FREDERICTON – New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt has announced a series of strategic economic reforms aimed at tackling the province’s substantial $834.7 million budget deficit. In a move to balance the books without burdening residents, Holt confirmed that her government will not increase the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST), distinguishing her approach from past Liberal administrations. Instead, the focus will shift toward internal efficiencies, such as merging government agencies and reducing road maintenance, while strictly protecting the healthcare sector and essential cost-of-living supports from any potential cuts.
To navigate these fiscal challenges, the government has launched a public consultation process titled “Difficult Decisions” to gather feedback on various cost-saving proposals. These include reducing the size of the civil service, increasing government service fees, and the potentially controversial implementation of highway tolls for out-of-province vehicles. While these measures aim to streamline provincial spending, they are expected to encounter significant political pushback. Premier Holt maintained that these adjustments are necessary to ensure the province’s long-term financial stability and continued investment in core public services.
