New Brunswick — New Brunswick is easily one of the top 10 provinces in which to live in Canada, and yet it’s an afterthought for many Canadians when choosing where to build their lives. With its rich culture and hidden, majestic beauties, New Brunswick might just be Canada’s best-kept secret. The Manatee has compiled a list of 10 mostly unknown facts about the province, which may make you think twice next time you’re considering where to raise your family.
1: New Brunswick has more hopeless people per capita than anywhere else in North America: Feeling down on your luck? Thinking that the world is against you? Well, you’re not alone in New Brunswick, where misery loves company. People all across the province have given up on finding their dream job, retiring before the age of 70, getting a solid education or simply being happy. Studies show that 1 in every 3 New Brunswickers has given up some form of hope and have settled for their lot in life. You can feel welcomed in like-minded company or feel good about yourself for being better off than others seem to be.
2: New Brunswick has more than 1,000 trees for every person who lives here: Hey, that’s pretty cool if you like trees.
3: In 2015, New Brunswick became the first Canadian province to allow people to legally have deer for pets and for dinner: Smoke them, fry them, barbecue them, roast them and now you can even have them live with you. For the longest time, deer were seen has simply a source of food and neat decorations, but now New Brunswickers can raise them and love them just like one of the family.
4: New Brunswick has most of the things that other provinces have, too: There’s a Tim Hortons around every corner, a McDonald’s in every Walmart, Sobeys stores and Costcos, pizza places and banks. New Brunswick is full of most of the amenities found in other parts of the country — just don’t go looking for a family doctor, long-term care facilities, jobs, hospital beds, a stable education system or a premier with a high approval rating.
5: New Brunswick is beautiful: As long as you stay away from the deserted railroad towns like McGivney and Juniper you’ll be astonished by the natural beauty that New Brunswick has to offer. We also recommend that you steer clear of Moncton and Saint John as well.
6: New Brunswick is the birthplace of Canada’s finest alcoholic beverage: There’s a certain prestige associated with drinking the award-winning lager from Canada’s oldest brewery: Alpine. New Brunswick knows the art of drinking and the art of crafting fine alcohol, so it should come as no surprise that Alpine lager is considered by many to be among the finest of products that New Brunswick has to offer.
7: There might be hidden treasures along the coasts of New Brunswick: Well, who knows? There might be. There’s really only one way to know for sure — move here and begin your quest to find the potential hidden treasures along New Brunswick’s many riverbanks and shorelines.
8: Living in New Brunswick offers countless health benefits: Lots of fresh air, lots of time to relax because you won’t have a job, even more time to relax because there’s not really much to do, and with fewer people living here there’s obviously fewer people who could potentially murder you.
9: It’s better than PEI: Sure, island life is nice in the summer, but can you imagine the winters there? No, thank you!
10: New Brunswick has the most single-term premiers in the country: Not happy with the current government regime? No need to worry — we’ll have a new one every 4 years!
What about our provincial bird, the mosquito? 🙂
Let us not forget the capital city of Fredericton, the proud owners of Canada’s most patriarchal Society! Way to Go Freddy!!!
what about the number of bigots?Not mentioned because it is well known?
Yes, in most of the smaller communities you will find your typical bigot population and a large supply of hypocrites who like to judge others based on their looks then spread nasty rumours even when it has no facts or truth to back it up. I guess this is true in any small town or village anywhere but with the dwindling population in rural areas in NB, it is more noticeable than ever before.
Don’t forget we are the gateway to NFLD, NS and PEI and we are so big hearted all freight transportation and tourists travel our wonderful divided highway courtesy of the NB taxpayers. This is unlike any other province or state who seem to be greedy and utilize tolls to help maintain road infrastructure. Also, you can enjoy all the amenities of enforced bilingualism even if you only speak the country’s majority language. Of course you have to be willing to pay for this privilege and be willing to take a back seat if you speak that majority language.
NBers live on rocks that are older than anywhere else on the planet. Our mountain chain looked like the Rockies before the Rockies were, well, a spark in God’s eye, I suppose…..anyhoo….
Our mountains don’t look like the Rockies because they have had eons of time to wear down. Now, all that is left is rocks from the middle of a mountain chain that was formed when pangea was separating. I think that’s pretty darn cool. 🙂
Love your site, byw
and what about all that radon we have in our homes, surely that deserves a mention
Was this article suppose to shine a positive light on life in New Brunswick or was the sarcasm intended? The first few words alone are condescending to readers, “…one of the top 10 provinces in which to live..” thank you Mr. Lewis for clearing that up for those of use who didn’t know there were 10 provinces in this country. And the comment about a stable education system, I am not sure what this is specifically about but NB is the first province to approve free post-secondary education for families with lower incomes and they have a higher required age for schooling, age 18, the same as here in Ontario.
