Province's list of restored grants includes staff cut reversal for nursing homes
CBC
The $53 million in budget funding Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston announced would be restored includes the cancellation of a planned cut of three per cent to nursing home staff.
The Nova Scotia government released on Wednesday the list of grants and programs that will see their funding reinstated. It includes about $6.7 million earmarked for nursing homes and home care agencies.
When the budget was tabled more than two weeks ago, it included $130 million in cuts to discretionary grants and an additional $174 million related to job cuts.
The latter called for a five per cent reduction across the civil service and a three per cent cut across the broader public sector in a way that would not affect frontline services.
Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Barbara Adams confirmed Wednesday that that three per cent cut would no longer apply to nursing home staff.
"While we were confident that we would be able to work with [homes] to have that go out through attrition and retirement, this is good news for the facilities themselves and they were very happy when they heard the news," Adams told reporters at Province House.
Houston announced Tuesday a reversal of some cuts following several weeks of public blowback over cuts to programs aimed at people with disabilities, the arts sector and the African Nova Scotian and Mi'kmaw communities.
The cuts to 287 grants administered by the province prompted thousands of people to rally outside Province House.
On Wednesday, the province said $53 million in funding will be restored to the budget, including some grants. Many of the restored grants are administered by the Department of Seniors and Long-term Care.
More than half of the restored funding will go to four programs:
The budget includes a sustainability plan that calls for cuts in each of the next three years, as well. In each of those cases, the five per cent and three per cent staff reductions are slated to continue.
Adams would not speculate today about whether nursing homes will face a staffing cut next year.
Houston told reporters that the government is contending with a deficit of more than $1.2 billion and steps must be taken to rein it in.
“It’s our expectation that government gets more and more efficient and maintains the frontline services to Nova Scotians,” he said.
On the heels of a historically bad season, the Sarnia Legionnaires are changing owners.
Calgary’s recent return to water restrictions has had several social media users placing the blame on AI data centres and their massive water consumption.
What does a complex classroom look like? Here’s a description submitted to CBC News from an Alberta teacher.
The City of Waterloo says it has declared a "community safety event" and its nuisance bylaw will be enforced starting at 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
Work on a new breakwater structure for a harbour on Prince Edward Island's North Shore is now underway, and fishermen in the area are glad to see it.
Councillors are split on Mayor Jeromy Farkas’s pitch to let Enmax take over Calgary’s beleaguered water system, but the city-owned power utility itself said it’s “well positioned” to run another service.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says the province will take over Billy Bishop airport from the city’s jurisdiction to allow bigger jets to land on the island, but experts say it could take years before any real changes come to the area.
London's mayor and medical officer of health are voicing their support for bringing an inhalation centre to London, joining calls from London's supervised drug-use site, Carepoint Consumption and Treatment Service.
Prime Minister Mark Carney will be in Yellowknife on Thursday before heading to Norway and the United Kingdom for meetings with allied leaders.
As drivers in Newfoundland and Labrador face a steep jump in fuel prices this week, Premier Tony Wakeham said the government is committed to making a reduction in the provincial gas tax permanent.
The $53 million in budget funding Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston announced would be restored includes the cancellation of a planned cut of three per cent to nursing home staff.
N.B. Power is in front of the New Brunswick Energy and utilities board seeking approval to raise its rates by 4.75 per cent this year, but the utility's plans to follow that with a 6.5 per cent increase next year and another 6.5 per cent increase the year after have been raising their own set of questions..
The City of Toronto is expanding its bike share program and adding more e-bikes this year after seeing an increase in ridership last year.