About the Division

What We Do

Resources

Did You Know?

Local Services Board

What is a Local Services Board?

A local services board (LSB) is a volunteer organization that has the authority under the Northern Services Boards Act to deliver approved powers (services) to residents. These boards are set up in rural areas where there is no municipal structure to deliver services such as fire protection or garbage collection. Area residents vote to determine an LSB's boundaries.

An LSB has either three or five members on its board of directors. They are elected on an annual basis, with a fiscal year that begins October 1. One of the board members is elected as the Chairperson.

LSBs obtain the majority of their operating funds from levies they collect from residents, and through fundraising activities. The Ministry of Northern Development and Mines provides some funding to LSBs that were formed prior to 1998-1999.

Each LSB is unique in the services it offers its residents. Some LSBs choose to provide only one or two services while others can have up to the full nine services that are available under the Northern Services Boards Act.

What are the powers of an LSB and the limitations of those powers?

An LSB can be approved to deliver any of nine powers, or approved services, to residents within the board's geographical area.

  1. WATER SUPPLY

    2. The Board may, by by-law,

    1. acquire, establish, operate and maintain works for; or
    2. contract for,

    a supply of water and for that purpose may regulate the time, manner, extent and nature of such supply and the persons to whom water may be supplied, and may charge a fee for the cost of such supply.

  2. FIRE PROTECTION

    3. The Board may, by by-law,

    1. establish a fire department and for that purpose acquire, operate and maintain a fire-hall, fire engines and apparatus and equipment for use by volunteer firefighters in connection with fire suppression and other fire protection activities; or
    2. contract for fire protection,

    and may charge a fee for the cost of such service.

  3. GARBAGE COLLECTION

    4. The Board may, by by-law,

    1. establish and maintain a system for the collection and removal of garbage; or
    2. contract for the collection, removal and disposal of garbage,

    and for that purpose may regulate the occasions, manner, extent and nature of such service and the persons to whom such service may be supplied, and may charge a fee for the cost of such service.

  4. SEWAGE

    5. The Board may, by by-law,

    1. acquire, establish, operate and maintain sewage works, including sewers, pumping plants, treatment works and other like works necessary for a sewage collection and treatment system; or
    2. contract for the collection and treatment of sewage,

    and for such purposes may charge a fee for such service or add a surcharge to the fee, if any, for water supply, or,

    1. upon such terms and conditions as the Board considers appropriate and with the approval of a majority of the inhabitants at a meeting called for that purpose, financially assist by grant or loan the installation of private septic tank systems or other systems approved by the Ministry of the Environment for the benefit of any inhabitant or inhabitants.
     
  5. STREET OR AREA LIGHTING

    6. The Board may, by by-law,

    1. contract with any person for the provision of street or area lighting in the Board area; or
    2. contract with any person for the provision of power and acquire by purchase or lease lights, light standards and lighting equipment in order to provide street or area lighting in the Board area,

    and may charge a fee for the cost of such service, but no Board shall generate its own power.

  6. RECREATION

    7. The Board may, by by-law,

    1. contract for the use of recreation facilities or participation in programs of recreation;
    2. provide for the carrying out of programs of recreation; or
    3. acquire, establish, construct, operate and maintain recreation facilities,

    and may charge fees in respect of the programs of recreation or the recreation facilities.

  7. ROADS

    8. The Board may, by by-law,

    1. contract for the construction, inspection and maintenance of roads and bridges in the Board area;
    2. determine the work to be performed on roads and bridges in the Board area,

    and may charge a fee for the cost of such services.

  8. PUBLIC LIBRARY SERVICE

    9. The Board may, by by-law,

    1. contract for the provision of public library service by a public library board, union board or county library board or by a board of an Ontario library service area acting under subsection 34 (2) of the Public Libraries Act; or
    2. establish and maintain a public library service,

    and may, subject to the Public Libraries Act, charge fees in respect of such service.

  9. EMERGENCY TELECOMMUNICATIONS

    10. The Board may, by by-law, contract for the establishment, operation and maintenance of an emergency telecommunications service that communicates with fire, police and ambulance communications services, and may charge a fee for the cost of such service.

Adobe Acrobat (PDF) required

Links and Resources

DO YOU HAVE QUESTIONS?

For General Inquiries contact the LSB Program Coordinator.