“New Brunswick is chalk-full” – ah yes – just like my education was
I don’t get the comment about staying away from Moncton. is it a bad town? Why?
gosh I am so depressed now, we are actually thinking of moving to N.B. to retire in…
don’t come to newbrunswick is hurtin and is filled with a bunch of hurtbag bums
Pretty stopid post. Toronto full of weirdos, greedy people, people who spit on streets, rat race, pay a fortune to live in a rat hole, half your awake life wasted in commuting, etc.
With amazon, satellite, etc., you can get anything Toronto has. And on week ends you have at your doorstep nature, no need to drive 5 hours north of Toronto to find millions like you trying to get away from you.
In NB your house is a year round cottage.
If concrete, noise, zillions of people on the street to half of whom you can not share anything culturally, then Toronto is the ticket for you.
Hi, I like your comment Victor. I am from Ontario, currently living here but have sold my house and looking in New Brunswick to find a new home. I understand everyone has humour and everyone their own opinions, I am not happy in Ontario obviously since I’m looking everywhere but there! I think living by the ocean someware will be amazing and I’m looking forward to starting a new here, making friends etc.
Have you found a place? Do you like it? We too, are getting ready to sell our house to move to NB. Despite this satirical post, we are still excited to do so 🙂
(“The Manatee Sources”) is fictitious and satirical and should not be taken seriously. Really, what would be the reason for this as this should be posted at the first of all entry points. Additionally, what backs this financially, and, what purpose do you serve to help the people? if your answer is to provide “comic relief”, then i must advise, you fail…hard.
Good Luck
Thanks for your advice, Peter! You seem like a really fun guy. As you’re “bald spidey,” you’re clearly doing much more to “help the people” than we ever could. And now we know.
Peter, I appreciate you telling me how un-funny I am — thank you!
Oh Dear…the people of my home province are getting to be as cranky as my fellow Torontonians. Satire. It’s a thing…it’s where we poke fun of the nonsensical aspects of politics and or reality in general.
I was going to say you missed the part about always having someone to talk to while unemployed…(my mobile home is your mobile home). Not so sure now. But then again NBers are known for their agreeability, and are hopefully just going with the cliche condescending tone of Internet comment sections in general.
I’m an outsider from EU who studied in Saint John. To tell the truth my city in the middle of Poland called Lodz, more or less resembles Saint John and NB. I mean a lot of people who lost hope, aging population, high unemployment and so on. We only don’t have deers as pets and a 1000 trees for one inhabitant. 🙂 I like NB and tried to remember good things, but I had to leave and move for a job elsewhere despite getting a degree at UNB. Anyway, I am regularly looking for some NB news and I wish you all the best. You can win because you deserve this and don’t worry too much, in my opinion, some sarcasm is necessary just for a counterbalance and reflection from time to time.
Wow! I feel your anger. The best idea would be to learn to speak both official languages. A broad minded Anglo.
I’m from NB a live in ontario. The only perk here is a family Dr. There are not many nice people Ontario is cold, greedy, expensive, polluted, lol g commute times. Lots of unemployed in Ontario as well but you have an easier time to find work in NB as there is not a lot of minority pri ilege. I guess they don’t get free e douts that’s why they don’t move there
It’s half the cost of living in NB, your friend D’s are like family, people are more honest, caring and respect tful, women are treated better there than Ontario, people are not greedy, can you find this in Ontario no
Ahh.. i have a very well established drywall company in ontario and was thinking to buy a farm house with some acres and move to live in NB, i m not looking for fun outside my house, i only leave house for work or shopping.
I take the family out during the week not the weekends. Mostly to the zoo or playgrounds.
Been thinking for 3 years!! And im muslim if that has an effect.
What do you advice?
I turned 60 in 2019.I’ve lived alone for over 10 years.I have found that between 55and the magical 65 when you become a teeny bit more stable financially….there’s no service for in between.Seems like we’re just on our own.Lonliness is smothering and as an introvert my life is 3workouts a week at a local gym.Yet I cannot socialize.
Absolutely I feel Toronto is a swamp that people get stuck in and can’t find there way back out . Air Pollution and murders every day. I will take Moncton N.B. in a heart beat . I agree work is scarce for some but I lived most of my life in Ontario & 10 Yr. in Alberta. And if you are ready and going to retire Moncton N.B. is the clean living and affordable housing fresh air and were friendly Canadians live… Best Regards…