Higgs Delivers State of the Province Address for 2024

During his annual state of the province address at the Fredericton Convention Centre, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs highlighted the province's improved economic stability and investments made in priority areas of health care, housing, education, and affordability.

"Thanks to our focus on what matters to New Brunswickers, we are seeing positive results and continued growth," said Higgs. "These are opportunities we would not have thought possible even just a few years ago, and they speak to the significant progress our government has been able to make."

Higgs referenced improvements in New Brunswick's economy, such as decreasing the debt by more than $2 billion while attracting private investment.

He noted rapid population growth, highlighting that the average age in the province has decreased for the first time in nearly 50 years.

The government remains committed to overcoming challenges stemming from growth, including stabilizing the health-care system, increasing the availability of affordable housing, and keeping necessities affordable.

"We are making record investments in health care, but money alone will not solve the issues we are seeing," said Higgs. "For too long, other agendas have come before serving the needs of the patient, and that has to change."

Higgs spoke of several changes to the health-care sector over the past year, including increasing the number of collaborative care clinics, connecting more than 52,000 New Brunswickers with a primary care provider through NB Health Link, and expanding the role of paramedics.

He announced that capacity for adult addiction rehabilitation in the province will be doubling, with the introduction of a new program offering four to six months of rehabilitation programming.

Higgs also announced the launch of a MyHealthNB app, providing New Brunswickers with more information on their health.

He referenced the province's energy strategy, highlighting the potential impact of local liquified natural gas on global emissions.

To support lower-income workers, the government is investing $79.5 million in a new affordability measure, providing a one-time payment of $300 for families with a net income of $70,000 or less.

Steps are being taken to improve affordability for New Brunswickers, including reducing personal income tax, cutting child-care fees, eliminating interest on provincial student loans, and increasing the minimum wage.

Higgs emphasized the need for affordable housing and outlined recent investments and initiatives in the housing sector.

"Ensuring New Brunswickers can live in comfort in our province is crucial to our overall growth and well-being," said Higgs. "That is why we are taking action to provide the supports and opportunities they need to thrive."