A Maritimes business advocacy group says the New Brunswick government’s planned toll on a boundary with Nova Scotia contradicts internal free trade efforts.
New Brunswick plans to set up a toll for out-of-province vehicles near its southernmost boundary with Nova Scotia by 2028.
Premier Susan Holt’s government says the highway levy included in the 2026 budget aims to increase revenue for the province.
The Atlantic Chamber of Commerce says it will discourage investment and erode economic resilience in the region.
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The chamber adds that New Brunswick’s plan, along with Nova Scotia’s existing toll on a section of the Trans-Canada Highway known as the Cobequid Pass, is a barrier to free movement.
Provincial and territorial governments have placed renewed focus on eliminating internal trade barriers in an effort to boost Canada’s GDP by billions of dollars amid an ongoing trade war with the U.S.
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