The following statement was read in the House of Assembly today by the Honourable Chris Tibbs, Minister of Municipal and Community Affairs:

Speaker, I rise today to acknowledge the critical importance of local governance training in strengthening our municipal sector.

Our department is building a solid foundation for effective and accountable local governance by providing cities and towns throughout Newfoundland and Labrador with practical guidance and targeted support on key governance issues.

Through our mandatory orientation training program, mayors, councillors and municipal staff receive essential training in professional standards and core responsibilities to successfully serve their residents. This includes:

• Roles and responsibilities of councillors and chief administrative officers.
• Council meetings and procedures.
• Conflict of interest.
• Council budgets and financial management.
• Access to information and privacy protection.

This winter alone, 89 training sessions are being delivered around our province. Participation has been strong, reflecting a clear commitment by municipal leaders and staff to serve our cities and towns with integrity and professionalism.

Speaker, we remain committed to working alongside our municipal leaders through governance training and ongoing support to strengthen our municipalities and improve outcomes for residents around our province.

Thank you.