Letter of Support of the Green Economy New Brunswick (GENB) and the Enhancing Productivity and Competitiveness Through Climate Action Proposal

April 23, 2025

Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
81 Regent St.
Fredericton, NB E3B 3W3

Government of New Brunswick
P.O. Box 6000
Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1

To The Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Government of New Brunswick:

RE: Support of the Green Economy New Brunswick (GENB) and the Enhancing Productivity and Competitiveness Through Climate Action proposal

On behalf of the Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce, I am pleased to provide this letter of support for Green Economy New Brunswick (GENB) and the Enhancing Productivity and Competitiveness Through Climate Action proposal. This initiative will bridge a knowledge and awareness gap for our members on how the economic landscape is changing, and the operational benefits of reducing their carbon footprint. This project will empower our region’s businesses to become stronger, more competitive and equip them with the knowledge they need to find efficiencies, reduce energy and operating costs, and grow business with customers.

New Brunswick’s Chambers of Commerce represent businesses in the province who are committed to working together to realize the province’s full potential. We believe in building a thriving New Brunswick where businesses have the runway and support to grow and succeed. In December 2024 the Chambers of Commerce for Greater Moncton and Fredericton published the Joint Position on the Alignment of Government Efforts and Business Interests Toward Sustainability and Decarbonization (Green Future), articulating support for the decarbonization of our electrical grid and the need to first educate businesses on the benefits of investing in sustainability initiatives.

Chamber members have recognized environmental sustainability as a priority, but this is not our area of expertise. We see benefits in partnering with Green Economy New Brunswick to provide sustained education on how the low-carbon transition is changing the expectations and requirements of businesses, and how businesses can save money, improve productivity, and enhance competitiveness by shrinking their carbon footprint.
Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are 99% of businesses in the province. They often lack the time, resources, and knowledge required to prioritize energy efficiency projects. Engaging this group is critical to ensuring that the region’s climate goals can be met, while building resilience in New Brunswick businesses to remain competitive in a global shift to a low-carbon world. We see Green Economy New Brunswick as an ideal partner to host this programming with us to help more businesses in the province take action.

New Brunswick’s Chambers of Commerce are eager to see support for business sustainability that enhances the competitiveness and productivity of our region while supporting progress towards netzero. As a partner on the project, we will directly support workshop content development, recruitment, advertising, and organization of events with GENB staff.

We encourage you to support the proposed project and would be happy to speak further if you have any questions.

Sincerely,
Shannon Merrifield
Chief Executive Officer, Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce