Saint John city council is changing how it handles local issues before they reach the final voting stage. On Monday, council approved a major revamp of its standing committees. The city will create two new committees focused on quality of life and city services while eliminating the growth committee.

According to a report from CBC News, the new structure aims to give councillors more time to dig into the details of city service delivery.

What the New Committees Mean for You

The newly formed Quality of Life committee takes over matters like recreation, parks, and housing. Housing previously fell under the now eliminated growth committee.

The Service and Operations committee handles the physical infrastructure you rely on daily. This includes waste management, drinking water, wastewater, streets, sidewalks, and the winter management plan.

Chief Administrative Officer Ian Fogan told council the new structure allows for deeper public input.

“This would give the opportunity to put more focus on service levels like the winter management plan and also positive quality of life examinations at the committee level,” Fogan said.

He noted that while the full council looks at broad governance, they often lack the time to examine the fine details of service delivery.

“Having a committee looking at those things gives the opportunity for that kind of input from the public to be heard, to be examined, to be costed, all that kind of stuff,” Fogan added.

Updates to Existing Committees

The city retains two of its three existing committees: Public Safety and Finance.

The Finance committee continues to manage the municipal budget and other financial issues. The Public Safety committee handles matters from the fire and police departments. Following governance changes made in May, the police mandate now falls entirely within the scope of the Public Safety committee. This includes defining local policing and developing a community safety plan.

Filling the Seats

While the expanded system offers more focused oversight, some councillors want to see the seats filled quickly.

Coun. Gary Sullivan praised the new structure but expressed concern about the timeline. The current council was elected in May, and Sullivan noted that in previous years, the finance committee would already be deep into budget planning by this point.

“We’re a couple of months into our mandate,” Sullivan said.

Fogan confirmed the city recommends filling the Finance and Public Safety committees immediately. However, the city must draft new or updated terms of reference for the new committees before assigning members. City staff will present these mandates and responsibilities to council before the end of summer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What new committees did Saint John city council create?
Council created the Quality of Life committee and the Service and Operations committee.

Which committee did the city eliminate?
The city eliminated the Growth committee. Other committees absorbed its responsibilities, such as housing moving to the Quality of Life committee.

What does the Service and Operations committee handle?
This committee manages physical infrastructure and services, including waste, drinking water, streets, sidewalks, and winter management.

When will the new committees start working?
City staff will present the official mandates and responsibilities to council before the end of summer. Once approved, the city will assign councillors to the new committees.