Departmental Overview
The Department of Municipal and Community Affairs advances the economic, social, and environmental well-being of communities by working with local governments and communities to support strong governance, capacity, and service delivery.
Mandate
The mandate of the Department of Municipal and Community Affairs is to advance the economic, social, and environmental well-being of communities. This is done by engaging, collaborating, and supporting local governments and partners to strengthen governance, build local capacity and resilience, and support the delivery of reliable and sustainable services.
Lines of Business
The Department has two branches:
- Municipal and Community Support Branch
- Community Engagement Branch
Municipal and Community Support Branch
The Municipal and Community Support Branch is advanced through five divisions:
Local Governance and Land Use Planning
This division consists of two specialized units: (1) the Local Governance unit is responsible for administering and interpreting 26 municipal and provincial statutes and related regulations, municipal election oversight, municipal training, community relocations, and community restructuring. (2) The Land Use Planning unit administers the Urban and Rural Planning Act, 2000, reviews and registers municipal planning documents, and develops land use plans (e.g., provincial road zoning plans, regional plans, protected area plans, and local area plans). This unit also provides advice on land use/municipal planning and development regulation matters and supports the appeal process related to municipal and Government Services development and enforcement decisions.
Municipal Support
This division provides day-to-day front-line support to cities, towns, and local service districts. It helps local governments with administrative, financial, and legislative matters so they can meet their legal and operational responsibilities. Regional offices in St. John’s, Gander, and Corner Brook serve as a main point of contact with communities throughout the province.
Municipal Finance
This division provides financial assistance and guidance to local governments on funding programs, borrowing, debt servicing, and financial compliance. It administers the following programs:
- Special Assistance Grants for municipal emergencies and financial difficulties,
- Municipal Operating Grants to help small and medium-sized towns with operating costs, service delivery, and administration,
- The Community Enhancement Employment Program, which supports projects in tourism, economic development, community infrastructure, and services while providing skills and employment opportunities for workers, and
- The Build Communities Strong Fund – Community Stream, a federal program providing stable, annual infrastructure funding to communities.
Policy and Strategic Planning
This division coordinates and supports the Department’s policy and planning work. It supports policy development, legislative, accountability and transparency requirements, strategic planning, annual reporting, and program evaluation.
Strategic Financial Management
This shared services division provides financial and operational management support to the Department, three additional government departments, and one agency. It is the primary point of contact for all Agencies, Boards, and Commissions’ financial reporting through these departments. It also works closely with the Department of Finance and Treasury Board Secretariat on budgeting, reporting, and monitoring.
Community Engagement Branch
For Information on our Community Engagement Branch please click here.