The New Brunswick government is particularly focusing on private market accommodations in its more generous allocation for affordable housing programs over the coming fiscal year. The newly released 2025-26 provincial budget includes an 18.6 per cent increase for the New Brunswick Housing Corporation, with the largest chunk of additional funds to be channelled to the direct-to-tenant benefit to help cover private market rents.

That will see the new Liberal government, elected in Oct. 2024, nearly double the budget for the program that its predecessor launched last year. As well, an extra $2.3 million has been allocated for the Tenant and Landlord Relations Office — an 82 per cent year-over-year increase — to promote more awareness of the cap on allowable market rent increases that the provincial government has now instigated.

“Soon after we took office, and as the first step in our review of the Residential Tenancies Act, we implemented a provincial rent cap of three per cent to be adjusted annually,” Finance Minister René Legacy recounted in his budget address. “This new program will help inform New Brunswickers about their rights and obligations under the current Act and keep them updated on changes.”

In total, the provincial government has pledged to spend an additional $36.6 million, to bump the 2025-26 housing budget up to about $233 million. That includes a $21.1 million top-up for the direct-to-tenant benefit, which is projected to support an extra 2,500 households annually. There is also an extra $4.6 million for other affordable rental programs and $3.3 million earmarked for repairs and upgrades in the province’s existing public housing portfolio.