Welland Tribune e-edition

Nova Scotia marks deficit of $341.6M for 2020-21

KEITH DOUCETTE

HALIFAX—Nova Scotia’s deficit for the 2020-21 fiscal year is $341.6 million — a figure the province’s finance minister says won’t affect the new Tory government’s election promise to spend significantly on health care.

Allan MacMaster closed the books for the previous fiscal year on Thursday, telling reporters that COVID-19 was the main reason for a $396.6million drop from the $55-million surplus forecast in the budget tabled by the previous Liberal government in February 2020, just before the pandemic hit.

MacMaster said while there were extra expenditures because of the pandemic, the response by Nova Scotians in adhering to COVID-19 protocols and keeping virus numbers down actually helped lessen the overall impact to the economy.

The Progressive Conservatives, who were elected to a majority government on Aug. 17, campaigned almost solely on fixing the province’s ailing health-care system.

BUSINESS

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2021-09-17T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-09-17T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://wellandtribune.pressreader.com/article/281870121572212

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