Hello Friends,
This is an important time in Nova Scotia’s political calendar, when MLAs return to the People’s House to debate the budget that will shape the province’s priorities for the upcoming fiscal year. This year’s budget carries a particularly heavy weight. In the face of a historic provincial deficit and over a billion dollars in out-of-budget spending last year alone, the province is at a crossroads and faces tough decisions. We must demand accountability and be prepared to make the choices necessary to tackle the cost-of-living crisis
A new report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives has sobering numbers: Nova Scotia continues to have the highest child poverty rate in Atlantic Canada and the third highest provincial rate in Canada. Income support is hugely important to lifting people out of poverty, yet Nova Scotia spends 78 per cent less than the Canadian provincial average on programs that support families and children, like child benefits, and affordable child-care services. In recent years, Family Resource Centres that deliver vital services in our communities have seen a significant increase in demand for their programs, yet they are now facing devastating funding cuts.
In Fall 2025, I introduced Bill 164 calling for a Poverty Reduction Strategy, and will continue to push for the immediate establishment of a Child and Youth Advocate Office to protect the rights, interests and perspectives of children and youth. As the province moves to bring spending under control, the immediate needs of our children, families and most vulnerable citizens can not be ignored. This budget session must be about results: lowering the cost of essentials and ensuring that no child in Nova Scotia is left behind due to provincial inaction. We can not afford to see a further widening of the gap between the cost of survival and the reality of a family’s paycheque.
We all have a role to play in democracy. The decisions made at Province House over the next few weeks will impact your wallet and your family. Sharing your priorities with your local MLA (https://enstools.electionsnovascotia.ca/edinfo/) and staying up-to-date with daily business at the Legislature (https://nslegislature.ca/legislative-business/legislative-tv) are simple ways to stay involved.
Your voice matters and belongs at the heart of our legislative process.
