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## TRAVEL & HOSPITALITY POLICY
## POLICY NO. 2026-05 SUNBURY-YORK SOUTH RURAL COMMUNITY (SYSRC)
nis policy complements the Purchasing Policy and the Credit Card Policy of the Rural Community c unbury-York South. It establishes clear, consistent, and accountable rules governing business travel an hospitality expenditures made on behalf of the Municipality.
## 1. Purpose
- 1.1. The purpose of this policy is to:
- 1.1.2. Promote transparency, accountability, and stewardship of public funds;
- 1.1.1. Ensure that travel and hospitality expenses are necessary, reasonable, and cost-effective;
- 1.1.3. Clarify roles, responsibilities, and approval requirements;
- 1.1.4. Support municipal business needs while minimizing risk and financial
- 1.1.5. Align with applicable legislation, trade agreements, and municipal policies.
## 2. Scope and Application
- All municipal employees;
- 2.1. This policy applies to:
- 2.1.2. Members of Council:
- 2.1.3. Consultants, volunteers, or representatives authorized to incur travel or hospitality expenses on behalf of the Municipality.
- 2.2. It applies to all travel and hospitality expenses incurred for municipal business, whether paid by personal funds (and reimbursed), municipal credit card, or other approved payment methods.
## 3. Guiding Principles
- 3.1. Travel and hospitality expenditures must be:
- 3.1.1. Necessary to achieve municipal objectives;
- 3.1.3. Compliant with the Purchasing Policy, Credit Card Policy, and New Brunswick Public Procurement Act;
- 3.1.2. Prudent and economical, reflecting what a reasonable person would spend in similar circumstances;
- 3.1.4. Properly authorized, documented, and auditable;
- 3.1.5. Free from personal benefit or appearance of favoritism.
## 4. Definitions
- 4.1. Business Travel: Travel undertaken to conduct approved municipal business away from the employee's normal place of work.
- 4.2. Hospitality: The provision of food, beverages, accommodation, or related amenities to support municipal business, official functions, or community
- 4.3. Claimant: Any individual seeking reimbursement or approval for travel or hospitality expenses.
## 5. Authorization and Approval
## 5.1. General Authorization
- 5.1.1. All travel and hospitality must be approved in advance, except in emergencies.
- 5.1.2. Authorization levels follow the Purchasing Policy and Annex A, based on estimated cost and budget status.
## 5.2. Approval Authority
- 5.2.2 Senior Administrator: Approved by the Mayor or Council (as appropriate).
- 5.2.1. Employees: Approved by the Senior Administrator or delegate.
- 5.2.3. Council Members: Approved by Council resolution or established Council practices.
## 6. Eligible Travel Expenses
- 6.1. Reimbursable expenses, when pre-approved and supported by original receipts, may include:
- 6.1.1. Transportation (economy airfare, rail, bus, taxi, rideshare);
- 6.1.3. Vehicle rental (economy or mid-size class only);
- 6.1.2. Use of personal vehicle (reimbursed at the provincially or municipally approved mileage rate);
- 6.1.4. Accommodation (standard room at reasonable commercial rates);
- 6.1.5. Meals while in authorized travel status:
- 6.1.6. Parking and tolls;
- 6.1.7. Conference or training registration fees (when approved separately or included in travel approval).
## 7. Non-Eligible Travel Expenses
- 7.1. The following are not reimbursable:
- Personal or recreational travel costs;
- Luxury accommodation or upgrades;
- Alcohol (unless specifically permitted under an approved hospitality event);
- 7.1.4. Fines, penalties, traffic violations;
- 7.1.6. Expenses that may be covered by a third party (ie: Meals paid for by a conference or association)
- 7.1.5. Expenses incurred due to negligence or personal choice.
## 8. Meals and Per Diems
- 8.1. Meals must be reasonable and moderate.
- 8.2. Where daily or per-meal limits are established by administration, reimbursement shall not exceed those limits.
- 8.3. When meals are included in conference or event fees, no additional meal claim is permitted
## 9. Hospitality Expenses
- 9.1. Hospitality may be provided when it:
- 9.1.1. Directly supports municipal business objectives;
- 9.1.2. Advances community relations, economic development, or official municipal functions;
- 9.1.3. Is appropriate in scale, cost, and frequency.
- 9.1.4. Is approved by council in advance
- 9.2. Examples of hospitality include:
- 9.2.1. Meetings with external partners or stakeholders;
- 9.2.2. Official receptions or municipal events;
- 9.2.3. Hosting delegations or visiting officials.
- 9.3. Restrictions
- 9.3.1. Hospitality must never serve as personal benefit to employees or officials.
- 9.3.2. Alcohol is permissible only when explicitly approved in advance and must be reasonable and limited.
- 9.3.3. Hospitality expenses must not be used to influence procurement decisions.
## 10. Payment Methods
- 10.1. Whenever practical, expenses should be paid using an approved municipal credit card, in compliance with the Credit Card Policy.
- 10.2. Personal funds may be used only when card use is not available or appropriate; reimbursement requires original detailed receipts.
- 10.3. All expenses must comply with procurement thresholds and must not be split to avoid approval or tendering requirements.
## 11. Documentation and Reimbursement
- 11.1. Original, itemized receipts are mandatory.
- 11.2. Claims must include a clear business purpose and list of attendees (for hospitality.
- 11.3. Expense claims must be submitted monthly to Finance.
- 11.4. Incomplete or non-compliant claims may be rejected.
## 12. Exceptions and Emergencies
- 12.1. Emergency travel or hospitality expenses may be incurred where immediate action is required.
- 12.2. Such expenses must be reported and justified as soon as possible and approved retroactively by the appropriate authority, consistent with the Purchasing Policy.
## 13. Compliance and Audit
- 13.1. All travel and hospitality expenses are subject to review, monitoring, and audit.
- 13.2. Non-compliance may result in reimbursement obligations, disciplinary action, or other corrective measures.
## 14. Interpretation and Amendments
- 14.2. This policy may be amended by resolution of Council.
- 14.1. The Rural Community of Sunbury-York South reserves the right to interpret and apply this policy in alignment with its objectives.
Effective date:
Approved by:
27/4/0006
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GNB - example of thresholds for reimbursement. It is understood that this policy is to use the latest version of the tables below.
## Kilometric allowance
When an Employee is requested to use his/her private vehicle, the following rates apply. The same rates apply when the Employee requests permission to use a personal vehicle and the Employer provided prior approval.
Klometric level/fiscal year
| (Individual records of accumulated kilometers revert to zero on April 1st of each year) | Effective April 1.2025 |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--------------------------|
| For each of the first 8,000 kilometers per year | $.58 |
| For each of the next 8,000 kilometers per year | $.53 |
| For each kilometer in excess of 16,000 kilometers per year | $.46 |
## Meals allowance
Effective April 1, 2025, meal allowances for those traveling on government business are as follows:
| Meal Period | In-province | Out-of-province |
|-----------------------------------------------|---------------|-------------------|
| Breakfast (between 12:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon) | $12,18 | $16.01 |
| Lunch (between 12:00 noon and 6:00 p.m.) | $17.05 | $19.19 |
| Dinner (between 6 p.m. and 12:00 a.m.) | $31.59 | $38.45 |
| TOTAL DAILY ALLOWANCE | $60.82 | $73.65 |
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## EMPLOYEE EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT FORM
Click in the check box to claim each meal
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