A New Brunswick First Nations chief is calling for band elections to be held every three years to minimize disruption in local communities.

Metepenagiag First Nation Chief Noah Augustine said the biennial band elections are causing family divisions and are causing other social problems in the northern New Brunswick community near Miramichi.

"As soon as the election is over, it'll take me about six months to get everyone back together. We'll operate for a year and then everybody's thinking about the next election again. So we're divided again," Augustine said.

"So it's very damaging to a small community with the social cohesion that's as unique as it is in an aboriginal community."

After consulting with other chiefs across the country, Augustine said he wants the terms of office to be extended to three years.

There are two ways that the change could be done. Either the federal government could legislate a longer term or communities could set their own intervals between elections under a provision of the Indian Act.

Augustine said he favours the option to make the change locally.

"A few years ago, I surveyed my own community, 80 per cent of them were in favour of two-year terms," Augustine said.

"That's what's so inspiring for me today, to see my own community reach these conclusions, having this discussion amongst themselves and saying, 'You know what, two years is too short.'"

The Bouctouche First Nation already operates under it's own electoral system with five years between elections in the southeast New Brunswick community.