Premier Tim Houston announced a variety of supports at a news conference today, September 26.

“Yesterday, I toured some of the hardest hit areas of the province with the Ministers of EMO, Finance and Treasury Board, Addictions and Mental Health and Public Works. We heard from Nova Scotians directly impacted about measures we need to take,” said Premier Houston. “Disaster relief funding will be helpful for uninsured losses, but we know this may take time and there will be gaps. That is why we are taking action and giving more support to Nova Scotians most affected by the storm.”

The following one-time financial assistance will be offered to eligible Nova Scotians:

• $100 for every household that lost power for at least 48 hours to cover the cost of spoiled food
• $250 for every person that has to pay for tree or debris removal from their property
• an additional $250 on top of the existing $750 seniors care grant to help with storm repairs
• $150 to all current income assistance recipients, including Disability Support Program participants receiving income support
• $1,000 per household in emergency funding for people ordered out of their homes or who cannot return to their homes; people can register with the Canadian Red Cross online at https://www.redcross.ca/how-we-help/current-emergency-responses/hurricane-fiona-2022 or by calling 1-800-863-6582 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.

Funding will also be provided to support community organizations that help people:

• a $2-million fund will assist community centres with the purchase and installation of generators
• $500,000 to Feed Nova Scotia and $150,000 in total for non-member food banks in Cape Breton and eastern Nova Scotia
• $100,000 to Salvation Army and Red Cross organizations in Cape Breton
• $100,000 in total to shelters in Cape Breton and eastern Nova Scotia to help with extra demand
• $100,000 to establish a hotel fund, administered by Cape Breton Community Housing, to provide temporary accommodations for people in shelters who cannot go back into their homes
• $150,000 to distribute support to families in need through the SchoolsPlus program; the support will come in the form of grocery store cards and access to food, where possible.

Details about these grants and how to apply will be available soon.

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NOTE: This release was updated September 26 to correct the minimum time without power to claim $100 in assistance for spoiled food.

View Full NS Gov’t Release Here

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 for the future, is the focus of the provincial budget.

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. “This government is committed to listening to Nova Scotians, finding creative solutions and taking action. This budget presents a new path forward that includes historic investments in healthcare, a renewed effort to recruit healthcare professionals and solutions to improve our workforce, economy, housing and roads.”

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 Budget 2022-23 include:

Solutions for Healthcare and Mental Health

— $14.5 million more to make virtual care available to everyone on the Need a Family Practice Registry

— $2 million to support efforts to recruit healthcare professionals

— $3.2 million to add 200 new nursing seats, at Cape Breton University (28), Dalhousie University (26), St. Francis Xavier University (26) and Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) (120 practical nursing)

— $10.2 million to support patient-flow initiatives at Nova Scotia Health

— $17.5 million to perform 2,500 more surgeries, expand operating room hours and add 28 beds and staffing at Dartmouth General Hospital to support more surgeries

— $2.1 million to address surgery backlogs due to COVID-19 at IWK Health Centre and to fund more cataract surgeries in the province

— $597,000 to expand operating room capacity in Cape Breton

— $6.3 million more for cardiac and renal programs

— $22.9 million to continue delivery of COVID-19 vaccines and boosters to Nova Scotians

— $3.4 million more to expand mental health virtual care, including hiring 22 clinicians over two years, for Community Mental Health and Addictions outpatient clinics and enhancing virtual care services at emergency departments

— $1 million to open the province’s first mental health acute day hospital at the QEII Health Sciences Centre

— $275,000 to add two permanent mental health and addictions clinical assistants in Eastern Zone while psychiatrist recruitment continues

— $1.7 million more for withdrawal management services.

Investing in Long-Term Care

— $66.3 million to provide continuing care assistants (CCAs) with the highest wages in Atlantic Canada

— $17.2 million to support additional recruitment, retention and training efforts in continuing care, including tuition reimbursement for CCAs, a targeted immigration strategy, recognition of prior learning, work-and-learn opportunities and professional development

— $25.1 million more to increase staffing levels to establish a daily standard of at least 4.1 hours of one-on-one care per long-term care resident

— $15 million to continue additional staffing in long-term care due to COVID-19 public health directives

— $11 million to extend or convert more than 190 new long-term care spaces, including Veterans Affairs spaces, to help create more bed capacity and support patient flow

— $3 million more in workplace safety investments for long-term care staff

— $29.1 million for the Seniors Care Grant, which helps Nova Scotians aged 65 and older stay in their homes longer.

