This reform is about communities and the future of our province. Few people dispute the need for reform – although some may disagree with some of the decisions we’ve made. That’s to be expected. Embarking upon change doesn’t come without trepidation and concern. That’s inevitable when you’re looking at modernizing something that has existed for decades.

The local governance structure will be improved and strengthened through changes and actions that include:

Regional collaboration will be improved. Regional service commissions will be strengthened and will have a mandate to deliver additional services. Changes and actions include:

Progress has been made in recent years to promote well planned and sustainable development, but many challenges remain. Some communities do not have a land use plan in place, which can lead to conflicts. The location of natural resource development activities such as quarries continues to cause concern. Existing and potential agricultural lands continue to be transformed into residential and commercial developments. Sprawl continues the boundaries of service centres, and the delivery of planning and development services varies widely across the province and within regions.

The provincial government is undertaking several changes to improve land use planning and promote more responsible and managed development, including:

Any reform to local governance must include a review of how the system will be financed. The following changes have been brought forward in the context of the existing local governance system, recognizing that not all challenges with the current property tax structure have been addressed. Additional taxation reform would be best re-examined once the restructuring and regional collaboration efforts are underway.