Update: Election Day is August 17.

Premier Iain Rankin is at Government House this morning, undoubtedly asking Lt.-Gov. Arthur J. LeBlanc to call a provincial election.

Yesterday, the Rankin  government made six new spending announcements totalling more than $20 million in public money. Most of the spending commitments were made in tandem with the federal Liberal government — a federal election is expected after the one here in Nova Scotia.

Pre-election spending commitments on the part of the provincial Liberals have now hit $321 million. Yesterday Ottawa also announced it would provide Nova Scotia municipalities with a top-up of $55 million in addition to $58 million already received for infrastructure projects ranging from garbage to water treatment to fire hall upgrades to repairs to public buildings.

Here’s the list (location is site of announcement; expenditures may be broader):

July 16
Dartmouth: $4 million for seafood plant; $2.9 million for lobster gear
Halifax: $3.3 million for energy efficiency upgrades for libraries and arenas
New Waterford: $7.7 million for a new recreation centre
Milford: $858,000 for repairs to 35 community halls and theatres
Yarmouth: $790,000 for the multi-use trail
East Preston: $500,000 for the multi-use trail

July 15
Halifax$37 million for 60 electric buses in HRM
Halifax: $7.6 million for upgrades to hospital equipment

July 14
Halifax: $3 million to deal with overcrowded Emergency Department at the QE2
Sydney: $213,000 for a free bus pass trial for low-income riders

July 13
Halifax: $8 million as the province’s annual contribution towards the federal daycare program

July 12
Halifax: $4.8 million to establish the African Nova Scotian Justice Institute
Halifax: $1.0 million emergency aid for non-profit arenas/rec centres

July 9
Halifax: $96.5 million for new nursing home beds/upgrades to facilities

July 8
Antigonish: $7.5 million for three municipal solar projects (in Antigonish, Berwick, Mahone Bay)

July 6
Halifax: $25 million to create 600-900 affordable housing units
Digby: $1 million to upgrade the Digby Wharf

July 5
Halifax: $18 million for expanded cancer care — new lymphoma cancer treatment covered and additional cancer expenses
New Ross: $5.4 million for silviculture/roads/forestry training
Bridgewater: $615,000 energy retrofit for rec centre

June 30
Halifax: $4.6 million for the Cogswell renewable energy system

June 29
Halifax: $2.5 million for small business online marketing

June 28
Truro: $6.1 million for the Centre for Forest Innovation, NSCC
Kentville: $1.2 million for the multi-use recreation trail
Halifax: $1.1 million for expanded payments for caregivers
Sydney: $300,000 for an electric bus study

June 27
Lantz: $740,000 for five East Hants recreation projects

June 26
HRM: $700,000 for the canoe clubs in Waverley and Lake Echo

June 24
Antigonish: $1.3 million for the multi-use trail
Halifax: $ 7.5 million towards the land purchase for the Francophone school

June 23
Lunenburg: $1 million yearly for the Palliative Care Unit
Lunenburg: $23.6 million for NS Film production

June 21
New Minas: $500,000 for disabled adults job support

June 19
Sydney: $3 million for the downtown core makeover
Englishtown: $1.3 million for abolishing passenger ferry fees

June 18
Cookville: $1 million for a water tank
Port Hawkesbury: $1 million for the multi-use trail
Mabou: $454,000 for paving the Dalbrae Academy and the bus garage

June 17
Bedford: $1 million for the Bedford Commuter Ferry Study

June 15
Halifax: $18.2 million towards tourism supports

June 11
Yarmouth: $1 million yearly expands cancer care in southwest NS

June 9
Sydney: $600,000 Centre 200 rink upgrade

June 8
Whycocomagh:$1.96 million for the wastewater treatment plant

June 7
Antigonish: $4.7 million for community transit upgrades

Tim Bousquet is the editor and publisher of the Halifax Examiner. Twitter @Tim_Bousquet Mastodon

Jennifer Henderson is a freelance journalist and retired CBC News reporter.

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3 Comments

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  1. Funny how the issue of rural doctor availability isn’t a big part of the agendas this time around, eh? From what I’ve seen in various fora, there are still folks on years-long waiting lists….

  2. East Preston multi-use trail where pre-school black kids have to share a path with adult white cyclists.from Halifax and Dartmouth.

  3. It would be interesting to see a tally of how much money goes to public infrastructure and services (e.g., healthcare, education, parks) and how much goes to individuals part of private organizations, for profit and non-profit (e.g., studies, PR, subsidies). I’d like to see that for each of the party’s promises.