Nova Scotia - Nouvelle-Écosse

Addressing Nova Scotia's Fiscal Challenge
A report prepared by the Nova Scotia Economic Advisory Panel (PDF - 1.2MB, 95 pages)
November 2009
Table of contents:
* Assessing the Fiscal Challenges Facing the New Government - by Tim O’Neill
* Delivering on “Making Life More Affordable for Nova Scotia Families”—an Economic Perspective - by Lars Osberg
* Reviewing the Expenditure Budget: Lessons Learned - by Donald J. Savoie
* Shaping a Path for Growth and Prosperity in Nova Scotia - by Elizabeth Beale

No help for the poor
November 14, 2009
Blog entry posted by Bruce Wark
Friday November 13th was an unlucky day for poor Nova Scotians. That's the day four economists (three men and one woman) released their recommendations outlining the economic path the new NDP government should follow. The 94-page report had little to say about the perennial problem of poverty in Nova Scotia. It focussed instead on how the provincial government should balance its books --- not next year as the NDP promised during the spring election campaign --- but within the next four years.
Source:
Halifax Media Co-op
[ Dominion Newspaper Cooperative ]
The Dominion Newspaper Cooperative, a grassroots Canadian newspaper and website that has been publishing since May 2003, has entered into a new phase for the Co-op - and for journalism in Canada. In February 2009, we launched our first 'local' in Halifax. The Halifax Media Co-op is a member-funded media cooperative that aims to combine participatory, democratically produced media with professional standards.

Newshounds grill Dexter
November 16, 2009
Blog entry posted by Bruce Wark
Nova Scotia Premier Darrell Dexter and his Finance Minister, Graham Steele underwent a sustained grilling today at the hands of the Halifax media. Reporters demanded to know why the pair could consider raising taxes, cutting spending and not balancing next year's budget when only a few months ago during the provincial election campaign, they promised a balanced budget with no tax hikes or major spending reductions."We did not have the information that we have today," a grim-faced Dexter told his inquisitors. "Six months ago, no one would have believed what we're facing today."
Dexter and Steele were reacting to the report of the Nova Scotia Economic Advisory panel released on Friday. The panel warned that trying to balance next year's budget would wreak havoc on the economy as well as on public services that people need. It also warned that tax increases and spending reductions would be needed to balance the budget in four years. Without such measures, the province would face a budget shortfall of $1.3 billion by 2013.
Source:
Halifax Media Co-op

Tax hikes, spending cuts on table in N.S.
No balanced budget next year despite campaign promise
November 17, 2009
Nova Scotians can expect taxes to rise and programs to be cut as part of the NDP government's fiscal plan. Those two strategies, along with spurring economic development, must be considered because of the province's dire finances, Premier Darrell Dexter said Monday. Dexter also said he won't be able to balance the books next year, despite vowing to do so while on the campaign trail last spring. ("... But there are economic realities that we are faced with today that we did not know six months ago")*. Dexter was responding to the recommendations of a panel of economic advisers, released last Friday. The four-person panel, which Dexter appointed in August, urged the government to forget about eliminating the deficit until 2012, saying that introducing a balanced budget next year would further damage a weak economy.
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* Sounds like a page from Dalton McGuinty's lament when his Liberals took over from the Tories in Ontario in 2003...
[ In its first budget after that election, the McGuinty government broke a key Liberal campaign pledge not to raise taxes, and it justified the about-face by railing at every opportunity about the previous (Conservative) government's "hidden deficit" of $5.6 billion dollars.]

Source:
Department of Community Services
Publications, Policies & Reports<===contains links to dozens of reports, plans, strategies, etc.
NOTE : business plans and accountability reports are valuable sources of program information and trends.
Recommended reading!

