is the eighth-most populousprovince in Canada with 747,101 residents as of the 2016 Census, and the third-smallest province in land area at. New Brunswick's 104 municipalities cover only of the province's land mass but are home to of its population. Municipalities in New Brunswick may incorporate under the Municipalities Act of 1973 as a city, town, village, regional municipality, or rural community. Municipal governments are led by elected councils and are responsible for the delivery of services such as civic administration, land use planning, emergency measures, policing, road, and garbage collection. New Brunswick has 8 cities, 26 towns, 61 villages, 1 regional municipality, and 8 rural communities. Although rural communities are under the Municipalities Act, the provincial government distinguishes them from municipalities. In 1785, Saint John became the first community in what would eventually become Canada to incorporate as a city. Moncton is New Brunswick's largest municipality by population with 71,889 residents and Saint John is the largest urban municipality by land area at. Approximately one-third of the residents of New Brunswick do not live in municipalities but reside in local service districts, which are unincorporated communities administered by the Minister of Environment and Local Government and have no local government of their own.
Cities
The Lieutenant-Governor in Council may incorporate a town as a city under the Municipal Act if it has a population of at least 10,000. Cities already in existence on January 1, 1967 continue to be incorporated regardless of population. New Brunswick had eight cities that had a cumulative population of 275,965 in the 2016 Census. Moncton is New Brunswick's largest city by population with 71,889 residents and Saint John is the largest by land area respectively. Campbellton is New Brunswick's smallest city by population and land area with 6,883 residents and.
Towns
The Lieutenant-Governor in Council may incorporate a village as a town under the Municipal Act if it has a population of 1,500 or more, and provides a level of services that the Minister of Environment and Local Government considers appropriate. Towns already in existence on January 1, 1967 continue to be incorporated regardless of population. New Brunswick had 26 towns that had a cumulative population of 128,746 in the 2016 Census. New Brunswick's largest town by population is Riverview with 19,667 residents and largest town by area is Sackville with a land area of. New Brunswick's smallest town by population is Nackawic with 941 residents and the smallest by land area is Saint-Quentin at.
Villages
New Brunswick's 61 villages had a cumulative population of 70,813 as of the 2016 Census. New Brunswick's largest village by population is Memramcook with 4,778 residents and largest village by area is Belledune with a land area of. New Brunswick's smallest village by population is Meductic with 173 residents and the smallest by land area is Bath at.
New Brunswick's first and only regional municipality was incorporated on May 12, 2014. The Regional Municipality of Tracadie was formed through the amalgamation of the former Town of Tracadie–Sheila, eighteen local service districts and portions of two other local service districts. Regional municipalities must have a population greater than 15,000 and a community grouping that includes at least one municipality. Regional municipalities elect a local council but are responsible only for community administration, planning and emergency measures services, and all services previously provided by any former municipality that is now part of the regional municipality. The Province of New Brunswick is responsible for police protection and road services, unless the regional municipality chooses to assume these responsibilities.
New Brunswick eight rural communities, an increase from four as of the 2011 census following the incorporations of Kedgwick in 2012, Cocagne and Hanwell in 2014, and Haut-Madawaska in 2017. These eight rural communities had a cumulative population of 23,265 in the 2016 Census. New Brunswick's largest and smallest rural communities are Beaubassin East and Saint-André with populations of 6,376 and 772 respectively. Rural communities elect local councils and are responsible for the delivery of some local services, including administrative services, community planning and emergency measures. The province of New Brunswick ensures the delivery of other services including solid waste collection and recreation services unless the rural community chooses to take on these responsibilities. Rural communities that include a former village or town are an exception, as they are responsible to provide all services that were previously provided by their former municipality.
