N.S. government lays off dozens of employees as it prepares to release budget

The Nova Scotia government made layoffs in several departments.

Layoff notices were issued to dozens of government employees Thursday, just days before the Nova Scotia government is expected to release its next budget.

Nearly 80 jobs were lost, with most of them coming from the Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage, said a government employee who wished to remain anonymous. There are also job losses in the agriculture and natural resources departments.

The government employee, who is also working on the budget, told CTV News Atlantic that 175 government employees are being redeployed to new positions or other departments as part of the budget-shuffling process.

In all, the next budget is expected to reduce the size of the civil service by five per cent, said the government insider, while a three per cent reduction will be felt across public service positions with Crown corporations and other government agencies.

Sandra Mullen, the president of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union, confirmed the layoffs, saying it’s been an emotional rollercoaster for those involved.

“I know some of these folks and they are good, hard-working Nova Scotians, great ambassadors to this province,” said Mullen. “My heart goes out to them because this is devastating news, no question about it.”

Cuts affect tourism offices, museums

Mullen said Nova Scotia will be less welcoming now, because many of the job cuts impact those working in tourism. Part of the layoffs will see the closure of visitor tourism and information offices in Port Hawkesbury, Peggy’s Cove, Yarmouth and at the Halifax Stanfield International Airport, said the NSGEU. The Amherst visitor information centre will no longer operate annually but will shift to a seasonal schedule.

Three rural provincial museums will also close due to the layoffs, said Mullen, including the Sutherland Steam Mill Museum near Tatamagouche, the Fisherman’s Life Museum in Jeddore, and the Prescott House Museum near Wolfville.

Union employees were notified Wednesday, said Mullen, while other layoffs have impacted public service employees working in food inspection, agricultural labs and in highway construction services.

NSGEU, NDP question government spending

Mullen said she doesn’t believe there is an issue with overstaffing across the public service and in government departments, and puts the blame for the job losses squarely on the current Progressive Conservative government, for what she said is a failure to balance the books.

“What I would look at is how this government has been spending over the last four years,” said Mullen, while criticizing Premier Tim Houston and election promises he followed through on for negatively impacting revenue.

“He’s (Houston) has walked away from revenue, whether that’s $40 million in annual revenue from removing the (Halifax) bridge tolls,” said Mullen. “Or the reduction of the HST here in Nova Scotia. That’s millions of dollars in missed revenue.”

The NDP is echoing concerns about government spending. Opposition Leader Claudia Chender said the government came into office with a balanced budget and is now asking Nova Scotians to “sacrifice because of their spending choices.”

“It’s not the fault of the communities losing services or the people whose jobs have been eliminated that the province is in this financial situation,” said Chender in a statement.

“People are working hard to take care of their families and pay their bills. Nova Scotians gave this government the benefit of the doubt that they would make life more affordable, fix health care, and create jobs. But they haven’t done that, and now they have to explain themselves.”

It’s expected the Houston government will table its next budget on Monday ahead of the winter legislative session.

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