SYSRC is one of the NB municipalities going through a Rural Plan update in 2026.  The Rural Plan is a legislated requirement.  The development of the plan requires subject matter experts who follow a process laid out by the Province of New Brunswick.  In the case of SYSRC, these experts are provided through the Capital Region Service Commission (CRSC) as part of the annual fees we pay to them.  In some instances, as is the case for SYSRC, the CRSC may employ the use of third-party consultants to assist CRSC in the preparation of the Rural Plan.  The Capital Region Service Commission does not charge us any additional fees to have the SYSRC Rural Plan updated.

Attached below is a workflow diagram which outlines the general steps in the development of the plan.  Sometimes conditions necessitate the change in order of some of these steps but, in general, this is the process.  We are currently at Step 6 – Open House.  Capital Region Service Commission has organized this open house to give the public an opportunity to look at the details of the plan and ask questions of the subject matter experts who will be at the Open House.  It is a ‘drop-in” format meeting.  There will be a short opening statement made by CRSC representatives, but the meeting is meant to give residents an opportunity to speak one on one with the subject matter experts.  You will be able to see the proposed zoning for your own property and see a list of permitted uses that apply.

After the Open House the draft plan will be circulated to the Province of New Brunswick for review.  Several different government departments will review the draft plan to ensure compliance with legislation and regulations.  This step can take several weeks to complete.

Then the draft plan will come to Council to set a date for a Public Hearing.  Council will host the Public Hearing regarding the Draft Rural Plan on the date chosen by Council, at some point this summer.

After the Public Hearing the Rural Plan will again come before Council to be adopted in the same format used to adopt a by-law.  It will be posted for 30 days, read three times at Council Meetings, and then adopted.

Don Ferguson

Supervisor, SYSRC

https://sysrc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Rural-Plan-Adoption-Process.pdf