Menu

Premier Susan Holt

Steven MacKinnon Oct 21 2026

Major investment in Port Saint John announced

, , ,

More than $460 million is being directed toward transportation upgrades tied to the Saint John trade corridor.

The project is funded by the federal and provincial governments along with private-sector partners to strengthen rail, road and marine infrastructure connecting Port Saint John to national and international markets, supporting economic growth and the creation of new jobs for New Brunswickers.

The Saint John trade corridor is the first project to secure funding through the Federal Trade Diversification Corridors Fund.

In the announcement, federal Transport Minister Steve MacKinnon said the investments are critical to strengthening Canada’s economy.

“We have a major challenge and that is to expand our non-U.S. trade,” he said. “Saint John is, for all kinds of historic, geographical, and strategic reasons, one of the leaders, one of our fastest growing ports. Making an investment here in Saint John is an investment that pays off for Saint John, for New Brunswick, but also for Canada.”

Mackinnon explained the projects will help reduce bottle necks, improve efficiency, and unlock more capacity across the transportation network.

The federal government is contributing about $254 million, while the provincial government is investing $116.5 million, and J.D. Irving Ltd. and the Port Authority are contributing a combined $92.5 million.

The project is comprised of five components, which will be delivered by various partners. They include:

  • Dredging to widen the port’s main channel, plus breakwater and marine infrastructure.
  • Warehouse improvements and a new 2,787-square-metre Canada Border Agency container examination facility.
  • Shoreline estabilization to protect critical rail capacity at the NBSR Bayshore Rail Terminal.
  • Replacing 103 kilometres of existing rail and associated track improvements, enabling speeds up to 64 km/h and increased freight capacity.
  • Reconstruction of the Simms Corner intersection to improve safety, address congestion and improve network reliability.

Premier Susan Holt said this project is a “huge game-changer” for the province.

“The port serves New Brunswick entrepreneurs, it gets their goods to the world, because the world is asking what New Brunswick has,” she said. “We have what the world wants, we are going to deliver it to them based on these investments in the port.”

Holt said several projects will run concurrently; however, she estimates the reconstruction of Simms Corner will take the longest to complete, potentially finishing by 2030.

Port president and CEO Craig Bell Estabrooks said “it’s amazing” to have this level of attention to the Saint John gateway.

“We’ve obviously built something very special over the last number of years, and today’s announcement is so many different projects that are going to help with our resiliency and our operational model,” he said.

Bell Estabrooks added that the announcement benefits all the different sectors at Port Saint John.

He said the dredging will increase the window for all port users; the port will be able to move more potash exports by deepening the channel and Courtney Bay, and Irving Oil could benefit tremendously from the Courtney Bay expansion because it can handle more liquid bulk exports.

“We are addressing operational constraints that we’ve talked about for years in a very meaningful way, so it’s about resiliency, but we are going to create an operating model for this port and this gateway that is second to none in this country,” he said.

Bell Estabrooks said they are still working on the economic data to figure out how many potential jobs the project could bring to Saint John.

He explained the application process moved quickly and that significant work still needs to be completed before contribution agreements can be signed.

However, he said the jobs he will be watching most closely are new positions at NB Southern and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union Canada as activity at the port begins to increase.

“These folks get paid when ships come in, so more ship activity means more jobs,” he said.

bill oliver edited headshot

Opposition, municipal leaders call on province to reverse DTI sand decision

, , , , ,

PC MLAs and municipal leaders are slamming the Holt government for suspending sand services at Department of Transportation and Infrastructure garages.

Since Tuesday, several Progressive Conservative MLAs and municipal leaders, including Sussex-Three Rivers MLA Tammy Scott-Wallace, St. Croix MLA Kathy Bockus, Grand Bay-Westfield Mayor Brittany Merrifield and Fundy Shores Mayor Denny Cogswell, have taken to social media to oppose the province’s decision to phase out its free sand service, which has helped residents prevent slips and falls on icy surfaces for years.

