Students returning to school this month are being fed, supported and ready to learn thanks to investments in education this year, according to Education and Early Childhood Development Minister Claire Johnson.
"Our children and young people are the future of New Brunswick, and we're making sure they get the opportunities and resources they need to have every chance to learn and succeed," said Johnson. "By making the necessary investments in the school system, including classroom supports and infrastructure, we're creating an environment for students to be successful."
The government committed $2.2 billion to education in the 2026-27 budget, an increase of $119 million. This supports investments such as:
- An additional $19.3 million for more educational assistants in the anglophone and francophone sectors.
- An additional $5.8 million for more resource teachers, academic support teachers and school counsellors.
- An additional $1.4 million to support recruitment and retention efforts through onboarding, mentorship and workplace improvements, as part of the government's retention and recruitment strategy released last fall.
- An additional $7 million for the school foods program, to support the new provincewide affordable lunch program and the universal breakfast program.
Investments in retention and recruitment, classroom composition, and breakfast and lunch programs will support initiatives of the new 12-year education plans: the anglophone sector's Strong Basics, Bright Futures and the francophone sector's Ensemble pour la réussite!
"A full stomach is a foundation to well-being and learning," said Johnson. "This fall, every student in the province will have access to affordable lunches."
The largest capital budget to date featured $242.7 million dedicated to education infrastructure to help ensure safe and reliable schools. That included $9.7 million for new major projects, $4 million for large-scale capital improvements, and $229 million for ongoing projects. In addition to individual school projects, the budget included funding for modular programs, new equipment, and improvements and repairs.
Capital budget spending is supporting work at 89 schools, including:
- capital improvement projects
- universal washroom conversions
- ventilation projects
- modular installations
It is also funding:
- mid-life upgrades and/or school addition projects at eight schools:
- addition and mid-life upgrade to École Mathieu-Martin in Dieppe
- addition and mid-life upgrade to École Sainte-Anne in Fredericton
- addition and mid-life upgrade to Bonar Law Memorial School in Five Rivers
- addition to Tabusintac Community School
- addition to Saint Mary's Academy in Edmundston
- mid-life upgrade to Polyvalente W.-Arthur-Losier in Tracadie
- mid-life upgrade to Polyvalente Louis-J.-Robichaud in Shediac
- replacement for École Saint-Henri in Moncton
- the construction of 19 new schools, currently at various stages of completion:
- kindergarten-to-Grade 5 school (Sunset Acres School) in Fredericton to replace Nashwaaksis Memorial and McAdam Avenue schools
- kindergarten-to-Grade 8 school for Saint John's central peninsula to replace Prince Charles and St. John the Baptist/King Edward schools
- kindergarten-to-Grade 12 school to replace Shediac Cape School
- kindergarten-to Grade 8 school (Restigouche River School) to replace Campbellton Middle School and Lord Beaverbrook School
- kindergarten-to-Grade 5 school in Saint John to replace Hazen White-St. Francis School and Centennial School
- kindergarten-to-Grade 8 school in Carleton North to replace Bath Community School, Florenceville Middle School, Florenceville Elementary School and Bristol Elementary school
- kindergarten-to-Grade 12 school in Dieppe
- kindergarten-to-Grade 5 school in Fredericton to replace Forest Hill and Liverpool Street Elementary schools
- replacement for George Street Middle School in Fredericton
- replacement for Salisbury Elementary School
- kindergarten-to-Grade 8 school in southeast Fredericton
- francophone school in the Sussex/Hampton area
- francophone school in the St. Stephen/St. George area
- kindergarten-to-Grade 5 school in Grand Bay-Westfield to replace Inglewood and Grand Bay Primary schools
- kindergarten-to-Grade 8 school in Moncton to replace Forest Glen School and Sunny Brae Middle School
- francophone school in the Woodstock area
- three kindergarten-to-Grade 8 schools in the Oromocto area to replace seven existing schools
"Investments in education infrastructure are investments in our province's future, benefiting not only the students of today, but those of tomorrow, too," said Johnson. "The 25 per cent increase seen in the 2026-27 capital budget helps ensure the proper long-term development of our education system and reflects our commitment to providing New Brunswick students with the learning environments they deserve."
