With the provincial budget presentation fast approaching, it’s worth taking stock of where New Brunswick’s priorities truly lie. At this time of year, all eyes turn to government to see whether its financial commitments match the needs of the people it serves — and nowhere is that more critical than in our health care system.
Health care professionals – whether it be nurses, physicians, or any of the highly-skilled allied health professionals – genuinely appreciate when the government’s financial commitment matches the blood, sweat, and tears commitment they put into their work. Health care professionals want government to stick with us through thick and thin, because that’s exactly what we do for our patients, clients, and residents 365 days a year.
The care we provide doesn’t come with caveats. We know your personal health doesn’t fluctuate according to anyone’s deficit budget or four-year political cycle. Neither does your right to publicly funded, publicly delivered health care or our professional responsibility.
That’s why it’s essential to invest in health care – deficit budget or no deficit budget.
Is a realistic conversation about public finances necessary? Absolutely. On this, we fully agree with the New Brunswick Medical Society, which noted in its December 2025 op‑ed that fiscal responsibility cannot come at the expense of essential public services. As they rightly put it:
While fiscal responsibility is crucial, it is equally important to recognize that there are times when running a deficit is not only reasonable but necessary to ensure essential public services, like health care, remain accessible and effective. Health care is not a discretionary expense; it is a foundational public service.
Their position reflects exactly what we’ve been saying: responsible budgeting must include responsible investment in the health care system. Austerity is not a solution to fix years of institutional underfunding.
The years of neglecting to meaningfully invest in human resources, infrastructure, technology, and preventative health care initiatives are really starting to show. Just ask the people who were admitted to the ambulance bay at the Dr. Everett Chalmers Regional Hospital, or one of the hundreds of seniors across New Brunswick who are in hospital beds, through no fault of their own, waiting for a nursing home bed.
We’ve said all along that those circumstances are the result of decades of neglect. Rebuilding a strong system means reversing that trend completely.
In early February, to kickstart pre-budget consultations, the province published a discussion document called Difficult Decisions. Within that paper are a range of ideas the government is mulling over to cut costs and raise revenue.
If they are truly serious about reducing costs, the Minister of Finance and the Premier will make the truly difficult decision: investing in upstream and proactive health care initiatives that won’t necessarily yield immediate political rewards. We’re talking about investments that will start paying dividends a generation from now, and not just within a single four-year election cycle.
These decisions could include:
- Signing an accord with the federal government to grant universal pharmacare benefits to New Brunswickers, improving medication adherence and access to care;
- Expanding home care and community supports to allow more seniors to age in their homes;
- Recognizing the importance of children’s mental and physical health by having nurses in schools to proactively address those at risk; and
- Expanding preventative health care initiatives to support active lifestyles, obesity prevention, smoking cessation, and addressing the social determinants of health.
If government is sincere about reducing costs, they’ll make these difficult choices now, knowing the greatest impact will be felt 20 years into the future. Otherwise, demand for acute care will only continue to rise, and the price tag right along with it. New Brunswickers deserve a long-term commitment to a healthier, more sustainable future.
