N.S. to restore $53M in grants, arts and culture cuts remain

Nova Scotia is walking back some of the $130 million in planned budget cuts.

They’re restoring over $53 million in three areas: disability support, seniors and funding for African Nova Scotian and Indigenous students.

Premier Tim Houston says they were honest about the financial situation of the province, and admit some decisions were wrong.

“For that, I’m sorry.” said the Premier during a news conference on Tuesday.

“I never want Nova Scotians to feel that the government is working against them. We did not do enough ahead of time to explain the seriousness of the challenges we’re facing, we moved too quickly.”

He says after listening to the public outcry and concrete examples brought forward, they decided to restore some funding.

Houston says this will increase Nova Scotia’s $1.19 billion deficit, but these programs make a difference, and it was the right decision.

Arts and culture cuts not restored

The cuts to the arts, culture and tourism sector will remain.

Houston says the arts community is valued.

“Arts and culture is a big part of what makes us special. Even though the adjustments remain, I do wish we could do more today.”

Rally for arts and culture in Halifax. PHOTO BY NATALIE CHIASSON /Acadia Broadcasting

Chender calls cuts ‘total mismanagement’ 

The leader of the NDP slammed the government on how they handled the cuts, saying it was “chaos” and “total mismanagement.”

Claudia Chender tells reporters that the situation raises questions about how the decisions were communicated and how government spending is managed.

“I think what we see is total mismanagement,” Chender says. “Again, we have ministers of departments with cuts who cannot speak to those cuts or who say one thing and then say another thing the next day.”

She also pointed to what she described as issues with oversight and budgeting practices.

“Well, I think for one thing we need to know that Nova Scotians are getting value for money,” she says.

Rally for arts and culture in Halifax. PHOTO BY NATALIE CHIASSON /Acadia Broadcasting

‘We chose Nova Scotia’

Artists employed with the Gale Force Theatre say as far as they know their funding has been completely cut.

Lily Falk works as an artist at the theatre, and she says she’s, “really devastated at the cruelty of the cuts.” As an artist who’s in a collaboration, who has a theater company that specifically moved here to this province to make work together, we chose this as our home.”

Franziska Glen says losing the program will affect youth on the Eastern Shore and in Halifax and Dartmouth.

“All of these things are going to be so deeply affected and are also affecting the people that we serve which are kids and families all across the province,” Glen explains.

Glen says some students have told her the improv group she helps run was the only reason they finished high school, and she worries losing it could also harm kids’ mental health.