N.S. budget sees big jump in health spending, $500M deficit

Health care dominated the Progressive Conservative election campaign last summer and so it should come as no surprise that it does the same with the party's first budget since forming government in August.

But opposition leaders charge it doesn't go far enough to help those most in need, and noted the decision not to increase income assistance rates at a time when the cost of living is rising.

Finance Minister Allan MacMaster tabled a document Tuesday with $12.7 billion in revenues and $13.2 billion in expenses, with a deficit of $506.2 million.

Spending on health care increased by $413.3 million from last year, including $20.6 million more on mental health and $142.5 million more for continuing care.

In his budget speech at Province House, MacMaster referred to the document as a "compassionate budget."

"It is for all the people and their families who waited for a doctor, a surgery, a nursing home room, a place to live," he said. "At its core, this budget is about solutions for the most basic needs we have today."

MacMaster told reporters the government effort on health care is "transformational," and that he hopes people begin to see noticeable differences in the system.

The Tories' attempt to fix health care includes spending $3.2 million to create 200 new nursing school seats across the province, at Cape Breton University (28), Dalhousie University (26), St. Francis Xavier University (26) and 120 licenced practical nursing seats at Nova Scotia Community College.

There's more money to expand virtual care to people without a doctor ($14.5 million), improve patient flow at hospitals ($10.2 million), perform 2,500 more surgeries through expanding operating room hours and opening up 28 new recovery beds in Dartmouth ($17.5 million), and hire 22 clinicians in the next two years for mental health and addictions outpatient clinics ($3.4 million).

The office of health care professional recruitment gets $9.8 million in the budget as the government attempts to attract and retain more doctors, nurses and other professionals. The office will have 33 people working in it. MacMaster told reporters it's important to increase health-care services, but it's just as key to have people to provide those services and for them not to be under constant strain at work.

The previously announced raise for continuing care assistants is included in this budget at a cost of $71 million. The province will also spend $17.2 million on additional recruitment for long-term care and $25.1 million to increase staffing levels to the point of being able to provide a new daily standard of 4.1 hours of one-on-one care per day for long-term care residents.

The change in care ratio is something the Nova Scotia Nurses' Union and long-term care advocates have called for for years. A government official said the change would require filling 549 new full-time equivalent positions.

As it works toward the building of new long-term care spaces, the government is also spending $11 million to convert or extend 190 existing beds for long-term care patients. This includes converting beds not normally used for long-term care or were previously only available to some military veterans, including 141 Veterans Affairs beds in the province, the majority of which — 67 — are at Camp Hill in Halifax.

The Tories are also making good on an election promise to offer support for people seeking fertility treatment or using a surrogate. The budget includes $3 million to introduce a fertility and surrogacy refundable tax rebate to help offset costs. The measure is worth 40 per cent of costs, up to $8,000.