N.S. premier defends budget cuts amid protests at Province House

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston is defending his government’s budget cuts.

Premier Tim Houston tabled his “Defending Nova Scotia” 2026-27 budget last week and he’s been defending it ever since as opposition presses him over the $104 million in spending cuts.

“We know that families are dealing with challenging times, so too is the government,” said Houston, referencing the record $1.2 billion deficit the province is facing this year.

“When we can do more, we do more,” said Houston. “This is a difficult time right now.”

The province cut $104 million in spending across departments including grants to community agencies and programming. It’s sparked plenty of discussion inside Province House as opposition MLA’s press the premier and his government for answers.

“These cuts are cruel and what we are discovering daily is how thoughtless they are because the government can not or will not explain them,” said Nova Scotia’s NDP leader Claudia Chender.

There’s been plenty of backlash outside the legislature as well. Two days of protests this week shut down the street behind the legislative building.

On Wednesday, hundreds of people filled the street to rally against government cuts to the arts and culture sector. Chender called it the most diverse rally she had ever seen when she spoke to the crowd.

“We saw caregivers, we saw museum staff and we saw culture makers of all kinds,” said Chender.

Premier Houston accused the NDP of organizing the protest to raise taxes on Thursday.

“We’re not interested in raising taxes and a big portion of that rally was about raising taxes,” he said.

Houston gave no evidence when pressed by reporters and Chender dismissed the accusation and called the premier’s claim absurd.

“The premier is trying to sow division and misinformation,” said Chender. “You will see it more and more from him and his ministers as a shield for the trouble they are in and the decisions they made.”

A protestor chant called for the premier to “bring back the HST, don’t cut our community.”

Houston cut the HST to 14 per cent after he was re-elected in 2024, a move that saves the average family more than a $1,000 per year, he said. The reduced HST resulted in $260 million in government revenue lost last year.

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