The Nova Scotia government wants to save you money.
Over $500 million in tax-saving measures are included in the provincial budget, released Tuesday.
That includes the elimination of bridge tolls in Halifax on April 1, and the removal of parking fees at Nova Scotia Health facilities.
The HST is going down by one percent, minimum wage is going up to $15,70 by October 1.
A $60 million expansion of the school lunch program to include all middle schools is in motion.
Amid uncertain economic times, the province is setting aside $200 million to deal with tariffs
A deficit of over $697 million is forecast.
Opposition reaction
Derek Mombourquette, the leader of the Liberal Party, says the budget is not actually tackling any tariff threats, while also pushing a substantial deficit onto the province.
He says the province never focused on either resource or economic department in their first term, so the public couldn’t engage in that conversation.
Many people will take issue with the natural resources that the government wants to dig up.
But the government isn’t interested in hearing “no” to their goals, he says.
“I believe they’re not interested in speaking with anyone.”
Although the province says these new measures to extract natural resources would boost the province’s economy in the face of tariffs, NDP leader Claudia Chender says that’s not why the PCs want to do it.
“I think that the connection between resource development and the response to tariffs is tenuous at best,” she says.
She agreed with Mombourquette, saying the government never talked about economic development in their first mandate.
But she says the government also isn’t following the auditor general’s recent recommendation to table any additional government expenses in the legislature.
Nova Scotia budget highlights:
-$8 million for Nova Scotia Loyal to make it easier for Nova Scotians to buy local
-$3 million for preparatory work to create a successful pathway to offshore wind development and
harness the power of Nova Scotia’s wind resources
-$500,000 to advance the Critical Minerals Strategy to seize global opportunities to develop critical
resources
-$200,000 to diversify Nova Scotia’s international seafood markets and respond to emerging risks
-$150,000 for a comprehensive, cross-government Trade Action Plan to facilitate internal trade,
enhance productivity and drive economic growth in critical sectors
-$150,000 for a new Seafood Sector Strategy to map out future opportunities for growth,
transformation and modernization
-support for Nova Scotia’s small businesses to give them a competitive edge, including reducing
the small business tax rate from 2.5 per cent to 1.5 per cent April 1, and increasing the small
business tax rate income threshold from $500,000 to $700,000
-$39 million to continue supporting the Nova Scotia film industry, including $14 million to complete
the Washington Black television series
-$35 million for Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth, to help Nova Scotia
businesses create green jobs and adapt to the impacts of climate change.
-$30.1 million to continue More Opportunity for Skilled Trades (MOST) tax refund program for
workers under the age of 30 in high-demand occupations, including skilled trades, film and video,
and nurses
-$500,000 for Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy to support research for the tidal energy
industry
-more than $500 million in tax saving measures including reducing the HST by 1 per cent starting
April 1, 2025, increasing the basic personal amount for all Nova Scotians from $8,744 to $11,744
starting January 1, 2025 and implementing the first year of indexing tax brackets starting January
1, 2025. The combined measures are expected to save an average Nova Scotian family more
than $1,000 this year.
-increasing minimum wage by $1.30 to $16.50 on October 1, starting with an increase to $15.70
on April 1
–$61.3 million increase this year, for a total of $80 million, to expand the school lunch program to
an additional 77 schools, reaching approximately 29,000 more students. This brings the program
to all middle and junior high schools ahead of schedule
-removing the tolls from the Angus L. Macdonald bridge and the A. Murray MacKay Bridge in
Halifax on April 1
-$88 million to build, renovate and maintain public housing across the province
-$73.9 million to provide 8,900 rent supplements to Nova Scotians, an increase of 400 over last
year
-rebate of the Provincial HST on new purpose-built rental housing. Applies to projects that begin
construction on or after September 14, 2023, until December 31, 2030, and completed
construction by December 31, 2035. Estimated $54.1 million in 2025-26.
-$24.8 million increase to transition people with disabilities from large institutions, like residential
care facilities and long-term care homes, into the community of their choice
-$10.5 million increase, for a total of $130.5 million this year, to support Nova Scotians
experiencing or at risk of homelessness
-$6.9 million increase to the Backyard Suites Incentive Program, for a total of $20 million over
three years
-$5 million increase, for a total of $10 million this year, for post-secondary student housing
Building a Healthy Population
-$750.9 million for the Halifax Infirmary Expansion Project and Cape Breton Regional Municipality
Health Care redevelopment project (capital)
-$131.9 million for construction and renewal of other hospitals and medical facilities including
projects in Amherst, Yarmouth, South Shore and at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax (capital)
-$90.9 million for One Patient, One Record to enable a digitally supported patient-centered health
system (capital)
-$54 million ongoing funding for initiatives that move the province toward publicly funded universal
mental health and addictions care for all Nova Scotians
-$19 million for free parking at Nova Scotia Health hospitals and the IWK for employees, patients
and visitors
-$26.9 million to deliver free shingles vaccine to Nova Scotians age 65 and older
-$45.8 million toward the plan to build 5,700 new and replacement long-term care spaces by
2032, with five on track and expected to open this year
-more than $100 million in continued supports to address Gender-based Violence and Intimate
Partner Violence across various departments
-a new team with a dedicated focus on addressing Gender-based Violence and Intimate Partner
Violence
-$25 million increase to stand up the Department of Emergency Management and the Nova Scotia
Guard, and strengthen how the province responds to emergencies
-$22.4 million for year two of the Cellular for Nova Scotia Program, a $70.4 million multi-year
commitment to expand access to cellular service across the province (operating and capital)
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