New rules that will allow citizens to access information from their local municipalities have been delayed again until the fall.

Municipalities were supposed to fall under the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act this summer after at least three previous delays, according to officials.

But they are now expected by Sept. 1.

Provincial government officials were unavailable Wednesday to explain the hold up.

Under the act, members of the public can fill out a form to request information about a public body and get a response within 30 days.

Cities, towns, villages, local service districts and rural communities are not currently covered by the legislation.

New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island are the only two provinces that don't have Right to Information Act rules for municipalities.

David Burke, the access and privacy officer in Saint John, said the delays are frustrating, but understandable given the burden it will create for smaller municipalities.

“A significant change from the public has access to a few things, to the public has access to most things. That's quite a reversal, and quite a difficult thing for organizations to prepare for,” said Burke, who was hired almost two years ago.

Brenda Knight, the city clerk in Fredericton, says staff and councillors will have to be a little more cautious in their comments.

“You're a little more cognizant now of files, and emails, and Twitter because they're all records, and they’re available and you have to be cognizant of those things,” she said.

Provincial officials with the Information Access and Privacy section have been training staff at municipalities on how to deal with information requests and have provided electronic templates for the various types of requests.

Ian Walsh, the chief information access and privacy officer, is overseeing the process.