Damon Mcknight
New Brunswick is a charming Maritime province located on Canada's Atlantic coast. It is the country's only officially bilingual province, with English and French recognised as its official languages since 1969. It is also one of the four original provinces that made up the national confederation in 1867.
New Brunswick is named after King George III, who was also the Duke and Prince-elector of Brunswick-Lüneburg in the Holy Roman Empire (now Germany). The province's capital, Fredericton, is named after King George III's son, Frederick.
New Brunswick is the largest of Canada's three Maritime provinces, with a total area of approximately 73,440 sq. km (28,354 sq. miles). It has three distinct coastlines that span around 2,250 km (1,398 miles) and borders the US state of Maine to the west, Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula to the north, the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the east, Nova Scotia to the southeast, and the Bay of Fundy to the south.
The province is known for its beautiful landscapes and unique adventures, including its famous Bay of Fundy, which has the highest tides in the world and is a sanctuary for rare marine life. New Brunswick also boasts the warmest saltwater beaches in Canada and is a popular destination for outdoor activities such as fishing and hunting.
What You'll Learn
New Brunswick is Canada's only bilingual province
New Brunswick is Canada's only officially bilingual province. English and French have been the province's official languages since 1969, when the Official Languages Act was enacted. This means that the provincial government is required to provide services in English or French, depending on the preference of the citizen.
The Act also recognises the equality of status and equal rights of the two linguistic communities in New Brunswick. This means that the two communities are entitled to separate institutions for cultural, educational, and social activities.
The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, enacted in 1982, further entrenched language rights in the Constitution. This means that any law or government action that is inconsistent with the Charter is unconstitutional.
New Brunswick's bilingual status is unique in Canada. While other provinces offer some services in both English and French, and provide publicly funded education in both languages up to the high school level, New Brunswick is the only province with constitutional protection for both languages.
The province's bilingualism stems from its history. When Europeans first arrived in the area, it was inhabited by the Mi'kmaq, Maliseet, and Passamaquoddy peoples. French explorer Jacques Cartier was the first European to see New Brunswick in 1534, and in the early 1700s, the settlements became part of Acadia, a colony of New France. In 1713, the British took over Acadia, and after the American Revolution, approximately 10,000 Loyalists fled to New Brunswick, with most arriving at the port of Saint John. Most English-speaking New Brunswickers today are descended from these Loyalists.
Today, approximately 8.5% of people in New Brunswick speak French only, while 34% can speak both French and English. The French spoken in Northern New Brunswick is called "brayon", a blend of Quebecois and Acadian French with some American English and Scots/Irish idioms.
New Brunswick's bilingualism is also reflected in its flag, which features a golden lion on a red background (representing the connection to England) and a lymphad (a masted ship with oars) on a blue and white wavy sea (symbolising the province's shipbuilding history).
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It has the highest tides in the world
The Bay of Fundy, which lies between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, has the highest tides in the world. The average difference between low and high tide worldwide is about one metre, while in the Bay of Fundy it's as much as 16 metres—about the height of a five-story building. That's a lot of water! In fact, in one 12-hour tidal cycle, about 100 billion tonnes of water flows in and out of the bay, which is twice as much as the combined total flow of all the rivers of the world over the same period.
The high tides are due to the size of the bay, about 250 kilometres long, and its unique funnel shape. The deeper into the funnel, the more dramatic the tide change. The immense volume of water that surges in and out of the bay twice a day is truly a sight to behold.
The Bay of Fundy's high tides have also created some interesting phenomena, such as the Reversing Falls Rapids in the historic city of Saint John, where the powerful Saint John River travels through a narrow canyon on its final descent into the bay. The difference in tides is enough to force the lower stretch of this mighty waterway to reverse its course twice a day—it's considered the most extreme tidal effect on a river anywhere in the world.
Another impressive place to experience the tides is at Hopewell Rocks Provincial Park, deeper into the funnel shape of the bay, where the tide difference is around 14 metres. Here, high coastal cliffs are lined by a series of sea stacks, also referred to as flowerpots. These tall conglomerate formations, often topped by a clump of trees, have eroded over the years and separated from the cliffs. Visitors can walk on the beach at one time of day and then later return in a kayak to paddle among the flowerpots, only their tops visible above the water.
