Why were counties abolished as administrative units in New Brunswick during the 1960s?

In the 1960s, the government of New Brunswick implemented an equal opportunity program that revolutionized the delivery of public services. As part of this initiative, counties were abolished as administrative units to centralize the funding and administration of health, justice, education, and social services at the provincial level.1

This restructuring was designed to ensure that services were equalized across all regions of the province, particularly benefiting less-prosperous rural and northern areas that had previously faced disparities. Although the system encountered significant resistance when it was first introduced, it eventually gained widespread acceptance and was maintained by subsequent governments.1