The New Brunswick government says its investments in health care have helped push the budget into a record deficit.
Introduced on Tuesday, the budget’s $1.4-billion deficit is the largest in the province’s history, according to Finance Department staff.
That’s largely due to health care spending, which will rise by $710 million, or 17.4%.
Finance Minister René Legacy said health care was the centrepiece of the $15.6-billion budget.
“This is a budget that reflects the voices of New Brunswickers,” Legacy told reporters. “It is a budget that makes generational investments in health care and lays the foundation for a sustainable and prosperous future for all.”
However, other sectors of the government are facing cuts, notably the civil service, which is scheduled to be trimmed by 12% over three years. The government says it expects to reach those job reductions through attrition, projecting to save $100 million over the three-year period.
The Liberal government of Premier Susan Holt also says it is looking to raise revenues to help the province’s finances. The government says it will add a toll by 2028 for out-of-province vehicles on the Trans-Canada Highway by Aulac, N.B., estimating it would bring in $10.4 million annually.
Legacy says the next two budgets will be in deficit, forecasting a $1.3-billion shortfall in the 2027-28 fiscal year and a $1.26-billion deficit the following year.