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FREDERICTON —
The New Brunswick government wants to revive its stagnant mining sector and take advantage of Ottawa’s ambitions to supply an international market hungry for critical minerals from dependable, stable countries like Canada.
A new bill tabled Wednesday seeks to speed up mining project approvals and cut red tape while maintaining environmental protections and First Nations consultations, provincial officials said.
John Herron, New Brunswick’s natural resources minister, says the 78-page bill proposes a regulatory overhaul that aligns his province with Prime Minister Mark Carney’s vision to make Canada a larger player in global critical mineral supply chains.
“The G7 countries, they’re abundantly aware that it’s necessary that we have secure, reliable sources of critical minerals that are vital to the operation of the modern economy,” Herron told reporters.
“Canada has signalled with this prime minister that Canada wants to be the go-to jurisdiction for the supply of critical materials.”
The new legislation, proposed as a replacement for the province’s Mining Act of 1985, outlines broad goals for the sector while leaving the specifics to be worked out through regulations.
Officials say the bill would speed up and simplify approvals and uphold Indigenous land rights, in line with the federal government’s goals to offer private investors more predictability and certainty with one impact assessment process for major projects.
Robert Murray, president of the New Brunswick Prospectors and Developers Association, said the changes come just as commercial interest is once again growing in the province as global demand rises for critical minerals.
“About five years ago, it was really difficult to talk about New Brunswick to mid-tier, to upper-tier mining companies, and to get any kind of traction with them. In the last few years, that’s totally changed,” he said.
Murray, a longtime prospector, said shorter timelines for project approvals will help drive up interest in the sector again.
Officials insisted Wednesday that speeding up project approvals will not come at the expense of consultations with First Nations. “How will it fit together? The simple answer is: it has to,” said Herron when asked if both goals were compatible.
Glen Savoie, leader of the provincial Opposition, wasn’t convinced the government would be able to move quickly and also properly consult with First Nations.
“My concerns lie with this government’s ability to manage their way through this without taking shortcuts on either side,” the Progressive Conservative leader said.
Herron said his government held three online consultations with First Nations leaders on the bill, adding that Indigenous leaders will also be involved in drafting the regulations.
New Brunswick has deposits of tungsten, manganese and antimony — minerals the federal government considers essential for Canada’s economic or national security. A tungsten mine proposed by Northcliff Resources Ltd. in Sisson Brook, N.B. — a project that had stalled for nearly a decade — is now being considered by Ottawa for fast-track approval.
The mining bill, if passed by New Brunswick’s majority Liberals, would trigger a 14-month timeline after royal assent to create regulations Herron said will revive an industry long in decline.
Over a billion dollars of New Brunswick’s GDP in 2008 was contributed by its mining, quarrying, and fossil fuel extraction industry, according to government figures. After a string of mine closures and global commodity price drops, that number shrunk to less than $200 million in recent years.
And today a salt mine about 70 kilometres northeast of Saint John remains the only mining project operating in the province.
Herron said he is “absolutely certain” the province’s mining sector will exceed the peak profitability it reached over 15 years ago. While the minister added he expects the forestry industry to continue as New Brunswick’s main economic driver, his goal is for the mining sector to be a “strong junior brother within the next four years.”
David Lentz, chair of economic geology at the University of New Brunswick, said the bill appears to both streamline project development and provide an opportunity for wealth creation. Lentz, who has over three decades of experience researching critical minerals, said the legislation recognizes that timeliness is key to attracting potential mining projects.
“We need to know we’re in a competitive environment. Minerals are traded internationally, they’re not just traded locally,” Lentz said in an interview.
“And if we miss out … on these opportunities, those things will not be there.”
Lentz noted a framework like what is proposed in the government bill will provide more predictability for private and public investors as they’re determining investment risk. And more projects, he said, will lead to more jobs and royalty revenues for New Brunswick.
Natural Resources Canada was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 13, 2026.
Eli Ridder, The Canadian Press
