New Brunswick is a Canadian province located in the eastern portion of the country and bordered by the provinces of Quebec to the north, Prince Edward Island to the east, and Nova Scotia to the south.
The province shares its western border with the United States (Maine).
New Brunswick covers 72,908 square kilometres, only 2% of which is water in the form of lakes and rivers.
The province is one of the four Atlantic Provinces, along with Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
New Brunswick’s population is over 750,000 people, and the province is the eighth most populated in the country.
The capital city is Fredericton, which is located in the southern portion of the province.
New Brunswick’s name comes from the name of a German city (Braunschweig), which was the ancestral home of George I (British monarch) and his successors.
The province is home to people of many backgrounds, most commonly English, Irish, Scottish, German, Acadian, and First Nations.
Service-based industries are large contributors to the local economy, particularly in the urban centres, and include health care, education, retail, finance, and insurance. Government services, port and transportation services, and construction are also large industries in the urban areas of the province.
In the rural areas of New Brunswick, agriculture and natural resources make up the majority of industry. Farming includes potatoes, wild blueberries, mixed livestock farms, dairy farms, and maple syrup and sugar products. Fishing for lobster, scallops, and snow crab, and the farming of Atlantic salmon in some areas is also common. Forestry is an important sector, and often involves large pulp and paper mills in smaller towns. Mining includes heavy metals like lead and zinc, potash, and oil and natural gas.
Entertainment and Tourism
New Brunswick has a number of provincial parks, which provide recreational opportunities such as hiking, fishing, camping, biking, and wildlife watching. Some examples of these include Sugarloaf Provincial Park, along the Quebec/New Brunswick border; Parlee Beach Provincial Park, located on the province’s eastern coast; New River Beach Provincial Park, located on the province’s southern coast; and Woolastook Provincial Park, which isclose to the Canada/United States border. The province also has two national parks: Kouchibouguac National Park, on the province’s east coast, and Fundy National Park, located along the Bay of Fundy in the southern area of the province.
Historical sites in the province include the Hartland Covered Bridge, located in Hartland,which is the oldest covered bridge in the world; numerous forts (Fort La Tour, Fort Howe, Fort Nerepis, and Fort Gaspareaux), which were established by European settlers; a number of churches, such as Christ Church Cathedral; and small museums and preserved properties such as Chipman Hill, which provides an example of upper-middle class urban housing from the 19th century in this area.
Arts and culture activities can be found throughout the province, but especially in the more populated southern area. The New Brunswick Museum features exhibits about the natural and social history of the province, while the Agricultural Museum of New Brunswickfocuses on the history of agricultural production in the province.New Brunswick is home to Symphony New Brunswick, the Atlantic Ballet Theatre of Canada, and Opera New Brunswick.Cherry Brook Zoo and the Beaverbrook Art Gallery are also popular spots. Festivals include the Maritime CountryFest, the Highland Games Festival, the New Brunswick Summer Music Festival, and the World Wine & Food Expo.
Main Cities in the Province
Saint John, with a population of over 70,000, is New Brunswick’s largest city and is located in the south of the province, on the coast of the Bay of Fundy. It is home to many of the province’s locally owned companies, as well as numerous arts, cultural, and recreational activities/events. Moncton has over 69,000 people and is located in the southeast area of the province, close to the Northumberland Strait. Fredericton, with over 56,000 people, is the province’s capital and is located closer to the Canada/United States border. There are over 23,000 people in Dieppe, which is located next to Moncton. Riverview, located just south of Moncton, has over 19,000 people.
In the northern section of New Brunswick, single-family homes are affordable and include a mix of older homes and newer builds, usually on large lots. Homes sometimes include a single or double garage, or carport. Reasonably priced commercial spaces (including industrial) and vacant land are also available in this area. Condos and other multi-family buildings are available in some parts.
The centre of the province offers affordable single-family homes on large lots, often with at least a single garage. Plenty of reasonably priced vacant land is available throughout this area, as well as commercial space (including industrial).
Most of the province’s real estate can be found in the more populated cities in the south. Single-family homes in this section tend to be higher in price than in the rest of the province, especially the many new builds. Single-family homes in rural areas tend to be on larger lots. Reasonably priced condos are available in some areas, as are commercial spaces (including industrial). Vacant land in this section tends to be more expensive than in other areas of the province.
Home Style
Average Home Price:
Home
$159,478
Source: CREA's National Average Price Map for December 2016.
Education
New Brunswick has seven school districts, which operate both English and French public schools. These schools follow a curriculum developed by the province, and some schools have both English and French classes for students. There are several independent schools in New Brunswick (affiliated with a religion), and these schools are also required to follow the provincial curriculum.
There are nine universities in New Brunswick: four public chartered universities (Mount Allison University, St. Thomas University, Université de Moncton, and University of New Brunswick), and five private universities (Crandall University, Kingswood University, St. Stephen’s University, University of Fredericton, and Yorkville University). There are also a number of colleges, including New Brunswick Community College, McKenzie College, Eastern College, and Oulton College. Other post-secondary options are available through adult education classes and private specialty training.