University welfare rules will help about 300 students
Province makes it easier for people on social assistance to improve their education
December 5, 2007
About 300 Nova Scotians on welfare have a better chance at a university education under changes to a provincial program that take effect in January. Community Services Minister Judy Streatch said last week that changes to the Career Seek program were coming soon, and she released details Tuesday. The program, announced in October 2006, allowed people on income assistance to pursue a post-secondary program of more than two years while collecting benefits. Critics said the eligibility rules were much too strict, and they pointed to the fact only two people have enrolled as proof.
Source:
The Chronicle-Herald (Halifax)

New Child and Youth Strategy Released
December 3, 2007
Nova Scotia's kids can now get more out of life, thanks to a new Child and Youth Strategy released today, Dec. 3. Community Services Minister Judy Streatch released the strategy titled Our Kids Are Worth It. (...) The strategy provides a range of services from prevention to intensive intervention. It is a combination of an expansion of existing services that work and an introduction of new services.
Some highlights include:
-- outreach and support for families raising children
-- shorter wait times and improved mental health services
-- co-ordination of professionals and programs
-- youth navigators, a partnership with Kids Help Phone and a new website for youth information and support
-- new programs for at-risk youth
-- provincial youth advisory network

Report to the Community 2007 (PDF file - 415K, 2 pages)
May 18, 2007
- this two-page pamphlet outlines Community Services work in the province --- Employment Support and Income Assistance (50,000 people assisted per year), family and children's services (23,000 children received protection services), services for people with disabilities (50,000 people benefited) and housing (20,000 Nova Scotians in social housing).

Business Plan 2007-2008 - Department of Community Services (PDF file - 250K, 25 pages)
March 23, 2007
"(...) The primary responsibility of the Department of Community Services is to ensure the basic needs of individuals and families are met by protecting children and adults at risk, and by providing financial support to persons in need. Most of the department’s expenditures are in the form of direct payments to clients in need of financial assistance or to service providers who provide residential, vocational, child care, housing, protection and other social services on behalf of the department.."

Source:
Publications and Reports
- links to over two dozen links to business plans, accountability reports and other reports dealing with housing and services for children and families

Income Assistance for Post-Secondary Education (Nova Scotia)
October 26, 2006
The Department of Community Services is creating opportunities for eligible income assistance recipients to get the education they need for a brighter future. Community Services Minister Judy Streatch announced today, Oct. 26, a new pilot program called Career Seek which will allow income assistance clients to attend university or a post-secondary education program of more than two years and still receive benefits from the income assistance program. (...) Individuals who have received income assistance for 12 months and have identified a post-secondary education as part of their employment plan, are eligible to apply for Career Seek. Over the next four years, 50 individuals each year will have an opportunity to participate in this program. The first participants could start their programs as early as January 2007.

Critics slam school assistance program
October 26, 2006
A pilot program that will allow 50 people on social assistance to keep their money while attending university comes up short, critics charge. "I would have thought this program would have been better thought out by the time we got here today," Liberal MLA Stephen MacNeil said Thursday as the program was announced. Community Services Minister Judy Streatch says Career Seek will help people on social assistance go to university or an educational program longer than two years. To qualify, applicants must have received assistance for a year and have chosen post-secondary education as part of their job plan. They also have to complete a career assessment to find the right courses to get a job. (...)Streatch says 200 people will take part in the program over the next four years, with the first participants starting class in January. The province has been cutting social assistance for people who want to go to university since 1999.
Source:
CBC.CA

New Job Opportunities for Income Assistance Recipients
News Release
September 22, 2006
Nova Scotians who receive income assistance now have more options to help them on their journey back to work and to earn some extra money, thanks to a new program from the Department of Community Services. Harvest Connection is a voluntary program that links income assistance recipients to job opportunities in rural communities during harvest season. Individuals who have received income assistance for six months can earn up to $3,000 a year, on top of their basic income assistance, by harvesting crops like apples, vegetables and Christmas trees.

Pharmacare for Children of Low-Income Families
August 30, 2006
Thousands of low-income families will receive help with the cost of prescription medications for their children when Low Income Pharmacare for Children begins, Oct. 1. Premier Rodney MacDonald and Community Services Minister Judy Streatch announced today, Aug. 30, that applications are now available for Low Income Pharmacare for Children. The program will help up to 35,000 children under the age of 18 whose families receive the Nova Scotia Child Benefit.

Minister Encourages Income Assistance Recipients to Receive Maximum Benefits
News Release
August 28, 2003
"Community Services Minister David Morse is encouraging all people who receive income assistance and have children under the age of 18 to file any outstanding income tax returns to ensure they receive the maximum benefits available to their children."

