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- calendar_today November 12, 2026
Report Reveals Major Education Gaps in New Brunswick
A recently released study conducted by Université de Moncton economist Pierre-Marcel Desjardins reveals significant disparities in educational outcomes between First Nations in New Brunswick and their neighboring communities. The findings have prompted Indigenous leaders to call for increased and more reliable federal funding for First Nations education in the province.
Comparing First Nations and Neighboring Communities
The study examined data on employment, income, and educational attainment for the First Nations of Neqotkuk, Esgenoôpetitj, and Elsipogtog, and compared them with the nearby communities of Perth-Andover, Neguac, and Rexton. The analysis, based on 2021 census data, found that residents of the three First Nations had less than half the proportion of university degrees compared to their neighbors, and a much higher share of people without high school diplomas. These education differences were mirrored by significant gaps in unemployment statistics and income levels.
Historically Rooted Challenges
According to Ivan Augustine, who leads the Elsipogtog First Nation Education Authority, the local school serves a larger proportion of high-needs children than most provincial schools. Augustine attributes these challenges in part to trauma from the residential school system, which targeted the Mi'kmaq family structure with impacts still felt today. “That's what we see now,” Augustine said of the long-term effects.
Calls for Increased Federal Investment
Desjardins asserts that the urgent need for additional investment in First Nations education is clear, given the size of the disparities. His past work in 2012 comparing francophone and anglophone communities led to increased provincial funding for francophone education in New Brunswick. Augustine hopes the recent findings will have a similar effect at the federal level for Indigenous students.
The current funding model for the Elsipogtog school combines formula-based federal funding with a range of specialized programs, including cultural initiatives. Augustine argues this approach is precarious and insufficient, and he is advocating for long-term, needs-based funding from Indigenous Services Canada to meet the community’s requirements. "If our community was adequately funded, it would be a strength," Augustine said, referring to the youth of the population.
Youthful Demographics in First Nations Communities
The First Nations communities of Neqotkuk, Esgenoôpetitj, and Elsipogtog have populations on average 10 years younger than the provincial average, and more than 15 years younger than in nearby non-Indigenous communities. Desjardins describes this youthful demographic as both a challenge, in terms of housing and caretaking needs, and a potential strength for the province’s aging population—if supported with the necessary educational investment.
Advocacy by Three Nations Education Group Inc.
Three Nations Education Group Inc., established in 2009 by the three First Nations, commissioned the Desjardins study to support its case for increased federal funding. The group is seeking funding to expand curriculum development, training, and advocacy services for its members. Director Warren Tremblay emphasized that the study underscores the urgent need for greater investments in First Nations education.
Three years after first submitting their funding requests, Augustine and the Three Nations Education Group remain in the queue for a government response. Indigenous Services Canada has acknowledged receipt of the Desjardins study but declined to comment on individual funding applications, stating only that it is reviewing the report.
Outlook for First Nations Education in New Brunswick
The findings of the study have brought renewed attention to the educational disparities and related socioeconomic challenges facing First Nations in New Brunswick. Community leaders remain hopeful that the documented need will lead to policy changes and increased, stable investment from the federal government in Indigenous education.
Source: cbc.ca.
