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Mental health advocate legislation to come in the spring
Published Oct 26, 2025 • Last updated 6 hours ago • 3 minute read
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Minister Rob McKee says Fredericton is ‘high on the list’ of potential sites for the next mental health court in New Brunswick. Moncton is expected to see its long-awaited addictions and mental health court program start as early as mid-March 2026. BRUNSWICK NEWS ARCHIVESArticle content
Fredericton is “high up on the list” of potential sites for the next mental health court in New Brunswick, says the minister responsible for addictions and mental health services.
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The Holt government recently pledged to identify the next community for a mental health court in 2026. Saint John has long had a mental health court, while Moncton will see the program launch in mid-March or April, the minister told reporters.
“There’s eight jurisdictions in the province, so (with) Saint John and Moncton, it leaves six to go and the hope is to expand to all six, but we will evaluate where the next best place would be, with Fredericton certainly being high up on the list,” said Rob McKee, who is the minister of justice, the province’s attorney general, and the minister responsible for addictions and mental health services.
A mental health court helps those who run afoul of the law due to mental health issues, connecting them with community resources instead of focusing on punishment.
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The goals of the diversion program are to broaden access to mental health services, while improving court efficiency and reducing recidivism.
In June, McKee announced Moncton would finally see a mental health court next spring after a years-long delay under previous provincial governments.
Before a legislative committee early last year, Deputy Justice Minister Mike Comeau blamed the ongoing delay on the shortage of health-care workers necessary to run mental health and addictions programming to support the expansion.
Government spokesperson Clarissa Andersen told Brunswick News in June the staffing situation had been reviewed and, in fact, there were enough employees to support the program, with most services having wait times considered “manageable” for those participating in mental health court in Moncton.
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Moncton’s program will also serve those facing criminal charges who have addictions like substance use and gambling.
Last fall, the Liberals campaigned on a promise to expand mental health court access in New Brunswick at an estimated cost of $6 million over four years.
When asked what criteria will be considered for determining the location of the next mental health court in New Brunswick, McKee told reporters that community services need to be available.
“In Moncton, we were able to identify a couple dozen service providers that can join with the court health navigators that will be hired to ensure that we can find a placement within a reasonable time for individuals to get the help, the treatment, the counselling that they would need.”
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Brunswick News asked the government how much has been allocated in the 2025-26 budget for the new addictions and mental health court in Moncton. The newspaper did not receive a response by deadline.
Mental health advocate legislation to come in the spring
In addition to the mental health court commitment in its throne speech, the Holt government also pledged to create more treatment spaces next year.
“A 50-bed facility will open in summer 2026 to increase support to individuals with complex substance use issues,” the speech reads.
Last fall, ahead of the provincial election, the former Blaine Higgs Progressive Conservative government issued a request for proposals to find an operator for a 50-bed adult addiction treatment centre.
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Brunswick News asked the Department of Health late last month for details about the project, including location and cost. The department told the newspaper it was “looking forward to finalizing details to share with New Brunswickers in the coming weeks.”
The Holt government has also now committed to a spring timeline to introduce legislative amendments to create the long-awaited role of mental health advocate.
Earlier this month, McKee told Brunswick News consultations with stakeholders were underway in preparation for the creation of the position, but the advocate wouldn’t be in place this year.
On the campaign trail, the Liberals promised the creation of an “independent and unbiased” mental health advocate’s office. A former Liberal candidate recently criticized the new Holt government for the delay in establishing that office, which had unanimous support from MLAs when it was the subject of a Liberal-led motion in the legislature a few years back.
Brunswick News asked the government how much has been allocated in the 2025-26 budget for the creation of the mental health advocate office. The newspaper did not receive a response by deadline.
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