The New Brunswick government’s pre-budget consultation period ends Friday, and the premier promises ‘careful considerations’ are being made before the 2026-27 budget is tabled March 17. The exercise asked residents to weigh-in on ways the province could either save money, or make more, to combat the province’s difficult financial situation. On Tuesday, Finance Minister Rene Legacy revealed the current deficit sits at $1.3 billion – more than ever before. Some of the options listed in the consultation documents include highway tolls, increasing fees and permits, reducing the civil service, and selling assets – as well as closing schools with fewer than 100 students. On Friday, Premier Susan Holt and Education Minister Claire Johnson announced $4.4 million to begin renovations at École Sainte-Anne and Centre communautaire Sainte-Anne in Fredericton. But neither would say if others would be spared. “We’re getting a lot of pushback because people value their schools. We know how important education is. This is the beginning of an important discussion that will guide our decision making,” explain Johnson. She said they will follow Policy 409, though, acknowledging that policy states it’s the District Education Councils who must spark the process to close a school. Of the almost 300 schools in the province, about 30 are operating below 30 per cent capacity. “I can assure people that we are making very careful consideration of the reality on the ground,” said Holt. But Holt did indicate that further investments are planned for healthcare. “Our focus is on responding to what New Brunswickers have asked of us: they want better access to health care. They want to make sure that they have nurses and doctors in their communities. So we are going to be investing in improving their access to health care and those outcomes,” she said. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
