EECHO ICC jurisdiction intelligence
Invest in New Brunswick
One of the highest-graded provinces on internal trade cooperation, with an economy built on resource and food-sector exports that depend heavily on smooth access to other provinces' markets.
Last verified 2026-08-22 · Partial coverage · Information only
Capital
Fredericton
Major cities
Moncton, Saint John, Fredericton
Population
866,497
Labour force
436.7 thousand (monthly, seasonally adjusted, July 2026)
Real GDP growth
+2.7% in 2024
Main languages
English and French (officially bilingual)
Minimum wage
15.90 $/hour
Sales-tax system
HST 15%
Provincial corporate tax
General: 14%
Small business: 2.5%
Provincial component only · 2026
Official tax source ↗Major industries
- •Forestry
- •Agri-food
- •Fisheries
- •Energy
Emerging industries
- •Cybersecurity
- •Digital health
- •Advanced manufacturing
Trade infrastructure
- •Port Saint John
- •Atlantic rail and highway links
- •Air cargo access
Port access: Direct Atlantic port access
U.S. market access: Direct border with Maine
Leading exports
- •Energy products
- •Forest products
- •Seafood
Energy profile: Mixed electricity supply including nuclear, hydro, fossil and renewables
Investment opportunities
- •Bilingual services
- •Ocean economy
- •Cybersecurity
EECHO analysis based on the cited sources.
Incentives and funding
- •Review Opportunities New Brunswick and federal directories
EECHO funding directory →
Factors to evaluate before investing
- •Small labour market
- •Energy and transport costs
- •Demographic trends
EECHO analysis based on the cited sources.
New Brunswick SWOT
strengths
- •Bilingual workforce and Atlantic access
weaknesses
- •Small labour pool
opportunities
- •Nearshore services and ocean industries
threats
- •Demographic and regional competition
EECHO analysis based on the cited sources. This is a screening framework, not an official government conclusion.
Establishment checklist
- 1Confirm the legal entity, ownership structure and whether Investment Canada Act review may apply.
- 2Validate federal, provincial, territorial and municipal registrations, licences and tax accounts.
- 3Compare suitable sites, utilities, transport capacity, workforce and total operating cost.
- 4Assess language, employment, privacy, environmental and Indigenous consultation obligations.
- 5Confirm incentives directly with the responsible authority before relying on them.
- 6Obtain legal, tax, customs and sector-specific professional advice before committing capital.
Official sources
- Statistics Canada population estimate ↗
- Statistics Canada labour-force table ↗
- Statistics Canada GDP table ↗
- Official corporate-tax source ↗
- Opportunities New Brunswick ↗
Important limitations
Coverage is partial and time-sensitive. Provincial labour-force estimates are monthly and seasonally adjusted; territorial estimates use a three-month moving average and are not directly comparable. Tax eligibility, incentives, project approvals and market access depend on facts not captured here. Verify every decision with the responsible authority and qualified advisers.
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