Labour Market News

Want to find out more about local or provincial labour market history? The labour market news archive may be a good place to start.

In this section, you can browse archived news titles, whose links are no longer functional, for up to one year from the current date. The archived news can help you understand the labour market trends in geographic areas and industries that are of interest to you.

• Week of 2025-10-31 to 2025-11-06

  • N.B.’s new five-year $20M tourism strategy will target Quebec, Ontario, and New England as its main markets. Features it wants to promote include waterways, beaches, cycling, Indigenous tourism, Acadian products, and the province’s culture and heritage.

    cbc.ca

  • The N.B. Department of Health reports that since October 2024 there have been 84 doctors, 214 registered nurses and 201 licensed practical nurses hired. The province is also working to improve retention rates.

    charlottefm.ca

  • Around 50 N.B. Crown lawyers and workers within the legal and legislative services of the Office of the Attorney General have a new collective agreement. The deal includes a 14.5% wage increase over five years and a 16% resourcing adjustment.

    charlottefm.ca

  • Capital City Auto Parts in Fredericton was destroyed in a fire on October 31 and is considered a total loss. Its unknown if the family-run business will re-open.

    cbc.ca

  • Beacon AI Centers and VoltaGrid are proposing to build a data centre in Saint John’s Spruce Lake Industrial Park. The companies could invest up to $2B in the facility and generate tax revenue and jobs but would have to pass an environmental assessment first.

    cbc.ca

  • The Government of Canada has announced over $8M for 9 projects under the Substance Use and Addictions Program to respond to critical needs related to substance use and addictions in communities across Atlantic Canada.

    canada.ca
• Week of 2025-10-24 to 2025-10-30

  • The latest cost estimate for the new federal inmate hospital at Dorchester Penitentiary is now at $1.3B. The 155-bed centre will offer bilingual mental and physical health care to those in the federal correctional system. The plan is to complete the project by 2032.

    cbc.ca

  • The province will spend $21M so 57 N.B. students can get preferred admission to health programs at Dalhousie University, including dentistry, pharmacy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and others. Over 200 physiostherapists are expected to be needed over 10 years.

    cbc.ca

  • Provinces across Canada are under threat as U.S. and Chinese tariffs are being imposed across various industries. N.B.’s main priority is the $15B lumber industry, while the rest of Atlantic Canada has concerns about the impact on its seafood industry.

    cbc.ca

  • There has been an increase in the number of Quebec doctors applying for licensing in New Brunswick due to a recent change linking pay to targets. N.B. has a strong need for French-speaking doctors and would welcome Quebec doctors to the province.

    globalnews.ca

  • Two major infrastructure projects in Bathurst will receive $5.8M in government funding, allowing more housing to be constructed. The Chaleur St. project will rebuild the road and underground utilities, and the Bridge St. project will extend utilities to the former mill site.

    canada.ca

  • N.B. operators report a 20% jump in tourism numbers this season, despite seeing a 5% drop in U.S. tourists. The Dept. of Tourism reports that there were over 670,000 visitors by the end of August, while provincial parks saw a 11% increase over last year.

    cbc.ca

  • The Canadian Real Estate Association reports that the N.B. housing market is slowing down as sales decline and prices start to level off. The number of N.B. homes sold in September was down 2.1% compared to 2024, with the average N.B. home being $341K.

    cbc.ca

  • Tony's Music Box in downtown Fredericton is closing its doors after 50 years of business. The Queen Street store stocked various musical instruments and accessories. The owner cited that the closure was due to the economy, Amazon, and other competition.

    cbc.ca

  • A CIBC forecast on provincial trade reports that N.B.’s reliance on the U.S. trade in the forestry sector makes it the province most impacted by ongoing tariffs. The industry is worth $600M in direct revenues for N.B. and employs over 24,000 people. Job losses are expected.

    ctvnews.ca

  • The New Brunswick Nurses Union has signed a new collective agreement with the N.B. government. There are over 9,000 nurses including registered nurses, nurse practitioners and licensed practical nurses who will get a 12.5% wage increase over four years.

    charlottefm.ca
• Week of 2025-10-17 to 2025-10-23

  • The Montreal Economic Institute issued a report that shows that N.B. has the second worst retention of young nurses in Canada. For every 100 nurses under 35 years old who started in N.B. in 2023, there were 62 who left, with burn-out being a key issue.

    cbc.ca

  • Saint John business group, Envision Saint John, has outlined its strategic plan to attract more business and talent to the city. The group is focused on sectors like health care, real estate, the municipality's airport, and helping new immigrants.

    cbc.ca

  • N.B. universities had an 11% drop in international students enrolment this year compared to 2024. Most major universities in N.B. have seen a drop in international students for the second year in a row. St. Thomas reports that it has lost millions in revenue.

    cbc.ca

  • The federal government will invest $617M over five years into the Canada Border Services Agency, with money going toward the hiring of 1,000 new officers. It is expected that the Port of Saint John and some N.B. border crossing locations will get more support.

    cbc.ca

  • Ottawa will provide $4.4M in funding to the Saint John Learning Exchange, a program that helps youth (15-29) to get the education and skills required to get a good job. The money will create more spots, expand skills training, and connect youth to employers.

    cbc.ca

  • Maple syrup producers in N.B. and around the region are concerned about the impact following an abnormally dry summer. A drought can stress trees or result in permanent damage, and result in less sap or sugar being produced in years to come.

    globalnews.ca

  • The federal government will soon offer financial relief to Canada’s tariff-struck softwood lumber sector. The program will allow Canadian businesses to access $700M in loans or credit to help them to continue to operate and deal with increased tariffs.

    globalnews.ca
• Week of 2025-10-10 to 2025-10-16

  • Statistics Canada reports that N.B. continues to record net gains in interprovincial migration, seeing a net growth of 630 people in the first six months of 2025. Most people came from Ontario with 3,490 Ontarians moving to N.B. during that time. Affordable housing is a key factor with the average home in N.B. being $328K compared to $805K in Ontario.

    null

  • The CUPE union that represents school library workers and admin support staff is holding off on voting on a new agreement with the province, as the province has said that over 100 layoffs will be issued once the collective agreement is ratified. At risk are the jobs of 26 library workers and 83 administrative assistants.

    null

  • The federal government is spending $30M to help with the construction of a 79-residental unit structure being built by the Fundy Harbour Group in Saint John. It is the first of five buildings to be constructed and will also include retail opportunities.

    ctvnews.ca

  • International student enrolment across Atlantic universities has declined by 36% since a cap was imposed in January 2024 by the federal government. The Association of Atlantic Universities says it has had an impact on the economy and population growth.

    ctvnews.ca

  • Tracadie has received a $7.4M investment in water infrastructure which will support the development of 300 new housing units. The project involves drilling a new well and building a manganese treatment system and a two-kilometre water pipeline.

    ctvnews.ca

  • Ravelin Properties is making a concerted effort to fill the numerous mall vacancies in Brunswick Square as well as in the attached office tower in Uptown Saint John. Recent openings include Foggy City takeout, a tattoo shop, and a souvenir and ice cream shop.

    cbc.ca

  • Two farm organizations have started a fundraising campaign to help Atlantic farmers who are struggling from losses or poor yields and don’t have crop insurance. The fund has raised about $4,500 so far and eligible farmers will initially receive $500.

    cbc.ca

  • Some farmer’s markets state that due to a dry summer season their produce was smaller than average. In some cases farmers decided to plow crops under instead of picking them. It is hoped that recent rainfall will benefit the crops still in the ground.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-10-03 to 2025-10-09

  • Icon Developments is asking Moncton Council to approve a revised plan for the 30-floor apartment building that it wants to build on Main Street. The developer wants to build an expanded parking garage and forego building townhouses in the back.

    cbc.ca

  • The aging Border Arena on King Street in St. Stephen will be torn down and replaced with a 66-unit apartment complex. Crews will tear down the old arena in January 2026 and Dock Apartments will build an affordable mix of one to three bedroom apartments.

    cbc.ca

  • Shediac's Glenwood Kitchens states that it expects to have a slowdown in manufacturing due to the U.S.’s newly imposed tariff but hopes to avoid layoffs. The manufacturer sends about 20% of its products to the U.S. but hopes to expand into other markets.

    cbc.ca

  • Municipalities across N.B. will share more than $50M in federal funding to be used for infrastructure projects such as roads, water sewage, recreation facilities and housing. Greater Saint John will get $8.3M, Greater Moncton - $10.6M, and Fredericton - $4.8M.

    thewave.ca

  • The N.B. government will spend about $77M to fund an additional eight medical school seats for francophone students at l’Université de Moncton, which will bring the total number of seats up to 40 by 2026. Eight extra medical residency seats will also be added

    cbc.ca

  • The New Brunswick Farmer Wellness Program was launched this month to help support the mental health and well-being of those in the agriculture industry. Six counsellors will initially deliver free professional counselling sessions to farmers in need.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-09-26 to 2025-10-02

  • N.B. softwood lumber exports to the U.S. will face an additional tariff of 10% on Oct. 14, bringing total tariffs and duties to just over 45%. A 25% levy will also be applied to kitchen cabinets, vanities and upholstered wood products.

    null

  • The Agricultural Alliance of New Brunswick says its Shared Workforce Program has been renewed for another two years. The program helps N.B. farmers deal with seasonal labour shortages, and since it began has involved over 50 farms and 600 job seekers.

    thewave.ca

  • Wild blueberry growers in N.B. and N.S. have been impacted from the drought. The N.B. yield will be about 70% less than normal, while N.S.’s yield has been reduced by 55%. The industry adds about $81M to the N.B. economy and creates about $121M in annual exports in N.S.

    cbc.ca

  • The Canada Infrastructure Bank will provide a $660M loan to Irving Pulp and Paper to support the $1.1B modernization of its Saint John mill. The project, known as Project NextGen, will upgrade a new boiler, steam turbine, and generator, as well as create good jobs.

    thewave.ca

  • Walker's Your Independent Grocer in Salisbury was destroyed by a fire on Sunday. The Main Street store employed 40 people and was the only grocery store in Salisbury, with the nearest grocery store being in Petitcodiac, N.B.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-09-19 to 2025-09-25

  • A consultant’s review has looked at Moncton’s fire service and has proposed a $285M plan over 15 years, in order to add more staff and build a sixth station. The review recommended hiring 76 more staff, which would increase the city's staffing to 37 per shift.

