Administrative divisions of New Brunswick

The Canadian province of New Brunswick is divided into 340 local entities. New Brunswick has a single-tier municipal system in which all services are delivered either by the local municipality such as a town, village or city, or by the province itself to unincorporated areas organized as local service districts.

Under reforms announced in late 2021, a new structure will reduce total entities to 90 from 340.

Current system[]

Of the 340 New Brunswick (NB) entities, 236 are unincorporated areas called local service districts (LSDs).^[1] These are administrative units of the provincial government. An LSD has no staff or elected government.^[2] Almost half of the residents of LSDs live near municipalities and benefit from their services, although they are not taxed for them.^[2][3] As of the 2016 census, almost a third of the population lived in LSDs, which cover more than 80%^[4] of NB's land area. 208 of the LSDs have fewer than 1,000 people.^[5]

The remainder of the area within provincial boundaries, apart from First Nations, is divided according to the Local Governance Act^[6] into municipalities (94), rural communities (8),^[7] and the Regional Municipality of Tracadie.^[8]

A municipality can be a village, town, or city.^[6] These entities have the same basic authority, the distinctions being based on mainly on population.^[2] Services include certain transportation, environmental, security, and recreational and culture services.^[9] Cities generally provide more services than smaller entities.

Twelve regional service commissions exist to provide services over larger areas, and like LSDs, are not a tier of government.^[10]

History[]

In 1784 New Brunswick was created via the partitioning of the Colony of Nova Scotia and divided into the counties of NB, which were in turn divided into parishes. By the 1960s the province was a patchwork of incorporated cities, towns, villages, and local improvement districts.^[11] Under this system, many public services including healthcare, social services, and education were provided by county government.^[12] Underfunded poor counties were stuck in a "perpetual cycle of poverty".^[12]

In response, Liberal premier Louis Robichaud introduced the Equal Opportunity Program.^[13] This reformed municipal taxation, and via the 1966 Municipalities Act^[13] eliminated county governments and led to the subsequent centralization of many of their powers. In 1967 counties ceased to exist as government units. Areas governed until then by county council either remained unincorporated as LSDs, or one of 67 new incorporated villages.^[13] These new villages were given the same municipal powers as towns and cities.^[2] Existing towns and cities were not changed.^[14]

Regional service commissions were added in 2012.

2022 reforms[]

The system introduced in 1966 remained largely unchanged through 55 years of economic and social changes, becoming, according to an NB government white paper, "not as efficient or effective as it could be".^[14] By 2021, about a third of NB residents do not elect local representatives,^[14] as they live in LSDs. It was recognised that there were too many entities. For comparison, neighbouring Nova Scotia has 25% more population and is divided into 49 administrative divisions.

Following decades of studies and proposals for substantial reform, a local governance reform process began in January 2021.^[14] A plan was announced the following November with the following timeline:

• December 2021: the Local Governance Reform Bill presented to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick.
• November 2022: elections for the new districts.
• New Year's Day 2023: new divisions will take effect.^[5] The new entities will comprise 12 rural districts and 78 local government entities.^[14] About 22% of NB's population, or 161,000 people, will no longer live in LSDs.^[15] While there are no major changes to the three biggest cities, Fredericton, Saint John, and Moncton, some smaller municipalities will be joined, along with nearby LSDs, including:^[1]
  • Alma, Hillsborough and Riverside-Albert
  • Bath, Florenceville-Bristol and Centreville
  • Blacks Harbour and St. George
  • Cambridge Narrows and Gagetown
  • Campbellton, Atholville and Tide Head
  • Grand Falls and Drummond
  • Minto and Chipman
  • Sackville and Dorchester

Other jurisdictions of the province[]

Census areas[]

Census Canada divides the province into census divisions and subdivisions, population centres, and economic regions (Fredericton-Moncton-Saint John, Madawaska-Charlotte, Restigouche-Albert).

Health authorities[]

The NB Department of Health funds two health authorities: Horizon Health Network in the central and southern portions of the province, and Vitalité Health Network in the north and southeast. For statistical purposes, the government further divides the province into seven zones, with zones 2 and 3 in the Horizon authority, and the rest under Vitalité.^[16]

Protected areas[]

• National Parks (Fundy and Kouchibouguac) and provincial parks.
• Canadian Heritage Rivers System: the Saint John, St. Croix, and Restigouche rivers.
• National Wildlife Areas and National Migratory Bird Sanctuaries administered by the Canadian Wildlife Service.
• Protected Natural Areas legally protected under the provincial Protected Natural Areas Act.^[17]

Indian reserves[]

There are 15 First Nations in New Brunswick.

Canadian Forces bases[]

There is one Canadian Forces Base, CFB Gagetown.

See also[]

fr:Gouvernance locale au Nouveau-Brunswick (local government in NB)

References[]