New Brunswick's Manufacturing Sector

New Brunswick has a world-class advanced manufacturing sector, leveraging cutting-edge technologies and processes in industries such as aerospace, defence, forestry, and mining. The province boasts a diverse range of manufacturing activities, from small, family-owned businesses to large-scale operations. McCain Foods, for instance, is one of the top manufacturing employers in the province, alongside several other prominent companies. New Brunswick's manufacturing sector is deeply rooted in the region, with a strong commitment to the local community and a focus on long-term sustainability. The province also has a rich history of manufacturing, once producing luxury cars and aircraft engines. Today, it is known for its food processing industry, with McCain french fries and Ganong chocolate among its famous exports.

Food and drink

New Brunswick has a lot to offer when it comes to food and drink. The province is known for its seafood, with fresh-caught seafood being a staple in many local restaurants. In addition, the province is a hub for maple products, which can be found at gift shops, farmers' markets, and craft fairs.

For those with a sweet tooth, New Brunswick is home to several chocolatiers and bakeries, including the well-known Ganong Chocolatier Inc. and Chatman's Bakery. The province also boasts several wineries and cideries, as well as microbreweries that craft original ales, lagers, and pilsners.

In terms of specific dishes, New Brunswick offers a variety of cultural experiences, including East Coast-style seafood chowder, Indigenous bannock, and Acadian fricot. The province is also known for its lobster, with the Maritime Lobster Boil being a popular food experience.

Some of the notable food and beverage companies in New Brunswick include McCain Foods Group Inc., which produces french fries; True North Salmon Limited Partnership, a salmon farming company; Baie Ste Anne Seafoods (2014) Inc., a seafood company; and Moosehead Breweries Limited, a brewery.

Aerospace and defence

One notable company in this sector is Marshall Canada, a private business based in the United Kingdom. Marshall Canada has established its global manufacturing hub in Moncton, New Brunswick, with plans to create at least 65 jobs and invest up to $16.25 million in new salaries and benefits. The company specialises in providing military hardware and engineering services, with a focus on infrastructure for land operations such as mobile hospitals and command centres. The federal and provincial governments have shown their support by contributing a total of $3 million towards building renovations and equipment purchases, recognising the potential for future growth in the aerospace and defence industry.

In addition to Marshall Canada, several other aerospace companies have a presence in New Brunswick. Resson Aerospace, based in Fredericton, is a bioinformatics and data analytics company that provides customised agriculture solutions for large corporate clients. CANLink Aviation Inc., operating out of Rothesay, focuses on delivering high-value aviation training, services, and products. Moncton is also home to the Moncton Flight College, which offers state-of-the-art curriculum and facilities for aspiring aviation professionals. Furthermore, FLTDUTY, based in Fredericton, has developed scheduling software specifically for Canadian commercial pilots.

New Brunswick is also home to several innovative startups in the aerospace industry. For example, Clamar Floats, based in Brunswick, manufactures lightweight and high-performance amphibious floats for the experimental aviation market. BluShift, also located in Brunswick, provides an eco-friendly small satellite launch solution, aiming to reduce the environmental impact of rocket launches. These companies showcase the diversity and potential within New Brunswick's aerospace and defence sector, which continues to attract investment and create high-value employment opportunities.

Forestry and mining

The province's forest companies are committed to sustainable practices. They are required to harvest at sustainable rates and manage the regrowth or replanting of harvested areas. Since 1987, over 800 million trees have been planted in New Brunswick. The use of "wood waste" as a biofuel in pulp mills and the adoption of wood fibre for sustainable manufacturing demonstrate the industry's leadership in building a renewable future.

New Brunswick's advanced manufacturing sector, which includes forestry and mining, is recognised for its world-class capabilities. Companies in these sectors leverage state-of-the-art technologies and processes, benefiting from the province's unique infrastructure. New Brunswick is home to Canada's largest oil refinery, several large pulp mills, and the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station.

The mining industry in New Brunswick is also notable, with the presence of mines such as the Austin Brook Iron Mine and companies like Trevali Mining Corporation and Brunswick Mining and Smelting Company. The province has attracted exploration and investment from companies like Osisko Metals and X-Terra Resources, showcasing its potential for mineral resources.

Oil and gas

New Brunswick is one of the oldest 'oil provinces' in the world. The province's first oil well was drilled near Dover in 1859, and since then, most of the exploration for oil and gas has concentrated on the Albert formation. New Brunswick has never emerged as a major player in the oil and gas industry, but it is known for a few smaller, traditional oil and gas wells. For example, the Stoney Creek Field produced oil and natural gas from 1909 to 1991 and resumed oil production in 2007. A 2011 report estimated that the Stoney Creek Field produced roughly 800,000 barrels of paraffinic oil and three billion cubic feet of sweet natural gas.

New Brunswick is home to the largest oil refinery in Canada, the Irving Oil Refinery in Saint John. With a capacity of 320 thousand barrels per day, it produces refined petroleum products (RPPs) in excess of New Brunswick's needs and primarily operates for exports to the US and neighbouring provinces. The province is a net producer of RPPs and a significant supplier of gasoline to the US East Coast.

In 2020, natural gas production in New Brunswick averaged 5.4 million cubic feet per day, representing less than 0.1% of total Canadian natural gas production. Natural gas is produced from the McCully Field, near Sussex, which was discovered in 2000 by a joint venture between Corridor Resources and Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan. A total of 39 wells have been drilled to date.

There has been a renewed interest in the province's natural gas sector in recent years, particularly regarding shale gas deposits and the use of new mining techniques to extract the gas. The sought-after gas deposits are found in the Frederick Brook Shale, a geological basin in the southern half of the province. The New Brunswick government estimates there are 80 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves in this area.

New Brunswick's advanced manufacturing sector has a world-class reputation, with companies leveraging state-of-the-art technologies and processes in the oil and gas industries.

Pulp and paper

New Brunswick is home to some of the country's biggest pulp mills, with a strong reputation in the pulp and paper industry. The Edmundston Pulp Mill, for example, is an integral part of the East Papers pulp and paper complex. It supplies 100% of its bleached softwood sulphite and bleached groundwood pulp to the Madawaska paper mill, which manufactures specialised packaging, technical, label, and publishing papers. The mill has a strong focus on sustainability, with a biomass cogeneration plant that produces electricity sold to New Brunswick Power, helping to minimise the mill's carbon footprint.

Another major player in the province's pulp and paper industry is Irving Pulp and Paper Limited, a private company located in West Saint John, owned and operated by the K.C. Irving family since 1951. Irving Pulp and Paper has three paper mills in New Brunswick, employing over 830 people and contributing over $230 million to the local economy through purchases from New Brunswick suppliers.

In the past, the industry has faced environmental challenges, with Irving Pulp and Paper Limited charged under the Fisheries Act for discharging harmful effluent into the St. John River. However, the company has since taken steps to address these issues, and the province's pulp and paper industry continues to thrive, contributing significantly to New Brunswick's advanced manufacturing sector.

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