Following the unveiling of the federal government’s budget Thursday, premiers in the Maritimes are weighing in.
If passed in Parliament, the Liberal government says its budget will help potential home buyers, support those struggling with dental bills, progress reconciliation, and inclusivity, help incentivize greener choices and bolster defense spending.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said he welcomed the federal government’s proposed action on health care, housing, and immigration — things he said are important to Nova Scotians.
“There’s some really good stuff in there in health care, on, you know, recruitment of nurses, particularly in rural areas,” said Houston in a news conference Thursday.
“Certainly pleased to see some pretty obvious alignment on supporting those Canadians that are trying to start families, so I’m happy to see that.”
If passed, the budget would introduce a Tax-Free First Home Savings Account, allowing people to set aside up to $40,000 as early as 2023. The budget estimates this proposal would cost $725 million.
This comes in addition to the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive, which acts as a shared-equity mortgage with the federal government, to March 31, 2025.
Houston said, while the budget does not offer immediate relief for someone looking to buy a home today, he noted the federal government’s acknowledgment that housing is an issue is a good start.
“It does open the door, and for us, it puts the onus back on the province to come up with ideas and to advance proposals to them, and I have every reason to believe they will be receptive.”
Line items on housing are something New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs is in favor of as well.
“Having a long-term strategy to help control housing prices or offset, I think is important, and it’s at least addressed in the budget — and the devil is always in the details,” said Higgs in an interview Thursday with CTV News.
The Liberal budget also includes $8 billion in new military spending over the next five years, including $6.1 billion for NATO over five years and $500 million in lethal and non-lethal military aid to Ukraine this year.
With Canadian Forces Base Gagetown being the second-largest public employer in the province, Higgs said he hopes some of that military money has a trickle-down effect.
“Yes, it is a big factor here in New Brunswick, so we would hope that some of that would show up here.”
Higgs said he was concerned with the lack of spending and direction on health care — something echoed by PEI Premier Dennis King.
“It is disappointing that the Canadian Health Transfer hasn’t been permanently increased,” said King in a written statement.
“All 13 premiers from across the country have been united in asking for the Canadian Health Transfer to be increased from 22 per cent to 35 per cent.”
That being said, King noted the priorities of his government seem to align with the budget.
“We are also pleased to see that our request to expedite the soil sampling in fields across the province will be expedited with $12 million allocated through CFIA to increase the resources required to complete sampling as soon as possible.”
King said the province is willing to work collaboratively with the federal government to expedite programs such as the Dental Care for Canadians program. The government plans to launch a new dental program this year, starting with children under the age of 12, at an initial cost of $300 million. In total, the government expects to spend $5.3 billion over five years on dental care.
“We have a well-established provincial dental program on Prince Edward Island and we can quickly and efficiently enhance our program by working with our federal government.”
King also said, after conversations with the prime minister and other senior ministers, he is happy to see $16 million earmarked over two years for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, through the national Jobs and Growth Fund, aimed at investments in the potato industry.
“To support long-term investments and assist in stabilizing the potato sector and supply chain,” he said.