UMNB Reacts To New Brunswick Local Elections

Municipal Affairs
2 hours ago
2 min read

New Brunswick voters have spoken.

On Monday night, residents across the province headed to the polls to choose the leaders who will shape their communities for the next four years — electing representatives in nearly all of New Brunswick’s 77 municipalities, 12 rural districts, and district education councils.

And the results delivered both continuity and change.

In Fredericton, longtime city councillor Steve Hicks will take over the mayor’s chair. Saint John voters returned Donna Reardon for a second term, while Moncton elected three-term councillor Shawn Crossman as its next mayor.

Elsewhere, communities chose new leadership in places like Tantramar, Shediac, Dieppe, Miramichi, and New Maryland.

One of the most historic results came in Dieppe, where Hélène Boudreau — a nurse with four decades of experience — became the first woman ever elected mayor of the city, succeeding longtime mayor Yvon Lapierre, who chose not to seek another term.

In Woodstock, former mayor Jeff Wright reclaimed the office by defeating incumbent mayor Trina Jones. In St. Stephen, Steven C. Backman earned a decisive victory, while in Campbellton, former Atholville mayor Michel Soucy emerged victorious after a closely watched race.

And in Saint Andrews, this election unfolded under difficult circumstances following the recent death of acting mayor Kate Akagi. Mayor-elect Steve Neil now takes office after a campaign marked by both civic engagement and community mourning.

More than 216,000 New Brunswickers cast ballots — translating to nearly 40 per cent voter turnout — a reminder that local government remains the level of government closest to people’s daily lives.

But now comes the difficult part.

Campaigns are over. The governing begins.

New and returning councils are preparing to tackle housing pressures, infrastructure demands, policing costs, economic uncertainty, and the continued evolution of local governance under regional reform.

So what did this election reveal about the priorities of New Brunswickers? What challenges are municipalities preparing to face? And what direction will the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick take as councils begin the 2026 to 2030 term?

Joining us for this edition of Municipal Affairs, is the President of the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick and the Mayor of Grand Bay-Westfield, Brittany Merrifield.

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