The provincial finance minister took questions and concerns from New Brunswickers on social media today as pre-budget consultations continue.
Ernie Steeves has been hearing that the province needs to focus more on immigration to boost growing labour shortages in various industries.
He says newcomers must be better supported once they get here so they don’t end up passing through to other provinces.
Steeves notes the double taxation on non-owner occupied properties will likely remain in place for the foreseeable future.
“We’ve got to get ourselves on a little bit better fiscal and financial footing I would say. So I’m hoping for it for 2021. I can’t cut it back in ’20. I don’t see that happening… we’ve got to give ourselves a little bit of a cushion there,” he admits.
He adds there will be no new taxes in the upcoming budget.
Steeves says there will be no cuts to the civil service either but he adds through attrition, vacated positions will be closely examined.
Questions were also fielded about privatizing NB Liquor and its subsidiary Cannabis NB since its highly paid CEO, Brian Harriman, recently announced his departure.
Steeves says privatization is a huge step for the province to take and he says time along with solid research and analysis is needed before the province would head in that direction.
Steeves also took criticism over the Francophone Minister’s recent trip to France and the cost to taxpayers to officially cancel the Moncton-Dieppe bid for the Francophone Games.
He adds the Higgs government felt it was necessary to show up in person and not just send a letter.