The Bay of Fundy's high tides have also shaped the environment, economy, and culture of the region. The force created by these mighty waters stirs up nutrients from the ocean floor, providing an abundance of food for the birds, whales, fish, and other marine life that call Fundy home. The effect of the world's highest tides on the Bay's shores has also created dramatic cliffs and awesome sea stacks, as well as exposing fossils from over 300 million years ago.
The Bay of Fundy's high tides are truly a natural wonder and a testament to the power of nature.
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It's home to the world's largest lobster statue
New Brunswick is home to the world's largest lobster statue, which is located in Shediac, a town recognised internationally as the "Lobster Capital of the World" due to its prominent lobster fishing industry. The statue is made of concrete and reinforced steel and was sculpted by Canadian artist Winston Bronnum. It weighs 90 tonnes, with the lobster itself weighing 55 tonnes and the pedestal it stands on weighing 35 tonnes. The statue is 11 metres long, 5 metres tall, and between 4.5 and 5 metres wide. It was commissioned by the Shediac Rotary Club in 1989 to pay tribute to the town's lobster fishing industry and to promote its role in the development of the community. The statue took three years to complete and cost $170,000.
The statue attracts 500,000 visitors per year and is equipped with a staircase on the pedestal, allowing visitors to climb up and take photos. The site also has bilingual English-French services, restrooms, and nearby kayak and stand-up paddle board rentals and souvenir shops.
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It's the largest of Canada's Maritime Provinces
New Brunswick is the largest of Canada's Maritime Provinces, with a total area of approximately 73,440 sq. km (28,354 sq. miles). It is bordered by the US state of Maine to the west, Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula to the north, the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the east, Nova Scotia to the southeast, and the Bay of Fundy to the south.
The province has a diverse landscape, with three distinct coastlines spanning approximately 2,250 km (1,398 miles). Its northern half is occupied by the Appalachian Mountains, and about 83% of the province is forested. New Brunswick has a continental climate, with snowy winters and temperate summers.
New Brunswick is Canada's only officially bilingual province, with English and French recognised as its official languages since 1969. The province is home to a unique cultural region, Acadia, and most of its French-speaking population.
The province has a rich history, with First Nations peoples, including the Mi'kmaq, Maliseet, and Passamaquoddy, inhabiting the region before European colonisation. The first European to explore the area was French explorer Jacques Cartier in 1534. The region subsequently changed hands multiple times between France and the United Kingdom, before becoming a British colony in 1763. In 1784, New Brunswick was established as a separate colony from Nova Scotia, largely due to the influx of Loyalists fleeing the American Revolution.
New Brunswick has a population of approximately 775,610 (as of 2021), with about half living in urban areas, mainly in the cities of Saint John, Moncton, and Fredericton. The province has a strong primary sector, with agriculture, forestry, and fishing playing significant roles in its economy.
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It's home to the world's longest covered bridge
New Brunswick is home to the world's longest covered bridge, which is located in Hartland. The bridge is 390 metres (1,282 feet) long and crosses the Saint John River from Hartland to Somerville. It was constructed in 1901 by the Hartland Bridge Company, and was funded by tolls until it was purchased by the provincial government in 1906. The bridge was not originally built with a cover, but this was added in 1922 after two spans of the bridge collapsed due to river ice.
The bridge is now used exclusively for local and tourist traffic, and is a National Historic Site. It is a popular attraction, with visitors able to walk or drive across the bridge, and enjoy the view of the Saint John River. There is also a small gallery and a visitor centre nearby.
The bridge is also known as a 'kissing bridge', dating back to the years of horse and wagon traffic, when couples would stop halfway across to share a kiss. It is thought to be good luck to hold your breath the entire way across while driving.
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Frequently asked questions
New Brunswick is the largest of Canada's three Maritime Provinces by area. It is also the only constitutionally bilingual province in Canada, with French and English as its official languages. New Brunswick is home to the warmest saltwater beaches in Canada and the world's largest lobster statue, which can be found in Shediac.
New Brunswick is generally considered the oldest province in Canada, with its aboriginal people dating back to 8000 BC. It was one of the four original provinces that formed the national confederation in 1867. The University of New Brunswick, established in 1785, is the oldest English-language university in Canada.
New Brunswick is famous for its covered bridges, with over 55 remaining today. It is also home to the world's longest covered bridge, located in Hartland. The province has a strong festival culture, with original festivals such as the Shediac Lobster Festival and the Lamèque Peat Moss Festival.