They are calling on the province to reverse its decision, claiming it will affect low-income residents and rural communities.

As part of their efforts, the Opposition critic for DTI and Kings Centre MLA Bill Oliver sent a letter to Premier Holt and DTI Minister Chuck Chiasson on Tuesday.

In the letter, Oliver said the province’s decision is causing a “great deal of concern.”

He added that the program carries a minimal cost for the province, in the range of $200,000, which he said is only a fraction of DTI’s $680-million budget.

Oliver noted this was also the case during the previous government’s tenure, where the same idea was suggested to previous ministers to cut costs in the department’s budget.

“Based on common sense, logic, and reason, we rejected proposals, on more than one occasion, from DTI bureaucrats to cut this program,” he said.

Oliver ends the letter noting the cost of the service is “ridiculous” in comparison to the potential costs New Brunswick’s health-care system could accrue if a few people became hospitalized after slipping and falling on icy sidewalks.

In an interview with Acadia Broadcasting on Tuesday, Oliver said the Opposition decided to take the matter on its own hands after rumors of the service being phased out had been circulating for the past couple of weeks and the province had not made an official statement.

Oliver contacted DTI’s local regional manager for Saint John, who confirmed the department had stopped the service.

Oliver believes most residents will be affected by this decision, but said rural communities will be hit the hardest.

“Almost half of our province is made up of people who live in rural New Brunswick, and it becomes even more difficult for them to access this and they have to travel a ways to get it,” he said. “It was always convenient to go to the local garage and pick up a couple of buckets of sand.”

Oliver said the decision was unfortunate, noting the service cost the province relatively little while providing significant safety benefits for residents.

He added that it was disappointing to learn the government had moved forward with this decision without providing an official statement.

Oliver noted that this is not the first time DTI had made decisions without disclosing them.

“I know in my riding alone, they’ve been doing some on different projects that people didn’t know and all of a sudden, there is a detour or something has changed in the traffic pattern that they have to use,” he said. “It would be nice if the department had better communications with the public so that we don’t get into these situations where it’s a shock to the citizenry.”

Oliver is not aware of the government’s reasoning to phase out the service, but suspects it’s related to their efforts to make cuts amid an almost $1.7 billion budget deficit.

RELATED: N.B. budget deficit soars to almost $1.7 billion

However, Oliver, who also served as DTI minister from 2018 to 2020 under Blaine Higgs, argued the province already budgets for winter maintenance based on seasonal needs and stocks its salt and sand sheds in advance. He said keeping a few public-use sand trucks operating would add little cost to the province.

“We have to address every storm that comes along, so we never know how much we are going to spend,” he said.

Oliver said that as the new legislative session begins next week, the opposition plans to continue to question the government, demand answers on the costs, and push for a reversal of the decision.

Acadia Broadcasting reached out to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure for comment, but did not receive a response before the deadline.

Susan Holt during media scrum 4/14/26

N.B. premier attends investment summit

, , ,

The premier is headed to Toronto to bring a message to investors.

New Brunswick has what the world wants, and the province is ready to move on its opportunities.

Holt and Natural Resources Minister John Herron are participating in the inaugural Canada Investment Summit Monday and Tuesday.

They’re using the event as the anchor for a trip they hope will be a broader investment-attraction initiative across the Greater Toronto Area.

“New Brunswick has the people, resources, infrastructure and opportunities investors are looking for,” Holt said in a release issued Friday.

“We are going to Toronto to attract new investment, build relationships and show investors that New Brunswick is ready to work with them to get projects moving and create good-paying jobs for New Brunswickers.”

As part of the summit, New Brunswick will showcase major investment opportunities in areas like critical minerals, advanced materials, energy, digital infrastructure and transportation.

The government will highlight and pitch New Brunswick-based projects like the Mactaquac lifetime achievement project, new nuclear development, the Sisson mine project, Belledune port expansion, the Saint John trade corridor, the Lorneville data centre, the Dalhousie pozzolan project and the Atlantic e-methanol production project.

