BILL 53

An Act to Amend the Public Works Act

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, enacts as follows:

1 Subsection 3(1) of the Public Works Act, chapter 108 of the Revised Statutes, 2016, is amended by striking out “Sections 25 and 26” and substituting “Sections 25, 26 and 30.1”.

2 The Act is amended by adding after section 30 the following:

Vacant land

30.1( 1) Despite sections 25 and 26 of this Act and section 55 of the Financial Administration Act and any other Act, the Minister, without the approval of the Lieutenant-Governor in Council, may sell or otherwise dispose of any vacant land that is transferred to the Minister under section 27 if

(a)  proceedings to sell the land were held under the Real Property Tax Act but the land was not sold, and

(b)  the amount of the taxes and penalties on the land that were due and unpaid under the Real Property Tax Act on the date that the proceedings to sell the land were held under that Act does not exceed $10,000.

30.1( 2) Unless otherwise directed by the Minister, sections 28 and 29 and subsection 30(1) do not apply to vacant land referred to in subsection (1).

30.1( 3) With the approval of the Minister, vacant land referred to in subsection (1) may be appraised in accordance with subsection 26(2).

30.1( 4) The proceeds of the sale of vacant land under this section shall be deposited to the credit of the Land Management Fund.

30.1( 5) Subsections (1) to (4) apply with the necessary modifications to any vacant land that was transferred to the Minister under section 12.011 of the Public Works Act, chapter P-28 of the Revised Statutes, 1973, before the commencement of this section.

3 The heading “Report of sale of a public work under section 26” preceding section 31 of the Act is amended by striking out “section 26” and substituting “section 26 or 30.1”.

4 Subsection 31(1) of the Act is amended by striking out “section 26” and substituting “section 26 or 30.1”.