Horizon Health Network Responds to the Government of New Brunswick’s 2025-26 Provincial Budget

Horizon Health Network (Horizon) has met with our Government of New Brunswick partners to discuss the details of the 2025-26 provincial budget, and we are encouraged by the focus on health care.

We are in the process of analyzing budget details against both our day-to-day operational needs and initiatives aimed at achieving transformational change in health care – all to the benefit of improved health outcomes for New Brunswickers.

We commend the government’s recognition for the need for funding specific to primary care, which will allow Horizon to further develop collaborative care models, or Family Health Teams, which will improve access to primary care across our communities.

As the largest Regional Health Authority in the province, with over 14,000 physicians and staff serving our communities, we are also encouraged by pledged investments in other areas of health care.

In particular, we acknowledge the commitment to further support New Brunswick’s aging population for long-term care and home care. Horizon continues to experience an extremely high number of patients in our hospitals who no longer require acute care but, by no fault of their own, remain in our facilities awaiting placement in a community setting or support at home. While this investment represents a positive step forward, we know more work lies ahead. Horizon remains committed to working with government stakeholders, including the Department of Social Development, to advocate for meaningful solutions to ensure these patients can transition to appropriate care settings outside of the hospital, creating capacity for patients in need of acute care.

We will work closely with government to ensure investments are made that will allow our Horizon teams to provide the best possible health care for all New Brunswickers.

Margaret Melanson, President and CEO, Horizon Health Network

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