New Brunswick has climbed three spots since 2022, now ranking fourth overall in the Scorecard, with a score of 43 points out of 100.

New Brunswick’s progress in performance was driven by improvements in energy efficiency programs thanks in part to its 2022 climate change action plan that created an Energy Efficiency Fund and clear energy efficiency savings targets.

The province has made strides in improving energy affordability through income-targeted programs to help people shift away from expensive and dirty oil heating. New Brunswick reduced its consumption of natural gas and non-regulated fuels by 1.69 per cent of total annual demand, highlighting the effectiveness of its energy efficiency programs in cutting emissions and energy use.

New Brunswick has yet to adopt the latest national model codes but has set a timeline to adopt Tier 2 by 2025 and to achieve net-zero energy-ready building standards by 2030. Following through will create a pathway for long-term energy efficiency gains in the building sector.

The province could look to Québec’s Environmental Performance Act, which establishes a framework for a mandatory, province-wide policy, for next steps in their aim to introduce time of sale energy performance disclosure requirements by 2030.