By now, many people have heard of Premier Tim Houston’s budget cuts. To save $130 million, the Houston government has slashed 287 program grants and funding in Nova Scotia. Numerous grants and ongoing projects will essentially be cut off. The bulk of these grant reductions will impact arts programs, tourism and culture, and many of the diverse communities established here in Nova Scotia. Additionally, many education programs are also being hit hard, leaving many curious as to why these unprecedented cuts happened so unexpectedly.
As a high school student, I’m left questioning what this means for many of my friends and me. Discussions of the cuts have been circulating in our school halls, and we must make our voices heard even when the Houston government seems to be doubling down on their budgetary choices. And these cuts are a choice.
The loudest alarm over these cuts is coming from people involved in the arts. And for good reasons. The arts already receive very little government funding. Now the province plans to slash nearly 30 per cent of funding for arts programs in Nova Scotia. For many programs, that could be the breaking point.
One program hit especially hard is Artists in Schools. It brings working artists into classrooms from primary to Grade 12, helping students learn through creativity. Now its future is uncertain. Schools may lose a program that has inspired students for years.
These cuts send a troubling message: that the arts don’t belong in education. But the research says the opposite. Creativity builds innovation, problem-solving, and adaptability. The arts are not a luxury. They are as important to learning as reading, writing, and arithmetic.
The timing makes it even harder to understand. These programs have supported students for decades. Taking them away now risks closing doors for the next generation.
Ultimately, rural students will be hit hardest by these cuts because these communities often lack the infrastructure around them to make up for these activities and classes. As an attendee of a more rural school, living in a rural area, these losses to our education will be devastating for me, my peers and the younger generation.
Higher education has also taken a serious hit. Funding for universities has been cut across Nova Scotia. Saint Mary’s University alone has lost 28 per cent of its operating grant — about $11 million.
Other schools are losing key programs. PhD funding is being stopped at Acadia University, Mount Saint Vincent University, and St. Francis Xavier University. More than $600,000 for curriculum development has been cut. Another $600,000 for continuing education for early childhood educators is gone.
It raises an important question. Why are programs that serve marginalized communities — and fields largely led by women — facing some of the deepest cuts?
Another hot topic regarding the cuts is bus passes. For the last couple of years, a transit pass pilot program was implemented for students in grades 7 to 12 that gave bus passes to students for free. I remember receiving mine and feeling that much more independent, knowing that card was in my wallet.
This program offers students opportunities to seek jobs and hobbies on their own. Taking the bus has always been the greener way to go, too — although Tim Houston has discontinued the climate change fund and dropped funding for ecological forestry by 20%, so environmental care is proven to be a low priority for this government.
The bus pass partnership between the city and the provincial government allowed for a $1.2 million contribution from the province and $600, 000 from the city to support this program. Due to the cuts, this program will be completely cut off.
Ironically, just two years ago, the Houston government removed bridge tolls from the Macdonald and the MacKay bridges, reasoning that this would save time and money for commuters. Many wondered at the timing and who had asked for this, and we still do. There was no consultation here, either.
As of the 2022 increase, to pay cash to cross the bridge, it was $1.25, or $1.00 with a MACPASS. However, bus fares in Halifax are now $3 for a ride for adults. Monthly bus passes for adults are $90. This isn’t saving money, or even time, as traffic has in fact become even more congested coming off the bridges as traffic advisors warned it would. The tolls were a good portion of revenue for infrastructure in Halifax, bringing in $36 million in 2024 alone. It was only a matter of time before the Houston government was going to need to make that money back. And again, ending this bus program, who does it impact most of all? Young people, women, and other marginalized communities.
There is more to be said about which programs were targeted with these cuts. For instance, all the grant funding for Mi’kmaw offices in the Education Department, the full grant for the Mi’kmaw Native Friendship Centre here in Halifax, the entire budget for the Treaty Day awards ceremony, plus part of the budget for Mi’kmaw history month. Grant funding for the Mi’kmaw Summer Games is also completely lost. The budget for the Mi’kmaw language revitalization fund lost out on $260, 000 and on and on.
These cuts show what counts as important to the Houston government – or perhaps what’s not. As the saying goes, “When someone shows you who they are, believe them.” These cuts tell us who the Houston government is, and it’s clear they are not working for the people or the future of Nova Scotia.
We’re losing valuable projects, connections, cultural expressions, and crucial aspects of our education systems. We’re losing funding for everyday spaces like libraries, museums, galleries, tourism, and schools. These cuts will not be helping Nova Scotia; they will be wounding it. These cuts won’t just affect us now — they will impact us negatively long into the future. For generations to come, we will be able to look back at this moment and say, “This is when profits over people became the way of our provincial government.”
Cambree DC is a high school student. She plays basketball and the violin. Born in Winnipeg, she now calls Nme’jukatik (Shad Bay) her home.
Well said! This shows the youth of this province will speak up for their future. I attended the rally at NS legislature yesterday and there were many children and youth there. It was wonderful to see them participate. We have to keep up this energy and make this government hear the people!
This article did a good job highlighting how the problems set by these budget cuts affect young people.
An excellent letter. Why all these cuts indeed? Why wasn’t there more decisions on cancelling the toll bridge.? Then the money spent dismantling the booths& the roadwork??? There should be accountability for where all the government debt came from!! Show us where you spent all that money!!
Can we continue to live with annual deficits of over $1 billion and who should inherit the burden ?
How much provincial debt is too much ? After decades of the provincial government pension plan being in deficit the plan is now is in surplus and provincial pensioners saw their pension increase by 2.5% on January 1st. The loss of Bridge toll revenue is pocket change in the debt problem. All the protests will not change the debt problem and therefore we need solutions not demonstrations and complaints.