Higgs announces new ‘affordability measure’ to support low-income working families in N.B.

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FREDERICTON, N.B. — While much of New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs’ latest state of the province address focused on what the government has already done in health care, housing, affordability and other sectors, there were some new incentives revealed.

Thursday night in Fredericton, before a crowd reported by other media to number over 800, the Tory leader announced new support for lower-income workers in the form of a one-time $300 payment to families with a net income of $70,000 or less.

About 256,000 families are expected to benefit from the $79.5 million affordability measure.

On the health-care side, Higgs said a new four-to-six-month adult addiction rehabilitation program will double the province’s capacity for such service, as well as lauding the newly launched MyHealthNB app, aimed at giving residents greater access to their medical records.

“Reducing the amount of interest paid on our debt by $75 million has allowed us to make necessary investments in our province,” said Higgs. “Just as importantly, we have been able to make these investments while lowering taxes, not raising them.”