The Canadian Taxpayers Federation is releasing its 2024-25 New Brunswick pre-budget proposal, calling on the Higgs government to phase out the sales tax, replace corporate welfare with corporate tax cuts and maintain its budget surplus.

“With New Brunswickers facing soaring living costs, now is the time for Premier Blaine Higgs to be bold,” said CTF Interim Atlantic Director Jay Goldberg. “Higgs could make a historic move by cutting the provincial portion of the HST by two percentage points this year and phasing it out completely by 2032.”

The average New Brunswick household would save over $800 with a two percentage point sales tax cut next year. Those savings would grow to $4,100 a year after a full phase out in 2032.

The CTF’s proposal also calls on the Higgs government to consolidate health networks and end the government employee wage premium to help finance tax relief and ensure the province’s budget remains balanced.

“Higgs has a strong record when it comes to balancing the budget and reducing government waste,” Goldberg said. “But family budgets are being squeezed even further and Higgs needs to do more. Now is the time to be even more prudent with taxpayer dollars to lower taxes and continue to pay down the province’s debt.”

The CTF’s full pre-budget proposal can be viewed HERE.