The Government of New Brunswick is investing $423 million in strengthening public safety, modernizing justice services, and ensuring the sustainability of department programs.
New Brunswick RCMP will receive $7 million to implement body cameras for officers, salary increases, and to counter rising operational costs.
Technical Inspection Services will receive a $1 million increase in funding to hire more electrical inspectors and to support housing development through improvements to permit and plan review capacity.
The Serious Incident Response Team (SIRT) will receive $1.1 million to fully fund the organization. The release says this also includes support for Indigenous representation.
Justice system improvements like the launch of virtual bail hearings and the introduction of the Addictions and Mental Health Court Program in Moncton are some ways the government is working to better support communities.
Justice Minister and Attorney General Rob McKee says modernizing the province’s justice system is about making it more accessible, timely, and responsive.
“These initiatives will help ensure people get the support they need while improving outcomes for individuals, families, and communities,” said McKee.
Robert Gauvin, public safety minister, says these targeted investments will support policing, enhance enforcement, and modernize the justice system.
“Investing in public safety means making sure our law enforcement agencies have the tools and resources they need, while also strengthening accountability and improving how services are delivered,” said Gauvin.
Fee adjustments
The government will be increasing the number of fees related to numerous provincial acts to adjust to the service delivery cost. Most of these adjustments will come into effect on July 1 and are expected to generate $45 million annually in provincial revenue.
“Through our pre-budget consultations, we were clear with New Brunswickers that there would be difficult decisions ahead, and adjusting fees was one of the options on the table,” said Gauvin. “Many of these fees have not been updated in years, over 20 in some cases. This step helps ensure we can continue delivering the quality services people rely on every day.”
Some notable fee adjustments would apply to the NB 911 service fee, which will be increased to $2.59 per month starting Aug. 1.
Liquor licensing, vehicle registration, and driver’s license renewal also would face adjustments.
One example provided by the Department of Justice and Public Safety is that drivers will pay an extra 20 cents per month for their driver’s license, or $2.40 per year per person. Vehicle owners could pay anywhere from an extra $5 to $15 annually for vehicle registration.
Changes are also expected to probate fees, which have not faced adjustment in more than two decades.
“We know fee increases are never easy and that is why we have taken a careful, balanced approach,” McKee said. “We are making sure fees better reflect the cost of delivering services, are comparable to other Atlantic province, and limit the impact on New Brunswickers.”
For a full list of Acts affected, refer here.