    cbc.ca

  • The N.B. Premier states that the province remains committed to eliminating the carbon adjustor charge that is applied to fuel and paid by consumers. The Canadian Fuels Association says that this move will result in dire consequences for retailers.

    cbc.ca

  • The province announced plans for a 12-seat physiotherapy program to be offered at l’Université de Moncton in the 2027-28 academic year. The nearest program is in Halifax. It is forecasted that N.B. will need more than 200 physiotherapists over 10 years.

    thewave.ca

  • Moncton is in the process of bringing forth a new bylaw to regulate e-scooter operations across the city. Move Scooter Rental and iRoll Scooter Rental welcome the chance to be licensed, and Move Scooter states that it plans to add 100 more scooters shortly.

    cbc.ca

  • The University of New Brunswick has a new Advanced Nuclear Reactors Lab, which is expected to help meet the demands of an expanding sector. The lab has equipment that grad students and scientists can use to simulate the environment of a nuclear reactor.

    cbc.ca

  • Crown counsel have ratified a new five-year collective agreement with the N.B. government. The deal is expected to deliver pay parity with N.B. Crown prosecutors and is retroactive to 2023. Details will be released once the agreement is signed.

    thewave.ca

  • Over 9,000 nurses across N.B. have voted to accept a tentative deal with the N.B. government. The deal includes RNs, LPNs and nurse practitioners who work in hospitals, public and community health programs, Ambulance N-B and extra-mural programs.

    thewave.ca
• Week of 2025-09-12 to 2025-09-18

  • The Nurses Association of New Brunswick has launched an interjurisdictional nurse licensure program which will allow nurses from other areas of Canada to more easily practice in New Brunswick. The program is geared toward improving labour mobility.

    null

  • A new report was ordered by the Restigouche Regional Service Commission to gain insight into the economy of the wider Campbellton area. The report stated that the area needs newcomers to address labour needs, more funding, and more public-sector jobs in order to rebuild.

    null

  • The N.B. Liquor Corporation expects reduced sales with the removal of restrictions on personal alcohol that can be brought into N.B. Efforts have been made to reduce interprovincial trade barriers and will allow local producers to sell to the rest of the country.

    cbc.ca

  • The Nurses Association of New Brunswick has launched an interjurisdictional nurse licensure program which will allow nurses from other areas of Canada to more easily practice in New Brunswick. The program is geared toward improving labour mobility.

    null

  • A new report was ordered by the Restigouche Regional Service Commission to gain insight into the economy of the wider Campbellton area. The report stated that the area needs newcomers to address labour needs, more funding, and more public-sector jobs in order to rebuild.

    null

  • The N.B. Liquor Corporation expects reduced sales with the removal of restrictions on personal alcohol that can be brought into N.B. Efforts have been made to reduce interprovincial trade barriers and will allow local producers to sell to the rest of the country.

    cbc.ca

  • Ottawa has announced a new $13B housing agency called Build Canada Homes, with the aim to double the pace of housing construction over the next decade. Priorities include affordable housing, transitional housing, factory-built homes, and modernizing construction methods.

    thewave.ca

  • Ottawa has announced a new $13B housing agency called Build Canada Homes, with the aim to double the pace of housing construction over the next decade. Priorities include affordable housing, transitional housing, factory-built homes, and modernizing construction methods.

    thewave.ca

  • Besides farmers seeing smaller crop yields, there are concerns among some N.B. apple farmers that the heat can cause stress on the trees, which could impact next year’s crops. Farmers also have to put more thought into rotating crops and being sustainable.

    cbc.ca

  • Besides farmers seeing smaller crop yields, there are concerns among some N.B. apple farmers that the heat can cause stress on the trees, which could impact next year’s crops. Farmers also have to put more thought into rotating crops and being sustainable.

    cbc.ca

  • A study by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce shows that the N.B. cannabis industry contributes about $1B a year into the province’s GDP and created over 9,000 direct and indirect jobs. The cannabis sector has nearly doubled in size over a five-year period.

    cbc.ca

  • A study by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce shows that the N.B. cannabis industry contributes about $1B a year into the province’s GDP and created over 9,000 direct and indirect jobs. The cannabis sector has nearly doubled in size over a five-year period.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-09-05 to 2025-09-11

  • Nearly 66% of N.B. was very dry or in drought in August, impacting its farmers. WindGap Farms says the heat has caused its calves to be lighter, while Lonsview Farms estimates that it will spend up to $70K on corn silage and grain due to poor crop yields.

    charlottefm.ca

  • Covered Bridge has opened a new potato chip plant in Woodstock, after the original plant burnt down in Hartland. The original location has reopened as a tourist attraction and pop-up gift shop. The owner states that there are more plans in the works.

    globalnews.ca

  • Fredericton city council is considering updating its core plan to allow higher-density housing in a cluster of downtown neighbourhoods to accommodate rapid growth. Once approved, most new developments would be apartments and stacked townhouses.

    cbc.ca

  • Bird's Hill Farms in Woodstock is the region’s largest producer of Japanese Wagyu beef, but has been unable to sell its beef interprovincially because the cows would have to be processed at a federally regulated abattoir, which is not economically feasible.

    cbc.ca

  • The Université de Moncton will be N.B.’s first university to train physiotherapists when the program begins in 2027. The N.B. association wants more than the currently planned 12 seats, as it expects 200 openings will be needed to be filled over the next 10 years.

    cbc.ca

  • N.B. farmers are reporting smaller yields due to a hot, dry summer. One farmer estimates his fields will only yield about 65% of its normal crop. Many crops have been impacted and some farmers are faced with having to buy extra hay or corn grain for their cattle.

    globalnews.ca
• Week of 2025-08-29 to 2025-09-04

  • As the federal government talks about liquified natural gas (LNG) opportunities, N.B.’s Minister of Natural Resources states that Saint John is the only location with pre-existing LNG infrastructure that could export LNG to Europe within 3-4 years.

    ctvnews.ca

  • The federal government is now accepting applications from businesses for its $450M Regional Tariff Response Initiative. The program’s aim is to help businesses deal with trade shocks, explore new markets, boost productivity, and strengthen supply chains.

    thewave.ca

  • A number of N.B. tourism operators are reporting a higher number of visitors this season. Many report that they are seeing more Canadian tourists, who are deciding to stay home instead of traveling to the U.S., but have also seen many American visitors.

    cbc.ca

  • The province has approved the environmental impact assessment for the expansion of the Spruce Lake Industrial Park in Saint John. It is hoped that the park will attract business from green, clean and non-emitting industrial sectors.

    cbc.ca

  • The sudden shutdown of the Captain Dan's processing facility in Bouctouche has led to supply issues among several New Brunswick seafood restaurants. Some restaurants have had to turn to new suppliers and in some cases pay higher prices.

    cbc.ca

  • Saint John and Kent Homes are in the process of building two 10-unit modular public housing units in the north end of the city for working-age people. N.B.’s long-term goal is for 20% of the housing market to be community housing, which currently stands at 3.5%.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-08-22 to 2025-08-28

  • An economic consultant has released a report entitled "Vision 2035" to Moncton City council. The report states that as the population grows, infrastructure also must grow and the city also should look for opportunities that can be filled by the private sector.

    null

  • American Iron & Metal has been approved to operate a scrapyard in the Scoudouc Industrial Park in Shediac. The company was issued a salvage dealer's licence for the site, which is zoned for heavy industry, but it’s unknown what AIM’s plan is for the site.

    cbc.ca

  • The N.B. government has reached a tentative deal with the 50 lawyers who work for Crown Counsel. Details of the deal will be released when the agreement is ratified.

    thewave.ca

  • The Fredericton Police Force has hired 11 new police graduates from a new local training program, which was formed from a partnership between the force and the Atlantic Police Academy. The cadets completed 32 weeks of training.

    null

  • Construction projects in Saint John have hit $254M in the first 7 months of 2025, more than three times the five-year average. Development is being seen in institutional, residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, with 439 building permits issued.

    thewave.ca

  • Groupe Savoie in Saint-Quentin will receive a repayable loan of up to $115K through Opportunities NB, to help purchase new high-performance equipment. The company is a hardwood products manufacturer and also has facilities in Kedgwick and Westville, N.S.

    www2.gnb.ca
• Week of 2025-08-15 to 2025-08-21

  • CUPE Local 1840 has reached a new collective agreement for the more than 80 court stenographers who work for the province. The four-year deal includes a $5/hr wage increase retroactive to Oct. 2021, and also includes incentives and premiums.

    thewave.ca

  • The Kennebecasis Valley Fire Department is the first fire department in N.B. to become internationally accredited. The process began in 2022 and involved implementing a strategic plan, a community risk assessment and meeting 250 performance indicators.

    thewave.ca

  • A tentative agreement has been reached between Air Canada and its 10,000 flight attendants, with flights expected to start-up on Aug. 19. The deal includes immediate and yearly pay increases, as well as being paid for duties performed on the ground.

    cbc.ca

  • The P.E.I. Shellfish Association is concerned about how the parasite Dermo and MSX will affect the next oyster season in September. Dermo was also recently detected in N.L., N.S. and N.B. Fishers have been forced to find new areas and pay higher travel costs.

    ctvnews.ca

  • Over 750 N.B. public service workers have a new four-year contract, which will result in a $5 per-hour wage increase. The workers are members of CUPE 1251, which includes correctional officers, custodians, cooks, laundry staff and human services counsellors.

    thewave.ca

  • N.B. will allow some harvesting work on Crown land while the burn ban is in place. Some overnight trucking of wood will be allowed if it is already roadside, blueberry harvesting and processing of peat will be allowed on Crown land under certain conditions.

    www2.gnb.ca
• Week of 2025-08-08 to 2025-08-14

  • Bleuets NB Blueberries (BNBB) says that N.B’s wild blueberry growers are expecting a solid crop this season, possibly exceeding last year’s harvest of 56M lbs. N.B. has about 175 wild blueberry farmers, with about 75-80% of farmers selling their products to processors such as Oxford Foods, Bragg’s and Wyman’s.

    charlottefm.ca

  • Fredericton’s Police Chief states that the force is no longer short on manpower with 11 new officers set to join upon completion of their satellite training program with the Atlantic Police Academy. A year ago, the Fredericton Police Force had a 32-officer deficit.

