What Nova Scotians Need to Know
English Version
French Version


Nova Scotia wordmark

What's New

Finance Minister Michael Baker Speaks to the Standing Senate Committee of National Finance Regarding Fiscal Imbalance.new

To read the news release, click here.
To read his speaking notes, click here.
To read the Appendix to the Equalization Paper, click here.


Overview

All Canadians—wherever they live—have a constitutional right to receive about the same level of programs and services, at about the same level of taxation.

That’s not happening right now because ...

  1. The federal government has most of the money, while the provinces have most of the responsibilities for delivering expensive programs and services like health care and education.

  2. Some provinces have more revenue and resources than others.

The federal government and provinces want to fix this problem by finding a better way to redistribute your tax dollars. Governments are talking now about how to do this. Depending on the outcome, Nova Scotia could gain or lose significant funding.

The gain or loss will have a significant impact, because fiscal imbalance is really about health care, education, and other essential programs and services—and the level of taxes you pay for them.