FREDERICTON – The body that oversees New Brunswick’s local governments says municipal councils have been breaking the law by meeting in private to discuss certain complaints against elected members.
The New Brunswick Local Governance Commission issued a warning about the practice last month.
It says many councils have been routinely going behind closed doors to handle potential code of conduct violations and alleged conflicts of interest, which is not permitted under provincial law.
In an advisory sent to all municipalities, commission chairperson Giselle Goguen says she was also made aware that some councils had wrongfully classified mayors and councillors as employees before holding private meetings to deal with human resource matters.
Goguen says such a move is a violation of the Local Governance Act, which specifically states that members of council are not eligible to become employees of a local government.
The chairperson says this practice denies public accountability and transparency, not only to complainants but also to the broader public.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2025.