    null

  • Air Canada's flight attendants are set to walk off the job on Aug. 16 after hitting an impasse on contract talks, particularly on wages, unpaid work, and expenses. Most N.B. flights are operated by Air Canada or its partners, although Jazz and PAL flights will continue.

    null

  • Rothesay council has given approval to a commercial and residential project that would add about 1,277 units over a 20-year period. The new units could add 3,000 residents to the town, which currently has a population of about 12,000 people.

    cbc.ca

  • The Maritime provinces have announced $9.2M in funding to boost regional air travel that includes $5M from ACOA. The program is expected to offer daily flights connecting Halifax, Sydney, Charlottetown, Fredericton and Moncton later this year.

    citynews.ca

  • The N.B. Government is adding a new salary level for those with more than three years of experience, resulting in an extra $1.00 an hour. Entry-level educators starting pay is $16.83, while level-one educators begin at $23.29 and can now earn up to $27.33.

    cbc.ca

  • The Government of Canada has announced $2B in funding to boost military pay and benefits. Military members will get a pay increase ranging from 8-20% this year, retroactive to April. It will be a graduated series of salary top-ups and incentives that will help the lowest-ranking soldiers, sailors and aircrew the most. The Canadian Armed Forces is currently short about 13,000 troops.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-08-01 to 2025-08-07

  • Real estate consulting firm Turner Drake & Partners latest report shows that office vacancy rates rose to 29.82% in Saint John and 13.77% in Moncton in June, while Fredericton’s vacancy rate fell to 11.65%. Rental rates range from $13.72 to $14.89/ft2.

    charlottefm.ca

  • New Brunswick's labour board has instructed the province to reverse its library staff layoffs issued earlier in the year. At least 50 workers were laid off between the Anglophone West, Anglophone South and Francophone South school districts.

    cbc.ca

  • Saint John council has created a scholarship through the New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation. Two medical students will each receive a $5K scholarship annually for four years, with the condition that they practice in the city for at least one year.

    thewave.ca

  • Systemair, a ventilation equipment manufacturer, has announced that it will invest over $5.1M to modernize its Grand-Bouctouche and Moncton facilities. A new automated sheet metal-forming production line will be purchased and up to 122 jobs will be created.

    cbc.ca

  • NB Liquor and Cannabis NB both saw decreased profits in the first quarter of 2025. NB Liquor (ANBL) net income dropped by 6.4%, while Cannabis NB dipped by 2.9%. During the quarter Cannabis NB opened two new corporate stores in Saint John and Moncton.

    thewave.ca

  • G.R. Thériault Ltd., a Grand Falls door and window manufacturer, will receive over $800K in government funding to help the company expand and improve its productivity. The money will allow the company to invest in technology and add two new jobs.

    www2.gnb.ca
• Week of 2025-07-25 to 2025-07-31

  • N.B. Power is proposing to construct a natural gas plant in southeastern New Brunswick in 2026. The site was originally proposed for Scoudouc but is now planned to be built within the Chignecto Isthmus. The project is being reviewed for environmental impact.

    cbc.ca

  • A new report from the Human Development Council states that homelessness has tripled in N.B.’s three largest cities over the past four years. Major factors have been housing, affordability and health, plus some of the lowest vacancy rates in decades.

    thewave.ca

  • P.E.I. and N.B. businesses are anticipating an economic boost due to the Confederation Bridge tolls being reduced to $20 on Aug. 1. Companies expect to save on the cost of transportation, which could lower the cost of goods and could help drive tourism.

    cbc.ca

  • A developer is proposing to build a new neighbourhood in Rothesay with 1,277 housing units over a 20-year period. Landmark 661 Ltd. wants to build a mix of commercial businesses, apartment buildings, townhouses and single-family homes.

    cbc.ca

  • N. B.’s tariff response plan has had few requests from businesses, despite 90% of the province’s exports going to the U.S. Instead, Saint John has seen major investments at its refinery, pulp mill, and port. The worst harm from tariffs has yet to materialize.

    cbc.ca

  • Arbec Forest Products states that it will shut down its Miramichi plant for six weeks starting in September, due to market conditions. The plant makes wood panels used in housing. During the shutdown 113 employees will be affected and 29 positions cut.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-07-18 to 2025-07-24

  • Over $29M in federal funding will go toward training more francophone health-care professionals in N.B. Three post-secondary institutions, including l’Université de Moncton, will get money to increase the number of students enrolled in health programs.

    thewave.ca

  • The 2025 N.B.Disability & Poverty Report states that 35.3% of N.B.’s population has a disability and 12.3% of those with a disability live in poverty. Median income for people with disabilities is $30,130, and $24,180 for those with a severe disability.

    thewave.ca

  • The Emergency Management Group in Moncton has done a review, which recommends hiring dozens of firefighters, up to 76 administrative and other positions, and opening a sixth fire station. If the recommendations are implemented, it could cost $200M.

    cbc.ca

  • N.B. beekeepers are reporting higher-than-average losses of honey bees this year. The Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists state that 44.7% were lost over the winter months. The $81M blueberry industry relies on bees for pollination.

    cbc.ca

  • Federal funding will allow a mobile outreach service to now offer 24/7 service to those in need in the Fredericton area. Six new staff members will be hired and trained in mental-health first aid, trauma care, overdose prevention and suicide intervention.

    cbc.ca

  • Woodstock's Ironwood Manufactured Homes is expanding and building a new modular construction plant. The new facility will be 10 times larger than the current factory. Ironwood currently employs 54 people but will grow to 85 when it opens in the fall.

    cbc.ca

  • Earth to Belly Homestead in Stanley is looking to keep adding garden beds and growing its direct client base over the next five or six years. The small-scale farm currently employs seven employees and has 120 customers but wants to grow to 3-4,000 customers.

    cbc.ca

  • Pascan Aviation will offer a new direct flight between Saint John and Québec City, making it the third route it offers out of the Saint John Airport. The airline has been making an ongoing effort to improve regional air access.

    thewave.ca

  • The province has signed a new four-year deal with the union that represents more than 3,300 school district employees. Workers will see wages go up by $5 per hour and improvements to vacation. The changes are expected to help with recruitment and retention.

    thewave.ca

  • The N.B. premier is pleased that softwood lumber is a priority issue with the U.S. trade talks, as the ongoing tariffs have been damaging to New Brunswick. Currently N.B. producers pay duties as high as 14.54% and the U.S. plans to raise them to 34.45%.

    null
• Week of 2025-07-11 to 2025-07-17

  • NB Power has announced a new generation facility will be built in southeastern New Brunswick near Sackville (the first in over 2 decades). PROENERGY has been selected to build and operate the facility. New Brunswick has seen an increase in electricity demand amid unprecedented population growth within the province.

    thewave.ca

  • The Main Street Primary Medical Clinic in Moncton has permanently closed. The after-hours clinic cited a lack of physicians needed to staff it as the reason. There have been at least 5 after-hours clinics in the Moncton region that have closed, leaving 4 remaining options in Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe.

    cbc.ca

  • The Woodstock Duty Free Shop in Belleville has announced it will be closing within the next 6 weeks after 31 years in business due to a significant drop in cross-border shopping. According to Statistics Canada, return trips from the U.S. by car were down 33% in June 2025 compared to June 2024.

    globalnews.ca

  • NB Power is proposing a $180M project aimed at modernizing the electricity grid across southern New Brunswick. The Saint John Corridor Project involves the addition of 37 km of new transmission lines and a third power transformer at the Coleson Cove Generating Station. Construction is expected to begin this winter, pending approval, with a fall 2028 completion date.

    thewave.ca
• Week of 2025-07-04 to 2025-07-10

  • The province has added 22 affordable housing units in Miramichi, which are the first public units built in 30 years. Miramichi is also completing a 10-unit family unit on Henderson Street and a 10-unit seniors' complex on General Manson Way.

    cbc.ca

  • Fredericton has created a strategy to attract more family doctors to the area by targeting medical residents and students. Only 63.5% of people in the Fredericton area have access to a primary health care provider and the aim is hire and retain more.

    ctvnews.ca

  • The Spruce Lake Industrial Park expansion cleared the last city council hurdle but will still have to go through a provincial environmental impact assessment. The city wants to attract medium and light industry but will allows for limited heavy industrial use.

    cbc.ca

  • N.B. cities are seeing more multi-unit buildings being built to address housing issues and population growth. Moncton has issued permits for over 700 units, Fredericton is on pace for 1,000 units, and Saint John has approved over 11 apartment buildings.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-06-27 to 2025-07-03

  • The federal government says there is no immediate change for those working at the pay centre in Miramichi, as they transition from Phoenix to the Dayforce payroll system. Nearly 1,800 people are employed at the centre, which process pay for public servants.

    null

  • The 2024 Economy in Review report has identified a number of growth areas in N.B. The economy grew by 1.4% in 2024, the population increased by 2.7%, employment rose by 2.9%, total capital investment went up 4.4%, and merchandise exports rose 2.7%.

    www2.gnb.ca

  • Teacher shortages persist in almost every Canadian province and territory, with many districts relying on substitutes and non-qualified teachers. N.B. has launched a new recruitment campaign, as well as increased the number of college teaching seats.

    cbc.ca

  • UNB's Fredericton and Moncton campuses will begin using virtual reality training technology to help nursing student to safely prepare for real-life scenarios.The province will spend $500K to pay for equipment and setup costs.

    cbc.ca

  • Horizon and Vitalité Health report that the move to family health teams is improving health care access. The N.B. government plans to open at least 30 collaborative care clinics over four years and aims to have all patients connected to a team by 2029.

    cbc.ca

  • The Human Development Council report says that 45% of N.B. workers make less than the living wage of $24.62 an hour. Other key findings from the report: 89% were 20 years old or older, 75% of the low wage group were full-time, and 53% were women.

    thewave.ca

  • Canada has agreed to spend 5% of its GDP on defence by 2035. Under the plan, 3.5% will go toward equipment, training and growing Canada’s defence industry. The other 1.5% will be spent on ports, airports, communications networks and emergency systems.

    thewave.ca

  • The Office of the Consumer Advocate for Insurance is accepting applications until July 25 for the position of consumer advocate. The office responds to requests about insurance and consumer complaints and oversees educational programs on insurance.

