All but 2 N.B. departments see capital budget increases for 2026-27

The Holt government has bumped up spending for several files in what Finance Minister René Legacy called “the largest investment in capital in our province’s history.”

The province announced its 2026-27 capital budget on Tuesday.

“The capital budget I am tabling … meets the moment we are in,” said Legacy.

“These projects will strengthen the services families rely on every day and reinforce the foundations of strong and vibrant communities.”

Overall, the province is planning on spending more than $200 million over what was allocated to be spent last year.

Education

The Department of Education and Early Childhood Development received a bump of almost $49 million in its budget.

Much of the infrastructure spending will be on several school projects already under construction, but the province also highlighted six new major projects.

These include new schools in the Moncton and Woodstock areas, and upgrades to unnamed schools in the Fredericton and Rexton areas.

Legacy said a growing population and aging infrastructure has increased the pressure schools are feeling.

“Strong schools build strong communities,” said Legacy. 

“These investments support our government’s goal of ensuring that every student, in every region, has the opportunity to succeed.”

Legacy told reporters after his budget speech that a lot of work still needs to be done to make sure there are enough classrooms for New Brunswick students.

“My real concern with schools is … how many we open,” said Legacy.

“We only opened one school this year, … we’re only planning to open one next year.

“We should be opening six a year and every year we don’t — we’re falling behind.”

Transportation

The largest capital budget bump is for the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, which received a $60-million increase.

Legacy said most of the department’s $680-million budget goes towards “improvements to our roads, bridges, ferries and other transportation assets.”

Health and housing

The Department of Health will see an increase to its budget by a little over $21 million.

This includes funding for a previously-announced endoscopy suite at the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton which is scheduled to begin construction next year.

The province has also committed to $50 million in new public housing construction, with a further $15 million going to non-profit housing providers.

“All told, there will be $78.1 million for housing, which represents nearly a 70 per cent increase over last year and the largest investment in housing in our province’s history,” said Legacy.

Firefighting, mines

Following raging wildfires this past summer throughout the province, $6 million is being earmarked for firefighting efforts.

This includes funds “to support aerial fire suppression,” Legacy said, and funds to build a new warehouse for equipment and other resources needed in fire emergencies.

The province has also set aside $11 million for “capital investments in infrastructure and reclamation projects for mine sites.”

Nearly all departments saw a capital budget increase, if only a modest one, except for the Legislative Assembly, which remained the same, and the Department of Environment and Local Government, which saw its budget cut by $400,000.

Opposition lukewarm

While the province is touting the size of the capital budget, interim Progressive Conservative Leader Glen Savoie has concerns about the high price tag.

He said the Liberals are $835-million over budget on the normal budget, well before the end of the fiscal year. He has concerns about what this could mean for spending on the capital budget.

“When we see a capital budget of $1.47 billion, the first question we have is, ‘What are they going to do to control the costs to make sure they come in at or under budget?’” said Savoie.

Meanwhile, Megan Mitton, the Green Party MLA for Tantramar, wasn’t impressed by the budget.

“I’d say it’s not a particularly exciting budget,” said Mitton.

“We’re way behind on school infrastructure and roads and bridges and a lot of things. And so I think that that’s extremely important to address.”