Alward restructures fiscal control

Premier David Alward has announced a structural re-organization of the provincial government's financial management, which will include a new management board.

It's all part of the government's renewal plan, launched earlier this year, to improve performance and efficiency to help deal with province's deficit, which is projected to be about $546-million by the end of March.

Budgeting, human resources, information management and accountability functions will all be integrated under the new management board, which will be within the executive council office, Alward said Friday.

Finance Minister Blaine Higgs will be the minister responsible for the new board, but will still deliver the provincial government's budget to the legislative assembly next spring and will continue to be responsible for tax and fiscal policy, treasury functions and the office of the comptroller, he said.

Douglas Holt, acting deputy minister of Energy and acting president of the New Brunswick Energy Efficiency Agency (Efficiency NB), will be the deputy minister.

'We simply cannot continue conducting the business of government the same way.' —Premier David Alward

"The board is designed to better align existing resources, focusing provincial government efforts on core services, accountability and continuous performance improvement," said Alward.

"We simply cannot continue conducting the business of government the same way," he said.

"New Brunswickers have told us they want the provincial government to deliver services in a more efficient and effective way.

"The integration of these planning functions is an important, crucial step toward achieving that goal."

Among the other changes:

• The budget and financial management branch of the finance department will be transferred to the management board and will continue to be led by Assistant Deputy Minister Keith MacNevin.
• The Office of Human Resources will be moved under the management board, where it will be led by Assistant Deputy Minister Brian Durelle.
• The role of chief information officer will be broadened and strengthened, with Christian Couturier, former director general of the National Research Council Canada, as the new chief information officer. Couturier will play a key role in shaping the provincial government's innovation and research agenda and will be responsible for improving traditional information management and ensuring the provincial government is making the most effective and efficient use of existing and emerging technologies.
• The corporate information management services branch of the department of supply and services will be transferred to the management board.
• Jane Garbutt, an assistant deputy minister of finance, has been named deputy minister of finance, replacing the outgoing deputy minister, Michael Ferguson.
• Phil LePage, deputy minister of natural resources will assume additional responsibilities as acting deputy minister of energy and acting president of Efficiency NB.

"I feel confident that this team will provide New Brunswick with the leadership we need to bring our province back to fiscal health, improve performance and shift our efforts toward a more focused, efficient and effective system of program and service delivery," Alward said.