According to the government, those projects represent more than $30 billion in capital investment opportunities in the province.

Belledune Port Authority president and CEO Denis Caron said the summit is an important opportunity to show investors what New Brunswick can offer and how the province can play a part in building stronger, more resilient supply chains.

“The Port of Belledune is advancing a phased expansion that will strengthen our capacity to support critical minerals, bulk products, mine supply and global trade,” Caron said in a statement.

“By connecting investors with projects like ours and bringing the strength of Team New Brunswick to the table, we can demonstrate the significant opportunities available to invest, grow and trade from New Brunswick.”

The investment-attraction mission will be led by Opportunities New Brunswick.

The government said the mission will include meetings on sector-focused business development, engagement with existing clients and prospective investors, networking opportunities and strategic communications.

The mission will focus on priority sectors, including mining, cybersecurity, defence, financial services and other high-growth industries that line up with New Brunswick’s economic priorities.

“New Brunswick has the natural resources, energy opportunities and critical infrastructure that Canada and the world need,” said Herron.

“We have major projects with the potential to bring billions of dollars in investment and create good-paying jobs, and we are ready to work with investors to turn that potential into action.”

Premier Susan Holt_Tariff Conference_GNB_YouTube_Livestream Screenshot

N.B. announces new measures in response to U.S. tariffs

, ,

The New Brunswick government has announced a series of new measures to help local businesses as the United States imposes another round of tariffs and import restrictions on Canadian products.

Premier Susan Holt said Thursday the province will use its purchasing power to support New Brunswick and Canadian businesses, expand financial supports, and help companies find new markets.

The measures include a renewed buy-local campaign, new funding for affected businesses and changes to government procurement.

Beginning Oct. 1, the province will prohibit the procurement of U.S. goods and services for government contracts valued at more than $5 million.

Public-sector entities will also be directed to review their supply chains and prioritize New Brunswick and Canadian products where alternatives are available.

The premier said the changes go beyond restrictions announced earlier this year.

“This will apply even to companies that may be in Canada that are supplying US products,” Holt said.

“So we’re looking to them to replace those products as well because we don’t want those US services or goods in the province as well as our previous exemption on our exclusion of US companies.”

The measures come after President Donald Trump signed proclamations banning the import of certain Canadian products, including alcohol, and imposing a new 50 per cent tariff on some products.

About $115.1 million worth of New Brunswick exports are affected by the latest tariffs and bans, according to the provincial government.

Support for businesses

The government is also expanding support for businesses dealing with tariff-related challenges.

Those measures include working capital loans of up to $5 million for businesses facing revenue losses, increased costs or supply-chain disruptions.

Opportunities NB is also making up to $1 million available to help some affected businesses market their products to consumers in New Brunswick and across Canada.

Additional support will be provided through existing provincial programs, while efforts to help businesses diversify into new markets will also be expanded.

The province said it is increasing trade missions and developing a market diversification strategy as it looks to reduce dependence on the U.S. market.

Holt said Canada also has leverage in the ongoing trade dispute.

“I think we’ve seen by the U.S.’s reaction that they need to see the strength of the Canadian economy and they’ll recognize that there’s a lot of products that Canada makes that the U.S. can’t live without,” Holt said.

Buy-local push

Holt said the government is asking New Brunswickers to support local businesses whenever possible.

“Now more than ever, we need to stand up for New Brunswick businesses and workers,” Holt said.

“Every time we have a choice to support a New Brunswick or Canadian product, we should take a hard look at that choice. Our businesses employ our neighbours, support our communities and strengthen our economy.”

The latest measures build on actions announced earlier this year, including removing U.S. alcohol products from NB Liquor shelves and reducing provincial contracts awarded to U.S. suppliers.

The value of U.S. contracts has fallen from $34.4 million in 2024-25 to $16.4 million in 2025-26, according to a government release.

New Brunswick companies received 82 per cent of the value of all government contracts during the first quarter of this fiscal year.

