Atlantic Chamber of Commerce
Patti Colson
Manager of Communications
902.694.2210
patti@atlanticchamber.ca
Atlantic Chamber of Commerce Worried with Budget Priorities
Windsor, NS (March 19, 2024) – The Atlantic Chamber of Commerce (ACC) is pleased to see the Government of New Brunswick make key investments in housing and that the province is projecting a budget surplus of $41 million. While the ACC applauds New Brunswick’s track record of fiscal restraint, several social concerns burgeoning throughout the province should not be ignored.
The ACC commends the Government of New Brunswick for excellent fiscal stewardship, giving them an A+. However, we will continue to call on Government to earmark increased funding for both housing and healthcare. We encourage that this increase in funding be tightly tied to measuring and improving outcomes, not simply throwing money at problems.
“Our chamber members have been urging Government to make critical investments in housing and healthcare,” said Rhonda Tulk-Lane, CEO of the Atlantic Chamber of Commerce. “While the 54.1% increase in housing funding is welcomed, the Government has kept healthcare funding static, despite businesses signaling that a good province-wide healthcare system is critical to economic growth. Employers rely on healthy employees to grow their business."
Budget 2024 could have had more measures to reduce the cost of living and the cost of doing business. One of the ACC’s recommendations for the Government of New Brunswick was to reduce regulatory burden for businesses. It is critically important that the Government of New Brunswick commits to targeted red tape reductions to safeguard its competitive edge.
The ACC stands ready as a willing partner for the Government of New Brunswick to improve the business climate across the province.
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About the Atlantic Chamber – The Voice of Atlantic Canadian Business
The Atlantic Chamber of Commerce (ACC) is the largest accredited business organization of influence in Atlantic Canada representing more than 16,000 businesses and their 300,000 employees through its network of 90 Chambers of Commerce in the four Atlantic Provinces. For more than 125 years, ACC has served as the voice of Atlantic Canadian business and actively partners with its members and other organizations to help create a strong, vibrant, and growing Atlantic Canada.
