With Atlantic Canada facing an unprecedented number of climate-related disasters, including wildfires, floods and warming oceans, the New Brunswick government’s status quo budget for 2024-2025 fails to address the urgency of the crisis facing our province.
This budget held the line on several environmental initiatives at a time when we need to do more to tackle this worsening situation. We are facing a climate crisis and a biodiversity crisis while the government has reported four straight budget surpluses. Instead of trying to tackle these problems head-on, it is disappointing to see the province stay its course.
Insufficient funding
The amount of money budgeted for nature protection and recovery is particularly concerning. We are facing unprecedented declines in biodiversity across the world and New Brunswickers expect their government to keep our plant and animal populations healthy and recover threatened and at-risk species and their habitats. However, the Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development allocated less than five per cent of the department’s budget for these vital protections, equivalent to just 0.05 per cent of the government’s total budget. It is disappointing to see the province put such little value in protecting and restoring plant and animal populations.
Moreover, the government did not allocate additional funds to fully support the implementation of the water strategy, despite our recent review showing there is still much more work to do to protect New Brunswick’s communities and waters.
The Conservation Council also recommended that the province develop a plan to revitalize the Environmental Trust Fund (ETF). The government uses this fund to support the work of many not-for-profit organizations in New Brunswick — work that is instrumental to meeting the province’s environmental goals. However, the future of the ETF is unclear after the repeal of the New Brunswick Beverage Containers Act eliminated the dedicated revenue source for the fund. While the budget includes $9 million for the ETF, the same as last year, no specific plan has been outlined for its revitalization.
Spend smarter
The government’s decision to only invest in nuclear by allocating $12.5 million to the Point Lepreau nuclear project is a missed opportunity to invest in proven renewable energy sources like wind and solar, along with energy storage. We urge the province to use the $47 million earmarked for the Climate Action Plan to make smarter investments in renewable energy projects.
Additionally, electric school buses are an effective way to help the government hit its ambitious climate and electrification goals. However, only a few are currently operational in the province, and they are not mentioned in this budget. We hope that the $63 million designated for the operation of the school bus fleet will be used to invest in electric school buses.
While we are also pleased to see the budget did not specifically mention any money for fracked gas projects, we are concerned about the $15 million for geology, exploration and resource development, and are eager to find out more about the government’s plans for this funding.
We need to do more
There is a critical need for immediate action to address the escalating twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. The 2024-2025 budget’s failure to allocate adequate funding to environmental protection and renewable energy initiatives is concerning. We urge the provincial government to reconsider its priorities and invest in solutions that will protect our environment, communities and future generations.
We cannot stay the course if we want to secure a safe and sustainable future for everyone.
For more information, or to arrange an interview, please contact:
Corey Robichaud, Director of Communications, Conservation Council of New Brunswick | corey.robichaud@conservationcouncil.ca | 506.458.8747