FREDERICTON – New Brunswick’s government has tabled a $15.6-billion budget driven deep into deficit by health spending.
The Finance Department says the $1.4-billion forecasted deficit for the 2026-27 fiscal year is the largest in the province’s history.
Health spending will rise by $710 million, up by 17.4 per cent.
The government says it intends to reduce spending in other areas, notably by shrinking the civic service by 12 per cent over three years.
It expects to reach those job reductions through attrition, predicting to save $100 million over the three-year period.
The government says it will add a toll by 2028 for out-of-province vehicles on the Trans-Canada Highway by Aulac, N.B., estimating it will bring in $10.4 million annually.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 17, 2026.
