Housing, rural services top agenda on first weekend of campaign

New Brunswick's top candidates are staying busy this weekend after the election was called on Thursday.

On Saturday, Liberal Leader Susan Holt made a housing promise, Green Leader David Coon made severalrural servicepromises, and Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs was campaigning in the Miramichi area.

Holt announced a large goal for new housing construction at a campaign stop in Monctonwith seven Liberal candidates.

The Liberals are promising 30,000 new housing units by 2030 with the elimination of provincial sales tax on new multi-unit housing construction.

"Too many New Brunswickers are struggling to find a place to live, struggling to pay their rents," Holt said.

Holt touted the promise as similar to policies that already exist in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. She said both provinces have more than doubled the rate of housing construction compared to New Brunswick.

"Our population is growing, and we welcome that, but it can't happen without a solid plan to tackle the housing shortage," she said.

The province's vacancy rate is 1.5 per cent, Holt said.

The estimated costis $90 million over the three years Holt plans to remove the sales tax on new multi-unit housing construction, she said.

Holt said her government would watch the number of new housing starts and the vacancy rate to determine if the initiative is successful.

Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs campaigned in the Miramichi area on Saturday with local candidates.

PC candidates question 2 Liberal promises

In separatepress releases,PC candidates took issue with Liberal promises made in the first few days of the campaign.

Greg Turner, candidate for Moncton South,took issue with a Liberal health-care promise.

On Friday,Holt said her government would give nurses and some health-care professionals $15,000 in retention bonuses.

In a release, Turner said Liberals promise to fix health care but "just throw money at the problem."

"Money is part of the solution, but it also takes new approaches and policy changes to get results," he said.

Turner said his government tabledan offer to nurses that included a $10,000 retention bonus.

"Nurses ultimately declined the offer, indicating that they were concerned about issues outside of the collective agreement," Turner said. "Susan Holt is ignoring those concerns."

In another release, Jill Green, a candidate in Fredericton North, said the PC government she has been a part of already has a similar housing strategy.

"The Progressive Conservative government's Housing for All strategy includes a goal [of] 6,000 per year and by 2030 those 30,000 units will be built," Green said in the release.

Greens promise year-round CampobelloIsland ferry service

Green Party Leader David Coon was in St. Stephen with candidate Mark Groleau for the St. Croix riding.

Coon promised year-round free ferry service to Campobello Island, which only has ferry access during summer months. The island is linked to Maine by a bridge, soisland residents must drive through the United States in winter months to reach mainland New Brunswick.

"Year-round ferry service was provided during the pandemic, but as I've advocated for years, it must become permanent, Coon said.

Groleau said he's heard from residents on Campobello who are concerned about the end of the service for the year, including a woman whose passport is about to expire.

"It is the provincial responsibility of the provincial government, we feel, to make sure people can get home, get off [Campobello Island] and get the things they need," said Groleau.

A new bridge between Shippagan and Lameque Island on the Acadian Peninsula was another promise Coon made, but did not have cost estimates available for either when asked.

Coon also promised to restore court services to St. Stephen and St. Andrews that were cut by previous governments.

"Especially in a province that has poor public transportation, this is unacceptable," Coon said, adding that residents have to travel to Saint John for justice services.

Coon also said he would restore court services in Caraquet and full-time in Tracadie.

Policing was another issue Coon and Groleau mentioned, calling for more RCMP services in Charlotte County.

Lighter schedule Sunday

Coon is campaigning with a candidate in Moncton and Holt is making several campaign stops around Moncton and the southeast region on Sunday.

Higgs has no events planned on Sunday.