Nova ScotiaAlmost three years since her government made a massive health-care infrastructure announcement anchored by a promise of more beds, Health Minister Michelle Thompson says there could be other ways to make good on a commitment to improve services.Michelle Thompson says number of new beds required may be fewer than promisedMichael Gorman · CBC News · Posted: Nov 28, 2025 11:07 AM EST | Last Updated: 3 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Health Minister Michelle Thompson says planning continues on many of the projects her government first announced in 2022. (Robert Short/CBC)Almost three years since her government made a massive health-care infrastructure announcement anchored by a promise of more beds, Health Minister Michelle Thompson says there could be other ways to make good on a commitment to improve services.“We are committed to improving the health-care system,” Thompson told reporters following a cabinet meeting in Halifax on Thursday.“We’re making sure people have the access to care, but as we mature and as we see more digital solutions, there’s lots of different options that perhaps were not contemplated in 2022.”Those commitments from three years ago, which stretch beyond 2030, have gained renewed attention recently as the NDP has highlighted ongoing strains on services at the Cobequid Community Health Centre in Lower Sackville.Members of the NDP caucus are pushing for an update on a promised expansion at the Cobequid Community Health Centre in Lower Sackville. (Michael Gorman/CBC)Although the government’s 2022 plan calls for the site to get a new or expanded emergency department and 36 beds, there’s been no update since. At the time, the plan suggested work could begin sometime in 2025.On Thursday, Thompson said health officials continue to work on planning for the Cobequid and other sites, including Dartmouth General Hospital.“I know sometimes it feels like we say that over and over again, but these are huge projects and have impact over generations.”The beds promised for the Cobequid in 2022 were part of 423 that Premier Tim Houston said would be added to the health-care system in Halifax Regional Municipality across more than six sites during the life of the plan.Many things can helpBut whether the PCs will need fewer beds than what was promised remains to be seen.“It is a possibility,” said Thompson.The minister said that as infrastructure planning continues, the government has also introduced other measures to help the system, such as building new long-term care beds and a sophisticated computer system that monitors availability of existing hospital beds.Meanwhile, the province’s surgical waitlist is decreasing and there are continued efforts to help people stay in their homes longer.“All of these things are contributing to how do people get care,” said Thompson.Opposition says spending pressures impacting plansInterim Liberal Leader Derek Mombourquette speculated that what’s really changing plans for the government is the threat of a ballooning deficit, which at last check was on track to hit $1.2 billion.Mombourquette said he’s also hearing concerns about delays with health-care projects in Cape Breton Regional Municipality.“I think they’re absolutely reassessing everything they’re doing because they don’t have control of the finances,” he told reporters.NDP Leader Claudia Chender told reporters that finances might be an issue for the PCs, but she said that’s at least in part their own making after the party called an early election and made good on campaign promises to reduce the HST by one percentage point and remove the tolls from the bridges that span Halifax harbour.“Those are things that are nice for Nova Scotians, but if they come at the expense of being able to access emergency care, if they come at the expense of things that Nova Scotians feel are fundamental to how they have to live every day, then I think we would have been having a different conversation.”MORE TOP STORIESABOUT THE AUTHORMichael Gorman covers the Nova Scotia legislature for CBC, with additional focuses on health care and rural communities. Contact him with story ideas at michael.gorman@cbc.ca
Health minister says commitment to improve system stands, but how that happens could change
