Cost-Sharing Formula: "The process was conducted with transparency and collaboration"
Petit-Rocher, August 19, 2024 – The Board of Directors of the Chaleur Regional Service Commission (CRSC) reaffirms its commitment towards transparency, fairness, and collaboration in the implementation of the new cost-sharing formula for regional recreational infrastructure.
"The process that led to the cost-sharing formula was conducted with transparency and collaboration. We worked openly and fairly to ensure that the interests of each member community were respected," said the CRSC Board of Directors.
This formula is an integral part of a preliminary agreement that resulted from a complex and challenging process involving five (5) mediation sessions held from April to June 2024. Representatives from each community member of the CRSC, including Belle-Baie, Bathurst, Belledune, and the Chaleur Rural District, were involved. Two independent provincial mediators also oversaw the discussions to ensure an open, fair, and respectful process.
The agreement was unanimously approved on April 23, 2024. This includes a funding condition of $300,000 over a three-year period from the Regional Services Support Fund (RSSF), as well as a cost-sharing formula based on the tax base, with specific adjustments for certain regional infrastructures.
In 2021, a study conducted by the Association francophone des municipalités du Nouveau-Brunswick (AFMNB) identified four regional infrastructures based on the following definition: A facility composed of specialized activities, that is the only one of its kind in the region and could host large events. These infrastructures include the synthetic soccer field and athletics track in Petit-Rocher, the Bathurst Aquatic Centre, the Sportplex Nigadoo, as well as the K.C. Irving Regional Centre.
For the latter, it was agreed that only the portion corresponding to regional costs could be divided amongst the different community members of the CRSC. Temporarily, this portion amounts to 33% of the K.C. Irving Regional Centre's net operational regional costs, pending an allocation exercise conducted by the Shared Infrastructure Standing Committee to determine the actual regional proportion.
According to the new cost-sharing formula and the potential funding from the RSSF, here is what the costs related to the contribution for regional infrastructure would look like for each community member of the CRSC:
Bathurst
2024 Contribution: $742,788
New Contribution: $438,248
Belledune
2024 Contribution: $25,074
New Contribution: $40,000
Belle-Baie
2024 Contribution: $265,043
New Contribution: $247,821
Chaleur Rural District
2024 Contribution: $53,529
New Contribution: $60,366
*It should be noted that in addition to these amounts, the City of Bathurst continues to pay the local component of the K.C. Irving Regional Centre, which currently amounts to $1,158,007.
By reaffirming its commitment to fairness and transparency, the CRSC’s Board of Directors demonstrates its willingness to strengthen cooperation amongst municipalities for the benefit of the entire regional community. This new agreement marks an important step towards a more balanced and sustainable management of regional infrastructure, thus ensuring a prosperous future for all residents of the Chaleur region.
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