As the New Year dawns, the Province of New Brunswick is gearing up for new achievements and a fresh start, marked by a significant development in municipal collaboration.
The Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB) and the Cities of New Brunswick Association (CNBA) announced that they have officially sealed the deal on their merger.
The merger will take place in early 2024, according to the announcement.
Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick currently represents over 54 local governments of all sizes, representing approximately 60 percent of the province's population.
CNBA represents the 8 cities in the Province, which include Bathurst, Campbellton, Dieppe, Edmundston, Fredericton, Miramichi, Moncton and Saint John. The Board of Directors is made up of all the city's Mayors.
Tantramar Mayor Andrew Black, President of UMNB, expressed his enthusiasm, stating, "We want to welcome our new urban members and thank both the UMNB and CNBA Board of Directors for their engagement throughout this process. Our strength as an association lies in the unified voice of our membership. With an increased number of municipalities joining forces under the UMC, we can advocate more effectively on critical issues affecting all New Brunswick municipalities."
According to the press release, the consolidation is a significant evolution for UMNB, which previously represented six of New Brunswick's eight cities. Creating a new Urban Municipal Caucus - under the Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick organization - is expected to provide a dedicated forum for city and regional hub issues, similar to what the CNBA provides already.
Mayor Adam Lordon, President of CNBA, said "This merger presents a unique opportunity for members of both associations to amplify their voices and influence. Joining forces with UMNB under the Urban Municipal Caucus enhances everyone’s capacity for collaboration and strengthens our joint collective impact on provincial matters."
This merger brings the number of municipal organizations down to 2 in the province. Alongside UMNB, the remaining municipalities in the province are represented by the L'Association francophone des municipalités du Nouveau-Brunswick.
L'Association francophone des municipalités du Nouveau-Brunswick represents 31 French speaking bilingual municipalities in the province and represents about 40 per cent of the population.