    www2.gnb.ca
• Week of 2025-06-20 to 2025-06-26

  • The Old Well House Café in Grand Manan has shut down after operating for seven seasons on the waterfront. The owner states that the café’s closure was due to a stalled wharf project, which left mounds of debris that obstructed the view of the ocean.

    cbc.ca

  • Oulton College's Elmwood Drive campus in Moncton is undergoing a $3M expansion, which will add 300 new student nursing seats, and upgraded medical and nursing labs. Work is expected to be done by January and will be able to train over 400 nursing students.

    thewave.ca

  • Recent graduates are finding it hard to find jobs in an uncertain job market, as Canada’s youth unemployment rate is the highest it’s been since the mid-1990s. The current economic uncertainty has resulted in employers not hiring as many people as before.

    cbc.ca

  • Saint John Energy has a new $15M energy retrofit program to help eligible homeowners to install energy-efficient upgrades. The initiative’s aim is to reduce emissions, lower household costs and create local jobs with businesses who do work in this field.

    thewave.ca

  • Closing signs have appeared at the Toys “R” Us stores in Saint John and at Dartmouth Crossing. The fate of the Fredericton and Dieppe stores are also uncertain, especially as there has been a wider trend of store closures across Canada in recent months.

    thewave.ca
• Week of 2025-06-13 to 2025-06-19

  • Xerox Canada is expanding its digital sales operations in Saint John and will create up to 138 full-time jobs by the end of 2027. Opportunities NB will spend $725K to create jobs such as sales representatives, partner managers and specialists.

    ctvnews.ca

  • The N.B. Real Estate Board states that 1,027 homes were sold in May, the strongest month in nearly two years. Greater Moncton and the Fredericton area had the largest sales growth. Single-family homes hit a benchmark price of $325,900, a 6.1% increase.

    thewave.ca

  • Neqotkuk First Nation is partnering with a European company to build and operate a 10-megawatt solar farm in Saint John. The project will be the largest solar farm in N.B. and will supply the Saint John Energy grid. Construction is expected to begin in 2026.

    cbc.ca

  • Despite objections from residents, Saint John councillors voted unanimously to move forward on the proposed expansion of the Spruce Lake Industrial Park. The plan is to make hundreds of hectares ready for medium and light industrial development.

    cbc.ca

  • New Brunswick has secured a large increase in its immigration allocation from the federal government, going from 1,500 to 4,250 permanent resident nominations. N.B. aims to match newcomers to critical areas in health, education, and construction.

    immigrationnewscanada.ca

  • The first phase of the $18M Hospital Hill project at 1 Bayard Drive in Saint John is nearly done, with the former Catholic building being converted to 25 apartment units. There are for four-phases in total, which will see additional housing developments.

    thewave.ca

  • The Saint John Police Force has hired four new officers after they recently completed six months of training at the Atlantic Police Academy. Two of the members also went through the force’s inclusion and diversity recruitment camps.

    thewave.ca

  • The federal public service shrunk from 367,772 to 357,965 over the last year, with most cut from CRA (6,656). The RCMP saw the largest influx with 911 hired. Almost 8,000 who lost their jobs were term employees and over 75% were under the age of 35.

    citynews.ca
• Week of 2025-06-06 to 2025-06-12

  • The N.B. Government will invest $6.5M in a bursary program for students who choose to take primary care, advanced care paramedic, and emergency medical technician training in the province. The province currently has a shortage of around 200 paramedics.

    thewave.ca

  • Restaurants Canada wants the federal government to again remove the GST and HST taxes on all food, which would help the industry and benefit consumers. In the Atlantic region about 53% of restaurants are losing money or are just breaking even.

    cbc.ca

  • The Sisson Mine near Fredericton is seeing more interest with the province looking to develop new sources of critical minerals and a U.S. investment of $20.7M. The tungsten mine if developed is estimated to cost about $579M and employ about 300 people.

    cbc.ca

  • Saint John Council and its unionized city workers have ratified a new five-year deal. Workers will receive a 15.5% wage increase over five-years and a few other changes. Workers include those in wastewater, drinking water, mowing, plowing, and garbage collection.

    thewave.ca

  • The Canada Summer Jobs program has invested an additional $25M and will create 76,000 jobs across the country. The program helps small businesses and non-profits to hire staff in fields such as recreation, the food industry, as well as marketing and tourism.

    thewave.ca
• Week of 2025-05-30 to 2025-06-05

  • P.E.I.’s Atlantic Veterinary College, the only Atlantic Canadian veterinary school, states that N.B. is faced with a shortage of vets. The college is at its enrolment limit of 70 students, while N.B. has 355 vets and is estimated to require 25% more.

    cbc.ca

  • The Cosmetology Association of N.B., the provincial licensing authority, states that it will keep its strict licensing rules. To practice in the province, cosmetologists have to pay licencing, registration, student enrolment, exam, and certification fees.

    cbc.ca

  • The Anglophone South school district announced this week that it will eliminate 13 full-time and five part-time library worker positions due to budget cuts. The laid-off workers will be eligible for other jobs within the school system.

    cbc.ca

  • Americold has broken ground on a new $100M cold storage facility at Port Saint John. The project is expected to create up to 100 new jobs with the help of a $1M payroll rebate. The facility is expected to provide supply chain resiliency.

    thewave.ca

  • The New Brunswick government has reached a tentative agreement with the union representing school bus drivers, maintenance workers and custodians. The union represents around 3,300 staff, who will need to ratify the agreement.

    thewave.ca

  • Horizon Health has released its five-year strategic plan. The health network aims to open nine new family health teams, as well as hire 579 nurses and 197 physicians. Other parts of the plan include keeping the turnover rate below 8% and reducing ER wait times.

    thewave.ca
• Week of 2025-05-23 to 2025-05-29

  • Ambulance New Brunswick will extend its rural pilot project for another 60 days after seeing a 6.4% increase in response times. The project kept ambulances in the areas of Port Elgin, Cap-Pelé, and Fords Mills, instead of covering other regions.

    cbc.ca

  • Atlantic Potash says it has committed to spend an additional $10.5M on the Millstream potash deposit near Sussex. The money will be spent on technical studies, environmental assessments, and project planning to advance the development of the site.

    thewave.ca

  • New Brunswick’s education minister says there could be more funding for schools as various school districts have announced staffing cuts, such as support staff positions and library workers. Talks are ongoing with districts to make adjustments.

    globalnews.ca

  • The provincial government and the union that represents over 9,600 essential workers in N.B. have finalized their collective agreement. Wages will increase by five dollars per hour over four years. Workers include patient care, food service, and trades staff.

    thewave.ca
• Week of 2025-05-16 to 2025-05-22

  • A new collective agreement was signed with the New Brunswick Association of Nursing Homes, which will apply to more than 4,500 workers. The contract includes wage increases of more than on dollar per hour for each year of the deal until 2028.

    ctvnews.ca

  • The Carleton North clinic in Florenceville-Bristol has officially launched and will receive $2.1M in 2025-2026 to hire more staff. New hires will include nurses, admin support, social workers, diabetes educator, physiotherapists and respiratory therapists.

    cbc.ca

  • NB Power has negotiated a tentative contract for 1,400-line workers, customer service representatives and other unionized employees that if ratified will result in much of its workforce receiving a 16% wage hike over the next five years.

    null

  • Francophone South district has stated that it will eliminate 25 support positions for students with behavioural issues and move those teachers into classrooms. Anglophone West district also recently cut a number of its librarian positions.

    cbc.ca

  • An internal report suggests that many new Canadian military recruits are leaving the armed forces at a quicker rate (9.4%) than the overall average (4.3%). Issues given include training frustrations and the inability to get into the job they want.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-05-09 to 2025-05-15

  • Snowfox Vodka, a Moncton craft distiller, is going ahead with a $4.6M expansion. The business has seen a 7% increase in sales and wants to sell to Ontario due to the new trade agreement. Snowfox plans to open a new facility as well as add 15 good-paying jobs.

    globalnews.ca

  • New Brunswick will begin the second round of its $5,000 nurse retention payments. Around 11,000 permanent full-time and part-time nurses received the first payment. Nurses have to commit to working for one year to receive the bonus.

    thewave.ca

  • Eastern Charlotte is looking to build an 82 space childcare facility in St. George, with construction expected to begin in March 2026. The council is partnering with the YMCA of Southwestern New Brunswick on the project.

    thewave.ca

  • A new report from Cardus shows that N.B. left millions of dollars in federal daycare funding unspent. The province’s five-year target was 3,400 spaces but has created 791 spaces after two years. Part of the program’s goal is also to improve worker’s pay.

    cardus.ca

  • The New Brunswick government is looking to redeploy nurses into different parts of the health system in an attempt to address issues with hospital waits and primary care access. No details have been released as to what specialities will be affected.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-05-02 to 2025-05-08

  • NB Power has signed agreements to purchase electricity from four new wind farms set to bring over 450 megawatts (MW) of renewable energy. The utility is also seeking additional renewable energy projects to integrate into New Brunswick’s energy system.

    thewave.ca

  • The Canada Revenue Agency has stated that 1,300 term employees will not be renewed when their contracts expire on May 16. It is estimated that there will be 125 layoffs in New Brunswick, about 250 in Newfoundland and Labrador, and minimal impact in P.E.I.

    cbc.ca

  • Mrs. Dunster’s bakery in Sussex will close its doors from May 9 to May 25, while it goes through renovations. A new 20-foot donut fryer will be installed, which will increase production by 25% and the bakery will undergo other upgrades.

    thewave.ca
• Week of 2025-04-25 to 2025-05-01

  • Cannabis NB opened three new corporate stores in southern New Brunswick. The new locations are in Saint John, Moncton, and Fredericton. There are now 30 corporate locations across N.B., as well as nine private retailers and seven private FarmGate retailers.

    charlottefm.ca

  • The New Brunswick Community College is cutting 66 positions from its workforce. Most of the affected jobs include retirements, unfilled vacancies, and contract conclusions. The College said that the move was needed to ensure long-term sustainability.

    ctvnews.ca

  • The Anglophone West School District has laid off 70 district employees in response to budget cuts. Included in the layoffs are 33 library workers, 19 educational assistants, 10 administrative assistants, and seven administrative support positions.

