N.B. hot topics that will come to a head in the new year

CTV's Nick Moore walks through the several key issues expected to come to a head in New Brunswick in 2026.

From education to electricity, several hot topics across New Brunswick are expected to come to a head in 2026.

A review looking at the future of NB Power is expected to produce final government recommendations by March.

In a year-end interview, Premier Susan Holt said the provincial government still hadn’t seen initial findings from a three-person panel’s review of the utility (which was expected by the end of this year).

“If that includes the recommendations of a (NB Power) sale, then we will give that due and strong consideration,” said Holt, in an interview with CTV’s Todd Battis. “Because we can’t keep doing things the way we’re doing them.”

The panel announced in May that it has repeatedly said it’s been considering all facets of the utility’s future, amid surging power rates and infrastructure concerns.

“Should it be privatized? Some are saying perhaps yes, because they’re tired of seeing what they’re seeing,” said panel member Anne Bertrand at a public session in September.“But we’re seeing the other side too… keep it, it’s ours, it’s our uncle, we need it.”

Holt acknowledged attendance had been less than expected at some of the panel’s public sessions held this past summer and fall.

“But they’ve also been out there engaging with stakeholder groups that represent a lot of New Brunswickers that share different points of view,” said Holt.

The provincial government is also expected to release a new 10-year education plan for the anglophone and francophone school sectors this spring, following public consultations held in late 2025.

The new education plan could potentially restructure K-12 education across the province, from rearranging the school day schedule to introducing more artificial intelligence within the classroom.

The New Brunswick government has also moved to review the province’s Official Languages Act in 2026, moving the mandated review schedule from every 10 years to every five years.

A motion introduced by the Holt government in November has directed the standing committee on official languages to complete a review of the act by Dec. 31, 2026.

For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.