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You are here: Home / Featured / Stephen McNeil’s pre-election spending spree continues

Stephen McNeil’s pre-election spending spree continues

April 19, 2017 By Tim Bousquet Leave a Comment

Jennifer Henderson has updated her ongoing scorecard of pre-election spending by the McNeil government.

Date PlaceRidingInitiative
April 26HalifaxProvince-wide$390-million over 7 years to twin 70 kms of Highway 101, Highway 103, and Highway 104 and build Burnside 4-laner to ease congestion on Magazine Hill. Province has asked Ottawa to pay 50 per cent of this cost through its New Build Canada Fund.
April 26HalifaxProvince-wideNova Scotia drivers to get a break in 2019 when Province removes tolls on 90 kms of divided highway through the Cobequid Pass. The province will lose $20 million a year with no immediate plan for replacing the money to maintain the highway and pay interest on the bonds running at $12 million a year.
April 26HalifaxProvince-wide$30 million for improved passing lanes, ramps, interchanges on non-twinned highways.
April 26HalifaxProvince-wideHousing Nova Scotia will provide interest-free loans up to $14,000 for eligible first-time home buyers in Metro and up to $7,500 in rural areas. Total of $1.3 million cost-shared between the province and Ottawa to benefit about 125 households.
April 26HalifaxHants West (LIB), Sydney (LIB), King’s North (PC), Lunenburg West (LIB)Province announces $243,000 for flood risk planning and mitigation for four communities.
April 25HalifaxProvince-wideDepartment of Energy announces $700,000 for seven renewable energy businesses to expand.
April 25HalifaxNova Scotia Business Inc. announces $1.55 million payroll rebate for MUFG Fund Services (a Mitubishi Financial company) if it creates 100 jobs in the next five years
April 24 Annapolis RoyalProvince-wide$630,000 in grants to 24 community groups to run prevention programs to combat sexual violence.
April 24Cape Breton-Richmond (LIB)Minister Michel Samson announces $25,000 for Richmond County Literacy Network to hire a community outreach worker.
April 24 HalifaxVictoria-The-Lakes (LIB)$286,000 to establish a Gladue (Wellness Court) and Provincial Court on the Wagmatcook First Nation, Cape Breton for aboriginal adults and youth.
April 23LiverpoolShelburne (NDP)Premier Stephen McNeil announces estimated $1.5 million for repairs and renovations to Perkins House, a museum and 250-year-old heritage home of merchant and diarist Simeon Perkins. Closed to the public two years ago for fear walls would collapse, repairs estimated to begin late in 2017.
April 23ShelburneShelburne (NDP)Premier announces tender is being let to design and build a Collaborative Health Care Clinic promised 18 months ago by Liberals and six years ago by NDP. Completion date: Fall 2018. Earlier estimated cost $3.4 million.
April 23 DartmouthDartmouth North (LIB) Housing Nova Scotia announces $3,000 in grants for landlords and eligible homeowners in Tufts Cove area to fix up the exterior of their homes, properties.
April 21InvernessInverness (PC) Province announces a $225,000 contribution for L’Arche Cape Breton for a new building where persons with disabilities can sell crafts and produce. Ottawa and L’Arche are funding partners.
April 21WhycocomahInverness (PC)Minister Samson announces $50,000 for new snow groomer for recreational trails in Inverness County Cape Breton.
April 21 AmherstCumberland North(LIB)MLA Terry Farrell announces $292,100 in mostly federal funding to build a duplex to provide second-stage housing for survivors of domestic violence.
April 21HalifaxMetro HalifaxHealth Minister Leo Glavine announces a tender to design a total of 12 new dialysis chairs at the Halifax Infirmary and Dartmouth General Hospitals that will serve 60 additional kidney patients. Construction is expected to begin in mid-to-late 2018. No cost estimate.
April 20Clayton ParkHalifax Clayton Park (Lib)$7.5 million for a new Community Outpatient Centre.
April 1912 communities Various, represented by all three partiesTwenty-three new nurses hired, at a cost of $3.6 million
April 18 HalifaxMcNeil govt announces $18.08 million to supplement rent for 440 low-income seniors and families in HRM and around the Province this year and next year. Half the money will come from NS and half from Canada Mortgage & Housing, Ottawa.
April 18 HalifaxProvince announces it will double the payroll rebate to $1.67 million to the Bank of N.T.Butterfield (Bermuda) if it creates 100 jobs over the next six years. The first agreement in 2015 offered $840,000. to create 50 jobs.
April 13River John, Port Mouton, Springhill, GoreProvince announces $1.6 million to add four radio towers to assist emergency First Responders (Fire, Search & Rescue, RCMP). Expansion of radio network in ridings held by 2 PCs, 1 Lib and 1 NDP .
April 12Province wideDevelop strategies to support more than 1,100 social enterprises, including a portal to share information training tips and establish a short-term Equity Fund to provide financing Price: N/A
April 12Province-wideApproximately $30,000 to expand dispatch system for Ground, Search and Rescue Teams
April 12Halifax and 10 other portsDepartment of Community, Heritage and Culture announces free concerts, ship tours, food, fireworks during Tall Ships, Rendez-Vous 2017, July 29-Aug.1 Price: N/A
April 11BridgewaterLunenburg WestProvince issues Request For Proposal for a design to renovate the ER and add a dialysis unit to South Shore Regional Hospital. Construction: Fall 2018. Price: N/A.
April 11PugwashCumberland North (Lib)Province issues Request For Proposal for a design to replace four-bed hospital delivering Emergency and Primary health care. Construction: Fall 2018. Price: N/A.
April 10 Port Hawkesbury Cape Breton–Richmond (Lib)A $50,000 increase for the Regional Occupational Centre in Port Hawkesbury, which already receives $1 million a year to provide vocational training for people with disabilities.
April 8Cheticamp Inverness (PC)  $400,000 to create cultural hub
April 8Lake EchoPreston-Dartmouth  (Lib)$608,000. to expand Orenda canoe club
April 7Province wide$10 million to create "Gravel Roads Capital Program,” a new fund to repair and rebuild gravel roads 
April 7 Province wide $974,000. to triage the backlog of 300 students for psychological assessments (Grades P-12)
April 6Province wide$6.9 million added to Film/TV Production Fund (2017-18)
April 5New WaterfordCape Breton Centre (Lib)Design planning begins for new Community Healthcare Centre (Price N/A)
April 5Glace BayGlace Bay (Lib)Planning begins for new dialysis unit (Price  N/A)
April 5Province wideProvincial Policy to support creation of Palliative Care Hospices
April 4Sydney Sydney-Whitney Pier (Lib) $3.2 million to transform Holy Angels Convent to Cape Breton Centre for Arts,Culture & Innovation

I’ll have more to say about the Butterfield Bank announcement in tomorrow’s Morning File.

Filed Under: Featured, Province House Tagged With: Stephen McNeil's pre-election spending spree

About Tim Bousquet

Tim Bousquet is the editor and publisher of the Halifax Examiner. email: [email protected]; Twitter

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