New Brunswick's Empty Spaces

New Brunswick, Canada, is far from empty. In fact, it has a population of over 800,000 people. However, there are more than 250 public housing units sitting vacant across the province, despite a growing waitlist. This is due to a lack of funding to keep social housing in habitable condition, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the ability to turn over empty units.

Public housing units sit empty despite a growing wait list

New Brunswick has an ever-growing wait list for affordable housing, with 8,194 households waiting, according to government figures. Despite this, an average of 250 public housing units sit empty each month. This number has been increasing, with 227 vacant public housing units in June 2022, up from 150 in April 2022.

The wait list has grown from 5,000 households at the end of 2019 to 6,000 in fall 2021, and now stands at over 8,000. This increase in demand for affordable housing is due to housing becoming highly unaffordable across the country. The public housing stock has not kept up with this growing wait list, remaining at around 3,800 units.

The New Brunswick government has a target of adding 1,260 units over 10 years, with 172 added in the last 3 years. However, experts say this is not enough, and the wait list continues to grow. The turnover rate of tenants is also slowing, with people staying in affordable housing longer due to a lack of alternative options.

Some of the vacant units are empty due to needed repairs or while waiting for estimates on work that needs to be done. The COVID-19 pandemic has also impacted the ability to turn over empty units due to a lack of supplies and contractors.

The situation has left those on the wait list, such as Jessica Wright, feeling frustrated and unsafe in their current living conditions. Wright, who was added to the wait list after suffering two brain aneurysms, stated that she felt "punched in the gut" upon hearing the number of vacant units.

Suggested solutions

• Increase the number of public housing units to meet the growing demand and reduce the wait list.
• Speed up repairs and maintenance of vacant units to get them occupied faster.
• Improve the process of matching people on the wait list with available units to ensure that suitable tenants are found quickly.
• Address the lack of affordable housing options so that people do not have to stay in public housing longer than needed.
• Provide more support for those on the wait list who are living in unsafe or unsuitable conditions.

New Brunswick's population is largely rural

The province's three major urban areas are in the south: Greater Moncton, Greater Saint John, and Greater Fredericton. However, the vast majority of the territory (92%) falls under provincial administration and has no local elected representation.

New Brunswick's rural economy is heavily dependent on natural resources. Fisheries remain an important seasonal employer along the coasts, while mining and forestry are significant industries in the forested interior. Agriculture exists in traditional pockets across the province, and is an important purchaser of other rural-based services such as welding and trucking.

Tourism is often touted as a potential alternative to resource sector jobs, but New Brunswick's short tourist season and climatic challenges make this unlikely to provide long-term economic stability for rural regions.

Despite the challenges, many people choose to remain in rural New Brunswick for reasons unrelated to money, such as the non-monetary aspects of quality of life.

The province's economy is largely driven by the Irving Group of Companies

The Irving Group of Companies, founded by the Irving family, is a powerful corporate concentration of large companies in New Brunswick. The Irving family is the richest in the province, and their companies have significant holdings in agriculture, forestry, food processing, freight transport, media, oil, and shipbuilding. They are considered by many to exert a monopoly over New Brunswick, and their activities are supported by the authorities through numerous tax exemptions and the payment of subsidies.

The Irving Group's activities are spread across several sectors, including:

• Agriculture: The Irving Group has significant holdings in agriculture, with interests in farming and food processing.
• Forestry: The company is involved in forestry and the production of forest products, such as pulp and paper.
• Freight Transport: Irving has a presence in freight transport, including railways and trucking.
• Media: Through Acadia Broadcasting, the Irving family owns several local radio stations and all of the province's English-language newspapers, except those recently sold to Postmedia.
• Oil: The Irving Group is engaged in the oil industry and owns a refinery in Saint John.
• Shipbuilding: Shipbuilding is one of the group's business areas, and they have shipyards in the province.

The Irving Group's influence in New Brunswick is such that the province is sometimes described as being subject to a form of economic feudalism. The group's activities and their impact on the province have been the subject of criticism and debate.

New Brunswick is Canada's only officially bilingual province

The Act was amended in 1981 with the adoption of Bill 88, which affirmed the equality of status and equal rights and privileges of the two linguistic communities. It also entitled the two communities to separate institutions for cultural, educational, and social activities.

In 1982, certain language rights were entrenched in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which is part of Canada's Constitution. This means that any law or government action that is inconsistent with the Charter is unconstitutional.

New Brunswick's variety of French is called Acadian French, and there are seven regional accents. About two-thirds of the population are English-speaking, while one-third is French-speaking. Recently, there has been a growth in the number of people reporting themselves as bilingual, with 34% speaking both English and French.

The province's population is growing

New Brunswick's population has been steadily growing since the 1850s. In 2022, the province's population surpassed 800,000, and as of April 2024, it has reached 850,000. This growth rate of 9% is on par with the national rate, and the population is expected to continue to grow.

The growth is driven primarily by interprovincial migration, with people moving to New Brunswick from other provinces, particularly Ontario, in search of more affordable housing and better schooling for their families. The province has also seen an increase in international migration, with immigrants and non-permanent residents contributing significantly to the population growth.

The population growth has had a positive impact on the economy, with a rise in demand for housing and an increase in the job vacancy rate. The growth has also presented some challenges, such as a need for more housing development to keep up with the increasing population and a strain on the healthcare system, with more people added to the waitlist for a family doctor.

New Brunswick's population growth is in line with the provincial population growth strategy for 2019-2024, which aims for a steady increase in annual immigration and focuses on attracting a skilled workforce, encouraging sustainable economic growth, creating a welcoming environment for newcomers, and fostering a diverse and inclusive province.

With its prosperous industries, beautiful historic sites, events, festivals, and quality education system, New Brunswick continues to attract new residents and is expected to maintain its population growth trajectory.

Frequently asked questions