Estimates and Fiscal Policy Committee — Report — 6 May 2025 (61st Parliament, 1st Session)
2025-05-06, 61st Parliament 1st Session, Estimates
New Brunswick — Committees
FIRST REPORT OF THE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ESTIMATES AND FISCAL POLICY First Session Sixty-first Legislative Assembly of the Province of New Brunswick May 6, 2025 MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE Mr. Robichaud, Chair Mr. Doucet, Vice-Chair Ms. Vautour Mr. Bourque Mr. Mallet Mr. Johnston Ms. Sodhi Ms. Bockus Mr. Monahan Ms. S. Wilson Ms. Mitton
May 6, 2025 To The Honourable The Legislative Assembly of The Province of New Brunswick Madam Speaker: Your Standing Committee on Estimates and Fiscal Policy begs leave to submit this, their First Report. Your Committee met in the Legislative Assembly Chamber on April 1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, 17, 22 and 23, 2025, to consider the estimates referred to your Committee by resolution of the House adopted March 28, 2025. Your Committee wishes to report that they have passed all estimates referred to them and outlined in this report. Your Committee recommends that these estimates be concurred in by the House. Mr. Luc Robichaud, MLA Chair
1 The following are the items that were passed by the Committee: MAIN ESTIMATES, 2025-2026 RESOLVED, that there be granted to H is Majesty sums not exceeding the following to defray the expenses of the following program allocations for the fiscal year ending the 31st of March, 2026: Voted ($) ORDINARY ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries ............................................. 50,485,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 62,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 50,423,000 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Corporate and Other Education Services ........................................... 133,805,000 School Districts .................................................................................. 1,601,992,000 Early Childhood Development .......................................................... 375,503,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 62,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 2,111,238,000 DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Energy ................................................................................................ 78,444,000 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT Corporate Services and Community Funding .................................... 3,879,000 Policy, Public Education and Engagement ........................................ 1,746,000 Local Government ............................................................................. 120,489,000 Local Governance Commission ......................................................... 1,138,000 Authorizations and Compliance ......................................................... 11,449,000 Environmental Science and Protection .............................................. 6,759,000 Climate Change .................................................................................. 41,742,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 124,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 187,078,000 EXECUTIVE COUNCIL OFFICE Office of the Clerk and Head of the Public Service and Executive Council Secretariat ............................................. 3,998,000 Communications and Marketing ........................................................ 7,999,000 Office of the Lieutenant-Governor .................................................... 594,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 12,591,000
2 DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND TREASURY BOARD Budget and Financial Management ................................................... 909,000 Corporate Services ............................................................................. 6,148,000 Treasury Management and Fiscal Policy ........................................... 2,920,000 Office of the Chief Human Resources Officer .................................. 5,004,000 Office of the Chief Information Officer ............................................. 8,219,000 Office of the Comptroller ................................................................... 3,244,000 Revenue Administration .................................................................... 5,691,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 62,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 32,073,000 GENERAL GOVERNMENT Indigenous Affairs ............................................................................. 7,620,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 62,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 7,558,000 Commissions Paid to Collectors of Pari-Mutuel Taxes ..................... 455,000 Electricity Rebate ............................................................................... 92,600,000 Enterprise Resource Planning ............................................................ 56,645,000 Equal Employment Opportunity Program ......................................... 688,000 Intergovernmental Affairs .................................................................. 11,520,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 62,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 11,458,000 Legislated Pension Plans, Benefit Accruals, Subsidies, and Supplementary Allowances ................................................. 87,903,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 153,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 87,750,000 Pension and Employee Benefits Plans ............................................... 391,357,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 2,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 391,355,000 Provision for Losses ........................................................................... 14,200,000 Revenue Sharing Agreements with First Nations .............................. 14,950,000 Service New Brunswick ..................................................................... 253,666,000 Supplementary Funding Provision ..................................................... 501,630,000 Women’s Equality ............................................................................. 23,630,000 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Corporate and Other Health Services ................................................ 345,378,000 Medicare ............................................................................................ 899,887,000 Pharmaceutical Programs................................................................... 263,207,000
Part III Health Services ...................................................................... 2,582,616,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 62,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 4,091,026,000
