March 18th, 2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Fredericton, N.B – The Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick is welcoming some elements of the provincial budget, while expressing concern about others. The provincial budget announced on March 17th, 2026 included an important commitment to the continuity of municipal fiscal reform.
“Investments in local infrastructure are essential to the economic development of our communities and the quality of life for our residents,” said Brittany Merrifield, UMNB President. “While the work of municipal fiscal reform is not complete, the $47.5 million increase announced in today’s budget is an important investment in our communities.”
A report prepared by Dr. Craig Brett for the UMNB in 2023 benchmarked an infrastructure deficit of approximately $2.5 billion and called for an investment of $200 million per year. The provincial government created the Capital Renewal Fund last year as a part of municipal fiscal reform to assist municipalities in addressing their infrastructure deficits.
While the news on municipal fiscal reform was welcome, other elements, such as the proposed reduction in the size of the civil service and the proposed elimination of the provincial veterinary service, will require more time to understand the impact these decisions could have on local governments and communities.
Other initiatives:
The UMNB called for four key investments in its pre-budget submission including:
- Doubling funding for housing and infrastructure.
- Updating and operationalizing a provincial public transportation strategy.
- Committing to a digital shared service for local governments.
- Developing a municipal climate adaptation and mitigation fund.
“Today’s budget contains some positive developments on UMNB’s pre-budget priorities including funding for wildfire prevention, support for housing affordability, and a modest increase to the Provincial-Municipal Highway Program. However, more work remains to be done.” said Merrifield. “We continue to call on the province to diversify municipal revenues by sharing a portion of the HST to provide relief to property taxpayers, and to create a fund to support municipal climate change adaptation.”
About the UMNB: The Union of Municipalities of New Brunswick (UMNB) is a bilingual association of 60 local governments of all sizes, representing over 85% of New Brunswick’s population. Together, our members tackle local challenges and share solutions to make life better for their citizens
Media Contact:
Briana Cowie
briana.cowie@umnb.ca