Fredericton city (regional capital), economy - - Pictures
Since the 1960s activities relating to government and university education have formed the largest sector of Fredericton's economy. Beginning in the 1960s enrollments surged at the joint campuses of St. Thomas University and the University of New Brunswick, increasing from about 1000 in 1956 to more than 7000 by 1982 and more than 10,000 by 1997. The city's participation in regional economic development programs of the 1960s and 1970s attracted small industries to an industrial mall established for manufacturing. New companies now produce computer software and other technology products, many of which result from research performed at local universities. Fredericton is also a commercial and distribution center for farming and lumbering in the region. Major manufactured goods include building material, shoes, processed foods, and wood products. However, during the 1980s New Brunswick manufacturing firms that employed more than 100 people declined by 30 percent. Service industries now account for 70 percent of the jobs.
A railway no longer serves Fredericton. Rail freight service ended in the mid-1990s, and passenger service stopped in 1985. Goods are carried in and out of the city primarily by truck, and the city's once-thriving port now serves mostly recreational boats. The city government operates Fredericton Transit, which provides local bus service. SMT Eastern Limited offers bus service between Fredericton and other cities. Fredericton Airport is located just outside the city and provides direct links to major cities in eastern Canada and the United States.
