FREDERICTON – Highlights of the New Brunswick budget released Tuesday:
— A projected deficit of $391 million in a $8.4-billion spending program.
— Net debt is expected to increase by $530.7 million to reach $12.2 billion by March 2015 — that’s $16,136 for every man, woman and child in the province.
— The government is forecasting a balanced budget by 2017-18.
— $27 million will be spent on the New Brunswick Drug Plan to cover 70,000 families who currently have no drug coverage.
— $555 million capital budget with only $35 million for new projects and the rest to maintain existing infrastructure.
— No increases to income, gas or consumption taxes in 2014-15.