    cbc.ca

  • The N.B. government will invest an extra $85M into education with the aim to add more teachers, Educational Assistants, and Behaviour Intervention Mentors. Money will also go into recruitment and retention, as well as to establish school food programs.

    www2.gnb.ca

  • New Brunswick’s budget for child welfare services was reduced to $208.3M from $231.9M from the year before. The province’s child and youth advocate states that N.B. has a historical high number of cases and is concerned if services can be maintained.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-04-18 to 2025-04-24

  • Saint John’s Brunswick Square is undergoing strategic restructuring to revitalize the space which includes a 3-storey shopping centre and a 19-storey office tower. The leasing team is prepared to offer deals to tenants and look at other uses for the space.

    thewave.ca

  • The New Brunswick Real Estate Board says that home sales across the province were down 2.3% in March compared to the previous year. In the Saint John region sales were down 15.6%, but sales were up by 2.5% in Greater Moncton and 1.3% in Fredericton.

    thewave.ca

  • A N.B. government regulation is forcing N.B. Power to offer pulp and paper mills in the province a 35% rate subsidy, which the utility estimates will cost $16.6M this year. Pulp and paper companies say the program is critical to their long-term viability.

    cbc.ca

  • The N.B. Teachers’ Association welcomes UNB’s plan to add more than 100 seats to two B.Ed. programs in September, but retention is an issue. The Association president states that the shortage is made worse due to teachers leaving the field or moving away.

    cbc.ca

  • Move Scooter Rental has relocated its e-scooter rental business from Halifax to Moncton. There are already 150 scooters around the city and the company has 250 in total. Users can locate and rent the scooters through the company's app.

    cbc.ca

  • Horizon Health has launched a new collaborative care clinic at the Tantramar Primary Health Care Centre in Sackville, resulting in more space and extra staff. These new clinics have multiple exam rooms and employ a variety of health-care professionals.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-04-11 to 2025-04-17

  • Saint John-based Moltex Energy Canada Inc. is hoping that its U.K.-based parent company’s search for potential buyers for the company's assets due to financial issues will help to sustain the company’s ongoing development of small modular nuclear waste recycling technology in the province.

    cbc.ca

  • Exxon Mobil has decided to close its Moncton business support centre by the end of 2026. The closure will result in about 250 employees losing their jobs. A spokesperson said that the company has decided to focus on other global business centers.

    thewave.ca
• Week of 2025-04-04 to 2025-04-10

  • Despite more local consumers turning to farmer’s markets, the National Farmers Union in New Brunswick says the agriculture sector is facing problems. The number of N.B. farms has declined by 18% over 4 years and farmers are earning less than before.

    thewave.ca

  • Garraway Hall, a new 60-bed nursing home has opened in Moncton. Operated by Shannex, Garraway will connect to two existing nursing homes. The N.B. government has been investing in the nursing home sector and increasing the number of nursing home beds.

    www2.gnb.ca

  • The Fredericton Northside Community Health Centre will be hiring two part-time physicians and two nurses to join the team in June. The centre has an interdisciplinary health-care team that employs a variety of health-care professionals to best meet needs.

    www2.gnb.ca

  • Acadia Broadcasting has launched a Staycation Atlantic campaign aimed to help local businesses and festivals promote their offerings to Canadians looking to vacation locally. Atlantic Canada businesses can join a tourism-based business directory.

    thewave.ca

  • Quispamsis council has approved a new housing action strategy that it hopes will allow the town to annually build 125 new homes through to 2050. Key items include planning, partnerships, affordability, and policy on developing more housing types.

    thewave.ca

  • The N.B. wine industry is hoping that the push to buy local and with fewer U.S. options on the shelves, that N.B. wine sales will double. N.B. wine accounts for about 2-3% of sales in the province. It is also expected that vineyard visits will rise as well.

    cbc.ca

  • Envision Saint John, working with community partners, has launched the International Postgraduate Pilot Initiative, which will select 10 participants in 2025. The program aims to support international PhDs and MDs to secure careers in the Saint John region.

    thewave.ca
• Week of 2025-03-28 to 2025-04-03

  • JobfairX is hosting virtual job fairs across the Atlantic region, providing a platform for job seekers to connect with employers in various fields, including technology, healthcare, and hospitality. These events offer participants the opportunity to explore diverse career options and engage in one-on-one conversations with recruiters.

    jobfairx.com

  • Horizon Health reports that between April 2024 and February 2025, the health authority was able to hire 172 new physicians, 1,276 nursing staff, and 286 allied health professionals. Among those hired were 34 family doctors and 510 registered nurses.

    thewave.ca

  • New Brunswick’s minimum wage rate increased by 35 cents to $15.65 per hour. Six percent of employees in the province earned the minimum wage last year, with 32% being between the ages of 15 and 19.

    thewave.ca

  • The “Buy Canadian” movement is impacting U.S. companies who are seeing reduced or canceled orders from Canadian retailers. Royale diapers made by Irving Personal Care in Moncton, has seen its weekly shipments quadrupled, as the only branded Canadian diaper.

    globalnews.ca

  • Envision Saint John says the city has untapped potential in its trade infrastructure that could enable a broader export reach. Saint John has connections to various international markets, with a growing port, an airport and three Class 1 railways.

    cbc.ca

  • Primus Telecommunications Canada, an Internet and phone services provider, laid off 17 of its employees in Edmundston. The layoffs represent just over a quarter of its workforce. Bell, the company that owns Primus, justified these layoffs by stating that it wants to simplify its Internet services portfolio.

    radio-canada.ca (available in French only)

  • Saint John has received $9.2M through CMHC's Housing Accelerator Fund, which will be used to build 1,158 new units by the end of 2026. The city is faced with a low vacancy rate of around 2% and the aim of the fund is to fast track housing.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-03-21 to 2025-03-27

  • The Tourism Industry Association of New Brunswick (TIANB) is concerned that its budget for tourism marketing has been cut by $905K. TIANB is worried that the province could lose market share to N.S. and P.E.I. and won’t be able to target key markets.

    thewave.ca

  • The Moncton, Dieppe, and Riverview councils will add 17 RCMP officers this year, but want to evaluate if the hiring results in crime reduction before hiring an additional 24 officers. The policing authority budget has climbed 65% over four years.

    cbc.ca

  • The provincial government tabled new legislation aimed at facilitating the arrival of workers in the province by speeding up the recognition of their skills to reduce barriers between provinces

    radio-canada.ca (available in French only)

  • The CEO of Envision Saint John says that while industries like agriculture or paper and pulp will feel the pain of U.S. tariffs, the oil industry will be particularly hard hit. Over 80% of the oil produced at Irving’s oil refinery is exported to the U.S.

    cbc.ca

  • The federal government will provide $7M in funding to transform the aging Rothesay Arena into a multi-use facility called the Rothesay Intergenerational Community Center. Total costs for the whole project is estimated to be $36M, once a new arena is added.

    thewave.ca

  • Ottawa along with the N.B. and N.S. governments have reached a deal on a 10 year/$650M major infrastructure project to protect the Chignecto Isthmus from flooding. The land link is a vital path for railway, highway, power and communication lines.

    cbc.ca

  • Sarap Takeout in Shediac has expanded its Main Street business to include a new international grocery store, specializing in Filipino dishes and products. According to Stats Canada the Filipino population in N.B. has more than doubled from 2016 to 2021.

    cbc.ca

  • The University of New Brunswick will add 55 new seats to its 10-month Bachelor of Education program, as well as another 60 seats to its online Bachelor of Education in early childhood education program. The province is faced with a growing teacher shortage.

    thewave.ca
• Week of 2025-02-28 to 2025-03-06

  • The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) confirmed that there will be an elver fishery in the Maritimes this year, under the new regulations announced in February. The total allowable catch is set at 9,960 kg (nearly 22,000 pounds), which is the same as in 2022 and 2023, according to the Department.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Five organizations and one community in northern N.B. will receive a combined $2.6M in government funding. EcoRock Dalhousie will receive $1.9M for exploratory drilling, and the other groups will invest in automation, upgrades, consultants, and tourism.

    canada.ca

  • Vitalité Health has cancelled the remaining shifts of travel nurses employed by Canadian Health Labs (CHL), even though the contract doesn't expire until February 2026. CHL charges about $300/hr per nurse or almost six times that of a staff nurse.

    cbc.ca

  • The N.B. government has laid out a $162M tariff relief plan, which aims to help exporters impacted by U.S. tariffs, as well as protect workers and the economy. N.B. relies heavily on the U.S. market and the tariffs could result in up to 6,000 N.B. jobs lost.

    cbc.ca

  • The Picadilly Mine near Sussex is bustling with activity to meet the increasing demand for road salt. Workers, who lost their jobs in 2016 when potash prices dropped, are back at work in the mine about a kilometre under the Earth's surface. The mine currently employs over 80 people. This is the highest number since 2016, when 430 people lost their jobs.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • N.B. manufacturers have been stockpiling inventory and accelerating shipments to the U.S. and have paused hiring and major spending due to the threat of impending U.S. tariffs. Provincial governments are discussing potential assistance measures to assist.

    thewave.ca

  • The federal minimum wage will increase to $17.75 per hour as of April 1, 2025 and is in line with the year-over-year inflation rate, which rose by 2.4%.

    thewave.ca

  • A new digital centre run by Thales Canada has opened in Knowledge Park in Fredericton. The National Digital Excellence Centre will provide industries with security against digital identity theft and cyber attacks on digital, communication and other systems.

    cbc.ca

  • Maple syrup producers across N.B. are tapping tress as sap begins to flow with the warmer daytime weather. Operators use more technology, like vacuum pumps and reverse osmosis machines, to quicken the process. Visitors can also buy various maple products.

    cbc.ca

  • Many N.B. municipalities are offering "return-to-service" scholarships to medical school students to entice them to practice locally upon graduation. Faced with vacancies across N.B. and looming retirements, the need to recruits and retain staff is crucial.

    cbc.ca

  • A new tentative agreement has been reached for nearly 10,000 N.B. health care workers. The contract still needs to be voted on by its members who include patient care attendants, tradespeople, admin, and Ambulance New Brunswick workers.

    thewave.ca
• Week of 2025-02-21 to 2025-02-27

  • Saint John Council gave its final approval for the Sunnyside Tiny Home Community to proceed. The community will be near East Point Shopping and will include up to 75 units. It is expected to cost about $10M and the aim is to have it completed next year.

