Blaine Higgs: Investments in N.B. continue to improve province

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It’s an incredible feeling to watch something grow because of a major investment of time, dedication, and the combined efforts of countless committed people.

We have been through so much together in recent years, working through issues that require vigilance and care. But we continue this work precisely because of that feeling, because we know New Brunswickers deserve nothing short of the best.

Since taking office, we have cut our provincial debt by $2 billion, saving the province $75 million a year on interest payments and directing this freed capital towards priority investments.

Further bolstering our economy, efforts in job growth have set new records, and average hourly wages have risen 23.6 per cent since 2020.

To power this economic activity, we must leverage opportunities in the energy sector. At our current rate, New Brunswick’s growth will demand twice the energy we need now over the next decade.

Of course, our new energy strategy must be affordable to be effective, so we’ve balanced high costs with price-conscious endeavours like heat pumps.

Energy isn’t the only area where we are working to make life more affordable. We have increased minimum wage and social assistance rates, eliminated interest on provincial student loans, cut child-care fees in half, and are increasing the Low-Income Seniors’ Benefit by 50 per cent.

To further help with making ends meet, we are introducing a new affordability measure to support lower-income New Brunswickers, which will consist of a one-time $300 payment for families with an income of $70,000 or less. More details will be coming soon, but we are pleased to be providing additional support during challenging times.

In recent years, health-care services have become increasingly challenging to access.

To appropriately address the needs of our system, we’ve taken a multi-faceted approach that is patient-first, infrastructure conscious, and practitioner-friendly. We’ve fueled this plan with nearly $3.9 billion worth of funding this year, a historic sum.

New collaborative care clinics are examples of innovative solutions that simultaneously reduce stress on hospitals, reduce wait times for patients, and properly leverage the skills of our physicians to offer better access to care for New Brunswickers.

Within hospitals, we’ve made strides to bolster the number of staff. Since 2018, we’ve hired 40 per cent more nurse practitioners and have increased our stock of doctors by 125. We’ve also funded 74 medical school seats, right here at home.

However, physical health is but one side of the coin. Mental health affects thousands of New Brunswickers, often in ways that can’t be seen. That’s why we are proud to be growing the capacity for adult addiction rehabilitation, with a new program that will offer four to six months of rehabilitation programming.

Earlier this week, our government unveiled the MyHealthNB app – a health information hub that will allow New Brunswickers to access test results and vaccination records on the go. This app will be a game changer for patients and their ability to take ownership over their health.

Housing has been one of the most talked about issues across the country.

Central to our long-term success is our Housing Strategy: Housing for All. It commits $500 million over three years, and aims to provide 6,000 housing starts per year, decrease the subsidized housing waiting list, reduce the total income spent by New Brunswickers on housing, and institute a Rent Bank to reduce the risk of eviction due to non-payment of utilities.

On top of the construction of 380 new public housing units, including the first units being built by a New Brunswick government in 38 years, we have dedicated $105 million over the next three years to repairing existing homes, regardless of if they are provincially owned, non-profit, or yours.

A renewed focus on housing will benefit our province in a multitude of ways. More housing will allow our population to continue its record growth and is the first step in a reinforcing cycle of growth and prosperity that will take our province to even greater heights.

Our government is continuing to work hard for our province – for you. We’re building something great here in New Brunswick, and we’re nowhere near finished. Let’s keep building – together!

Blaine Higgs is the Premier of New Brunswick