In 1996, the provincial government imposed an amalgamation of all incorporated municipalities in the lower Miramichi River valley, creating the city of Miramichi. Longtime residents regret the loss of the town's historic name and separate identity. In 1998, the federal government opened a central processing site for the Canadian Firearms Program (CFP) in Chatham. The office is dedicated to implementing the "Firearms Act", and will maintain the records of all registered firearms in the country. The office employs several hundred civil servants and has helped to offset employment losses from the base closure. CFP celebrated the 10th anniversary of the opening of Central Processing Site in Miramichi, New Brunswick in 2008.