3 DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE AND PUBLIC SAFETY Technical Safety and Corporate Services Division ........................... 28,718,000 Community Safety Division .............................................................. 259,882,000 Security and Emergencies Division ................................................... 27,408,000 Office of the Attorney General .......................................................... 35,370,000 Justice Services Division ................................................................... 34,400,000 Legal Aid ........................................................................................... 17,435,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 124,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 403,089,000 LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY Members’ Allowances, Committees and Operations......................... 11,569,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 4,800,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 6,769,000 Office of the Legislative Assembly ................................................... 4,896,000 Office of the Auditor General ............................................................ 4,152,000 Offices of Leaders and Members of Registered Political Parties ...... 2,067,000 Elections New Brunswick .................................................................. 7,991,000 Office of the Ombud .......................................................................... 3,042,000 Office of the Child, Youth and Senior Advocate ............................... 2,620,000 Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages ........................... 876,000 Office of the Consumer Advocate for Insurance ............................... 710,000 Office of the Integrity Commissioner ................................................ 441,000 DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES Administration ................................................................................... 9,383,000 Natural Resources .............................................................................. 116,898,000 Mines.................................................................................................. 11,185,000 Land Management ............................................................................. 4,002,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 62,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 141,406,000 NEW BRUNSWICK HOUSING CORPORATION Corporate and Other Services ............................................................ 4,900,000 Housing Program Delivery ................................................................ 163,630,000 Housing Infrastructure ....................................................................... 59,401,000 Tenant and Landlord Relations Office ............................................... 5,027,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 47,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 232,911,000 OFFICE OF THE PREMIER Administration ................................................................................... 1,734,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 93,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 1,641,000
4 OPPORTUNITIES NEW BRUNSWICK Administration and Business Development Services ........................ 17,200,000 Financial Assistance........................................................................... 29,000,000 Competitiveness and Growth Program .............................................. 25,000,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 47,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 71,153,000 OTHER AGENCIES Consolidated Entities ......................................................................... 417,605,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 417,605,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 0 Council of Atlantic Premiers ............................................................. 642,000 Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation ..................................... 2,884,000 Labour and Employment Board ......................................................... 908,000 New Brunswick Police Commission ................................................. 705,000 New Brunswick Women’s Council ................................................... 602,000 Premier’s Council on Disabilities ...................................................... 353,000 DEPARTMENT OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND LABOUR Labour and Strategic Services ........................................................... 16,848,000 Post-Secondary Education ................................................................. 543,114,000 WorkingNB ........................................................................................ 147,272,000 New Brunswick Public Library Service ............................................ 19,678,000 Apprenticeship and Occupational Certification ................................. 16,463,000 Immigration........................................................................................ 14,357,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 62,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 757,670,000 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Development Projects and Operations ............................................... 79,571,000 SERVICE OF THE PUBLIC DEBT Service of the Public Debt ................................................................. 673,000,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 668,700,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 4,300,000 DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Corporate and Other Services ............................................................ 12,949,000 Seniors and Long Term Care ............................................................. 1,121,586,000 Child Welfare and Youth Services .................................................... 208,277,000 Income Security ................................................................................. 363,592,000 Other Benefits .................................................................................... 36,100,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 109,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 1,742,395,000
