Kent County communities ask province to go further with local government mergers

Several eastern New Brunswick communities say they want to join together and go further than mergers proposed in the province's local governance reforms.

"We want to go further in and make it work," Eric Tremblay, president of the Saint-Ignace local service district, said in an interview about a proposal submitted to the province. 

The proposal calls for the merging of the Town of Richibucto, Village of Saint-Louis-de-Kent, as well as the local service districts of Saint-Ignace, Aldouane, Saint-Charles. It would also include most of the LSD of Saint-Louis-de-Kent. 

Under the province's white paper outlining its local governance reform plans, the areas were going to be two separate communities anchored around the town and the village.

It's an example of tweaks to the province's sweeping overhaul sought ahead of the pending passage of legislation to implement those changes. 

We know it's not sustainable to be everybody in their own little corner. If everybody can work together, it'll be a lot better than all working in little sections.- Danielle Dugas, mayor of Saint-Louis-de-Kent

Community leaders sent a letter to Minister Daniel Allain asking to be combined and are waiting for a formal decision that could come by the end of the week.

"I think we knew we kind of knew this was coming and we were getting ready for it," Danielle Dugas, mayor of Saint-Louis-de-Kent, said in an interview about community mergers. 

"And we know it's not sustainable to be everybody in their own little corner. If everybody can work together, it'll be a lot better than all working in little sections."

Tremblay said they want to have a seat at the table to make decisions rather than standing at the side and watching decisions be made for them. He said the region already works well together.

"Co-operation, it's embedded in our way of life here in Kent County," he said. "We are Francophone communities, Anglophone communities, Mi'kmaw communities, and we've been living together for well over 250 years, 300 years. It's not always rosy, we have our differences, but we're used to cooperating and helping each other."

The request offers a contrast to other parts of the province that are resistant to the changes the province has announced.

Some communities the province plans to amalgamate have spoken out against the plans, including Minto and Chipman, and Sackville about its merger with Dorchester. LSDs have voiced concerns about insufficient consultation held mainly through online meetings.

Tremblay said he can understand that some communities believe the changes don't meet their needs and may feel their voices weren't heard.

He said one community offers advantages in terms of planning community infrastructure, tourism promotion and business development and attraction. 

He said they will need to be "vigilant" on the financing for new entities. 

"I hope they will not repeat some errors that were done in the past where they amalgamated some communities without financing and new regulations, and financial tools to make it work," he said.

Dugas said with a larger tax base and population, the merged communities would hold more sway in dealing with the province. 

As well, there are already community assets like a pool in her community, used mainly by people who live outside the village, but paid for by the village. 

"This way, the whole region would pay, so it would be more equal for everybody," Dugas said.

Tremblay said there are other examples, like paying for arenas used regionally, that mean a merger makes sense.

Richibucto's mayor declined an interview before the province announces its decision on their proposal.

In an emailed statement attributed to the minister, the province said it is reviewing proposals and will announce decisions on those requests by the end of the week.

Allain has said he's open to some tweaks based on feedback from communities. 

A spokesperson for the department didn't answer a question about how many requests for changes have been received so far.

Legislation to implement aspects of the reform plan is expected to receive third and final reading this week before the legislature breaks for the holidays.

A timeline released by the province indicates new community boundaries would be in place by January 2023.