Towns, LSDs May Pay More For City Facilities

Greater Saint John municipalities may soon have to contribute more money toward regional facilities in the city.

The province introduced amendments Wednesday to the Greater Saint John Regional Facilities Commission Act.

Saint John currently shares the net operating costs for five facilities with Rothesay, Quispamsis and Grand Bay-Westfield, but has shouldered capital costs on its own.

Those facilities include TD Station, the Saint John Trade and Convention Centre, the Canada Games Aquatic Centre, the Saint John Arts Centre, and Imperial Theatre.

The proposed changes would share capital costs with more municipalities and force Hampton, St. Martins and several local service districts to contribute toward the capital and operating costs.

“These are regional facilities and they require regional support to ensure their sustainability in the long-term,” said Environment and Local Government Minister Jeff Carr in a news release.

“These types of regional facilities are important to a vibrant region.”

The change was one of the commitments contained in the long-term sustainability report endorsed by councillors in August.

Kevin Fudge, the city’s finance commissioner, said he thinks the changes would have a positive impact on the city.

“That should bring the City of Saint John’s share of expenses for these regional facilities, the operating component, down from 67 per cent to something closer to 60,” said Fudge after Wednesday’s finance committee meeting.

The sustainability report suggests the change could boost Saint John’s revenue by around $632,000 a year.

Provincial officials said the new cost-sharing model would take effect for 2020.