New Brunswick’s $12.2B budget tackles challenges that come with growth | Globalnews.ca

The New Brunswick government has tabled a $12.2-billion budget that forecasts a small surplus and promises a funding boost to help stabilize the ailing health-care sector.

Finance Minister Ernie Steeves said today the province is operating in a volatile economic environment where rapidly rising prices are putting pressure on household budgets and increasing costs for businesses.

The budget provides $3.6 billion for the health-care sector, an increase of 10.6 per cent from last year.

Steeves says the province has moved from a struggling economy to one dealing with challenges that come with growth.

The province’s population topped 800,000 last year, adding more than 40,000 people over the previous five years, but despite a lowering of the average age, it remains one of the oldest provinces.

The 2023-24 budget provides for a $40.3-million surplus on total revenues of $12.19 billion and expenditures of $12.15 billion.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2023.