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Aregional service commission (RSC) is an administrative entity in the province ofNew Brunswick,Canada.[1] As the name implies, an RSC administers services on a regional level.[2]
RSCs are not incorporated municipal entities and lack direct taxation powers.
A 2021 white paper recommended major reforms to New Brunswick's local governance system that took effect in 2023, with increased RSC responsibilities and some boundary adjustments.[3]
RSCs were originally required to provide regional planning, local planning inlocal service districts (LSD) and participating local governments, solid waste management, policing collaboration, emergency measures planning, and facilitating cost-sharing agreements between member governance units.[4]
The2023 local governance reforms added economic development, community development, tourism promotion, regional transportation, cost-sharing on recreation infrastructure, and public safety committees to the mandates of RSCs.[5]
Before the creation of RSCs, regional planning and waste management were managed by two systems of planning commissions and solid waste commissions; these sets of commissions divided the province in different ways.
The concept of a regional administrative body that replaced existing regional commissions in a unified body was proposed by the Finn Report[6] in 2008 as part of a sweeping reform of the province's local governance bodies. Twelve RSCs would administer services in 53 municipalities with boundaries based on communities of interest rather than existing municipal and LSD boundaries.
TheGraham government shelved the Finn Report shortly after it was released, with Graham telling reporters it would be a mistake to implement the changes during the2008 financial crisis.[7]
RSCs were created by theAlward government in 2012, taking effect on 1 January 2013. The initial boards consisted of mayors of the member municipalities and rural communities and LSD representatives appointed by the provincial government.
Instead of using the RSC boundaries proposed by Finn, the Alward government based RSC boundaries on existing governance units. The period between announcement and implementation allowed for municipalities and LSDs to request transfer to another RSC;Belledune,Saint-Quentin, andHampton all took advantage of this policy to successfully lobby for a change in which RSC they would belong to.
All local service districts were dissolved, with all areas not within a municipality formed rural districts. Minor boundary changes were common; Hampton was moved from the Kings RSC to Fundy.[citation needed]
Each RSC is governed by a board consisting of all mayors within the RSC and chair of the advisory board of the RSC's rural district.[8]
TheOfficial Languages Act[9] (OLA) applies to all RSCs with a 20% linguistic minority, a city, or a municipality with a 20% linguistic minority. As of 2017 eight RSCs are subject to the OLA.[10]
The twelve RSCs were originally given only numbers, counting roughly clockwise from the northwestern corner of the province; the original order is retained here. Most adopted more descriptive names within two years of their creation.
Municipality types: (C) city, (T) town, (VL) village, (RC) rural community, (RM) regional municipality
The NWRSC serves primarily francophone communities in the northwestern corner of the province, including all ofMadawaska County, westernRestigouche County, and northernVictoria County.
The RRSC serves most of Restigouche County and is the smallest RSC.
The CRSC serves western and centralGloucester County and the eastern edge of Restigouche County.
Serves eastern Gloucester County and Neguac, which forms an exclave surrounded by the Greater Miramichi RSC.
Serves most ofNorthumberland County plus the rural community ofUpper Miramichi.
ServesKent County andRogersville Parish in Northumberland County.
ServesWestmorland andAlbert Counties.
Serves easternKings County plus three LSDs inQueens County. Kept its original name until the local governance reform.[11]
ServesSaint John County, western Kings County, and southwestern Queens County.
Serves most ofCharlotte County plusManners Sutton andMcAdam Parishes in York County.
ServesSunbury County, most ofYork County, most of Queens County, andClarendon Parish in Charlotte County. Kept its original name until shortly before the local governance reform.[citation needed]
ServesCarleton County, most of Victoria County, andCanterbury andNorth Lake Parishes in York County.