New Brunswick Finance Minister René Legacy presented the provincial budget on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. (Credit: THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ron Ward) New Brunswick’s record deficit is prompting changes to post-secondary education as the province freezes funding to universities, colleges and directs institutions to find internal savings that won’t be passed on to students. The 2026-27 provincial budget forecasts a $1.3 billion deficit, mainly due to increased health care and social ser