Lunenburg West MLA Becky Druhan at St. Anne's Elementary Photo: Communications Nova Scotia
The MLA for Lunenburg West is raising concerns about Nova Scotia’s 2026 provincial budget, pointing to rising debt, continued deficits and planned reductions across the public service.
In a release issued following the tabling of the budget by Finance Minister John Lohr, Becky Druhan said the nearly $19 billion spending plan — titled “Defending Nova Scotia” — should be judged on its financial details rather than its branding.
The budget projects a $1.2 billion deficit and ongoing deficits through 2030. It also includes a directive to reduce the civil service by five percent.
Druhan said that while the budget language emphasizes growth and fiscal discipline, the province’s debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to rise from 34.6 percent to 45.7 percent. She said that shift indicates debt is growing faster than the economy, which could limit financial flexibility and increase borrowing costs.
Nova Scotia has already experienced a credit downgrade. Druhan argues that further deterioration could mean more provincial revenue directed toward interest payments instead of services such as healthcare and education.
She also pointed to additional spending outside the original budget plan. Since 2020-21, more than $6.7 billion has been authorized through additional appropriations, including $1.6 billion in 2024-25 alone.
According to Druhan, that level of off-budget spending represents nearly one in every ten dollars spent without scrutiny or votes in the Legislature.
The release notes that the Auditor General has previously reported Nova Scotia is the only province where spending at that scale can occur without legislative approval.
Druhan said she plans to work with colleagues in the Legislature to examine the budget and seek clarity on its long-term financial implications for Nova Scotians.
