FREDERICTON — New Brunswick's auditor general says there are signs of continued fiscal progress in the province. 

Paul Martin released two volumes of his annual report today and says while it's encouraging that the net debt dropped to $13.5 billion in 2021, it's still $3.4 billion higher than it was in 2012.

Meanwhile Martin says he found a number of examples of unclear mandates or direction from the provincial government.  

He says the Department of Natural Resources and Energy Development has not communicated a clear mandate to NB Power concerning energy efficiency.

He says the department has not set measurable energy saving targets for the utility.  

Martin says he also found that salary and benefit packages provided by certain Crown agencies were not consistent with what employees in government or other Crown agencies were receiving.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 24, 2022.

The Canadian Press