Demographics
Population
- 0.75 million (2004)
- Canada 's only officially bilingual province.
- Has the highest percentage of Francophone outside Quebec .
Total labour force (000s), 2004: 388.3
Employment by industry (000s), 2004
Employment by industry (000s), 2004
| Trade |
54.0 |
| Health care and social assistance |
47.7 |
| Manufacturing |
41.7 |
Population of major urban centres (000s), 2004
| Saint John ( CMA ) |
122.7 |
| Moncton (CA) |
117.7 |
| Fredericton (CA) (Capital) |
81.3 |
| Bathurst (CA) |
23.9 |
| Edmundston (CA) |
22.2 |
Languages (% distribution), Census 2001
| English, mother tongue |
64.2 |
| French, mother tongue |
32.8 |
| Speaking both official languages |
33.7 |
Total area: 73,500 km 2
Economy (2004)
| Real GDP growth |
2.6% |
| CPI inflation |
1.5% |
| Unemployment rate |
9.8% |
Total international trade ($ CDN billions)
| Exports |
9.5 |
| Imports |
6.9 |
Trade and Investment (2004)
International export markets (%)
| United States |
89.8 |
| Japan |
1.4 |
| Belgium |
0.9 |
Top three international exports (%)
| Mineral, fuels & oils |
49.0 |
| Wood & wood products |
11.4 |
| Paper & paper products |
9.6 |
International import suppliers (%)
| United States |
34.0 |
| Norway |
31.8 |
| Saudi Arabia |
16.2 |
Top three international imports (%)
| Mineral, fuels & oils |
59.8 |
| Machinery |
5.4 |
| Organic chemicals |
4.1 |
Business and Investment Environment
- Strategically located in the heart of the Atlantic Trading Rim, New Brunswick offers easy access to two of the world’s biggest markets – the United States and European Union.
- Almost 90 per cent of its exports are shipped to the U.S. and nearly half of all exports are destined for the neighbouring New England marketplace.
- An excellent educational infrastructure of 16 universities and community colleges and over 100 private training institutions that are recognized for their expertise in computer science, engineering, forestry, nursing, law and humanities provides a steady flow of highly skilled, well educated workforce.
Sectoral Strengths
Knowledge industry
- Home to around 700 companies employing over 25,500 people and generating annual revenues of approximately $2.1 billion.
- Industry clusters are primarily located in Fredericton , Moncton and Saint John .
- Web-based customer care and advanced training technologies are the fastest growing sub-sectors of the industry that also includes: Internet solutions, software development, systems integration and support services and consulting services.
- Over 82 per cent of the products and services are exported to 67 countries worldwide.
Forestry
- Forests occupy 85 per cent of the land mass in New Brunswick .
- Considered a North American leader in forest management, its pulp production is valued at more than $1.5 billion each year and solid wood products at around $500 million.
- Directly employing 16,000 people, forestry forms the economic backbone of the province.
Minerals and mining
- Produces a wide range of minerals and commodities for worldwide markets including: metals (bismuth, copper, cadmium, gold, silver and zinc); non-metals (peat, potash, silica and salt); fuels (natural gas and coal) and structural materials (lime, sand and gravel).
- With a workforce of over 3,150 people directly employed in the industry, the value of mineral production has ranged from $652 million to $772 million during the last few years.
Agriculture and fisheries
- New Brunswick accounts for over 50 per cent of Atlantic Canada’s total agri-food exports.
- The agriculture and agri-food sector generates over $400 million annually in farm cash receipts, close to one billion in processed food shipments and $495 million in exports.
- Commercial fishing is also a major industry in the province – value of fish and shellfish exports in 2003 was close to $800 million.
Tourism
- Tourism is one of the leading revenue generators of the province.
- In 2004, a total of 1.76 million non-resident tourists visited New Brunswick generating $1.2 billion in revenues and supporting 33,400 person years of employment.
Other key sectors
- Building and construction; metal working; life sciences; textiles; horticulture; professional services; plastics.
Online Resources
Business New Brunswick
www.newbrunswick.ca
Government of New Brunswick
www.gnb.ca
Contacts
In Canada , contact:
International Trade Canada
E-mail: investincanada@international.gc.ca
Internet : www.investincanada.gc.ca
For investment information on New Brunswick , contact:
Business New Brunswick
Internet: www.gnb.ca