Provincial Regulations & Policies

Supports and promotes the protection, restoration, enhancement and wise use of the environment.

Applies to the design, construction, alteration, replacement and demolition of buildings in the Province.

Designed to prevent pollution, manage waste, and control contaminants. Empowers the Ministry of Environment to mandate Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs), issue cleanup orders, and establish industry stewardship programs.

Protects water quality, quantity, and aquatic ecosystems. Gives the Department of Environment and Local Government (DELG) the authority to manage watersheds, wetlands, and drinking water sources.

Establishes the funding and financial support framework for municipalities, rural communities, and regional service commissions.

Safeguards consumers in day-to-day transactions. Protects your right to be properly informed about products, protects you from unfair business practices, and ensures you have a legal right to remedies if businesses fail to comply.

Addresses poverty reduction and economic opportunity.

Grants the provincial government and the Minister of Public Safety sweeping temporary powers to respond to disasters or emergencies, such as severe weather, pandemics, or industrial accidents.

Empowers the ⁠Office of the Fire Marshal, deputy marshals, and local officers to enforce fire safety laws, conduct investigations, and mandate hazard corrections.

Regulates hunting, trapping, angling, and the conservation of wildlife. Establishes the legal framework for managing animal populations and sets the rules for how, when, and where people can interact with nature.

Governs the preservation of cultural, historical, archaeological, and palaeontological resources. Provides the legal framework for protecting buildings, sites, fossils, and artifacts that shape the province's history.

Governs the construction, maintenance, and management of the province's roadways. Grants the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure (DTI) legal authority over public highways, encompassing traffic control, property usage, weight limits, and commercial signage.

Protects individuals from harassment and discrimination. It ensures that all people have equal opportunities and are treated with dignity and respect, regardless of their personal characteristics or identity.

Establishes the legal framework, powers, and responsibilities for the province's local government entities. Provides local governments with broad authority and flexibility to administer public matters.

Establishes an independent, arm's-length expert body known as the Local Governance Commission to oversee local governments, regional service commissions, and rural districts, handling administrative, investigative, and adjudicative functions.

Regulates how local governments and regional entities in New Brunswick finance capital projects and long-term infrastructure. Prevents municipalities from taking on unsustainable debt by requiring strict provincial oversight.

Dictates the legal framework, issuance procedures, registration, and administration of municipal bonds and debt. It ensures that loans raised by municipalities are structured, managed, and repaid responsibly.

Governs the election of mayors and councillors for municipalities (along with the Local Governance Act).

Grants the provincial government the power to legally vest easement rights for existing travelled roads and nearby land directly to municipalities or rural communities.

Establishes the New Brunswick Highway Corporation (NBHC), a Crown corporation responsible for managing, maintaining, and overseeing provincial highway infrastructure and public-private partnership (P3) agreements.

Establishes the legal framework for public housing, urban renewal, and the provision of adequate, affordable accommodation for low-income individuals and families.

Establishes and outlines the mandate of the New Brunswick Transportation Authority (NBTA). The Authority operates under the oversight of the provincial Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Governs the safe and legal use of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles, and dirt bikes. Requires these vehicles to be registered and insured, mandates helmet use, restricts riding on or near public roadways, and enforces strict age and safety training requirements

Mandates a safe and healthy work environment and operates on the "Internal Responsibility System" (IRS), meaning that everyone in the workplace—including employers, supervisors, employees, and contractors—shares the responsibility for safety.

Governs the sale, use, storage, transportation, handling, and disposal of pesticides. Its primary goal is to protect public health and the natural environment by ensuring pesticides are applied safely and responsibly.

Governs the operation, administration, and oversight of law enforcement. Outlines the responsibilities of municipalities to provide adequate policing and establishes the framework for public complaints and officer discipline.

Governs public-sector purchasing in New Brunswick. Administered by Service New Brunswick, it dictates the fair, open, and transparent rules that government departments, municipalities, and broader public bodies must follow when buying goods, services, and construction services.

Protects and promotes public health; grants health officials and the provincial government the legal authority to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, enforce food and sanitation safety standards, and manage public health emergencies.

Establishes the Regional Development Corporation (RDC) as a Crown corporation responsible for planning, coordinating, and implementing economic and regional development initiatives in New Brunswick. The RDC works directly across government departments, partnering with municipalities, not-for-profit organizations, and First Nations to support the province's development priorities.

Establishes and governs Regional Service Commissions (RSCs). Creates 12 regional bodies across the province to provide shared municipal services, improve efficiency, and ensure collaboration between municipalities and rural districts.

Ensures public transparency by guaranteeing the public's right to access government records, while simultaneously protecting the personal information of individuals.

Governs animal welfare; establishes the mandate of the New Brunswick Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NB SPCA) and provides Animal Protection Officers with police-like authority to enforce animal protection laws.

Governs the tourism industry; provides the legal and regulatory framework for how the provincial government develops, regulates, and promotes tourism across the province.

Outlines the reimbursement guidelines for officials and employees that are traveling on government business. Requires travelers to use the most direct, economical means of transportation and pre-approve out-of-province travel or hotel bookings that exceed standard federal directory rates. Council members and municipal staff in Five Rivers follow this policy.

Empowers the provincial government and local municipalities to regulate and penalize properties that are deemed hazardous, tumbledown, or unsightly.