© Conservation Council of New Brunswick 2026
In this edition of EcoNews, check out the recordings from our recent forest webinars, read why serious questions are being raised about N.B. Power’s proposed gas plant and explore our recommendations for a smarter provincial budget that protects households and the environment. We also invite you to join us by the Skutik River for a community gathering, and keep scrolling down for an opportunity to share your own homegrown climate solution!
Two great forest talks, now on YouTube
Our Winter Webinar Series on sustainable forests in New Brunswick wrapped up with two outstanding, well-attended sessions, and we’re happy to share that the recordings are now available on YouTube!
Dr. Tom Beckley’s presentation sparked thoughtful discussion about what New Brunswick’s forests were, what they are today and what they could and should become. Dr. Cindy Prescott followed with a compelling look at why healthy, diverse soils are the foundation of resilient forests.
Both webinars offered scientific insights and practical perspectives about the state of our forests. If you missed the webinars live or want to revisit the conversations, you can watch the recordings by clicking the links below. Feel free to share them with others who care about the future of New Brunswick’s forests!
The rush to make a 25-year mistake
New Brunswickers are being told that a new gas and diesel plant in Tantramar is the only way to keep the lights on. But the recent Energy and Utilities Board hearings on the plant raised serious questions about whether this multibillion-dollar project is really the best path forward.
At the hearings, N.B. Power could not provide a full picture of what the plant will cost over the next 25 years. Meanwhile, documents show the project could raise electricity rates by nearly five per cent in its first full year of operation.
The utility also indicated it chose this project because it was the easiest option, rather than pursuing alternatives such as battery storage, renewables and smarter energy use that could reduce costs and pollution.
In the op-ed below, our executive director, Beverly Gingras, explains why this plant is not inevitable and is a choice that will affect our monthly bills, our health and our climate for decades. You can also watch Dr. Moe Qureshi break down the project’s risks and missed opportunities in a recent community presentation in Moncton:
Sisson Mine: Long-term costs, permanent risks
We’ve launched a revamped webpage dedicated to the facts behind the proposed Sisson Mine and what the project could mean for New Brunswick’s water, health and future.
The Sisson Mine is a proposed open-pit tungsten and molybdenum project in the upper Nashwaak–Wolastoq watershed, northwest of Fredericton. While it’s being promoted as an economic opportunity, there is potential for long-term environmental damage, ongoing public costs and risks that would outlast the life of the mine itself.
Our updated page breaks down what’s at stake, from the massive scale of the proposed tailings pond to the 40 environmental conditions the company must meet. It also compiles our research on environmental impacts, public health concerns and the economic realities of the project, including who stands to profit and who would bear the risks. Check it out by clicking below:
A smarter budget for a more resilient New Brunswick
As households face rising energy bills, food costs and climate impacts, the Conservation Council of New Brunswick is urging the province to use the 2026–2027 budget to address the root causes of these pressures.
Our recommendations to the provincial government focus on practical investments that lower long-term costs and protect public health, including expanding energy efficiency programs, modernizing the electricity grid, strengthening clean air and water laws, protecting biodiversity, supporting watershed restoration and helping communities adapt to flooding and coastal erosion.
We also outline realistic funding options such as federal partnerships, polluter-pays tools and reinvestment of environmental revenues, so progress does not come at the expense of families.
Check out our full recommendations by clicking below:
Skutik Sessions - A riverside storytelling gathering
There’s still time to join us at Salmon Falls Park in Milltown for the Skutik Sessions on Saturday, Feb. 28! This family-friendly gathering will bring people together around fire, food and storytelling to reflect on the history and significance of the Skutik River and the work to restore it.
All ages are welcome, and children must be accompanied by an adult. We’ll meet at the Salmon Falls Park parking lot. Hot chocolate and snacks will be provided. Let us know if you have any dietary restrictions.
Click below to learn more and register:
Got a homegrown climate project? You can share it!
Across the capital region, people are finding creative ways to become more resilient and less dependent on the grid, from geothermal heat and solar hot water to micro-hydro, raised-bed gardening and community composting.
The Fredericton Community Climate Hub is creating a library display to highlight local projects and is looking for neighbours to feature. You do not need to be an expert. If you have taken steps to save energy, cut costs, reduce emissions or prepare for future storms and disruptions, the climate hub wants to hear from you.
To get involved, contact the email below or search for Fredericton Community Climate Hub on Facebook and send a direct message:
We work hard to ensure a strong environmental voice is heard in New Brunswick’s print, radio and television media. Last year, our staff appeared in the media more than 50 times to shed light on ongoing environmental issues and success in New Brunswick. Here are some of the biggest stories Conservation Council staff have been called upon for expertise, analysis and commentary this year:
Conservation Council in the News
Feb. 20, 2026 | In the final day of hearings, the Energy and Utilities Board (EUB) heard closing arguments for and against N.B. Power’s proposed gas and diesel plant on the Chignecto Isthmus. In her closing submission, Conservation Council lawyer Konstantina Northrup warned the board that the utility was rushing toward a familiar fossil fuel solution rather than fully exploring lower-cost alternatives such as battery storage and demand response. She argued that global battery prices are falling, combustion turbine costs are rising and that urgency cannot justify locking New Brunswick into decades of emissions and financial risk. Read more.
Feb. 19, 2026 | New Brunswick has released its first Climate Change Risk Assessment, outlining growing threats from coastal and inland flooding, wildfire and cascading climate impacts. In this Brunswick News report, our director of climate research and policy, Dr. Moe Qureshi, said New Brunswickers are already feeling the effects of climate change and that the report provides strong evidence for urgent, decisive action to protect communities, infrastructure and the environment. He called it an important first step, but emphasized that real action must follow. Read more (French).
Feb. 12–13, 2026 | Mid-week Energy and Utilities Board hearings turned to expert testimony on whether battery storage and renewables could replace the proposed Tantramar gas and diesel plant. Toby Couture, a battery and renewable energy expert hired by the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, told regulators that wind and solar backed by modern battery systems could meet the province’s capacity needs at lower long-term cost than locking into a 25-year fossil fuel contract.
Despite an attempt by N.B. Power’s lawyer to have his evidence dismissed, the board accepted Couture as an expert witness. He challenged the utility’s assumptions about battery size, degradation and cost, pointing to rapidly falling global prices and real-world grid-scale projects already operating in other jurisdictions. Read CBC’s coverage. Read Brunswick News coverage. Read Bruce Wark’s coverage.
Feb. 11, 2026 | In reporting on the proposed Healthy Environment Bill, our executive director, Beverly Gingras, noted that New Brunswickers currently have no legal right to a clean environment. She said a proposed bill to do so would establish an Environmental Rights Commissioner and give residents meaningful tools to hold government accountable on clean air and drinking water. Bev pointed to ongoing water quality concerns in Blacks Harbour and Beaver Harbour as examples of why stronger environmental rights are needed. Read more.
Feb. 10, 2026 | On the first day of EUB hearings on the Tantramar plant, N.B. Power executives declined to provide even a ballpark estimate of what the Tantramar gas plant would cost over its 25-year agreement. While confirming that construction alone would exceed $1 billion, the utility would not disclose the total long-term cost to ratepayers. Conservation Council lawyer Konstantina Northrup pressed the utility on whether combined measures, including demand reduction and battery storage, had been fully considered before choosing a single large fossil fuel project. Read the CBC story.
Welcome new members!
We’re always so excited to grow our Conservation Council community. Please join us in giving a warm welcome to our newest members:
Catherine, Tommy, Bas and Nancy.
Not a member? Join us today by clicking below!