Municipal Affairs Minister John Lohr listens to a question from a reporter at One Government Place on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. The province released the results of an audit into the Nova Scotia Firefighters School in Waverley on Tuesday and have ended their relationship with the school. Photo by Ryan Taplin /THE CHRONICLE HERALDArticle contentNova Scotia’s government has had an admirable four-year record of financial surpluses, the most recent being for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThe method has been budgets forecasting deficits but the final results being a surplus, primarily because of income exceeding projections.Article contentArticle contentOn Tuesday, Finance Minister John Lohr predicted a deficit exceeding $1.2 billion, $528 million worse than the fiscal 2025-26 budget.Article contentArticle contentWill they pull another rabbit out of the hat in the spring? It is a high barrier.Article contentIn the first two surplus years, income was supplemented by unscheduled federal contributions to deal with the pandemic.Article contentIn addition, the province’s population grew rapidly, adding 100,000 Nova Scotians in the four years ending Jan. 1, 2025. At 25,000 per year, it would achieve Premier Tim Houston’s goal of doubling the population by 2060.Article contentThe increase in 2024 was partly attributable to the Trudeau Liberals’ mismanagement of non-permanent residents, in particular the numbers of temporary foreign workers (TFWs) and international students.Article contentHistorically, the number of TFWs grew slowly if at all, with many of them coming and going seasonally in the agricultural sector and new arrivals in other areas being mostly offset by departures. The Liberals relaxed the rules and numbers soared, adding to challenges in housing availability.Article contentArticle contentCanadian universities, with the strong encouragement of the federal government and provincial governments, have enjoyed great success attracting international students to our universities. Those students pay a tuition premium. The extra tuition they pay helps the universities to reduce tuition for Canadian students.Article contentArticle contentIn 2025, government policies applied a ceiling on the recruitment of international students. That and delays in visa processing have badly tarnished Canada’s “brand” among international students. Those students have choices, and Canada and its universities are no longer a top education destination.Article contentMeanwhile, the number of residents in Nova Scotia has grown by 10,476 in the 12 months ending July 1, 2025. During the same period, 6,000 new homes were started, which would typically provide housing for about 15,000 people.
Bill Black: Nova Scotia’s billion-dollar deficit reason for worry
