys.com, gdingle@torys.com, abernstein@torys.com,
isabel.lavoiedaigle@gnb.ca, krpfadmin@nbpolice.ca, "blaine.higgs"
<blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, "hugh.flemming"<hugh.flemming@gnb.ca>,
david.coon@gnb.ca, "Robert. Jones"<Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>,
"Ross.Wetmore"<Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, "kris.austin"
<kris.austin@gnb.ca>, "robert.gauvin"<robert.gauvin@gnb.ca>,
"Roger.L.Melanson"<roger.l.melanson@gnb.ca>, "rob.moore"
<rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, John.williamson@parl.gc.ca, "Roger.Brown"
<Roger.Brown@fredericton.ca>, "Brenda.Lucki"
<Brenda.Lucki@rcmp-grc.gc.ca>, "barbara.massey"
<barbara.massey@rcmp-grc.gc.ca
healthplansante@gnb.ca, "Dorothy.Shephard"<Dorothy.Shephard@gnb.ca>,
"Norman.Bosse"<Norman.Bosse@gnb.ca>, "charles.murray"
<charles.murray@gnb.ca>
Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>
Here is proof that I had concerns about the doings within my LSD long
before I ran again in Fundy Royal during the election of the 43rd
Parliament
https://twitter.com/
David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @Kathryn98967631 and 49 others
Methinks it would be interesting to see what Minister Bernadette
Jordan thinks of this spit and chew about our garbage We already know
what Rob Moore the wannabe MP again thinks of her new position N'esy
Pas?
https://davidraymondamos3.
#nbpoli #cdnpoli
https://www.cbc.ca/news/
Province helps mend rift between communities after service commission dissolved
Board serving 18 towns and rural communities in Sussex-Hampton
dissolved last month amid budget dispute
Connell Smith · CBC News · Posted: Mar 11, 2019 5:00 AM AT
Photo
The waste transfer station in Sussex maintained by Regional Service
Commission 8. The facility is at the heart of a dispute that pits
rural communities against the region's incorporated communities. (RSC
8)
The Department of Local Government will arrange training and mediation
to help mend a rift between the towns and many rural communities in
the greater Sussex-Hampton area.
The volunteer board serving that region's service commission was
dissolved by Local Government Minister Jeff Carr in early February
after it became hopelessly divided over the 2019 budget.
Brenda Knight, a retired municipal administrator, has been appointed
trustee to oversee operations in the board's stead.
On March 5, Knight approved a budget for the commission, which will be
presented to representatives of the four municipalities and 14 local
service districts in coming weeks.
In the meantime, Erika Jutras, a Department of Local Government
spokeswoman, said the trustee will remain in place until either
members "demonstrate" they can work together or the next municipal
elections in May 2020, whichever comes first.
Division over solid waste costs
The board split last fall over how solid waste management costs were
to be divided between the towns and unincorporated rural communities,
called local service districts.
Many of the board members representing LSDs feel they are paying too
much for waste management.
Mary Ann Coleman chairs the LSD Advisory Committee for Waterford,
which has a population of approximately 500.
Minister removed member of Sussex-area commission after harassment complaint
Service commission fired after months of deadlock over budget
She says costs should be allocated strictly on how waste is generated
by each community.
The current cost formula involves a combination of a levee on the
amount of trash collected and a fixed amount for each community that
is dedicated to providing stable funding for the region's waste
transfer station in Sussex.
"It's important in my mind that we keep the costs of services, as much
as we can, down for people," said Coleman.
"This has an impact on the taxes for people in rural areas."
She says the costs to operate the waste transfer station should be
taken entirely from tipping fees, which would cost the towns more and
the LSDs less.
Proposed budget 'didn't suit' some municipalities
James McCrea was chair of the service commission board at the time it
was dissolved.
McCrea, who is from the LSD of Wickham, says the costs are not being
distributed fairly, based on trash volumes alone, and that goes
against the intent of regulations set out by the province.
"It was a fair budget, it was a really good budget that was proposed.
But it didn't suit some of the municipalities and a couple of the
local service districts," said McCrea.
Photo
James McCrea was chair of the board for Regional Service District 8
when it was dissolved by the province in February. He represents
Wickham LSD Advisory Committee. (Maria Jose Burgos, CBC)
Speaking to CBC last month, Sussex Mayor Marc Thorne said the budget
proposed by the LSDs threatened the future of the region's waste
transfer station and recycling operations because the station requires
stable funding year-to-year while trash volumes fluctuate.
McCrea says in asking for the change to the funding formula the rural
communities are not trying to threaten the viability of the transfer
station.
"There's never been a problem existed that can't be dealt with and
fixed, but everyone has to work together and share the costs."
About the Author
Connell Smith
Reporter
Connell Smith is a reporter with CBC in Saint John. He can be reached
at 632-7726 Connell.smith@cbc.ca
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
10 Comments
Commenting is now closed for this story.
David Amos
Methinks it would be interesting to see what Bernadette Jordan
Canada’s inaugural minister of rural economic development thinks of
this spit and chew about our garbage We already know what our former
MP thinks of her position N'esy Pas?
New rural development minister is first female Nova Scotia MP named to
federal cabinet
By Holly McKenzie-Sutter The Canadian Press January 14, 2019 3:07 pm
"Rob Moore, Conservative shadow minister for Atlantic Canada, wished
Jordan well with her new portfolio, but questioned Trudeau’s motives
so close to October’s federal election.
Moore said the new portfolio “appears to just be a communications
exercise” that may stand for too little, too late.
“It appears to be just to give off the impression that they’re
connected or concerned with Atlantic issues, when in fact the last
three years tells us that Atlantic and rural issues are on the
backburner,” Moore said.
Trudeau’s cabinet came under fire from some Atlantic Canadians when
Navdeep Bains, a Mississauga MP, was put in charge of the Atlantic
Canada Opportunities Agency.
Criticism also followed when New Brunswick MP Dominic LeBlanc was
shuffled out of the Fisheries portfolio to be replaced with Jonathan
Wilkinson, who represents North Vancouver.
Jordan said Monday the government has a genuine commitment to rural Canada.
“I think it’s an unfortunate thing that people don’t consider rural
important, because rural is extremely important to this government,
we’re showing that,” she said."
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