New Brunswick’s surplus power sales to U.S. could close Irving Paper, firm warns

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Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-30 15:32:23.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, Energy, Industry, Economy, Governance]

J.D. Irving Ltd. executive Mark Mosher warned that a policy change by New Brunswick's Crown-owned electric utility, NB Power, could force the closure of the Irving Paper mill and increase operational costs by an estimated $10 million annually. The policy shift allows NB Power to sell its excess surplus electricity to out-of-province and U.S. buyers at market rates first, forcing in-province industrial clients to rely on more expensive excess power. Energy Minister Rene Legacy stated that the provincial Liberal government will not intervene or reverse the regulatory decision, leaving the matter to be reviewed through an application submitted by J.D. Irving Ltd. to the New Brunswick Energy and Utilities Board.

New Brunswick signs deal for Canadian firm to explore old antimony mine

Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-27 16:53:35.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, Mining, Resources, Industry, Economy]

The New Brunswick government has signed an exclusive exploration agreement granting Toronto-based Avenir Minerals 30 months to study the potential for reopening the former Lake George antimony mine southwest of Fredericton. The historic site, which operated intermittently from 1876 to 1996, was one of North America's largest producers of antimony, a critical mineral used in flame retardants, solar panels, lead-acid batteries, infrared missiles, nuclear weapons, and night vision goggles. Avenir Minerals CEO Alden Greenhouse stated that the exploration process will involve drilling and consultations with First Nations. This initiative follows a similar exploration deal announced by the province with U.S.-based Regeneration Enterprises for an abandoned mine site in northern New Brunswick as part of the provincial Liberal government's efforts to rejuvenate the mining industry.

New Brunswick strikes deal to explore recovering metals from old mine waste

Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-26 21:19:48.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, Resources, Mining, Environment, Industry]

The Government of New Brunswick has struck an agreement with U.S.-based firm Regeneration Enterprises to explore recovering valuable metals, such as copper, lead, zinc, and silver, from decades-old mining waste at the closed Nigadoo mine site near Bathurst, N.B. The site currently represents a $35 million environmental liability for the province, which the company aims to remove from the provincial balance sheet by using recovered critical minerals to fund full site restoration and environmental remediation. Regeneration Enterprises, which is working alongside the Pabineau First Nation, expects to determine the financial viability of the project within a year, with potential processing operations beginning in two to three years if regulatory approvals are secured.

Nackawic mill workers and union push for government action as shutdown looms

Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-16 20:51:04.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, National, Labour, Industry, Trade, Resources]

AV Group NB Inc. announced it will temporarily idle the AV Nackawic Mill in New Brunswick on November 4 due to prevailing market conditions and trade pressures, placing roughly 240 unionized workers and 300 to 350 direct jobs at risk. In response, Unifor leadership and local union representatives are pushing for government intervention, including a national forestry strategy, a joint government task force, a provincial modernization review, and keeping the facility heated through the winter. Premier Susan Holt stated that the Government of New Brunswick is working with AV Group NB Inc. and municipal officials to explore employment alternatives and facility uses while Working NB assists affected employees with federal and provincial benefits.

Market diversification added to focus of renewed Atlantic Fisheries Fund

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-15 20:43:09.0
Tags: [National, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Trade, Fisheries, Industry, Finance]

The federal government and the Atlantic provincial governments are replenishing the Atlantic Fisheries Fund with more than $300 million over the next five years, funded 60 per cent federally and 40 per cent provincially, in response to ongoing trade disputes and tariffs with the U.S. Federal Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson announced that market diversification has been added as a new funding pillar alongside innovation, infrastructure, and science partnerships to assist harvesters and processors such as Cooke Inc., the P.E.I. Fishermen’s Association, Scotia Harvest, and Icewater Seafoods in entering new international markets. Over the past nine years, the fund has previously distributed $370 million to more than 1,300 projects across Atlantic Canada.

Atlantic Fisheries Fund Renewed, Applications Being Accepted

Source: Newfoundland & Labrador - Government Releases
Date: 2026-10-15 17:40:13.0
Tags: [Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, National, Fisheries, Economy, Industry]

The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Government of Canada, and the provincial governments of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island have jointly renewed the Atlantic Fisheries Fund (AFF) with an investment of more than $300 million. The fund supports fishing and aquaculture projects across the Atlantic region to drive innovation, enhance market development, and ensure industry sustainability. The renewed program operates under four distinct pillars: market diversification, innovation, infrastructure, and science partnerships, with applications currently being accepted by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and partner jurisdictions. This funding launch follows a record-breaking performance in 2025 where Newfoundland and Labrador's fisheries and aquaculture sector generated $2.11 billion in market value.

AI-driven project to modernize New Brunswick forestry getting $50M boost from Ottawa

Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-14 20:19:53.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, National, Economy, Resources, Technology, Industry]

The federal government is committing up to $50 million to help build the New Brunswick Strategic Innovation Centre in Digital Forestry. The total $86 million project, led by the Northern Hardwoods Research Institute in collaboration with ResearchNB and the provincial Department of Natural Resources, will use artificial intelligence and digital tools to better track wood supply, optimize logistics, and reduce empty truck miles. Forestry currently supports approximately 24,000 jobs in New Brunswick and contributes roughly $1.5 billion annually to the provincial economy.

Atlantic Canadian businesses can now apply for nearly $40M in AI funding

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-10-14 18:00:00.0
Tags: [Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, National, Technology, Economy, Industry, Finance]

The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency has launched a federal funding program offering nearly $40 million for small and medium-sized businesses pursuing large-scale artificial intelligence projects costing at least $1 million. The funding supports two primary tracks: adopting AI into internal business operations, such as proposal development tools utilized by Cabco Technologies, or developing new AI solutions to bring to market. Applications for the program remain open until November 20. The initiative aims to address a regional adoption gap highlighted by the Atlantic Economic Panel, which reported that approximately 15 per cent of Atlantic Canadian businesses with 10 or more employees use AI, compared to 20 per cent nationally.