5 DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM, HERITAGE AND CULTURE Administration ................................................................................... 3,959,000 Provincial Parks ................................................................................. 17,981,000 Sport and Recreation .......................................................................... 9,375,000 Culture, Archaeology and Heritage ................................................... 33,821,000 Tourism .............................................................................................. 19,704,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 62,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 84,778,000 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Administration ................................................................................... 25,683,000 Policy and Legislative Affairs, Strategic Partnerships and Trade Corridors .................................................................... 1,929,000 Maintenance ....................................................................................... 105,586,000 Winter Maintenance ........................................................................... 75,565,000 Bridge and Highway Construction..................................................... 4,020,000 Buildings Group ................................................................................. 157,140,000 New Brunswick Highway Corporation .............................................. 29,011,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 28,094,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 370,840,000 CAPITAL ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES Capital Equipment ............................................................................. 315,000 Strategic Infrastructure....................................................................... 400,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 715,000 DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT Public Schools – Capital Equipment.................................................. 1,605,000 DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT Rural Districts .................................................................................... 1,000,000 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Public Hospitals – Capital Equipment ............................................... 40,280,000 DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENERGY DEVELOPMENT Capital Improvements ........................................................................ 7,400,000 Mine Infrastructure ............................................................................ 6,050,000 Musquash Watershed Infrastructure – Capital Improvements........... 900,000 Sentier NB Trail Infrastructure .......................................................... 3,000,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 17,350,000
6 NEW BRUNSWICK HOUSING CORPORATION Public Housing – Capital Construction.............................................. 34,731,000 Public Housing – Capital Improvements ........................................... 9,354,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 44,085,000 DEPARTMENT OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND LABOUR Deferred Maintenance Program ......................................................... 2,200,000 REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION Canada - New Brunswick Integrated Bilateral Agreement ................ 30,500,000 Strategic Infrastructure Initiative ....................................................... 2,575,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 33,075,000 DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Nursing Home Services – Capital Improvements .............................. 20,354,000 Nursing Home Services – Capital Maintenance ................................ 3,000,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 23,354,000 DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM, HERITAGE AND CULTURE Capital Improvements ........................................................................ 11,589,000 Strategic Infrastructure....................................................................... 7,428,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 19,017,000 DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION AND INFRASTRUCTURE Bridges ............................................................................................... 92,550,000 Federal-Provincial Cost-Shared Program .......................................... 76,028,000 Highways ........................................................................................... 313,036,000 Provincial-Municipal Highway Partnership ...................................... 25,000,000 Public Works and Infrastructure ........................................................ 529,651,000 Vehicle Management Agency ............................................................ 39,000,000 Less amounts authorized by law ................................................ 50,518,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 1,024,747,000 LOANS AND ADVANCES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES New Brunswick Agricultural Insurance Commission ....................... 1,600,000 Loan Programs ................................................................................... 7,000,000 Voted .................................................................................................. 8,600,000 NEW BRUNSWICK HOUSING CORPORATION Housing .............................................................................................. 3,224,000 OPPORTUNITIES NEW BRUNSWICK Financial Assistance to Industry ........................................................ 50,000,000 DEPARTMENT OF POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, TRAINING AND LABOUR Student Loan Advances ..................................................................... 90,500,000
7 SUPPLEMENTARY ESTIMATES, 2023-2024, Volume 1 RESOLVED, that there be granted to H is Majesty sums not exceeding the following to defray the expenses of the following program allocations for the fiscal year ending the 31st of March, 2024: ORDINARY ACCOUNT ENVIRONMENT AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT Local Government and Local Governance Reform ........................... 1,712,512.48 GENERAL GOVERNMENT Legislated Pension Plan, Benefit Accruals, Subsidies, and Supplementary Allowances ................................................. 40,113,456.60 Natural Gas Distribution Program ..................................................... 1,386,123.24 New Brunswick Advantage Savings Fund ........................................ 1,600,000.00 Revenue Sharing Agreements with First Nations .............................. 2,278,707.34 Women’s Equality ............................................................................. 2,606,682.47 DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Corporate and Other Health Services ................................................ 37,613,000.00
Part III Health Services ...................................................................... 52,211,094.17 Voted .................................................................................................. 89,824,094.17 OTHER AGENCIES Electoral Boundaries and Representation Commission .................... 1,071.20 SERVICE OF THE PUBLIC DEBT Service of the Public Debt ................................................................. 277,532.43 SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Income Security ................................................................................. 789,888.93 CAPITAL ACCOUNT DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH Public Hospitals – Capital Equipment ............................................... 24,093.29