August 13, 2024
Moncton, NB – Municipalities in New Brunswick are calling on all political parties to commit to working with local governments to implement a new fiscal framework after the upcoming provincial election.
“Municipalities in New Brunswick have been underfunded for some time,” said Andrew Black, president of the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick. “We are asking that all parties, candidates and leaders running in the upcoming provincial election commit to implementing a new framework that will see municipalities adequately funded to deliver the many services they are responsible for.”
In addition to a new fiscal framework, the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB) and its Urban Municipal Caucus (UMC, which represents NB’s largest communities) is asking that all political parties commit to collaborating with municipalities to address housing affordability and ensuring the right kind of housing is built to support population growth. The Union is calling on the province’s next government to commit to conducting a comprehensive provincial policing review that includes a fair funding model that will ensure appropriate community presence and visibility.
“Funding, housing and policing are at the center of municipal priorities in New Brunswick,” says UMC Chair Adam Lordon. “Work completed by the UMNB has determined that the underfunding of municipalities has led to rising property taxes. Taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay more because of an outdated system that no longer reflects the roles and responsibilities of different orders of government.”
The UMNB is calling on each political party to commit to a better revenue sharing model. One idea is that municipalities would receive a small portion of the HST collected in the province to allow them to better deliver key services like policing, water and sewerage, street paving, waste collection, regional economic development and tourism and more. Similar models are already in place in Saskatchewan and Québec, and working very successfully.
The UMNB will be issuing an all-candidate survey during the campaign to determine the positions of each candidate as it relates to municipal key priorities. For more information on the priorities and the impact they have on the lives of New Brunswickers go to www.umnb.ca/election2024.
The UMNB is a bilingual association of fifty-six local governments of all sizes, representing almost eighty percent of New Brunswick’s population. Since 1994, the UMNB has advocated for strong, sustainable communities throughout the province. Our members decide UMNB’s policies and priorities through member resolutions, at regional Zone meetings, and at our Annual General Meeting. Together, our members tackle local challenges and share solutions to make life better for their citizens.
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Media Contact:
Dan Murphy, Executive Director
Email: dan.murphy@umnb.ca
Phone: 506 – 444 -2285