Area Map Quick Facts Location and Land

History and People Economy Government

New Brunswick: Economy

New Brunswick has abundant natural resources. Forests occupy 85 percent of the land mass; and wood and wood products are vital to the economy. Fishing and agriculture are also very important. More than 50 varieties of fish and shellfish are caught in the waters off New Brunswick. New Brunswick is self-sufficient in the production of forage, milk and poultry. New Brunswick mines silver, bismuth, cadmium, coal, copper, natural gas, gold, oil, lead, potash, peat, tungsten, silica, salt and zinc.

Leading the manufacturing industries are food and beverages, followed by pulp and paper, sawmills, manufacturers of furniture and other wood-based industries, metal processing, transportation equipment and processing of non-metallic ores and primary metals.

New Brunswick has undertaken an effort to further promote economic development that has resulted in new industries and companies being established in the province. Information technology has been a growth industry for the province, which now describes itself as the "Call Centre Capital of North America," with well over a dozen companies having established facilities in the province.