In a speech where the premier delivered an opening line stating, “It’s a great time to be in New Brunswick,” Blaine Higgs used the 55-minute address Thursday to a Fredericton Chamber of Commerce crowd to sell his government’s provincial budget released last week, taking the opportunity to remind the audience how the province is performing coming out of the pandemic.
Higgs noted that the attendance “was up” this year now that the restrictions were lifted and people didn’t have to wear masks. In stark contrast to improving conditions at home, he told the assembled crowd how difficult it’s been to watch the Russian invasion of Ukraine, saying his thoughts were with them and that the province was doing what it could.
“In any way we can, [we want] to help people find refuge, whether it be short term or whether it be long term, in the weeks and months ahead,” he said.
With other global events like the Covid-19 pandemic also shaping the province over the past 24 months, Higgs described the province’s economy as one which was recovering faster than expected.
He spoke of employment in the province hitting an all-time high back in November, while trumpeting the highest population gains for New Brunswick in 45 years, with the province recently topping 800,000 residents this month.
New immigration service coming
The premier also announced that Opportunities NB would soon be launching an Immigration Navigator service to help build on the population influx, a service he said will also be more agile in helping both employers and newcomers.
Higgs cited how the province has maintained discipline even during a worldwide pandemic.
“We’re exploring experiencing the fruits of this endeavour – success in this province, with health care, with child welfare, with our economy, and we intend to build on that success in the weeks months and years to come,” he said.
In noting his confidence in the province to continue growing, the premier stated how New Brunswick is, “building a province that will be known as the best place to live and raise a family in Canada.” He called it “a place where our sons and our daughters won’t have to leave to go elsewhere to get a job,” which had often been the tag for Maritime provinces amid economic booms elsewhere in the country for decades.
“And now the secret is out,” proclaimed Higgs, on being able not only to keep youth and talent from leaving the province but also in seeing New Brunswick become a livable, affordable destination for those facing rising costs of living across the country.
Budget points serviced
Affordability, or lack thereof, is no stranger to New Brunswick’s ever-changing housing and rental landscape, with Higgs using his speech Thursday to remind the audience of the government’s attempt at controlling rental increases in the province, while also taking aim at the “double tax” in the form of provincial property tax on non-owner-occupied residential properties.
“Starting this year, these changes will be phased in over three years,” Higgs repeated, “and once fully implemented, will represent a tax reduction of $112-million for New Brunswickers. We will deliver a 50 per cent property provincial property tax rate reduction for apartment buildings and other rental properties.”
“We’ve also put in place protections for tenants’ rights, as well as a one-year rental cap to assist during these times of high inflation and short market demand,” Higgs said, a move opposition parties hope can continue past an initial one-year review of the cap.
Higgs also spoke of the $6-million investment this year to help grow the stock of affordable housing in the province, referring to the housing affordability issue as “a struggle.”
“It’s hard to keep up when you get this many people moving into the province, Higgs said. “You just can’t build fast enough.”
He later added that the stimulation of workforce and housing opportunities in rural New Brunswick is critical since roughly 25 per cent of the province’s newcomers are settling in areas outside of the three major centers to fill labour needs.
“There’s absolutely no question that we are serious about working with our rural employers to address our housing challenges,” Higgs stated.
With construction booming, private investment is also up, which Higgs was eager to describe, with over $2-billion invested by private firms last year in capital construction and machinery and equipment.
Statistics Canada projects capital investments from both private and public sources will exceed $4-billion this year.
Selling New Brunswick
In his speech, also carried by Rogers TV in the province, Higgs relayed how the government is dreaming big, in wanting to build New Brunswick into a top vacation destination for visitors from around the world.
“Next week we are launching a new campaign, targeting New Brunswickers, to encourage them to share their experience and invite friends and family to discover all of the great things that New Brunswick has to offer,” said Higgs.
Higgs also took time near the front of his address to thank government employees and those in the public service for their hard work during the pandemic.
“We’ve been tested and New Brunswick has delivered,” he said. “We can continue to deliver.”
It closed a banner week for the premier, who not only delivered a budget, he said, “many across the country are applauding, including all the major banks, national childcare experts, retailers and the tourism industry associations.”
He also saw his governing caucus grow by two seats, following the dissolution of the People’s Alliance of New Brunswick party. Its leader, Kris Austin crossed the floor to join the Progressive Conservatives along with colleague Michelle Conroy, the MLA for Miramichi.
Tyler Mclean is a reporter with Huddle, an Acadia Broadcasting content partner.
