Nova Scotia Election Campaign: Parties Promise to Improve Health Care, Affordability

(L–R) Nova Scotia party leaders Zach Churchill (Liberal), Claudia Chender (NDP), and Tim Houston (Progressive Conservative) are shown in recent photos. The Canadian Press/Riley Smith

As the election campaign continues in Nova Scotia, parties have laid out their plans to improve health care and affordability for residents, such as tax cuts and rent caps.

The province’s Progressive Conservatives are going for a second win on Nov. 26, having taken over from the Liberals in 2021. Tim Houston, who has been the party leader since 2018, is aiming for his second term as premier.

Houston’s party platform has focused on cutting the HST, reducing income taxes, and creating a first-time homebuyers program to help young residents buy their first property.

The PCs said they would cut the HST by 1 percent, saving each taxpayer about $250 per year.

Houston has also announced that, if re-elected, the PCs would increase the basic personal exemption for income taxes from $8,744 to $11,744. That would mean that taxes would not be deducted on the first $11,744 that employees earn. He also said he would increase the provincial minimum wage to $16.50.

A re-elected PC government would also lower business taxes from 2.5 percent to 1.5 percent, according to the party platform.

The PCs also looked to help homebuyers in the province who may be struggling with a down payment. Houston said his party would introduce a first-time homebuyers program, which would reduce the down payment for homes up to $500,000 to 2 percent from the current 5 percent.

Houston has also unveiled plans to improve health care in the province by building Canada’s first menopause clinic. The startup costs would be about $4 million, with $2.4 million in annual costs, the party said.

The PCs would also develop an internal travel nursing team to help serve rural communities. If re-elected, they plan to pilot the program by the end of 2024. The cost of the 30-nurse pilot travel team is estimated at $5.3 million.

NS Liberal Party Platform

Nova Scotia’s Liberal Party, which held government from 2013 until 2021, is now led by Zach Churchill. He was voted in as party leader in 2022.

The Liberals have released a detailed, costed platform that includes cuts to the HST and income tax, as well as a commitment to building health-care clinics around the province.

The party says it would cut the HST by two percentage points, down to 13 percent, which it estimates would save an average family $1,400 per year. This promise has been estimated to cost $542 million, according to the party’s platform.

Churchill also said the HST would be cut from all food items at grocery stores, at an estimated cost of $11 million. In addition, he has promised to increase the personal basic income tax exemption to $15,705.

The Liberals have also committed to seeing 80,000 homes built by 2032 or 11,000 new homes each year.

The encampment problem would be addressed by the Liberals by putting up 500 mini-home shelters at a cost of $10 million.

They’ve also committed to introducing a rent cap that is based on inflation, market conditions, and vacancy rate until vacancy is at 3 percent. 

When it comes to improving health care, Churchill said his party will build and expand 40 health-care clinics across the province. The party also says it will work to attract more doctors by increasing the yearly incentive from $5,000 to $10,000 for physicians who expand their patient rosters. Bonuses and incentives worth up to $15,000 would be offered to health professionals who commit to five years at a health clinic. These health care promises are estimated to cost $15.1 million a year.

A Liberal government would also eliminate the carbon tax and return to a cap and trade system, the party platform says.

NS NDP Promises

The Nova Scotia NDP, led by Claudia Chender, has also committed to getting rid of the HST on essential costs and building more health-care centres.

The party says it would remove HST from essentials, including groceries, cellphone and internet bills, and heat pumps.

Chender said an NDP government would open 15 doctor clinics in Nova Scotia in its first year in office. Another 15 clinics would be opened per year over the following three years, the party said.

The NDP has also said it would introduce an affordable home rebate for Nova Scotians with incomes under $70,000. It’s estimated to save $900 per household.

The NDP is also promising help for renters by banning certain fixed-term leases and putting in rent control. The party said it would reduce the annual allowable rent increase from 5 percent to 2.5 percent.

Nova Scotia’s election is scheduled for Nov. 26.