October 1st, 2024

FREDERICTON – This morning, on the first Seniors Day of Climate Action in Canada, Green Party Leader David Coon announced his plan to protect New Brunswick communities from the ravages of the rapidly changing climate.

“We are now in a climate emergency, but Liberal government after Conservative  government, after Liberal government, has failed to prepare and protect New Brunswickers and their property from its consequences,” said Coon. “Mr. Higgs has followed in Brian Gallant’s footsteps of being a climate delayer. The plan to make New Brunswick climate ready won’t even be completed until 2026.”

New Brunswick has experienced an alarming increase in severe storms: Hurricane Arthur a decade ago, the ice storm of 2017, Hurricane Dorian in 2019, and Fiona in 2022—the most costly natural disaster in Atlantic Canada’s history.

“Urgent action is needed to safeguard the lives and property of  New Brunswickers from increasingly violent weather, storm surges, and flooding,” Coon exclaimed. “This cannot wait for another election cycle. Only the Green Party is talking about making the investments and policy changes needed to meet the reality of the climate crisis.”

The Green Climate Protection Plan will: 

• Make investments to guarantee cell phone and internet coverage across New Brunswick to ensure timely, life-saving information is accessible during floods, fires, and severe weather.
• Establish a Climate Risk Reduction Fund to provide provincial funding for municipalities to implement necessary adaptation measures. This fund will support critical infrastructure to protect vulnerable communities from flooding, coastal erosion, and severe weather events.
• Create a new government office called the Coastal Protection Agency. This office will oversee efforts to safeguard communities and infrastructure along New Brunswick's extensive coastline.
• Establish a Youth Climate Corps.  offering training and work experience in climate action for individuals aged 17 to 30, similar to successful initiatives in British Columbia.

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