Atlantic business leaders call for regional policies and more natural resource development

Source: Prince Edward Island - Regional News
Date: 2026-09-25 21:34:13.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, Economy, Trade, Energy, Resources, Mining, Industry]

The Atlantic Economic Panel, chaired by Don Mills and commissioned by federal Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) Minister Sean Fraser, released a strategic growth plan calling for the creation of a $1 billion Atlantic prosperity fund to help regional companies scale up. The report recommends greater regional integration, including the establishment of an independent electricity system operator across the four Atlantic provinces, the elimination of interprovincial trade barriers, coordinated immigration policies, and streamlined regulatory processes for major projects. Furthermore, the plan urges a 50 per cent expansion of the region's natural resources sector, bolstered by recent provincial policy shifts such as Nova Scotia lifting bans on fracking and uranium mining and approving five new mines.

Outfitters warn any N.B. ban on American hunters and anglers would devastate industry

Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-09-23 16:28:53.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, Trade, Tourism, Economy, Industry]

Industry groups, including the United Guides and Outfitters of New Brunswick and the Canadian Federation of Outfitter Associations, are lobbying New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt to scrap a proposed retaliatory trade measure against American tariffs that would ban U.S. citizens from obtaining provincial hunting and fishing licences. Outfitters warn the ban would devastate the regional tourism and outdoor recreation sector, noting that approximately 85 per cent of their clients originate from the United States. According to a Canadian Federation of Outfitter Associations study, foreign clients accounted for $7.3 million out of the $8.9 million spent by outfitters' clients in New Brunswick in 2017.

Uncertainty hangs over Nackawic after pulp mill announces temporary shutdown

Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-09-18 20:32:12.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, Economy, Industry, Resources, Labour]

AV Group NB Inc., a subsidiary of India-based Aditya Birla Group, announced the temporary idling of its AV Nackawic dissolving-grade pulp mill facility west of Fredericton, effective around the end of October. The shutdown will result in 350 workers losing their jobs, including 228 represented by the union Unifor. The company cited surplus market supply of dissolving-grade pulp and production costs outpacing stable price realizations as the primary drivers. Municipal and provincial officials, including Natural Resources Minister John Herron and Premier Susan Holt, expressed concern over the impact on the local economy and forestry sector, with provincial authorities working to assemble a support plan for affected workers.

New Brunswick mill laying off hundreds of workers, union says

Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-09-17 21:44:08.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, Labour, Industry, Resources, Economy]

Unifor reports that the AV Nackawic mill, a subsidiary of the India-based Aditya Birla Group located in Nackawic-Millville, New Brunswick, will temporarily idle operations and lay off 228 workers in November. The facility produces dissolving grade pulp used for textiles and serves as a major economic driver for the rural community. New Brunswick Natural Resources Minister John Herron stated that the provincial government is developing a response plan to support the affected workers.

New Brunswick aiming to attract $30 billion in investment at Toronto summit

Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-09-14 18:07:55.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, Economy, Finance, Industry, Energy, Mining]

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt and provincial officials are attending the Canada Investment Summit in Toronto to pitch eight capital investment projects totaling more than $30 billion. The initiatives include a new nuclear development, a proposed data centre, and the Sisson Mine project, focusing on critical minerals, advanced materials, energy, digital infrastructure, and transportation. University of New Brunswick political science department chair Herb Emery noted that while the summit could yield contracts and commitments, the long-term projects will generate GDP too far in the future to immediately address the province's current budget deficits.

N.B. moves to bar U.S. goods from major provincial contracts amid trade war

Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-09-10 18:54:54.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, Trade, Economy, Resources, Industry]

In response to escalating U.S. tariffs and executive orders targeting Canadian exports, New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt announced that the province will prohibit the procurement of American goods and services for provincial contracts exceeding $5 million starting October 1, 2026. The restriction extends to suppliers operating in Canada that provide U.S. products, following a reduction in the value of U.S. government contracts from $34.4 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year down to $16.4 million in 2025-26. Additionally, the provincial government is reviewing its authority to restrict Americans from obtaining hunting and fishing licences as well as mining claims as a strategic negotiating tool.

Private company to take over New Brunswick veterinary services next year

Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-09-02 19:04:34.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, Agriculture, Industry, Economy]

Following provincial budget cuts announced by New Brunswick's Liberal government to phase out provincial veterinary services and address a $1.4-billion deficit, Hartland-based company Carleton AgriSolutions will take over providing care for the province's livestock starting April 1, 2027. The provincial government will contribute up to $1.2 million to support the transition, while the company plans to handle the management, equipment, and facilities side in collaboration with current provincial veterinarians who have agreed to stay on through the transition.

New explosives factory could be built on 1,500 acres in northern New Brunswick

Source: New Brunswick - Regional News
Date: 2026-08-26 20:19:36.0
Tags: [New Brunswick, Municipal, Industry, Defence, Resources, Infrastructure]

The Government of New Brunswick has offered a 1,500-acre parcel of land near Belledune and Huron Bay to defense company Nalagx for the potential construction of an energetics and explosives factory producing TNT and propellants. Natural Resources Minister John Herron stated the land will be held for two years on the condition that Nalagx secures an agreement with a credible operating partner by December 31, with full production targeted for 2030. Premier Susan Holt emphasized that no final contract or commitment has been finalized and that the project is in its earliest exploratory stages, involving community and First Nations consultations. The site was selected for its proximity to regional roads, rail infrastructure, and the Port of Belledune to support NATO and allied defense supply chains.