$500,000 for Child Care Resource and Referral Services
November 20, 2002
"Young Nova Scotians are growing up great through Early Childhood Development initiatives. The province announced the allocation of $500,000 to establish 10 Child Care Resource and Referral Services across the province today, Nov. 20, National Child Day."

Province Announces Early Childhood Funding
Department of Community Services
November 27, 2001
The Department of Community Services will immediately begin allocating $7.6 million in federal funding to improve community-based services to young children and families and to stabilize the licensed child-care sector in the province. A further $1.5 million of the $9.1 million allocated for 2001 is earmarked for a comprehensive home-visiting program now being planned by the Department of Health for implementation at a later date

Family Assistance Program
Department of Community Services
August 27, 2001
The Family Assistance Program provides $250 to families that have a net income less than $16,500 and have one or more children under the age of 19. To be eligible, families must not have received any form of income assistance for more than three months in 2000.

New Assistance System Addresses Fairness
Department of Community Services
July 13, 2001
Nova Scotia is about to usher in a new social assistance system with a common rate structure for all social assistance recipients. On Aug. 1, the new Employment Support and Income Assistance Act comes into effect.

New Social Assistance Regulations
Department of Community Services
March 23, 2001
The Nova Scotia government has approved new social-assistance regulations to help people move toward self-sufficiency and to help reduce poverty -- especially child poverty.

Province Introduces Legislation to Redesign Social Assistance
Department of Community Services
October 26, 2000
The proposed Employment Support and Income Assistance Act will replace the existing Family Benefits Act and most provisions of the Social Assistance Act. The section of the Social Assistance Act that supports the Community Supports for Adults program and long-term care will remain in effect.

New Social Assistance System Promotes Self-reliance
Department of Community Services
October 25, 2000
The new program, to take effect August 1, 2001, will provide enhanced supports to help people secure employment by developing individual plans for gaining self-sufficiency skills.

New Income Assistance System for Nova Scotia
June 12, 2000
Nova Scotians are being asked to comment on the redesign of the province's income assistance system. The new system, which comes into effect in April of 2001, will help people become more self-reliant. People can make submissions on this final phase of income assistance reform to the department by July 31st, 2000.

Social Assistance Restructuring Updated
May 18, 1999
Press Release
(the report itselfis no longer available online)

Applications for Nova Scotia's new Family Assistance Program are now available
July 25, 2000
Replaces the previous Direct Assistance Program, doubles the amount of money available to qualified families.
Provides $250 annually to families that have a net income of $16,500 or less and have one or more children under the age of 19.
Qualified families must not have received any form of income assistance for more than three months in 1999.

Family and Children's Services - includes Adoption * Adoption Disclosure * Child Abuse Register * Child Protection Services * Children in Care * Early Childhood Development Services * Foster Care Services * Prevention and Family Violence * Secure Care

Senior Citizens' Secretariat

Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations

Online interactive and information services of the Government of Nova Scotia

Finance

Home page/sitemap
Budget Documents (1995-96 to date, all on one page)
Public Accounts - 1996 to date
Economic Indicators
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From the
Nova Scotia Department of Finance:

2010-2011 Nova Scotia Budget
April 6, 2010
- main budget page, includes all budget documents

Nova Scotia
Provincial Budget Introduced
April 6, 2010
News Release
Finance Minister Graham Steele presented the provincial budget today, April 6, at Province House. (...) The government tabled a budget in fiscal 2010-11 with a deficit of $222.1 million. This is the first year of a four-year fiscal plan to return to a balanced budget. (...)
Government's long-term plan contains four key components:
-- bring better health care to Nova Scotia families
-- create secure jobs and growing the economy
-- make life more affordable
-- ensure government lives within its means."

[ Five more budget-related news releases ]

Budget Address (PDF - 254K, 25 pages)

Budget highlights (PDF - 1.9MB, 2 pages)

Budget Assumptions & Schedules (PDF - 1.3MB,113 pages)

Budget Overview

More budget documents - links to budget bulletins, main estimates, government and Crown Corporation business plans

Source:
Nova Scotia Department of Finance