News release

Nova Scotia Budget 2022-23 Invests in Cape Breton Island

Finance and Treasury Board

Providing solutions to Nova Scotia’s most pressing challenges, including fixing healthcare, strategically growing the population and economy and investing in supports for Nova Scotia families and communities will benefit Cape Breton Island.

Today, March 29, Finance and Treasury Board Minister Allan MacMaster tabled Budget 2022-23: Solutions for Healthcare, Solutions for Nova Scotians.

“At its core, Budget 2022-23 is about people. It invests thoughtfully in the areas Nova Scotians care about most, while also planning for the needs of a province that is growing,” said Minister MacMaster.

With revenues of $12.7 billion and consolidated expenses of $13.2 billion, Budget 2022-23 estimates a deficit of $506.2 million. Spending in healthcare is estimated at $5.7 billion, an increase of $413.4 million from last year.

Highlights of 2022-23 investments that will benefit Cape Breton Island include:

  • continued investments in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality Healthcare Redevelopment project
  • new funding to make virtual care available to everyone on the Need a Family Practice Registry and expand the kind of care available through virtual care
  • two permanent mental health and addictions clinical assistants in Eastern Zone while psychiatrist recruitment continues
  • establishing an obesity clinic in Eastern Zone to better support surgical outcomes and wait times
  • 28 new nursing seats at Cape Breton University (CBU) and continued support for the nursing seats added in 2020
  • funding to expand operating room capacity in Cape Breton
  • funding for Hospice Cape Breton
  • continued school construction – Breton Education Centre, Glace Bay Elementary and Northside middle school
  • funding to continue the new Healthy Schools Grant for all public schools
  • $1 million toward the redesign and upgrade of Charlotte Street in Sydney to create a welcoming, accessible and green destination
  • Highland Village Redevelopment project
  • New Waterford Community Wellness Centre project
  • funding to continue the new Healthy Schools Grant for all public schools
  • expansion of the gravel road program and additional funding of $30 million for bridge repair and renewal
  • introduction of the More Opportunities for Skilled Trades program, which, starting in the 2022 tax year, will return provincial personal income tax paid on the first $50,000 of earnings for eligible people under the age of 30.

Solutions for Healthcare, Solutions for Nova Scotians builds on recent 2021-22 investments in Cape Breton, including a new Centre for Discovery and Innovation at CBU, funding to support CBU’s strategic health initiative and funding to support future growth and repairs at J.A. Douglas McCurdy Sydney Airport.

Quick Facts:

  • Budget 2022-23 contains $1.6 billion for capital projects, the largest single-year capital investment in the province’s history
  • the Capital Plan includes generational projects like the QEII New Generation and CBRM Healthcare Redevelopment projects and highway twinning
  • the budget also contains the final forecast for 2021-22, which updates the surplus to $107.7 million
  • additional appropriations related to the forecast, totalling $304.7 million, are required by seven departments and offices since the December forecast

Additional Resources:

To view the budget documents, visit: https://novascotia.ca/budget

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