Strengthening the Workforce and Businesses

— 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

— $750,000 more for skilled trades in schools programs, including promotion efforts to double the number of students in the programs, as well as provide more supplies and resources

— $895,000 more for six new navigators and four new program officers to support newcomer arrivals and immigration programs

— $1.4 million more to expand immigration services in communities by increasing support to 11 organizations providing settlement services

— $12 million for a refreshed Innovation Rebate Program, which encourages private sector investment in their facilities, innovative processes and green technologies

— $2 million more for Tourism Nova Scotia to attract visitors to the province and increase tourism revenues

— $1.1 million more for coastal monitoring data collection and public engagement to introduce a new classification system of coastal areas that supports low-impact, sustainable aquaculture

— $3.7 million more for universities under the existing memorandum of understanding.

Taking Action on Housing Solutions

— $15 million more for affordable housing programs

— $2.7 million more for new rent supplements associated with quick start investments

— $4.4 million more to leverage federal funding for initiatives under the National Housing Strategy

— $2 million to support the work of the joint planning task force on housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality

— capital funding for planning, design and construction of new NSCC residences at the Akerley, Pictou and Ivany campuses, as part of government’s plan to address local housing issues.

Investing in Children and Education

— $113.2 million investment in child care, including lower fees for families, creating more spaces and enhancing after-school care (fully recoverable from the federal government under the Early Learning and Child Care Agreement)

— $700,000 to provide more subsidies to help eligible families pay for licensed child care

— $5.5 million more for the Pre-Primary program to meet enrolment growth

— $15 million more to continue implementing the recommendations from the Commission on Inclusive Education to create a more inclusive education system

— $2.1 million to continue the new Healthy Schools Grant for all public schools

— $4.7 million to establish the Children’s Sports and Arts Refundable Tax Credit.

Supporting Nova Scotians

— $54.2 million increase for programs that support adults and children with disabilities, including the Disability Support Program, the Independent Living Support program, the Direct Family Support for Children program and the Disability Support Flex Program

— $2.5 million more for the Supportive Care Program to provide Nova Scotians with cognitive impairments home-support services like personal care, respite, meal preparation and household chores

— $2.1 million more for the Self-Managed Care Program, which allows people with physical disabilities to hire their own care providers and develop their own care plans

— $3 million to introduce a Fertility and Surrogacy Refundable Tax Rebate to help offset costs for Nova Scotians trying to have a baby and paying for fertility services in Nova Scotia

— $1.3 million more to support post-secondary students with accessibility needs

— $12.5 million for the Nova Scotia Child Benefit to support reducing childhood poverty

— $12 million more to implement a more integrated health services model of care for all pre-school aged children with autism spectrum disorders

— $9.6 million more for supportive housing initiatives, including support services related to modular units being constructed in the Halifax Regional Municipality and funding for emergency sheltering and volunteer-based shelters in rural areas

— $7.1 million more for new and continued supports for people experiencing homelessness

— $2.1 million more for Standing Together, the Province’s action plan to prevent domestic violence.

Investing in Green and Vibrant Communities

— $29.2 million from Municipal Affairs and Housing as the provincial share of green and transit projects under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program

— $2.3 million for energy audits of provincial buildings

— $2 million toward adding electric vehicle charging stations across the province

— $830,000 more for African Nova Scotia Affairs to establish three new regional offices in Digby, New Glasgow and the Preston area

— $1 million for the Rink Revitalization Fund

— $1 million toward the redesign and upgrade of Charlotte Street in Sydney to create a welcoming, accessible and green destination

— $507.8 million for Nova Scotia’s roads, highways and bridges, including a new $30-million envelope for bridge repair and renewal and $20 million more for gravel roads

— $11 million more to double the Rural Impact Mitigation program for the maintenance and repair of rural roads.

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

Budget 2022–23 focuses on solutions for our province’s most pressing challenges. Fixing healthcare, strategically growing our population and economy and investing in supports for our families and communities will move our province forward.

Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Nova Scotians set an example by working together to keep each other safe. It wasn’t easy, but the world took notice and Nova Scotia quickly became a destination for people looking for a different, better way of life. By the end of 2021, we had set immigration and population records, surpassing one million people.

There are unprecedented opportunities ahead for Nova Scotia. Budget 2022–23 invests thoughtfully in the areas Nova Scotians care about most, while also planning for the needs of a growing, more sustainable and prosperous province.

View Official Government Page HERE

Download Budget Documents

“As Omicron has reminded us, we are still living in a pandemic. Our government understood, from the outset, that we had to put in place unprecedented measures to meet this unprecedented challenge. By providing small businesses with additional time to repay their loans and still have partial loan forgiveness, affected businesses and workers will continue to have the support they need to get through the pandemic.”

 – The Honourable Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

“As we fight the latest wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, we will continue to stand by Canada’s small businesses. Almost 900,000 small businesses accessed CEBA loans to help maintain operations through this difficult time. By extending the repayment deadline, we are ensuring that these hard working business owners are able to focus on their operations and building back from this pandemic stronger than ever.”

