Susan Holt

Susan Holt is New Brunswick's new Premier and she came in with energy and different framing than the previous government. That matters up to a point. What will actually matter is whether rents stabilize, whether healthcare wait times improve, whether working families, seniors on fixed incomes, and rural communities feel any difference. The province has real challenges: a housing crunch in the cities, rural healthcare access, an aging population. None of those solve themselves. I hope she delivers something real. But every election brings hope and most governments eventually disappoint on the basics. She'll be judged on what life actually looks like for everyday New Brunswickers.

New Brunswick elected Premier Holt expecting a real shift in direction. The province has serious challenges — out-migration of young people, healthcare gaps in rural areas, and cost of living pressures that hit hard here. Good intentions aren't enough. I need to see concrete housing targets, real investment in rural services, and economic policies that give young New Brunswickers a reason to stay. The mandate is there — now it's time to deliver real results for families across the province, not just announcements.

Susan Holt became Premier of New Brunswick in November 2024 as the province's first female premier, winning a Liberal majority with 31 of 49 seats. Her first eighteen months in office have been defined by managing expectations under difficult fiscal conditions. On healthcare, her government committed to a 17% increase in healthcare spending and primary care clinics are showing early progress — though she has publicly acknowledged the pace is not fast enough. Of 15 short-term performance targets her government set for itself, 10 have been met. The 2026 budget, however, recorded a $1.3 billion deficit — the largest in provincial history — triggering directives for all departments to find 10–15% savings for the following year. Her approval rating peaked at 60% in March 2025 and has since dropped to 41%. On wildfire response in 2025, her government communicated clearly and quickly, earning positive public reviews. Holt deserves credit for transparency in acknowledging where targets have been missed, and for the ambition of her performance measurement framework. The critical test ahead is whether healthcare gains and fiscal discipline can coexist under sustained pressure. Reviewed as a New Brunswicker watching with cautious optimism as the province's first female premier navigates a challenging first mandate.