Our readers tell us their thoughts on the provincial budget

Last week, we asked our readers in our daily newsletter about the provincial budget.

The Nova Scotia government released its 2026-27 budget on Feb. 23, titled “Defending Nova Scotia.” The budget originally axed $130.4 million in grants to organizations, as well as a five percent annual cut to the civil service, and a three percent cut in public service and Crown corporations, expected to save an additional $95 million.

The impact of these cuts? Organizations going without funding or vying for smaller pots of grant money, weakened government services and programs, and a deficit that is only marginally less than the $1.4 billion reported by Premier Tim Houston in January, expected to go down to $1.2 billion. The deficit was originally reported as $1.2 billion by Finance Minister John Lohr last September, which the PC government defended as they invested more into healthcare and housing.

Since its announcement, protestors have taken to the legislature en masse to stand against Houston’s budget, one that many believe is of his own making, having spent $6.7 billion outside of the regular budget process. Nova Scotia’s auditor general has flagged this spending before, even suggesting that Nova Scotia adopt legislation to only permit spending approved in the legislature. Nova Scotia is the sole province without such a law. The decision to cut bridge tolls and HST has also been criticized, costing the province around $40 million and $265 million in annual revenue.

On Tuesday, Houston walked back some of the cuts made to grants impacting people with disabilities, seniors, and African Nova Scotian and Indigenous students—channelling $53.6 million back into the province’s expenses.

While we couldn’t capture any opinions that may have changed since Houston’s announcement, most of our readers agreed on one thing: Houston’s budget is bad.

Out of 1,375 votes in our poll last week, 1,234 said they disapprove of the budget, 89.75 percent. That left 141 people approving of the financial choices of the provincial government, only 11.25 percent.

The outcome of this poll is rather clear. People are upset by the budget. Here’s what some of you had to say when you submitted your responses.

I approve of the budget

“Those who disapprove of the government are more than welcome to put their name in nomination. Let’s see what you would do other than ride the complain wagon.”

“Improving healthcare was part of his election promise and that is what the premier is attempting to do. The funding for grants, while necessary, lacks tangible feedback for the investment.”

“People want so many things fixed, i.e., health care. It costs a lot of money to do that.”

I disapprove of the budget

“The premier’s decision to cut HST and bridge tolls as part of his election campaign, plus the $1 BILLION expenditures each year beyond the actual budget, and having to make more money available to the hospitals in lieu of loss of parking revenue… putting this on the arts & NGOs is just wrong. There clearly should have been consultations prior to the budget.”

“Return to a 15 percent HST. I’m happy to spend a wee bit more since I don’t spend much anyway. This way, the bigger spenders will shoulder the bulk. This would more than cover what was taken away from arts and culture. And add taxes to high-profit large corporations.”

“Although investments in healthcare and energy resource development are essential, the cuts to the arts and environment, which are some of the province’s key assets, are starving the wealth and will contribute to our talent drain. Our province will become bland with artists needing to leave to earn decent livings and our natural resources will be destroyed, reduced to scarred wasteland.”