In a historic political shift, Premier Susan Holt has become New Brunswick's first female premier, securing a decisive victory in the recent provincial elections. While many anticipated her win, the sheer scale of her landslide surprised even seasoned observers. Her overwhelming support has set the stage for an ambitious tenure focused on healthcare, economic growth, and social reforms, including significant strides in abortion access.

"We were surprised by how many New Brunswickers came out and said clearly, 'We want change, and we want your team,'" Holt said in an interview with CHCO-TV's Vicki Hogarth for Southwest Magazine. "But we had been confident. We felt it on the ground. Door to door, in communities, people told us they wanted change, and they were prepared to vote in ways they never had before to elect our team and get the change they were looking for."

Healthcare Reform and Immediate Action

A key priority of Holt's agenda is healthcare reform. Within days of taking office, she initiated policies to fulfill campaign promises, including amending Policy 84-20 to ensure publicly funded access to abortions.

"We're proud to have hit the ground running," Holt said. "I'm not a patient woman, so we had things we wanted to accomplish before the year was out, like amending 84-20 to guarantee funded access to abortion through the healthcare system."

To address the province’s nurse shortage, Holt introduced a $10,000 retention bonus to curb the exodus of healthcare professionals.

"Many nurses were leaving the profession, even younger ones," Holt said. "The data suggests this $10,000 bonus will keep people in their jobs for the next couple of years while we change fundamental working conditions to ensure long-term retention."

Looking ahead, her government plans to establish 10 new care clinics by 2025, including one in St. Stephen, to ease emergency room pressures and improve local healthcare access.

"The beauty of this model is that it's led by the healthcare professionals themselves," Holt said. "We won't dictate where they have to be. Instead, they will tell us where they want to practice and how we can make it attractive for them to stay and deliver care."

Education, Housing, and Social Equity

Beyond healthcare, Holt's administration aims to revolutionize education with initiatives like universal free breakfast and pay-what-you-can lunch programs.

"Every school program will have what they need—whether that's funding, food, volunteers, or even just a fridge," Holt said. "We're ensuring every school in New Brunswick has a universal breakfast program with healthy, local foods, and we’ll roll out the Pay What You Can lunch model next."

Housing is also a top priority, with a pledge to build 30,000 new housing units by 2030.

"We need to increase housing stock," Holt said. "We've adopted the HST discount, reducing costs by 15% for new multi-unit developments, effective November 15. That will help accelerate new housing projects. We’re also launching a community housing retention and expansion program to support nonprofits and organizations providing affordable housing. Additionally, we’ve implemented a rent cap to stabilize costs for renters and are overhauling the property tax system to make it more competitive."

Crime, Safety, and Social Issues

Holt’s administration is taking a multi-faceted approach to public safety by leveraging community involvement and technology.

"We must explore solutions that work, such as deploying community safety personnel and using technology like surveillance networks," Holt said. "It's not just about hiring more RCMP officers. It’s about communities coming together, communicating, and having provincial support for public safety investments."

Her government is also addressing homelessness and addiction by expanding support systems.

"We need more residential treatment facilities for mental health and addiction," Holt said. "We’ve committed not just to maintaining 50 beds but also to ensuring community support services are available. This includes mental health outreach, school psychologists, and preventive measures to help individuals before they reach crisis points."

The Challenge of Delivering Promises

Despite the optimism surrounding her leadership, Holt acknowledges that delivering on her ambitious promises will be her greatest challenge.

"We must balance delivering commitments with fiscal responsibility," Holt said. "We aim to drive economic growth in New Brunswick. Opportunities exist in ports, energy, cybersecurity, health research, and home care. At the same time, we’re reducing unnecessary legal battles and finding efficiencies in government to maintain a balanced budget."

Meeting the expectations of New Brunswickers who placed their trust in her will require navigating the complexities of governance while staying true to her vision.

A Vision for New Brunswick

As New Brunswick looks to 2025 and beyond, Holt remains committed to transformative governance. Her leadership has gained attention beyond Canada, even earning a congratulatory letter from Hillary Clinton.

"Getting a note from Hillary Clinton was wild," Holt said. "It reminds us that while New Brunswick may be a small province, people take notice when leadership and values shift. One of the things New Brunswickers voted for was a different approach—governing with empathy, vulnerability, love, and transparency."

Premier Susan Holt’s tenure will ultimately be defined by her ability to turn bold promises into tangible results. Her ambitious reforms in healthcare, education, housing, and economic development have set a high bar, and her ability to deliver will determine her legacy as a transformative leader for New Brunswick.