The provincial government will table its budget next week.
Prior to its release, the Official Opposition mentioned the Higgs government has a ‘creditability issue’ regarding the numbers put forward.
“If you look over last two years they’ve been always off target when it comes to deficits or surpluses, and this year alone after three quarters they’re already off by over $700 million and there’s still a fourth-quarter that hasn’t been accounted for,” said Interim Liberal Leader Roger Melanson.
Melanson believes that the Higgs government is underestimating its revenue, and is over budgeting expenditures.
“As we move along the fiscal year, they underspent, they don’t invest where they said they would invest when it comes to what’s in the budget, and the revenues that they underestimated actually grew beyond what they said, so, therefore, there is always a significant surplus.”
Melanson mentioned the province needs to address the significant challenges that are in New Brunswick.
“Healthcare is clearly one, we have a significant need for recruiting, retaining, and training nurses now and in the future we certainly have a cost of living issue.”
Melanson added the province needs to put more effort into affordable housing projects, as well as rent control.
