What if your next big investment didn’t need to happen in the biggest market?
As Canada positions itself to compete for major global investment, New Brunswick is emerging as a jurisdiction where businesses can move from opportunity to execution with speed and confidence. With a highly skilled bilingual workforce, strategic location, globally connected infrastructure, abundant natural resources, and a business environment built around agility, the province offers compelling advantages for companies looking to establish or expand their Canadian footprint.
The talent is here
New Brunswick offers businesses access to a skilled, experienced, and dedicated workforce. Sixty-six per cent of New Brunswick adults have a post-secondary education, exceeding the OECD average, while more than one-third of residents speak both English and French. As Canada’s only officially bilingual province, New Brunswick provides a unique advantage for companies serving Canadian and international markets.
The province also benefits from exceptional workforce stability. Average job tenure exceeds nine years – approximately twice the U.S. average – which means businesses can reduce hiring and turnover costs while building experienced teams.
Connected to markets
New Brunswick combines geography with infrastructure designed for global commerce. Two deep-water, ice-free ports operate year-round, providing direct access to markets across North America, Europe, and the Arctic. Transcontinental road and rail networks further connect businesses to major population centres and supply chains.
The province is equally well positioned in the digital economy, with some of Canada’s fastest fixed broadband speeds and a low-latency digital pathway between Europe and North America. For energy-intensive industries, New Brunswick offers a diversified energy portfolio and an electricity grid that is approximately 80 per cent non-emitting.
And location matters. From the Atlantic Time Zone, businesses can collaborate across major North American and European markets during the same working day, while enjoying direct access to the Atlantic Ocean and more than 100 million consumers within efficient reach.
The expertise is here
New Brunswick’s business ecosystem combines leading academic institutions, R&D capabilities, and industry expertise. Companies can tap into strengths spanning advanced manufacturing, cybersecurity, defence, mining, agritech, ICT, digital health, fintech, and energy innovation.
The province is also positioned to capitalize on emerging investment opportunities in areas like artificial intelligence, green hydrogen, battery energy storage, new nuclear technologies, biofuels, value-added food production, critical minerals, and other natural resources.
An agile jurisdiction
For investors, speed can be a competitive advantage. New Brunswick’s scale means businesses can work directly with decision-makers and address challenges quickly. The result is an investment environment designed to accelerate timelines and turn complex projects into successful operations.
The province is also one of North America’s lower-cost jurisdictions for labour, infrastructure, land, and operating expenses. Investors will access large, pre-zoned industrial sites – including several capable of accommodating projects of more than 100 acres – with efficient transportation connections and low population density suitable for specialized and heavy industrial operations.
New Brunswick’s natural resource base adds another dimension. Eighty-three per cent of the province is forested, while abundant water, the world’s highest tides, and extensive tidewater access create opportunities for specialized and value-added industries. The province is home to occurrences of 21 of Canada’s federally designated critical minerals, and deposits of 13 of those minerals, including North America’s largest undeveloped manganese resource, the world’s largest undeveloped indium resource, and a major undeveloped tungsten deposit. The Sisson Mine, a world-class tungsten and molybdenum location designated as a nation-building project, further underscores New Brunswick’s potential as a strategic global supply chain partner.
A hub for Canada’s defence future
New Brunswick is also positioned to play a significant role in Canada’s defence and security ambitions. Home to CFB Gagetown, Eastern Canada’s largest military training base, the province combines defence expertise with its industrial capacity, ports, and critical logistics infrastructure.
The Canadian Institute for Cybersecurity adds Tier 1 research and operational capabilities in areas including AI, C4ISR, autonomous systems, simulation, analytics and emerging defence tech. An established network of industrial suppliers with land systems fabrication and prime defence contract experience provides additional opportunities for investment.
Connect with us
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt, along with senior representatives from ONB, will be in Toronto for the Canada Investment Summit to connect with firms interested in learning more about New Brunswick.
ONB works closely with companies looking to establish or expand their footprint in Canada, providing tailored support to help them invest with confidence and grow in our province. We are ready to help you achieve your goals. Connect with our team at invest@onbcanada.ca or call us at +1-855-746-4662.
