The New Brunswick government has introduced proposed changes to the Salvage Dealers Licensing Act aimed at reducing copper wire theft that can disrupt phone, internet and cellular services.
The amendments would create new requirements for the sale of copper wire to licensed salvage dealers and establish fines for dealers who fail to follow the rules.
Public Safety Minister Robert Gauvin said copper theft can have consequences beyond the loss of the material itself.
“When copper wire is stolen, it’s not just a piece of wire that goes missing; people can lose their phone or internet service, and that can mean missing an important call or not being able to get the help they need,” Gauvin said.
“We want New Brunswickers to be able to count on their connections. Making it harder for people to sell stolen copper is one way we can protect the infrastructure we rely on and keep working toward more reliable cell coverage across the province.”
If passed, the amendments would prohibit salvage dealers from accepting copper wire that has been burned or is no longer in its original manufactured state.
The legislation would also introduce new fines for dealers who accept or possess burned copper or who purchase or accept copper from someone not legally entitled to possess or dispose of it.
Authorized representatives of companies who are legally entitled to possess or dispose of copper in its original manufactured state would still be permitted to sell it to salvage dealers.
The proposed changes would also require a 48-hour delay before payment can be made for copper and would require dealers to maintain records of photo identification provided by sellers.
Dealers would also have to post signage stating they may refuse suspicious transactions and report suspected stolen materials to police.
Telecommunications and electricity companies have reported increasing copper thefts that have caused significant disruptions to critical infrastructure, according to a government release.
The province said the thefts have resulted in outages affecting internet, phone and electricity services.
Gary Forward, president of the New Brunswick Association of Chiefs of Police, said the proposed amendments could help improve accountability and support investigations.
“These amendments are a practical step toward greater accountability in copper transactions,” Forward said.
“By making stolen copper more difficult to sell and giving police better information to support investigations, they can help protect critical infrastructure and the essential services New Brunswickers rely on.”
The government said discussions with telecommunications companies, NB Power and law enforcement agencies identified changes to the Salvage Dealers Licensing Act as an important step in addressing the problem.
If passed by the legislative assembly, the amendments would take effect upon proclamation.
The proposed legislation is part of broader provincial efforts to improve cellular coverage across New Brunswick.
Those efforts include:
- A partnership with Bell Canada announced in September 2025 to support cellular equipment at 10 existing government telecommunications tower sites in rural areas.
- Plans announced in October 2025 to build three new towers in the Restigouche region, on the Acadian Peninsula and in the capital region.
- Ongoing work to collect cellular signal data along provincial highways and identify coverage gaps.
The province said those initiatives are intended to improve reliability and help New Brunswickers stay connected when they need it most.
