N.S. projects surplus
Province plans modest spending hikes
Nova Scotia’s Liberal government is counting on cash from marijuana sales to help it deliver a third consecutive balanced budget, which includes modest spending increases for a heavily stressed health system.
Overall, the province is projecting a $29.4-million surplus on a $10.8-billion budget, as it continues to make progress on debt control.
A fair slice of the estimated surplus — roughly $20.8 million in fresh taxes and duties from projected sales of about 12 million grams of recreational cannabis — depends on Ottawa getting the legalized marijuana system underway across the country.
Finance Minister Karen Casey said there are “still a lot of unknowns” on cannabis sales, and cautioned “we are not looking to make money” from them.
But she said years of fiscal restraint are starting to pay dividends, as the second-term Liberals are starting to sprinkle some spending into a health system plagued by doctor shortages and lineups of ambulances outside crowded ERs.
“It gives us the ability to make further investments in healthcare and education, while we continue to live within our means,” she said in her speech.
Provincially owned cannabis stores are expected to begin sales in Nova Scotia once recreational marijuana sales are legalized, now expected in August or early September.
Premier Stephen McNeil said the weed revenue had to be budgeted or there would have been questions as to why not.
“We have to budget for what is the best assumptions that we have. All of those numbers we believe are doable if and when it comes forward.”
McNeil said there are also implementation costs that are built into the budget across a number of departments, including justice.