    thewave.ca

  • The childcare sector is not immune to the labour shortage in N.B. In the last year, one out of four educators left the early childhood field to go into education. As a result, daycare centres depend on immigration to fill vacant positions. For example, 90% of the employees hired by the Garderie Univers d’enfants in Moncton in the last three years are immigrants.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • J.D. Irving has laid off 140 of its 310 employees at its Saint John paper plant, claiming the move was due to N.B. Power’s high cost of industrial electricity rates. The Irving Paper plant manufactures graphic paper for use in magazines and other print media.

    cbc.ca

  • The New Brunswick Teachers' Association says that the province now has 192 people teaching in anglophone schools without education degrees, due to a shortage of teachers. Nearly 1,000 teachers are expected to retire within three years.

    cbc.ca

  • The Government of Canada is investing $149K in Kaleidoscope Social Impact Inc., to support career-focused opportunities for Saint John high school students. Kaleidoscope matches the skills and aptitudes of students with local employment opportunities.

    canada.ca

  • The Government of Canada is investing $545K in ConnexionWorks, which provides entrepreneurs in the Saint John area with the training, resources, and networking needed to launch their businesses. ConnexionWork’s goal is to boost the number of new businesses.

    canada.ca

  • ACOA will invest $3M through the Community Futures Program for 10 Community Business Development Corporations (CBDCs) across N.B. The funding is dispersed to local businesses and organizations to help them expand, grow, and develop.

    canada.ca

  • The federal government and the City of Dieppe signed a $7.2M agreement that should support the construction of a few thousand housing units over the next decade. The aim is to increase the city’s density. The project involves building 220 housing units over the next three years, and 3,700 units over the next decade.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Fredericton's Craft Coast Canning are concerned about the 25% U.S. tariff on aluminum and steel that is set to be imposed on March 12. The company is a beverage can distributor but buys most of its aluminum cans from U.S. manufacturers.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-02-14 to 2025-02-20

  • N.B. plans to rebate the 10% provincial portion of the HST off eligible multi-unit builds to help spur development of more affordable and available housing. The rebate would apply to construction that began between Nov. 15, 2024 and Dec. 31, 2027.

    charlottefm.ca

  • Around 2,200 members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1190 have a new employment contract. These mechanics, road and highway and provincial park employees across eight departments voted 95% in favour of the tentative agreement signed with the Government of N.B. in January. The agreement follows several months of difficult negotiations.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Moncton council gave preliminary approval for a proposed development to build four six-storey buildings with a total of 366 residential units. Noky Group, the developer, also plans to for 373 square metres of ground-floor commercial space once rezoned.

    cbc.ca

  • Vitalité, a Francophone health authority, is starting to hire more registered nurses than it is losing. For the current fiscal year, Vitalité has hired 133 registered nurses, while 93 have announced their departure. The authority is now on course to having a positive differential in 2024–2025 after it incurred a loss last year. Meanwhile, many positions remain vacant in the network.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • The District scolaire francophone Nord-Est (DSFNE) warned parents in the region that a shortage of supply teachers could lead to classes being cancelled. The DSFNE has 8,700 students in 34 schools between Campbellton and Neguac.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • A new report by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce says Saint John is the most vulnerable in the country to potential U.S. tariffs. It noted that the Irving Oil refinery (Canada’s largest), and N.B.’s seafood and forestry industries export heavily to the U.S.

    globalnews.ca

  • The federal and N.B. government are providing over $40M to go towards firefighting equipment, training and wildfire education. The severity of wildfires has increased in recent years and the cost to fight them are expected to double by 2040.

    cbc.ca

  • A smokehouse in Petit-Cap was totally destroyed by fire this month. This is the second major fire for Elphege & Norbert LeBlanc in the past year. It is unknown how many employees were affected or if there are plans to rebuild.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-02-07 to 2025-02-13

  • Construction costs for Fredericton’s performing arts centre is now estimated to be at $111.2M, due to rising labour and material costs. Underground work for the building has been completed and the entire project is expected to be completed in early 2027.

    cbc.ca

  • The N.B. Medical Society is calling for the provincial Department of Health and the Horizon Health Network to cancel the virtual care pilot project at two emergency departments in rural areas. The professional association argues that the $865,595 contract, which was awarded to Teladoc Health Canada, is a poor use of funds during a time of crisis for the public health care system.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • New Brunswick’s minimum wage will increase from $15.30 per hour to $15.65 per hour on April 1, 2025. About 6% of New Brunswickers earned minimum wage in 2024, with 32% being between the ages of 15 and 19, and 56% of minimum wage earners worked part-time.

    charlottefm.ca

  • Two New Brunswick food-based businesses state that immigration cuts will hurt their production as locals don’t want their jobs. Over half of Mrs. Dunster's 275 employees are from abroad, while 82% of Fancy Pokket Bakery’s 75 staff are immigrants.

    cbc.ca

  • The U.S. has imposed a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports from Canada and Mexico. Canada accounted for over 79% of all primary aluminum metal imported into the U.S. in 2024. The United Steelworkers union says it will hurt workers in Canada and the U.S.

    globalnews.ca

  • The majority of airport authorities have seen an increase in the number of travellers in the region. At the Stanfield and Moncton airports, the recovery rates are 95% and 98.1%, respectively. According to a specialist in the aviation industry, the reason it has taken so many years to return to normal is mainly due to the shortage of workers in the aviation sector.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Staffing shortages and high demand for services in Fredericton has resulted in a new community engagement unit composed of six retired police officers. This will be a six-month pilot project, and participants will handle less urgent matters.

    cbc.ca

  • Kaleidoscope Social Impact (KSI) will receive up to $2.5M in federal funding to help with affordable housing projects across New Brunswick. KSI provide loans to developers towards acquiring property, building new units, or maintaining existing ones.

    charlottefm.ca

  • The last nurse practitioner at the Noreen-Richard Health Centre, the only Francophone health clinic in Fredericton, left her position in January, and she will not be replaced until May. The two other positions, for a doctor and an additional nurse, remain vacant.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • According to the vice-president of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association, the trucking industry is facing one of its worst recessions in over 50 years. The recession is caused by increasing prices and changing consumer habits since the pandemic, which has led to lower demand for Atlantic carriers.

    radio-canada.ca (available in French only)
• Week of 2025-01-31 to 2025-02-06

  • N.B.’s Immigration Minister says that federal immigration cuts will impact restaurants and food processors in the coming years, especially in rural and older communities. The province has mainly allocated spots to the health, education and trade sectors.

    cbc.ca

  • Moosehead Breweries would like to see interprovincial trade barriers reduced as the threat of U.S. tariffs loom. A CFIB report ranked N.B. last for having the most stringent rules on importing alcohol. Moosehead exports about 20% of its beer to the U.S.

    cbc.ca

  • After more than 30 years in business in the Saint John City Market, Billy’s Seafood Company announced that the business is no longer viable and will shut down. The owner cited loss of patio revenues, renovations and the pandemic as contributing factors.

    ctvnews.ca

  • The N.B. government has stated that it will not sign any new U.S. contracts over the next 30 days and will look to deal more with Canadian businesses. The Atlantic provinces are working together to find new markets for export items like seafood and lumber.

    thewave.ca

  • A private addictions rehab centre has been approved to operate on Darlings Island. The centre could treat up to eight patients as early as May or June. Recruitment is underway for an addiction counsellor, a social worker, a cook and a nutritionist.

    cbc.ca

  • Port Saint John in N.B. will have a massive cold storage facility as of next year. Construction on the warehouse, which is over 17,000 square metres (about 190,000 square feet), is due to start this spring, according to the port authority. The warehouse will have 22,000 pallet positions to store food products before they are loaded onto container ships.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • The Gulf of St. Lawrence snow crab quota should be around 15,000 metric tonnes, according to recommendations made by scientists at Fisheries and Oceans Canada. This quota represents a reduction of approximately 7,000 tonnes compared to 2024. According to the president of the Association des Crabiers Acadiens, there would be 80,000 to 90,000 fewer pounds of crab for each fishery this spring.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)
• Week of 2025-01-24 to 2025-01-30

  • The Canadian Home Builders’ Association warns that a 25% U.S. tariff could drive up construction and renovation costs. Canada annually imports $14B in primary metals, $3.5B of glass products, $2B in hardware, and over $3B in major appliances from the U.S. alone.

    globalnews.ca

  • The Canadian Home Builders’ Association warns that a 25% U.S. tariff could drive up construction and renovation costs. Canada annually imports $14B in primary metals, $3.5B of glass products, $2B in hardware, and over $3B in major appliances from the U.S. alone.

    globalnews.ca

  • The Canadian Home Builders’ Association warns that a 25% U.S. tariff could drive up construction and renovation costs. Canada annually imports $14B in primary metals, $3.5B of glass products, $2B in hardware, and over $3B in major appliances from the U.S. alone.

    globalnews.ca

  • A tentative agreement has been reached between the N.B. government and the more than 2,200 government labourers and trades workers. No details will be provided until both sides can ratify the deal, but wages were a key bargaining issue.

    thewave.ca

  • U.S.-based Americold plans to spend $100M to build a state-of-the-art cold storage facility at the Port of Saint John. Construction is expected to begin in the coming months and be operational in 2026. Once completed the facility will add 100 new jobs.

    ctvnews.ca

  • A new maple sugaring training program is being offered by the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB). The micro-certification program is designed to meet the province’s need for skilled workers in the industry. The program was created in collaboration with the New Brunswick Maple Syrup Association (NBMSA). The 10-module program is delivered fully online in French and English and involves a total of 467 hours of training over 17 weeks.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Bangor’s Beal University will open a New Brunswick campus for its nursing program at the Sackville Memorial Hospital. The program offers 12 months of online nursing instruction followed by on-site instruction in Sackville and clinical training.

    cbc.ca

  • Saint John’s planning advisory committee has approved an affordable housing project consisting of 75 to 80 tiny homes in east Saint John. The cost of the Sunnyside Tiny Home Community is expected to cost $10M and will be owned and operated by United Way.

