CUMBERLAND COUNTY: In this year’s budget, Nova Scotia is forging a path toward powering its future, building stronger, healthier communities and ensuring the Province’s fiscal sustainability.
Finance and Treasury Board Minister John Lohr tabled Budget 2026-27: Defending Nova Scotia on February 23.
“This year’s budget is about continuing to invest in the strategic priorities that will drive the province forward and build our economy.
“At the same time, we are planning for the long term to reduce expenses and keep our province on strong fiscal footing,” said Minister Lohr.
Budget 2026-27 continues to make life more affordable, with $681.2 million to continue tax saving measures that will save the average family more than $1,400 this year.
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Some of the projects that will benefit Northern Nova Scotia include:
– $233.5 million to continue rolling out One Patient One Record across the province, creating one digital health record for every patient no matter where they are (operating and capital)
– $873.8 million to build 5,700 new and replacement long-term care spaces by 2032, including the Roger Bacon Long-Term Care Centre in Amherst, which will open this year (capital)
– $144.5 million for construction and renewal of hospitals and medical facilities, including the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre in Amherst (capital)
– $24.7 million for the construction of modular units to expand dialysis services, including at the All Saints Springhill Hospital (capital)
– $4.7 million toward the first phase of the Menopause Centre of Excellence to help women get the specialized care they need (operating and capital)
– $3.1 million to hire and train staff for the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre’s redeveloped emergency department so they can hit the ground running when it opens in June 2027
– $47.1 million to pay more to hard-working family doctors, including those who take shifts in long-term care facilities, hospitals and emergency departments in Nova Scotia’s rural community hospitals
– $8 million more for the Universal Mental Health and Addictions Care Insured Services program to expand services across the province
– $500,000 for improvements to the Mental Health and Addictions Provincial Crisis Line technology
– $110.3 million to build and renovate schools in the 2026-27 school year, including in Trenton (capital)
– $7 million to open five Integrated Youth Services sites across the province, including in New Glasgow, by 2027-28
– $30.8 million for post-secondary student housing for Nova Scotia Community College, including at the Cumberland campus in Springhill
– $46.4 million to build new public housing units, including in Springhill, and to maintain existing public housing units (operating and capital)
– $6.8 million to contract four dedicated fixed-wing water bombers for Nova Scotia for wildfire operations
– $1.8 million to increase the Gas Tax Access Road Program, which helps private woodlot owners build and upgrade access roads for harvesting
– $8 million to support forestry contractors and private woodlot owners to move low-grade wood to market and lower wildfire risk
– $465 million for highway and road improvement and safety provincewide, including the Trunk 4 active transportation corridor conversion in Antigonish County (capital).
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Budget 2026-27 also introduces a four-year fiscal sustainability plan to contain expense growth. This includes a five per cent civil service reduction and a three per cent reduction in the broader public service, which includes Crown corporations, regional centres for education and other entities.
“We value our hard-working public servants, but government needs to become more focused and efficient,” said Minister Lohr.
“We will protect core front-line services that Nova Scotians rely on, and work to right-size government through attrition wherever possible.”
Quick Facts:
– with revenues of $17.3 billion and expenses of $18.9 billion, Budget 2026-27 estimates a deficit of $1.19 billion (after consolidation and adjustments) before contingency
– additional appropriations related to the 2025-26 budget forecast total $47.4 million since the December forecast update