Anthony Azard
Chief Executive Officer
Cap-Acadie Chamber of Commerce
January 26, 2024
Let’s get ready for several weeks of debates, promises, and commitments! New Brunswick is officially underway for an election scheduled for October 21. For the Cap-Acadie Chamber of Commerce, this isn’t just a race to win the most seats – the future of our province is at stake. Our business community, our members, and our economy deserve concrete solutions to the major challenges facing New Brunswick. What’s the reality on the ground? What are our businesses going through daily? Let’s just say it’s far from being rosy.
Our SMEs have never had it easy, and the pandemic hit them too hard. Today, they’re struggling to get back on their feet. They are the heartbeat of our local economy. 87% of our members are small and medium-sized businesses in Cap-Acadie. We need solutions that put our local businesses at the heart of economic development. We also need to rethink the role of the New Brunswick government in supporting all businesses, everywhere in New Brunswick. We’re looking for a party that recognizes the challenges facing small and medium-sized businesses in the region, and is willing to work with our Chamber of Commerce to improve the morale of entrepreneurs.
The housing crisis is getting worse. Developers and non-profits running affordable housing projects are stifled by red tape. Bold action is essential, or we’ll continue going in circles. In the regions, like here in Cap-Acadie, it’s challenging to attract a workforce without having housing available. During this campaign, we’re expecting solid proposals that will lighten the administrative burden and greatly accelerate the construction of affordable housing. The elimination of the HST on construction products, a measure that has proven its effectiveness in other provinces such as Nova Scotia. Financial assistance, or even a temporary elimination of fees for environmental impact assessments, to better meet the demand for construction in the regions, rather than continuing to fill the province’s vault year after year. There are plenty of solutions out there, and we’re looking for answers and action from the political parties to move this issue forward, rather than stumbling along at a snail’s pace.
In a similar vein, local governance reform has brought its share of changes. A host of new roles have been added to the Regional Services Commissions (RSCs). Economic development is now one of them. Fundamentally, economic development must be thought through locally, with a regional perspective. It’s not by imposing solutions from above or centralizing around a single entity that we’re going to energize our communities. Regional realities are different from urban ones, and the “one size fits all” approach is flawed. The next government needs to understand this and better equip local partners to support more effective regional work. How can we better support RSCs in their new roles, without centralizing everything around a single entity?
Lastly, we can certainly rejoice in seeing the province’s fiscal debt go up in smoke. However, balancing the budget must not mean sacrificing the essentials. Reducing debt is important, but not at the expense of essential services. With the demographic growth, our region has undergone over the past five years, it’s crucial to ensure that our systems can support this added burden on the province. We call for responsible fiscal management that combines debt reduction with strategic investment in our social and economic infrastructures.
The coming weeks will be crucial. The Cap-Acadie Chamber of Commerce will be following this election campaign closely, ready to defend the interests of our members and our communities. It’s up to you, the political parties, to prove that you have the vision and the solutions to build a stronger, fairer and more prosperous New Brunswick.
Because we too, at the Cap-Acadie Chamber of Commerce, have our own slogan: economic and social prosperity for all!
ABOUT THE CEO
Anthony Azard has been Chief Executive Officer of the Cap-Acadie Chamber of Commerce since 2021. Previously a journalist, then a manager in the New Brunswick media industry, Anthony Azard is a redoubtable non-profit leader. A strategist in positioning and growing organizations’ resources, Anthony takes the issues facing the Cap-Acadie business community and its region to heart.
