Affordable and Safe - Green Party NB
Circle Image

In recent decades, New Brunswick has witnessed a growing divide between the wealthy and the poor, with wages failing to keep pace with the rising cost of living. While big corporations continue to achieve record profits, more people are facing homelessness and financial instability, living paycheque to paycheque. The high number of children living in poverty further underscores the urgent need for change. 

The Green Party is committed to addressing these disparities by ensuring that every New Brunswicker has access to affordable, safe housing and a secure, supportive community. Our vision focuses on creating solutions that bridge the gap between income and living costs, safeguard vulnerable populations, and foster an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

An Affordable New Brunswick

Protecting and Expanding Affordable Housing 

Affordable housing is a fundamental human right, yet nearly 1,000 New Brunswickers face homelessness tonight, with many more at risk due to rent increasing on average by 10.5% over the past year. The loss of 8,600 affordable units between 2016 and 2021 has worsened the crisis, leaving over 10,000 households waiting for subsidized housing. The Green Party is committed to addressing this urgent issue by ensuring access to safe, affordable housing and working to end homelessness.

 A Green government will:

  • Establish a permanent rent cap to protect tenants from unaffordable rent increases.
  • Expand the mandate of Residential Tenancies Officers to allow them to intervene in cases of landlords discriminating against tenants based-on race, disability, or having  children or pets.
  • Have the NB Housing Corporation prioritize the construction of public, non-profit, and cooperative housing to expand affordable options for low and moderate-income individuals and families.
  • Adopt right of first refusal legislation to enable the New Brunswick Housing Corporation, municipal housing authorities and non-profit organizations to acquire and protect low-cost housing when it comes on the market.
  • Create a public rental registry for rental properties to provide information about rent and heat costs and planned renovations.
  • Regulate short-term rentals to prevent them from reducing the availability of affordable long-term rental units.
  • Invest in supportive housing programs that combine affordable housing with wrap-around support services to address the complex needs of vulnerable populations experiencing homelessness.

A Livable Income

The Green Party is committed to ending deep poverty and ensuring a decent standard of living for all New Brunswickers. Our goal is to create a more equitable society where everyone can thrive and live with dignity.

A Green government will:

  • Develop and implement a Guaranteed Liveable Income program in collaboration with the federal government to eliminate deep poverty.
  • Immediately raise social assistance rates of all categories and adjust them accordingly every following year until a Guaranteed Livable Income is in place.
  • Create a provincial disability support program.
  • Raise the minimum wage to $20/hour no later than 2028 and reduce taxes on small and medium businesses to aid the transition.

Making Home Heating Affordable and Green

The Green Party aims to ease the cost of living crisis for New Brunswickers by making home heating more affordable. We will invest in energy-efficient technologies and home improvements to lower heating costs and reduce energy consumption. Our goal is to help families manage their energy bills while promoting environmental sustainability.

A Green government will:

  • Provide zero-interest financing to retrofit homes, small rental properties, and small businesses to reduce energy consumption, cut heating costs, and install solar power.
  • Raise the household income threshold for the Enhanced Energy Savings Program from $70,000 to $100,000 to increase the number of households eligible for free energy retrofits and heat pumps.
  • Cancel the power subsidies to pulp mills and use the savings to provide low-income individuals and families with monthly rebates on their power bills to offset electricity rate increases.
  • Partner with the federal government to help New Brunswickers, who are currently heating their homes with oil, transition to heat pump systems. 

A Safe New Brunswick

Climate Ready

Climate change is already costing New Brunswickers significantly, with increasing floods, wildfires, and extreme weather damaging homes and disrupting lives. In 2023, Canada faced over $3 billion in climate-related damages, highlighting the urgent need for action. The Green Party is committed to preparing New Brunswick for these challenges by enhancing resilience and safeguarding communities from the escalating impacts of climate change.  

A Green government will: 

  • Create a Climate Change Risk Reduction Fund to make the infrastructure investments required to safeguard vulnerable communities from flooding, coastal erosion, and violent weather.
  • Establish a Coastal Protection Authority to coordinate efforts to protect communities and infrastructure along New Brunswick’s 2,250 km of coastline.
  • Improve cell phone and internet coverage across New Brunswick to ensure timely, life-saving information is accessible during floods, fires, and severe weather.
  • Work with affected communities, Nova Scotia, and the federal government to ensure the potential negative impacts from storm surges and flooding within the Chignecto Isthmus are addressed, and work is appropriately funded to safeguard the communities, their economies, and the essential Canadian transportation link.