    thewave.ca

  • The Bathurst Youth Centre announced that it will close after 26 years of service due to changes in the community in recent years, according to its leadership. The youth centre employed two full-time staff and a dozen others working on various government-funded projects.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Vitalité Health is in the early stage with the province in deciding whether to replace or renovate the aging Stella-Maris-de-Kent Hospital. The 20-bed hospital is important because it serves over 30,000 people and is along a key transportation corridor.

    cbc.ca

  • The Miramichi multiplex project is expected to be completed by fall 2026 at a cost of $98M. The recreational facility will have an 1,800-seat arena, an indoor walking track, a pool and a gymnasium. Arbec Forest Products has donated $4M for naming rights.

    cbc.ca

  • A new bookstore and coffee shop is expected to open next month in uptown Saint John, called the Write Cup. Located in Market Square the 40-seat café will not only serve coffee, but will be a space for people to write and to connect writers and readers.

    cbc.ca

  • The federal government is providing Canada Post with $1B in short-term financing for 2025/26 to help them stay solvent and continue operations. The corporation has faced significant losses since 2018 with rapid changes in mail and parcel delivery and high labour costs.

    vocm.com

  • UNB and the University of Waterloo are hoping to open a satellite school of optometry in Saint John. Waterloo is the only English optometry school in Canada and only takes about 90 students. Optometrists often do a four-year undergrad degree then a four-year doctorate of optometry.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-01-17 to 2025-01-23

  • Vitalité Health Network has added six new family health teams in the greater Moncton, Grand Falls and Campbellton areas. There are now 23 teams operating in the province, with 146 doctors, 20 nurse practitioners and 82 other professionals in 13 communities.

    cbc.ca

  • The Lobster Council of Canada says it is working to lobby U.S. officials and exploring new markets in case the U.S. impose new tariffs. The U.S. is Canada’s largest market for frozen lobster, but lobsters from Maine are sent to N.B. to be processed.

    cbc.ca

  • Saint John saw good growth in construction throughout 2024, with 707 building permits issued and 435 new residential units built. Total value of construction projects in 2024 was $156M, well above the five-year average of $113.5M.

    thewave.ca

  • Work at Sackville’s Mount A University is expected to cost an extra $10M and take a year longer. A new multi-sports facility is being built along with a parking lot and renovation of the library. The project is expected to cost $95M and be done in 2030.

    cbc.ca

  • Cannabis producers stated in a 2023 report that excise taxes had a major impact on producer’s profitability and viability. Crystal Cure, which opened a Shediac facility in 2028, stated that taxes and price markups caused it to struggle then close in 2024.

    cbc.ca

  • New Brunswick’s immigration minister says some key sectors in the province will be impacted with Ottawa’s decision to halve its economic immigration spaces to 2,750. Health care and construction are two sectors that are faced with growing demand.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2025-01-10 to 2025-01-16

  • Académie Assomption, an elementary school in Bathurst, will close permanently in June. Around 60 students will go to the Cité de l’Amitié school in Bathurst instead as of the start of the school year in September. On Tuesday evening, the education council members of the school board voted to close the school after conducting a viability study.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Irving Oil states that it will not be selling its Saint John oil refinery, as was being considered. The refinery is Canada’s largest, processing 320,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Irving employs 4,000 workers, with nearly half at its head office and refinery.

    cbc.ca

  • Saint John is making changes to its zoning bylaws, so developers don’t have to go through the red tape process of rezoning in order to develop more than one unit on their lot. The change will apply to low-rise residential developments.

    cbc.ca

  • N.B. blueberry farmers are concerned about the threat of import tariffs by the United States. Most of the 400 million pounds of blueberries produced in the Maritimes and Quebec end up in the U.S. and have seen prices fluctuate from $0.40 to $1.10 a pound.

    cbc.ca

  • Fredericton will give $10K to the New Brunswick Medical Education Foundation to create two new scholarships for family doctors who agree to work in Fredericton for at least a year. Only 68% have a family doctor in Fredericton, compared to 86% in Saint John.

    cbc.ca

  • The Saint John Police Force has hired four new constables from the Atlantic Police Academy bringing the force’s total to 146. One of the officers is the first to be hired after participating in the force’s inclusion and diversity recruitment camp last year.

    thewave.ca

  • Students at the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick (CCNB) will be able to enroll in new multidisciplinary programs starting in the fall of 2025. These programs are designed for students in the health, trades, and computer system fields.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Changes to Canada’s Health Act next year will allow nurse practitioners, pharmacists and midwives to bill the government for medical services typically provided by a doctor. The change is being made so patients will not have to pay for these services.

    cbc.ca

  • DP World, which operates the Saint John container terminal, has a new partnership with the Gemini Cooperation. This will result in larger ships and more traffic coming to the port, due to a new alliance between shipping companies Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk.

    thewave.ca
• Week of 2025-01-03 to 2025-01-09

  • Comark Holdings will close all Ricki’s and Cleo retail clothing stores across Canada while seeking creditor protection. The chain was hit hard by the pandemic, a 2021 ransomware attack, and by online competition. Over 2,000 employees could be impacted.

    vocm.com

  • Atelier Gérard Beaulieu (AGB), a manufacturing company specializing in large steel tanks in Saint-Quentin, plans to triple its production capacity. However, due to recent changes in immigration rules, the company fears it may have difficulty recruiting foreign workers, who are essential to its growth.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • N.B. Manufacturers and exporters are concerned about the threat of a U.S.-imposed 25% tariff on Canadian imports. Roughly 80% of N.B. products are exported. Some companies have suspended hiring or are looking to switch production to the U.S.

    cbc.ca

  • Since December 1, the District scolaire francophone Sud (DSFS) recorded 145 bus delays in the morning, including 40 due to a lack of buses, according to its superintendent. The shortage is the most severe in the regions of Oromocto and Fredericton. According to management, the problem is the lack of available buses, rather than a shortage of bus drivers.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Although Canada’s labour market varies, industries most in demand include health care and social assistance, accommodations and food, retail trade, professional, scientific or technical services, and construction. Sales and service has the most vacancies.

    ctvnews.ca

  • Two private pay-for-plasma clinics owned by the Spanish company Grifols, formerly Canadian Plasma Resources, opened in Fredericton and Saint John. In total, there are 13 clinics throughout the country in N.B., N.S., Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Ontario.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • The City of Dieppe issued just under 1,200 new housing permits in 2024, a record year for the city. There are currently close to 1,000 units under construction and the city is looking at ways to increase capacity, especially in not-for-profit housing.

    ctvnews.ca

  • The provincial government and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) reached an agreement that will allow the 1,000 nurses represented by this union to earn retention bonuses of up to $10,000 as well. For reference, these bonuses have already been paid to the majority of public sector nurses represented by the New Brunswick Nurses Union and the New Brunswick Union.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Business insolvency filings rose in every province from Oct 2023 to Oct 2024, except for N.B and N.L. This trend is expected to continue into 2025. The hardest-hit sectors were construction, accommodation and food services, and transportation and warehousing.

    saltwire.com
• Week of 2024-12-27 to 2025-01-02

  • Construction on the $600M Atlantic Science Enterprise Centre in Moncton has officially begun. The project will require 200 workers and is expected to be done by 2032. Once completed it is expected to employ 700 staff from five government depts and agencies.

    cbc.ca

  • The province has approved J.D. Irving’s first phase of its $550M Brighton Mountain wind farm project, which could see 34 turbines built near Juniper in Carleton County. Construction must begin within five years and Irving plans to sell the energy to N.B. Power.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2024-12-20 to 2024-12-26

  • The municipality of Heron Bay has passed a bylaw amendment, which would allow it to impose regulations on a new mine. Residents are concerned that this change will help a proposed pozzolan mine near the community of Dalhousie to proceed.

    cbc.ca

  • A proposed 62-unit aging-in-place community was presented to Quispamsis council, which approved would be built along Hampton Road. The proposed development would be constructed over an eight-year period and would include on-site home support caregivers.

    thewave.ca

  • The New Brunswick Real Estate Board says home sales are steady year-over-year, despite declining listings. Home sales were up 14.4% in Fredericton, 1.4% in the Northern and Valley Regions, 0.8% in Greater Moncton, and down 9% in the Saint John region.

    thewave.ca

  • The Coastal Shell plant in Richibucto declared bankruptcy on Dec. 10, with the company being about $11M in debt. The plant recycled lobster and crab shell waste into fertilizer and other products but faced community complaints about odour.

    cbc.ca

  • The owners of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan hockey club have announced that the team will be relocated from N.B. to St. John's, N.L. The team has been in the city for 27 years, but has long struggled with attendance.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2024-12-13 to 2024-12-19

  • The Fédération régionale acadienne des pêcheurs professionnels (FRAPP) is working with the governments of N.B. and Canada on a transition project for the 2025 redfish fishing season in the Estuary and St. Lawrence Gulf. The project will allow shrimp trawlers to install semi-pelagic trawls on their boats. These are nets that are specially designed to avoid the seabed.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Zippy, the New Brunswick-based ridesharing service, is in the process of hiring drivers in order to expand its operation in Saint John. The company already operates in Moncton, Fredericton, Edmundston, Bathurst, Tracadie and Miramichi.

    thewave.ca

  • Horizon Health is freeing up more hospital beds for the holidays and into the new year, and in some cases will over-staff to address any unexpected absences. More doctors’ offices and clinics will also open and mental health services will be better staffed.

    cbc.ca

  • The Point Lepreau Nuclear Station is back in service after an eight-month shutdown, with what was initially a 98-day planned maintenance outage. Lepreau remains N.B. Power's lowest-cost generator when it's running, but outages can cost $1M-$4M per day.

    cbc.ca

  • The Canadian Armed Forces has an ambitious plan dependent on additional defence budget spending to increase its regular force ranks to 86,000 (from the current 63,000), which could take decades to accomplish. Overall applications for the military have improved recently and trial programs have sped up the application process.

    saltwire.com

  • Canada Post will resume operations on Dec. 17 after the Canada Industrial Relations Board ordered 55,000 employees back to work. A 5% retroactive wage increase will be implemented and staff will work under their existing contracts, which were extended until May.

    cbc.ca

  • A new report called Impacts and Challenges of Cultural Venues in N.B. has found that many venues in the province are in poor condition and 60% cite inadequate funding. The median income of the 2,700 artists in N.B. is $27,400, with many working multiple jobs.

    cbc.ca

  • Fredericton Police plan to spend $400K to hire up to six retired officers for a six-month period, to help with lower-priority crimes. This unit is a temporary measure until the force can hire twelve graduates from the police academy next summer.

    cbc.ca

  • The Lamèque Hospital and Community Health Centre is closing 12 beds for a number of months. These are all the beds at the hospital. The Vitalité Health Network assured that the situation is temporary and is planning renovations to improve the ventilation system, among other things. This project could take until April. In the meantime, patients are redirected to long-term care homes and other hospitals in the Acadian Peninsula.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Three levels of government will provide over $20M in funding for a new 56-unit development in Saint John’s Waterloo Village. The development will include affordable housing, as well as a 120-space daycare centre. Construction should be done by Fall 2025.

    thewave.ca
• Week of 2024-12-06 to 2024-12-12

  • The Moncton Flight College is pausing most of its operations in Fredericton in 2025 due to a lack of students from abroad. The Fredericton operation’s main focus is on international training, with most students coming from China. Forty staff members will be affected, but most will be offered other positions with the PAL Group of Companies.

