Some may find it surprising that, while Canada is officially bilingual at the federal level, only one province is constitutionally bilingual at the provincial level, and that’s New Brunswick. About one-third of its population is French-speaking, mostly of Acadian ancestry. New Brunswick is one of the four original provinces of Canada dating back to Confederation in 1867.

Cape Tormentine, in the northeast corner of the province, is the mainland terminus of the Confederation Bridge, connecting Prince Edward Island with the mainland.

New Brunswick holds a curious piece of car manufacturing history. American millionaire Malcolm Bricklin brought his namesake sports car to St. John for manufacture. Thought to be the shape and design that later inspired the DeLorean, Bricklin’s car was an attempt to make a sporty, yet safe, high-performance car. The molded fiberglass/acrylic body panels were never perfected, however, and only three years of production occurred before the company went bankrupt, about 150 cars shy of building 3,000. Later models of the car used Ford engines and to this day, Bricklins are welcomed at Ford car shows as unofficial Ford vehicles, due to the power plant connection.

Mandatory Car Insurance Coverage

New Brunswick is no different than other provinces and territories in its requirement for car insurance to legally use its roads. Coverage expected by the province includes four sections.

1. Third Party Liability Coverage – minimum coverage is $200,000, though most drivers in New Brunswick choose to carry more. This section of your policy covers you when you cause injury or damage to property.
2. Direct Compensation-Property Damage – Direct compensation means that your own insurance company pays you for damage or loss to vehicle and property in an accident where another driver is at fault. In New Brunswick, conditions must be met for this coverage to be invoked.
3. Accident Benefits – Similar to DCPD, this is a no-fault type coverage where your insurance company pays medical and recovery expenses, death benefits and loss of income. Your insurer covers you regardless of who caused the accident.
4. Uninsured/Unidentified Coverage – if you’re injured by an uninsured driver, or if you’re involved in a hit-and-run accident where the other driver is unknown, this portion of coverage will protect you.

Optional Car Insurance

As well as collision and comprehensive insurance coverages, which are common to most car insurance policies, GAP insurance may be offered to you when you purchase a car from a dealer. This special insurance covers you for the difference between what you owe in financing payments remaining – the loan value – compared to what an insurer pays out after an accident or cash value. Check with your insurer to make sure you’re not already covered before purchasing this insurance through a dealer.