Cover Photo Credit: Nathan Crowley-Peters
Noon Tuesday, October 20th, 2026. In downtown Fredericton, two blocks of Queen Street are barricaded. City of Fredericton and Fredericton Police Force vehicles flank from St. John Street to Church Street. Walking past the “Road Closed” signs, the beat of drums and blowing of bagpipes grows louder and louder, yet deafening their noise is the chant emanating from a crowd four-hundred strong in front of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick.
The crowd is composed of representatives from: the Protect the Chignecto Isthmus Coalition, the Atlantic Wildlife Institute, Seniors for Climate NB, Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, Achorn NB, and many other environmental groups.
These groups gathered in front of the Legislative Assembly in opposition to the several non-renewable energy initiatives that the Holt government has proposed: The Tantramar Gas Plant, the Lorneville Data Centre and Gas Plant, the lifting of the moratorium on Shale Gas, and the Sisson Mine.
Muriel Jarvis, an organizer of the rally representing Seniors of Climate NB, said her group:
“Wanted to pull together all the environmental groups that are trying to have the government listen to them about the power of renewable energy as opposed to continuing with fossil fuels.”
Jim Emberger, an organizer representing the New Brunswick Anti-Shale Gas Alliance, said for people looking to get involved that:
“You have these groups that are specific to your area, if you have interest in them you can find them online.”
Emberger also stressed the importance of younger people getting involved, citing the twelve-year-old fracking moratorium that the younger generations are not aware of, creating a “generation gap in what people understand about the problems we’re addressing.”
“Never be discouraged. We have the power of our voice,” added Jarvis.
One University of New Brunswick student at the rally, Bee, was impressed by the turnout. They especially noted the “number of seniors and young people,” but felt “disappointed with the turnout of college students.”
Bee said that if someone is wondering how they can help their cause, the best thing to do is “just show up,” adding that it is all a numbers game and you can make a difference by just “[being] a body or a tally.”
Dr. Chris Arsenault, a family doctor in Fredericton and co-chair of the New Brunswick chapter of the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, spoke out against the proposed government projects being “without any kind of consultation or any kind of health impact assessment,” as he believes the government is “moving ahead quick—recklessly—in terms of the health of New Brunswickers.”
He also mentioned the protests from 2012–2014 in New Brunswick that “forced the government to initiate a moratorium on fracking.” He said New Brunswickers can “do the same thing now that we did then.”
A variety of police units overlooked the rally. From drones, snipers, and a K-9 unit, to multiple tactical and plainclothes officers and regular constabulary units. On the police presence, one Constable said:
“The big thing is, right, people have the right to protest, and it’s just a matter if it gets out of control. That’s what we’re here for.”
