New Brunswick is in the midst of preparing for province-wide local governance reform. The communities of St. George, Back Bay, Bonny River, St. Patrick, Utopia, Pennfield, Seeyles Cove, Beaver Harbour, and Blacks Harbour are merging to become one district that is currently being called "Entity 53" until a new name is picked by June of 2022. 

The area will experience one of the most dramatic changes to local government in the province during the amalgation period with 6,700 residents soon to be considered under the umbrella of Entity 53. Elections will be held in November to elect a mayor and a full council, meaning that towns and villages in this region that currently exist will be dissolved in the fall with one new council representing the whole being elected in November of 2022. 

All regions of the province experiences any level of governance reform have been assigned a fascilitator to ease the process. Despite experiencing one of the most dramatic transitions of any region in the New Brunswick, Entity 53 has only just been appointed a fascilator.

"Greg Lukes has been named the facilitator for the local government reform for our entity," announced Town Clerk Jason Gaudet at the regular May council meeting for the Town of St. George. 

With just weeks away from the deadline for a new name to be decided, Gaudet said the list of suggestions has finally been dwindled down to a shortlist.

"The advisory committee has narrowed down the large list of names submitted down to eight possible names," said Gaudet. "The province has looked at those names and returned to us with three favorable names, so that's where we are at with deciding what Entity 53 will be called."