The province also said it will continue working with federal, provincial and territorial partners as the trade situation evolves and as it considers additional measures to support New Brunswick businesses and workers.

Susan Holt during media scrum 4/14/26

N.B. premier backs federal government in trade war with U.S.

, ,

New Brunswickers have been clear about how they want trade negotiations to go with the United States, according to Premier Susan Holt.

“They don’t want our province to make concessions or compromise who we are or the value of what we produce in the face of a deal that isn’t fair or in our best interests,” Holt said Monday.

“We want the best deal for New Brunswickers, not just any deal and certainly not a bad deal.”

The premier spoke to media after a proposed trade deal between Canada and the U.S. collapsed over the weekend.

Holt said a fair deal can’t be negotiated when the other side keeps changing the terms until the last minute.

“And we know that New Brunswickers expect us to stand up for our workers, for our entrepreneurs, for our businesses and our province at this time.”

Heading into the weekend, Holt said the deal on the table was considered encouraging, including reducing tariffs on several strategic sectors such as softwood lumber.

“Unfortunately, the people we were negotiating with weren’t consistent in holding up their end of the bargain and introduced things that crossed a line for New Brunswick and for Canada and turned it into a deal that we absolutely could not support,” she said.

French-language laws and regulations were apparently a sticking point in failed trade negotiations with the United States.

And it was one reason the Canadian negotiators walked away from the table.

Holt said the province was grateful for the prime minister’s stance on that issue.

“There are some things we will never trade away,” she said. “(Bilingualism)’s critical to who we are as New Brunswickers, and not something up for negotiation at a trade table with the president of the United States.”

Holt called the U.S. attack on French was another example of U.S. President Donald Trump attacking Canadian identity and sovereignty.

“There were very clear expressions of that in the conditions that the U.S. offered in trying to control who we could and couldn’t form future trade agreements with,” the premier said.

man in white dress shirt wearing white goggles

N.B. premier wants Ottawa to match province’s health spending

, ,

Health-care spending has been a top priority for Susan Holt at the Council of the Federation.

New Brunswick’s premier said the intent under the Health Transfer Act was for a 50-50 split between the province and the federal government.

“Today, the country’s portion is down to 21 per cent,” she said. “We need to see that come back up because the needs are greater.”

Holt said New Brunswick’s population has serious health concerns.

“We have a population that is older than the rest of the country and experiences higher levels of chronic disease,” she said.

The premier said the needs must be met.

“We cannot grow our economy and invest in our defence sector and improve all of our energy offerings without that healthy workforce,” Holt said.

“That requires the federal government to contribute at the same level as the provinces.”

a group of different social media logos

Holt wants social media protections for youth

, ,

If the federal government’s new social media protection bill doesn’t go far enough, New Brunswick’s premier is ready to do more.

Susan Holt said earlier this week she supports the federal push for a ban on social media for children under 16.

In a social media post, she said there’s growing evidence excessive social media use has measurable effects on the mental health of young people.

She said as a mother of three young girls, she sees the effects daily.

But if the Carney government’s actions don’t go far enough, Holt said New Brunswick is prepared to use the available tools to improve protections here at home.

The statement came as the federal government was expected to introduce legislation to improve the safety of social media for children.

Education Plan Announcement_Alex Allan_Acadia Broadcasting

N.B. releases long‑term plans to improve education

, ,

New Brunswick is laying out a 12‑year roadmap for its schools.

The provincial government has released new education plans for the anglophone and francophone sectors.

The anglophone plan, ‘Strong Basics, Bright Futures‘, focuses on literacy, numeracy, student well‑being and stronger collaboration.

It includes a three‑year action cycle with annual targets and 25 indicators the province will track publicly.

Premier Susan Holt said the goal is to strengthen foundational skills and give students the support they need to succeed.

“We’re measuring at every step that we’ve committed to publicly, that we report on publicly,” she said, adding that the results will show whether the system is improving.

