Congratulations Kingswood University Class of 2024

Congratulations to the Class of 2024 graduates of Kingswood University who received their degrees today. Students come to Sussex from around the world to prepare for ministry. 🎓

Having Kingswood students in Sussex enrich the community in so many ways.

A special round of applause to Isai Jimenez Calderon of Mexico on being named Valedictorian. He graduates summa cum laude with a grade point average of 3.8-4.0 even though he knew very little English when he started his studies at Kingswood. Amazing. He will be staying in Sussex with his wife and fellow Kingswood graduate Andrea Veronica Mendez Ramirez to pursue careers at Kingswood.

Also special shoutouts to the two graduating students from Sussex - Madison Long and Luke Belyea.

Salisbury Volunteer Recognition Reception

Our communities are special and successful because of our volunteers. The unpaid work they do is seen everywhere….they coach our children in minor sports, drive patients to dialysis and cancer treatments, run our food banks and health clinics, save us from fires and accidents….and the list goes on and on.

Thank you Rob Campbell, Mayor of Salisbury, and your council for inviting me to your volunteer recognition reception. What an incredible community full of volunteers cheering one another on. Congratulations nominees and award recipients.

I am happy to be the candidate in this year’s election for the new riding of Sussex-Three Rivers, which will take in a piece of Salisbury. This community is filled with character and quality of life, and the volunteers have the biggest role to play in that. As always, it was great to share the occasion with Fundy Royal MP Rob Moore.

Provincial Parks, Arts, Culture and Sport to Benefit from Increased Department Budget

This year’s $80 million budget for the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture was presented in the legislative assembly, representing a 7.4% increase from the previous fiscal year.

This increased budget reflects our government’s commitment to keep building a stronger New Brunswick. By supporting our arts, cultural, heritage, sports and tourism sectors, we set the stage for continued growth, ensuring that New Brunswick is Canada’s destination of choice for visitors and a vibrant cultural hub for residents.

This year’s highlights include:

·$20 million to support the tourism sector.

·An additional $1.9 million from the Arts Development Trust Fund for the New Brunswick Arts Board and Music NB to support artists, musicians and music organizations.

·$36 million for the upkeep and preservation of provincial parks, including $5.4 million for Fundy Trail Provincial Park

·A $1 million increase from the Sport Development Trust Fund to provide community recreation and active-living initiatives.

Last year, tourism spending in New Brunswick exceeded $2 billion, which is a remarkable achievement for our province,. We are proud of our investments, which are paying off, and we look forward to working closely with our partners to make the most of them. Our industry partners and communities are already reaping the benefits, and we believe there is much more to look forward to in the coming years.

Overnight stays in New Brunswick went up by 7% in 2023 compared to 2022; overnight stays by United States visitors have gone up 34% since the start of the pandemic in 2020. Over two years, the department provided $2.35 million to support 118 festivals and events and provided 215 grants to sports organizations that have helped more than 107,000 participants stay active.

Overall, the tourism industry in New Brunswick has recovered from the effects of COVID-19 and, in most areas, exceeded its numbers since 2019, with plenty of achievements to look forward to in the years to come. #ExploreNB