Nova ScotiaAfter years of promises, the Progressive Conservative government appears poised to put funding in place for the creation of a child and youth advocate office.The PCs have been promising the position since forming government in 2021Michael Gorman · CBC News · Posted: Dec 11, 2025 5:00 PM EST | Last Updated: 4 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Barbara Adams is Nova Scotia’s minister of social development. (Paul Poirier/CBC)After years of promises, the Progressive Conservative government appears poised to put funding in place for the creation of a child and youth advocate office.Social Development Minister Barbara Adams confirmed to reporters Thursday that the upcoming 2026-27 provincial budget will include funding for the long-standing promise.“That is my understanding,” Adams said following a cabinet meeting in Halifax.When the PCs came to power in 2021, then community services minister Karla MacFarlane said she wanted a child and youth advocate established, something that would bring Nova Scotia in line with almost every other province in the country.Since then, however, any kind of public progress has been slow.’This isn’t rocket science’In 2024, the government passed legislation that would establish an office with a commissioner and additional staff, but there were no financial commitments.In September, Adams’s predecessor, Scott Armstrong, said progress was being made on regulations for the office but he could offer no timeline for when it would become operational.NDP Leader Claudia Chender told reporters Thursday that it’s welcome news if the office is finally going to become a reality, but she said it should have been in place years ago.“This isn’t rocket science,” she said.“This is something that exists in other provinces across this country. This is something that’s incredibly important.”Possible cost of the officeThe upcoming budget needs to have a full implementation plan and funding for the office to be functioning shortly after, said Chender.Liberal MLA Derek Mombourquette said he’s hopeful that groups and organizations that advocate on behalf of children and young people have had a hand in designing whatever the government plans to move ahead with.The Nova Scotia College of Social Workers released its budget submission to the province this week in which officials call for $6.5 million to be dedicated to the new office so it is “equipped to address systemic inequities and advocate for the rights of children and youth across the province.”Adams said many government departments have processes and policies that support young people and they’re contributing to the creation of regulations for the office. She said plans are “well underway” to support the office as soon as it is up and running.Although she was unable to provide a time frame for when the office will be ready, Adams committed that she would have “more to say in the new year.”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
Minister says next N.S. budget will include money for child and youth advocate office