    Daily Gleaner

  • Moncton, Dieppe, and Riverview have approved a $9M increase in the 2025 budget for the Codiac Regional RCMP, which will see the addition of 17 new RCMP officers and five municipal employees to enhance community policing. The police force has 156 officers who will move into a new $57M police facility in 2025.

    infomedia.gc.ca

  • PuraVida Development Corp has started demolition and remediation work on an old school in Woodstock and plans to convert it into housing and daycare spaces. The demolition and construction work is expected to take about 20 months and cost about $8.775M.

    infomedia.gc.ca

  • Ottawa will spend over $1B to grow N.B.’s clean electricity grid, with the majority supporting Indigenous-led wind projects to create up to 670 megawatts. Other clean projects will also be supported and overall could help power up to 140,000 homes.

    ctvnews.ca

  • The N.B. government is working on a program to rebate the 10% provincial tax to developers that construct new rental housing in the province. It would apply to construction taking place between Nov. 15, 2024, and Dec. 31, 2027. More details will follow.

    thewave.ca

  • The federal government announced that starting in January 2025, fishing licence holders in Atlantic Canada will now have access to maternity and parental leave. Licence holders can request a substitute to run their fishing business while on leave.

    canada.ca

  • N.B. Power plans to buy power from a new natural-gas plant near Moncton, which the utility says will reduce its use of Coleson Cove generation station, which burns heavy oil. The utility is looking to reduce emissions, but also needs reliable electricity.

    cbc.ca

  • The provincial government has decided it will honour current leases but will not allow further blueberry development on former Tracadie range. As a result, a proposal to develop about 830 new hectares for blueberry development will not proceed.

    cbc.ca

  • R2 Capital has purchased Place 400, a well-known commercial building in the north end of Saint John, for about $2.8M. The new owners plan to renovate the 160,000 sq. ft. building in order to create a premier office environment with below-market rates.

    charlottefm.ca
• Week of 2024-11-29 to 2024-12-05

  • The Saint John Tool Library has launched a micro-credentials construction training program called Hammers 2 Homes. The six-week program will provide paid training to people facing barriers to housing and employment, who will work on affordable housing units.

    cbc.ca

  • Fredericton has conducted a preliminary feasibility study, which lays out a subdivision plan for more than 3,000 units on the city's southeast edge. About 77% of the proposed development area is city-owned and construction could begin in 2026 if approved.

    cbc.ca

  • The N.B. Teachers' Association says the province needs to address recruitment and retention of teachers in the province and wants to see the number of education seats increased. It is projected that 1,200 teachers will retire over the next four years.

    cbc.ca

  • About 9,950 N.B. nurses will receive $10K in retention bonuses by the end of 2024. Most registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), nurse managers and supervisors will receive the payments, except for LPNs with CUPE and casual workers.

    cbc.ca

  • New Brunswick’s fisheries and aquaculture sectors will receive over $38M in provincial and federal funding through the Atlantic Fisheries Fund. The money will go toward adopting new technology to improve efficiency, seafood quality and sustainability.

    thewave.ca

  • Canada Post (CP) has presented the Canadian Union of Postal Workers with a new framework it hopes will achieve a negotiated settlement to the strike (now in its third week) of 55,000 postal workers. The framework includes proposals to bring greater flexibility to CP’s delivery model and shows movement on other key issues.

    citynews.ca

  • Port Saint John is in the process of installing two more container cranes at the port, bringing the total to six. DP World Canada, which operates the container terminal, says the extra cranes will mean even more growth and additional jobs at the port.

    thewave.ca

  • Two Garage Central car dealerships closed suddenly in the Atholville area of Campbellton. According to documents filed with the Court of King’s Bench of Saint John, as of July 31, 2024, Garage Central and CGL Auto Inc. had defaulted on over $6M in payments to RBC. It is estimated that around 50 jobs will be lost.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)
• Week of 2024-11-22 to 2024-11-28

  • New Brunswick’s premier stated that if the U.S. imposed a 25% tariff on all products from Canada, it would be devastating for provincial businesses, communities and the economy. The premier noted that 92% of exports from N.B. go to the United States.

    charlottefm.ca

  • Both the Moncton and Fredericton airports are reporting strong numbers for 2024. The Moncton Airport had over 578,000 passengers up to the end of October, while Fredericton expects to have 380,000 passengers for the year – 15% higher than 2023.

    ctvnews.ca

  • The New Brunswick Real Estate Board says demand for home sales increased in October by 12% compared to last year. Home sales were up 43% in Saint John, 15% in the Northern and Valley Regions, 5.5% in Fredericton, and down 3.2% in Moncton.

    thewave.ca

  • Construction is underway on a new $28M regional multipurpose centre in Hampton, which will include an NHL-sized ice surface, a lounge, community room and a three-lane walking track. It is hoped that the new facility will open in the fall of 2025.

    thewave.ca

  • The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has found two oyster diseases in southeast N.B., which are harmful to oysters, but not to humans. This is the first appearance of the disease in N.B., but other infected areas have made changes to lessen the mortality rate.

    cbc.ca

  • A pilot digital transcription project using artificial intelligence is being explored by around 100 doctors in N.B. The tool could save doctors 60 to 90 minutes per day, allowing them to see two to four additional patients. The New Brunswick Medical Society ensured that the tool is compliant with Canadian privacy laws.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Dieppe announced that it reached an agreement to expand its industrial park by 2 million square feet. The agreement, valued at $125M, is between Expansion Dieppe, an economic development agency, and Montoni, a real estate group. In a statement, Montoni said that the project will generate nearly 500 local jobs.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)
• Week of 2024-11-15 to 2024-11-21

  • A new national report from PLACE Centre shows that Moncton and Fredericton ranked high among Canadian cities on a list of per capita housing starts. Both cities did particularly week with apartment unit starts – Moncton 10th and Fredericton 16th.

    cbc.ca

  • Ottawa is offering two federal properties it owns in N.B. to be converted into housing units. One of the properties is located in downtown Edmundston and the other is in downtown Grand Falls, which combined could be turned into 50 units.

    Telegraph Journal

  • The federal government is providing over $25M in funding to 11 N.B. projects to help build 197 new homes and repair 11 homes. Many of the groups provide programs to those with low-income, addictions, or to those that need safe and affordable housing.

    charlottefm.ca

  • The staff turnover rate continues to increase at Vitalité Health Network institutions. The rate has gone from 4.6% to 8.1% over two years. Testimonials from former employees refer to workload, administrative management changes, and a lack of flexibility as the causes.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • Canada Post workers went on strike Friday after failing to reach an agreement with their employer. The union states that they have health, safety, and pension issues to resolve. Workers also want more than the employer’s wage offer of 11.5% over four years.

    cbc.ca
• Week of 2024-11-08 to 2024-11-14

  • As of February 3, residents of Edmundston, the Madawaska Maliseet First Nation and Haut-Madawaska will have access to a public transit system. The project of more than $1.6M was funded by various levels of government, including $1.4M from the federal level.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • The Cameron Street methadone clinic in Moncton will close in January as it was unable to recruit a doctor to continue its services. Since 2009, the clinic has treated nearly 400 people with opioid addiction. The clinic currently employs 12 people.

    Radio-Canada Atlantique (available in French only)

  • New Brunswick-based Cooke Inc. is looking to grow its marine ingredients business with its agreement to acquire the largest fishing company in Peru. Copeinca has nearly 2,800 employees, operates eight processing plants, and produces fishmeal and fish oil.

    thewave.ca

  • St. Mary's First Nation is partnering with Eolectric on a proposed project to build a 50-megawatt wind farm near Florenceville-Bristol. The proposed site is close to J. D. Irving’s own planned project, which would produce seven times as much electricity.

    cbc.ca

  • A fire at the Herring Pub and Restaurant on Water Street in Saint Andrews will cause the eatery to shut down for several days. Damage was mainly at the back of the building and the owner hopes to reopen within the next 10 days.

    CBC Website

  • The N.B. Coalition for Pay Equity is looking forward to working with the provincial government to move forward with pay equity laws for the private sector. A UNB law professor says most vulnerable workers with small businesses won’t see any benefit.

    cbc.ca

  • The Government of Canada is investing $50M over 2 years to launch the new Regional Homebuilding Innovation Initiative to provide support to the residential home construction sector and its supply chain. The goal is to advance innovative homebuilding solutions and boost manufacturing efficiency and output.

    canada.ca

  • Tier Too Properties has purchased the Riverview Mall with plans to demolish 140,000 ft2 of retail space to build residential units and convert the remainder into a strip mall. They also want to add several construction pads for fast-food restaurants.

    cbc.ca

  • The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has found the possible presence of MSX in oysters in the Spence Cove area, which is not far from the Confederation Bridge to P.E.I. As a result the province has prohibited the movement of oysters from that area.

    thewave.ca

  • Horizon Health has eliminated the use of travel nurses and state that they have recruited more than 540 nurses between April and September. The health authority has also added 329 patient care attendants and 130 new physicians.

    thewave.ca

  • The Department of Fisheries and Oceans estimates that 10-30% of lobster landings in the region are unreported and are working to map out criminal networks and money laundering in the sector. Reported lobster landing values have ranged from $1.2-$2B annually with unreported catches between $176-$681M.

    cbc.ca