--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/the-recovery-of-the-new-brunswick-provincial-government-fiscal-situation/" title: "The Recovery of the New Brunswick Provincial Government Fiscal Situation" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-01T12:47:12+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-01T12:47:12+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "budget surplus" - "equalization payments" - "expenditure" - "fiscal policy" - "government debt" - "New Brunswick" - "provincial finances" country_focus: - "Canada" province_region: - "Multi-province" - "NB" research_theme: - "Fiscal Policy" - "Regional Economic Development" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp" status: "publish" --- # The Recovery of the New Brunswick Provincial Government Fiscal Situation Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/the-recovery-of-the-new-brunswick-provincial-government-fiscal-situation/ # The Recovery of the New Brunswick Provincial Government Fiscal Situation [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2023-07-1.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Suuronen, Adriana. 2023. “The Recovery of the New Brunswick Provincial Government Fiscal Situation.” CSLS Research Report 2023-07. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/the-recovery-of-the-new-brunswick-provincial-government-fiscal-situation/ ## Author: - Adriana Suuronen Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) ## Report 2023-07 October 2023 57 pages ## Related research [The Canada-Atlantic Canada Manufacturing Productivity Gap: A Detailed Analysis Andrew Sharpe December 2003 | Report 2003-08 | 127 pages](https://csls.ca/research/the-canada-atlantic-canada-manufacturing-productivity-gap-a-detailed-analysis/) [The Key Challenge for Canadian Public Policy: Generating Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth Don Drummond, Evan Capeluck, Matthew Calver September 2015 | Report 2015-11 | 296 pages](https://csls.ca/research/the-key-challenge-for-canadian-public-policy-generating-inclusive-and-sustainable-economic-growth/) [Innovation in New Brunswick Kimberly Wong September 2020 | Report 2020-08 | 94 pages](https://csls.ca/research/innovation-in-new-brunswick/) [The Productivity Performance of New Brunswick Manufacturing: A Detailed Analysis, 1997-2019 Andrew Sharpe June 2021 | Report 2021-03 | 93 pages](https://csls.ca/research/the-productivity-performance-of-new-brunswick-manufacturing-a-detailed-analysis-1997-2019/) [Turning the Tide: Demographic Developments in New Brunswick, 1951-2020 Nettie Bonsall October 2021 | Report 2021-05 | 105 pages](https://csls.ca/research/turning-the-tide-demographic-developments-in-new-brunswick-1951-2020/) [Richer and Fairer: New Brunswick Income Trends, 1976-2019 Nettie Bonsall October 2021 | Report 2021-06 | 131 pages](https://csls.ca/research/richer-and-fairer-new-brunswick-income-trends-1976-2019/) [North Versus South: Income Disparities in New Brunswick, 2000-2019 Nettie Bonsall October 2021 | Report 2021-07 | 115 pages](https://csls.ca/research/north-versus-south-income-disparities-in-new-brunswick-2000-2019/) [The Index of Economic Well-being for New Brunswick, 1981-2019 Andrew Sharpe October 2021 | Report 2021-08 | 92 pages](https://csls.ca/research/the-index-of-economic-well-being-for-new-brunswick-1981-2019/) [Covid-19 Labour Market Developments in New Brunswick Compared to Canada Vy Tran October 2022 | Report 2022-05 | 54 pages](https://csls.ca/research/covid-19-labour-market-developments-in-new-brunswick-compared-to-canada/) [An Assessment of First Nations Economic and Social Performance in New Brunswick Pascal Morimanno March 2023 | Report 2023-02 | 66 pages](https://csls.ca/research/an-assessment-of-first-nations-economic-and-social-performance-in-new-brunswick/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn This report examines how the New Brunswick provincial government has recovered from a fiscal situation filled with deficits and debt. New Brunswick has faced fiscal challenges for years. Debt was a worry for many before the 2008-2009 fiscal year. During this period the New Brunswick provincial government was never able to achieve budget surpluses for more than three consecutive years. This fear heightened after the financial crisis of 2008 when the provincial government ran budget deficits for nine consecutive fiscal years. Then, in 2017-2018 New Brunswick achieved its first budget surplus since the financial crisis and has run budget surpluses since. This report describes the trends of the fiscal situation in New Brunswick between 1990-1991 and 2021-2022 and explores how policy decisions regarding the revenues and expenditures of the provincial government have led to the recovery of the New Brunswick fiscal situation since 2009-2010. This report also analyzes the debate on how New Brunswick should move forward concerning their budget balance. Many say that New Brunswick’s citizens currently need more government aid. Nevertheless, the best way to support New Brunswick’s citizens is up for debate. Decreasing tax revenues or increasing program expenditure would both decrease the budget surplus and potentially help those living in New Brunswick. The overall findings indicate that the recovery of the New Brunswick provincial government fiscal situation was largely due to an increase in equalization payments and a decrease in expenditure in the province. Ce rapport examine comment le gouvernement provincial du Nouveau-Brunswick s’est redressé d’une situation budgétaire marquée par des déficits et une dette importante. Le Nouveau-Brunswick fait face à des difficultés budgétaires depuis des années. La dette préoccupait déjà de nombreux observateurs avant l’exercice 2008-2009. Durant cette période, le gouvernement provincial du Nouveau-Brunswick n’est jamais parvenu à dégager des surplus budgétaires pendant plus de trois années consécutives. Cette crainte s’est intensifiée après la crise financière de 2008, lorsque le gouvernement provincial a enregistré des déficits budgétaires pendant neuf exercices consécutifs. Puis, en 2017-2018, le Nouveau-Brunswick a réalisé son premier surplus budgétaire depuis la crise financière et en enregistre depuis. Ce rapport décrit l’évolution de la situation budgétaire au Nouveau-Brunswick entre 1990-1991 et 2021-2022 et examine comment les décisions politiques relatives aux revenus et aux dépenses du gouvernement provincial ont mené au redressement de la situation budgétaire du Nouveau-Brunswick depuis 2009-2010. Ce rapport analyse également le débat sur la voie à suivre pour le Nouveau-Brunswick en matière d’équilibre budgétaire. Plusieurs estiment que les citoyens du Nouveau-Brunswick ont actuellement besoin d’une aide gouvernementale accrue. Néanmoins, la meilleure façon de soutenir les citoyens du Nouveau-Brunswick fait l’objet d’un débat. Une réduction des revenus fiscaux ou une augmentation des dépenses de programmes réduiraient toutes deux le surplus budgétaire tout en pouvant aider les résidents du Nouveau-Brunswick. Les constats globaux indiquent que le redressement de la situation budgétaire du gouvernement provincial du Nouveau-Brunswick est largement attribuable à une augmentation des paiements de péréquation et à une diminution des dépenses dans la province. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2023-07-1.pdf)