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- calendar_today October 19, 2026
Renewed Appeals for Mandatory Municipal Training
The Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick and the Local Governance Commission are intensifying calls for the provincial government to implement mandatory training for municipal officials. Their renewed requests follow concerns that a recent optional two-day provincial training session in Saint John was not accessible to all municipalities across the province.
Accessibility Challenges with Provincial Training
In June, the province hosted a two-day in-person training for new and re-elected mayors and councillors at the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre. However, none of the six councillors nor the mayor from Grand Bay-Westfield were able to attend, having previously scheduled their own orientation session for the new council, which conflicted with the province's training dates.
Grand Bay-Westfield Mayor Brittany Merrifield, who also serves as president of the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick, explained, “We chose to attend our own [orientation] because it had already been set up and we'd expended some resources to make sure that it was going to happen.”
Merrifield noted that while providing provincial training is "a great start," it was not equally accessible to the nearly 600 mayors and councillors in New Brunswick or the many municipal administrators who support them. The session's in-person-only format excluded many officials, particularly those from smaller communities.
Financial and Logistical Barriers for Municipalities
Merrifield highlighted the challenges faced by smaller municipalities: “We have communities that can't afford lawn mowers or snow blowers, and so it would be a real stretch for them to send an entire council to another municipality to stay for two or three days.” These barriers have led to growing frustration among local leaders who feel the current system does not provide adequate or accessible municipal training.
The Local Governance Commission echoed these concerns in its most recent annual report, recommending mandatory training as a means to prevent conflicts that have, in some cases, resulted in disbanded councils and externally appointed supervisors taking over municipal operations.
Commission Critiques Provincial Approach
Last year, the province chose not to introduce mandatory training, offering instead a single optional session. The Local Governance Commission’s report criticized this decision, stating it failed to ensure "equal and consistent access" to important information for all municipal leaders. The report described the move as standing "in stark contrast to the Minister’s earlier assertion that his staff would work to reduce the barriers that had previously prevented people from attending training."
According to provincial spokesperson Bruce Macfarlane, about 550 elected officials and municipal staff participated in the June Saint John training. Macfarlane added that the Department of Local Government is reviewing the commission’s report and "remains committed and open to providing advice, guidance, and training to all local governments upon request." Additional training sessions are being planned for this fall.
Need for Ongoing Expert Support
Beyond training, the Local Governance Commission has called for changes in how the Department of Local Government responds to municipal requests for legislative interpretation. The commission noted that local governments require a specific, no-cost source of help regarding the Local Governance Act and Regional Services Delivery Act—complex statutes for municipalities, particularly those without in-house legal counsel.
Dan Murphy, executive director of the Union of Municipalities, reported a roughly 40 per cent increase in municipalities seeking advice in the past year. He emphasized that while the Union provides informal support, there remains a need for government to play a formal role in offering authoritative interpretations and support, describing direct access as "the gold standard." Newly elected officials, he noted, often rely on informal mentoring from experienced mayors and councillors, but Murphy argues that clear, direct information from the province is crucial.
Source: cbc.ca.