Education Minister Claire Johnson said the anglophone plan was shaped through extensive consultation.

She added that roughly 14,000 people took part in the engagement process, including educators, families and community members.

Johnson said the academic standards themselves are not changing, but expectations for how many students should meet them will rise over time.

“We want those goals to be incremental, and we want them to improve with time so that year after year there are more people succeeding in our system,” she said.

Anglophone plan outlines targets and classroom support

The plan identifies three priority areas:

  • strengthening foundational skills
  • promoting well‑being and belonging
  • improving collaboration across the system

It also sets three conditions for success:

  • a stable workforce
  • continuous improvement
  • greater accountability

Johnson said the plan combines a long‑term vision with shorter‑term action cycles to ensure progress is monitored and adjusted as needed.

“We’ve combined the road map, the long‑term vision with shorter‑term action plans,” she said.

The plan builds on $2.2 billion in education spending this year, according to a government release.

That includes money for more educational assistants, resource teachers, school counsellors and early childhood supports.

The province is also funding a lunch program for every school and providing healthy breakfast foods with support from the federal National School Food Program.

The 2026‑27 capital budget includes $242.7 million for school infrastructure, including new schools and upgrades.

The plan’s 25 indicators include early intervention timelines, student well‑being, French‑language proficiency and the number of schools reaching at least 70 per cent success on provincial assessments.

Heidi Ryder, president of the New Brunswick Teachers’ Association, said the plan is a positive step but added that its success will depend on transparent implementation and adequate resources in classrooms.

Francophone plan focuses on identity, early learning and long‑term stability

The provincial government also released a separate plan for the francophone sector, ‘Ensemble pour la réussite!‘ (Together for Success).

It sets progressive objectives for the next 12 years and includes three‑year action plans with specific metrics and annual targets.

Holt said the francophone plan was developed through extensive consultation and reflects the needs of Acadian and francophone communities.

Johnson said the plan emphasizes literacy, numeracy and identity‑building from early childhood through Grade 12.

The francophone plan highlights three priority areas:

  • building stronger foundations for learning
  • developing skills for success
  • strengthening unity in a changing world.

It also outlines conditions for success, including a proactive response to diverse needs, ongoing training for educators, and recruitment and retention efforts.

The plan builds on government spending already underway, including school food programs, major infrastructure projects and staffing increases across both sectors.

Eric Godin, president of the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants francophones du Nouveau‑Brunswick, said he welcomes the plan and is encouraged that universal pre‑kindergarten for four‑year‑olds is included.

NB Premier Susan Holt

Holt promotes N.B. as a leader in the defence sector

, ,

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt attended a trade show recently and promoted the province as a key hub for the defence industry.

Holt was in Ottawa for CANSEC to advance opportunities for the province.

“New Brunswick has established itself as a leader in Canada’s defence sector and is uniquely positioned to seize the generational opportunities arising from Canada’s focus on defence investments,” Holt said in a statement.

“From cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing to land systems expertise and access to two deepwater ports in Saint John and Belledune, to the world-class training happening at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, where Canada’s military is made, we’re ready to grow our economy, create quality jobs, and bolster Canada’s security.”

Defence was highlighted in the provincial government’s recently released economic development strategy as a focus for growing the economy.

Holt said New Brunswick has emerged as a competitor for large-scale industrial defence projects in the last decade, as local companies demonstrate an ability support national defence objectives and secure economic benefits for the region.

The government has made efforts to create further integration into federal defence procurement programs.

That includes a focus on streamlining certifications, enhancing supplier development programs and targeting innovation funding.

A release from the province said Holt met with leading land, sea and air defence companies while in Ottawa.

“This is a crucial time for our province,” she said. “As global economic conditions shift and uncertainty remains, our focus is on keeping our economy strong, flexible and investment-ready by seizing and supporting national opportunities that can create good-paying jobs for New Brunswickers.”