– The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development

• The CEBA program was open for applications from April 9, 2020, to June 30, 2021. It has provided more than $49 billion in liquidity to over 898,000 Canadian businesses.
• CEBA provides interest-free loans of up to $60,000 to small businesses to help cover their operating costs during a time where their revenues have been reduced. These loans are partially forgivable. With the extension announced today, repaying the balance of the loan on or before December 31, 2023, will result in loan forgiveness of up to 33 per cent (up to $20,000).
• The $2 billion Regional Relief and Recovery Fund, operated through Regional Development Agencies, has been a key support for businesses unable to access other federal pandemic support programs.

Media may contact:

Adrienne Vaupshas
Press Secretary
Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance
Adrienne.Vaupshas@fin.gc.ca

Media Relations
Department of Finance Canada
mediare@fin.gc.ca
613-369-4000

Alice Hansen
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of International Trade, Export Promotion, Small Business and Economic Development
Alice.Hansen@international.gc.ca
613-612-0482

General enquiries

Phone: 1-833-712-2292
TTY: 613-369-3230
E-mail: financepublic-financepublique@fin.gc.ca

Stay connected

Question and answer sessions on the targeted COVID-19 support measures for businesses and organizations

The Government of Canada remains committed to supporting Canadian businesses and organizations in the face of the ongoing pandemic. To this end, COVID-19 Recovery Programs will continue to provide support to Canadian businesses and organizations. On Tuesday, December 21, 2021, applications opened for the Canada Recovery Hiring Program, the Tourism and Hospitality Recovery Program and the Hardest-Hit Business Recovery Program.

These measures will ensure that the hardest-hit sectors will continue to receive the support they need while also supporting a strong economic recovery.

Please click here to register.

Please visit Managing your business during COVID-19 for resources for businesses and organizations. The CRA also encourages businesses and organizations who haven’t already done so to sign up for My Business Account or Represent a Client (for tax preparers), as well as enroll their payroll account for direct deposit to get their payments faster. Please also refer to Protect yourself against fraud, if you have any concerns.

The Nova Scotia Sector Impact Support Program is now open for applications.

Businesses impacted by the latest public health restrictions in Nova Scotia can now apply for a one-time grant to help small business owners. This grant is focused on restaurants, bars, gyms, live performing arts facilities and recreation facilities. Eligible businesses can receive a grant of $2,500, $5,000 or $7,500 based on gross payroll cost or gross revenue in November 2021.

To be eligible, businesses must have had a minimum gross monthly payroll of $1,000 or a minimum of $2,500 of gross monthly revenue for November 2021; be registered to do business in Nova Scotia; have an active Canada Revenue Agency business number; and have gross revenue of $5 million or less in its most recently filed tax year. Incorporated businesses that operate more than one eligible business location under a single corporate entity may claim a rebate for each business location

For more details on eligibility and to complete an online application, visit: https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/sector-impact-support-program/

“We know people want to do the right thing by staying home if they’re sick,” said Premier Tim Houston. “And we also know many workers face financial barriers that stand in the way of that decision. The paid sick leave program will help to remove those barriers. Workers should not have to lose pay for making a responsible decision that protects their co-workers and others.”

Apply Here

The program is open to employers and self-employed workers. It is consistent with the previous Nova Scotia COVID-19 Sick Leave Program and covers up to four sick leave days for employees, including self-employed workers, up to a maximum of $20 per hour or $160 per day. The maximum payment over the 15-week period is $640 per worker.

Eligible businesses that continue to pay their employees during their leave, and self-employed workers who miss time, may be reimbursed as quickly as five business days from their application.

The program covers workers who miss less than 50 per cent of their scheduled work time in a one-week period (for example, 15 hours or less in a scheduled 32-hour work week) who need to self-isolate due to exposure, close contact, or because they are experiencing symptoms or getting tested. They may also qualify if employees are going to a vaccine or booster appointment.

“This is how we keep each other safe and how we keep our doors open for business,” said Jill Balser, Minister of Labour, Skills and Immigration. “We are encouraging employers to access this voluntary program to support employees when they need to self-isolate, get tested and attend vaccination appointments.”

The program will be retroactive to include sick days starting December 20, 2021, and will continue until March 31, 2022.

The relaunch of Nova Scotia’s COVID-19 Paid Sick Leave Program was announced on December 22, 2021. The Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration worked to reopen this voluntary program with assistance from the Department of Health and Wellness to ensure eligibility requirements align with current epidemiology and public health advice.

The program complements the federal Canada Recovery Sickness Benefit, which is available to employees and self-employed workers who have missed 50 per cent or more of their scheduled work week as a result of COVID-19. The federal program runs until May 2022.