New Brunswick’s Liberal government named health care and new export markets outside the United States among its priorities as the provincial legislature kicked off a new session Tuesday.
In a throne speech delivered by Lt.-Gov. Louise Imbeault, the government said it will open its 30 planned collaborative care clinics by the end of next year — ahead of its self-imposed deadline of 2028.
The province first started opening the clinics in the spring of 2025, saying it was one of the ways to address doctor shortages by connecting patients with a variety of health care professionals.
Premier Susan Holt’s government announced new health care plans, as well.
The ruling Liberals said they will name a mental health advocate and launch a health and long-term care workforce strategy.
And the province plans to work with non-profit organizations to develop individual case management programs to help people suffering from poor mental health and addictions.
“Your government is determined to ensure New Brunswickers can access the health care they need, when and where they need it,” Imbeault said.
“They will continue making investments to deliver your health care close to home.”
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As U.S. tariffs on Canadian forestry products, seafood and beer continue to drag on New Brunswick’s economy, the Liberals want to diversify where the province’s exports go.
Via the throne speech, the government said it will create a diversification plan for markets beyond the U.S. that align well with the province’s exports.
“Their objective is to build a more resilient export economy, one that balances international market development with domestic supports,” Imbeault told the legislature.
“This will allow our industries to compete globally while deepening connections with new trade partners in Europe, Asia and beyond.”
As well, Holt’s administration teased new affordability measures to tackle the rising cost of living and an overhaul to the landlord and tenants law.
The throne speech confirmed the government’s draft data centre framework will be used to guide changes to New Brunswick’s Electricity Act.
Imbeault said the framework will have “high environmental, social, economic and energy standards that data centre projects will be required to meet” to receive approval for building.
Some New Brunswick residents who live near sites of proposed data centres have criticized the government for considering approvals before finalizing a policy for the energy-hungry projects.
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The Liberal provincial government sees the plants as a potential opportunity to generate economic growth through tax revenue, private sector buy-in and job creation.
Overall, the throne speech delivered by the lieutenant-governor largely recapped the Holt government’s record so far and included few details about their new proposals.
Daniel Allain, the newly-elected leader of Progressive Conservatives, said the Liberals gave a “recycled throne speech” that lacked long-term vision.
He said the government did not include plans to reverse the multibillion-dollar provincial debt, which is expected to increase in the next two Liberal budgets.
“For a government whose mid-mandate (speech) was titled delivering change, I thought it was more like delivering chaos or fiscal disorder,” Allain said in an interview Tuesday.
Allain, who said he watched the throne speech from the public gallery, is a former one-term provincial legislator who does not currently have a seat in the house.
He appointed two-term legislator and former fisheries minister Margaret Johnson to serve as Official Opposition leader inside the legislature on his behalf.
Allain said he plans to run for a seat next year.
Meanwhile, Holt in a statement Tuesday said her government is “focused on delivering results” in health care and affordability.
— With files from Devin Stevens.
When are they going to discuss improvements to rural snow removal? Since the liberal government was voted in, we saw a decline in late night and early morning efforts to keep roads clear for drivers and emergency services.