New Brunswick election called for Sept. 14

Premier Blaine Higgs has called an election in New Brunswick for Sept. 14.

The province will be the first to go to the polls since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

The Tory premier threatened last week to trigger a provincial vote unless opposition parties agreed to keep his minority government in power until 2022 — or until the pandemic was declared over.

Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers walked out of talks aimed at reaching a multi-party power-sharing arrangement Friday, saying they amounted to a power grab by Higgs.

At dissolution, the Progressive Conservatives and Liberals each have 20 seats in the legislature, while the Greens and the People's Alliance each have three. There are two vacant seats and one Independent.

On Aug. 10, Higgs invited opposition leaders to talks to reach a formal agreement not to trigger an election until September 2022, or no earlier than 30 days after public health officials declare the COVID-19 pandemic over.