Maritime businesses ponder priorities, expectations for Tuesday’s federal budget

Canada’s federal budget is expected to come with a big price tag.

Maritime businesses are hoping for a long-term plan on tariffs and national infrastructure projects within Tuesday’s federal budget.

“A national plan that focuses on stability and growth would be one of the things we’re looking for,” says Kim Wilson, CEO of the Chamber of Commerce for Greater Moncton. “Uncertainty can be a paralyzing factor for businesses.”

Wilson says New Brunswick should also receive more attention within the federal government’s spending strategy for national infrastructure projects, noting the region wasn’t included on Ottawa’s list of ‘nation building projects’ announced last month.

“We feel that we deserve to be part of that conversation,” says Wilson.

The U.S. trade war is expected to weigh heavily on Tuesday’s budget, with some affordability measures already known from a string of pre-budget announcements.

Lisa Ashburn, the Canadian Federation of Agriculture’s representative for New Brunswick, says strategic budget spending could serve to benefit both farmers and affordability policies at the same time.

“We’re hoping there’s a food security and food affordability focus with this budget,” says Ashburn, who’s also focusing on spending for infrastructure and transportation projects.

“We see a lot of cross pollination opportunities because so many of the transportation and infrastructure projects that would benefit agriculture would also benefit rural economies as a whole,” she says.

Industries most affected by tariffs, including softwood lumber, are pursuing assurances that more relief funding will be available beyond what’s already been announced. In early August, Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged $1.25 billion in support for the softwood lumber industry amid steep tariffs.

“If this goes on for three, four or five months, $1.25 billion is not going to be nearly enough to support workers and businesses,” says Derek Nighbor, president and CEO at Forest Products Association of Canada. “Let’s use this as a moment to future-proof and future-ready our industry, and to support our workers and ensure that some of these mills can operate, for decades to come.”

Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says there will be “no surprises” when he tables Tuesday’s budget, adding it will have “something for every Canadian.”

“We’re moving from reliance to resilience, from uncertainty to prosperity,” says Champagne. “We’re going to do the kind of things that will make this country stronger, and everyone will see themselves in that budget.”

-With files from Sarah Plowman of CTV News, and David Baxter of The Canadian Press