The long awaited and much sought after municipal reform process is finally about to get underway. Local Government Minister Daniel Allain announced the launch of a new web site to provide information and spark discussion modernizing municipal government in the province.
Allain says “We are in a pandemic so public engagement will look different but we will be talking to people in rural and urban centres, in small and large communities, across the province.” He says 30-percent of residents don’t have local government representation – and – there is duplication of services and infrastructure with many communities having difficulties maintaining services.
The department will release a “Green Paper” in the spring to promote even more discussion. Formal presentations will be made virtually while individuals can submit comments by mail or electronically. A final report will be released by the end of this year.