IMG_5938

N.B. health-care update nails transparency, falls short of expected progress

, , , , , ,

Premier Susan Holt and Health Minister John Dornan provided a health-care update at a news conference Wednesday that provided transparent but varying numbers in relation to how the province is doing in reaching its health-care targets.

The update presented bumps in the road that delayed progress, such as medical record system changes and some clinics experiencing space or recruitment issues, according to Holt who says progress is not as speedy as she would like. She and Dornan spoke about three clinics that were announced about a year ago as well as staffing numbers of health-care professionals.

Collaborative-care clinics

At the first clinic, the Fredericton North Family Health Team, 1,155 patients out of a targeted 1,600 were attached since April 7, 2025. Holt said a couple more physicians will join the team in June 2026, which the clinic hopes will help hit the target goal of 1,600.

The second clinic, the Lamèque Community Health Centre, has met a roadblock.

“For Lamèque, it’s a situation with our health data and our list of patients. Now that we are pushing to have computerized systems of our health data in each clinic, we realized that we had information of patients that did not exist anymore, that moved, or that do not need services anymore, so at this point they have a decrease of 73 patients, but they had a goal of 3,700 patients when we announced the clinic on April 9, 2025,” said Holt.

She expects the number of attached patients to change rapidly within the coming months because of updated computerized systems and better care spaces. Holt still expects the attachment goal to be reached in 3 years. Two physicians will be added to that location as well.

The third, Tantramar Primary Health Care Clinic, was announced on April 15, 2025. Holt said that at the time her team committed to attaching everyone in the town within a year.

“The team at Horizon was optimistic that they could do that, but at this point we have not reached that goal,” said Holt.

The actual amount attached was just 277, falling short of the 1,000 patient attachment goal. Holt said the shortfall was a result of facility and space limitations as well as cleaning up finalized patient lists.

It has been just over a year since the launch of the Holt government’s first clinic to operate under a collaborative care clinic model, before which the Premier said 30 clinics would be reached during her term.

Holt said a fifteenth clinic will be announced next week, placing her government at the halfway mark on that general promise, and will be the fourth clinic announced this calendar year. Holt expects an additional 8 to launch by the end of 2026 and her government feels “very optimistic” about meeting the 30-clinic goal.

As of March 31, 2026, 127,177 individuals remain on the waitlist for permanent attachment to a health-care provider.

Staffing of health-care professionals

“When we came into government, we were very clear that the health-care system needed to be stabilized because we needed to care for the people who were caring for us,” said Holt. “One of our very first moves was to provide [nurses] a retention bonus to ask them to stay with us as we make changes to the system so that the pressure they were experiencing by working short was relieved.”

Holt says her team has been looking closely at retention data, which was not only good news, but record-setting.

Nurse turnover at Horizon Health Network improved significantly since April 2025 and stabilized at 0.93 percent, down from an average of 5.54 percent the year prior. Holt said the turnover rates have been even higher in previous years.

“That stability in our healthcare system … the exiting has ceased, the retention bonuses we believe did what they were to do and have allowed our recruitment team to catch up and add significantly more health-care professionals,” said Holt.

The Vitalite Health Network’s turnover rates are a bit different because the population is smaller and some position qualifications are different. Their turnover rate is at 4.16 percent, and the nurse practitioner turnover rate is at 0 percent since July 2025.

“We see really positive movement in retention of our nurses,” Holt said.

A total of 827 registered and licensed practical nurses were hired and 358 exited or retired, resulting in a net gain of 469.

In the province’s last fiscal year, 67 net new doctors were added to the system, the highest net increase in New Brunswick’s history. In specific, 153 doctors were hired and 86 retired or exited.

Premier Holt said they are facing staffing issues in Zone 5 Campbellton, Zone 2 Saint John, and Zone 3 Fredericton, as well as Ambulance New Brunswick. She said special efforts are being made and her team is looking into ways to address these gaps.

Government of New Brunswick-provided data tables for hires and exits of health-care professionals by Zone and full details about the health-care update can be found here.

Load More