Though he will probably have to read it through several times, Dan Murphy says there appears to be a lot of positives in the municipal reform white paper.
On Thursday, the Government of New Brunswick announced historic plans for government reform, much to the delight of the Union of the Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB).
“I think there’s a lot of good stuff in the reform. It’s something our association has been calling for, for a number of years,” says Murphy, the executive director of UMNB.
Sweeping reforms unveiled by Local Governance Reform Minister Daniel Allain will see the local government entities in the province drop from 340 to 90.
The plan address many of UMNB’s long-standing priorities, says Murphy, such as ensuring everyone has a vote at the municipal level and items around land-use planning.
Throughout the consultation process conducted earlier this year, the group was often involved in the working groups.
Murphy says Allain has expressed interest in continuing with the collaboration, and the UMNB will surely take the minister up on that offer.
While it’s still too early to determine what the union members think of the plan, Murphy says there are a few areas that have to be addressed.
“I know that the question around municipal revenues being addressed only in 2024 is something members … are gonna be disappointed in,” says Murphy, adding that as he continues to review the document, he’s sure there will be more questions.
With files from Brad Perry.
