The Honourable Krista Lynn Howell, Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs, today outlined next steps in a regionalization approach to advance community sustainability and viability through collaboration and service sharing.

Minister Howell will be available to media at 1:15 p.m. today (Wednesday, April 26) outside the House of Assembly, East Block, Confederation Building.

Actions to advance collaboration and service sharing among communities include:

• $500,000 for initiatives that help address service gaps and build capacity through a collaborative, shared services approach.
• A review of the Regional Services Boards Act, 2012, including stakeholder and public consultations, to determine if there is a renewed role for the boards to improve access to services and service delivery.
• A community self-assessment tool to be completed by all municipalities and Local Service Districts to identify gaps and opportunities for collaboration.

A review of the Joint Working Group Report on Regionalization identified significant challenges with the proposed governance model. Namely, the province’s large geographic area and lack of population density will not provide the necessary tax base to support an additional layer of government in most parts of the province.

The steps outlined today encourage and facilitate collaboration and service sharing among communities. The approach recognizes the unique geographic and population challenges in Newfoundland and Labrador while building upon the many successful examples of service sharing that exist in the province today.

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“Collaboration and service sharing build resilient communities, and helps ensure residents receive the services they need, such as drinking water, fire protection, economic opportunities and recreational facilities. We will review the role of regional service boards, help communities assess their challenges and opportunities, and support collaborative initiatives that address gaps and build capacity. This is a realistic approach for our province that will support community leaders and build vibrant, sustainable communities.”
Honourable Krista Lynn Howell
Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs

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