Report card · Fall 2026
Nova Scotia
Fiscal year 2025-26. The short version first, then every figure behind it, from the government's audited public accounts.
The short version
In 2025-26, Nova Scotia spent $19.4 billion, about $17,651 for every resident. That was 6.2% more than it planned.
It ended the year with a deficit of $1.4 billion, worse than the deficit of $897 million it had planned.
Its independent auditor (Auditor General of Nova Scotia) signed off on the accounts without reservation.
The audited results came out 177 days after the year ended.
What it means per person
Nova Scotia's totals divided by its population of 1,098,342 on October 1, 2025 (Statistics Canada). This is not a tax bill: every Canadian pays for federal and provincial or territorial government at the same time, and some of this money comes from other governments.
- Spent $17,651 per resident, on services, programs and transfers
- Collected $16,370 per resident, in taxes, transfers and other revenue
- Paid in interest $792 per resident, about 5¢ of every revenue dollar
- Net debt $21,939 per resident, what it owes, less its financial assets
Where every dollar went
Of every dollar Nova Scotia spent in 2025-26, as the government groups its spending.
- 35¢ Health and Wellness
- 14¢ Education and Early Childhood Development
- 9¢ Opportunities and Social Development
- 7¢ Seniors and Long-Term Care
- 6¢ Restructuring Costs
- 29¢ Everything else
What went off plan
The areas furthest from their budget, in dollars. Going over isn't automatically bad (an emergency or a program added during the year can be the reason), and coming in under can mean delayed work.
Over budget
- Restructuring Costs +$593 million (107.5%)
- Health and Wellness +$426 million (6.6%)
- Natural Resources +$66 million (59.9%)
Under budget
- Municipal Affairs −$59 million (−17.6%)
- Debt Servicing Costs −$39 million (−4.3%)
Context from the documents
- The release date is approximate: it is based on when the document was posted.
Questions worth asking
Based only on the figures above. Put them to your MLA, MP or candidates, or to the finance department.
- Spending came in 6.2% over budget. What caused it, and has this year's budget been adjusted to match?
- Restructuring Costs cost $593 million more than budgeted (107.5% over). What was the reason?
- The bottom line was $510 million worse than planned. How will the difference be covered?
- Interest on debt took about 5 cents of every dollar of revenue. What is the plan for the debt over the next few years?
Every figure behind this page, exactly as published, with the page it came from.
We extracted these figures from a PDF: Public Accounts Volume 1: Consolidated Financial Statements for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026. They are shown exactly as published, in thousands of dollars, with the page each one came from. Check them against the official document .
The year in figures
Actual results against the budget printed in the same audited statements. Amounts in thousands of dollars. Debt and accumulated balances are shown as positive amounts; the label says which they are.
| Item | Actual | Budget | Difference | Where we found it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenue | 17,979,862 | 17,561,724 | +418,138 +2.4% | Actual: PDF page 78 (printed 76) Budget: PDF page 78 (printed 76) |
| Total expenses | 19,386,901 | 18,259,223 | +1,127,678 +6.2% | Actual: PDF page 78 (printed 76) Budget: PDF page 78 (printed 76) |
| Annual surplus (deficit) | −1,407,039 | −897,499 | −509,540 | Actual: PDF page 78 (printed 76) Budget: PDF page 78 (printed 76) |
| Net debt | 24,096,694 | 23,413,493 | +683,201 +2.9% | Actual: PDF page 77 (printed 75) Budget: PDF page 79 (printed 77) |
| Accumulated deficit | 10,069,396 | — | — | Actual: PDF page 77 (printed 75) |
| Interest on debt | 869,591 | 908,509 | −38,918 −4.3% | Actual: PDF page 78 (printed 76) Budget: PDF page 78 (printed 76) |
Spending by area
Expenses by sector or function, as the government groups them, in thousands of dollars. The thin line marks the budget.
Audit and release
- Auditor
- Auditor General of Nova Scotia
- Opinion
- Unmodified (clean)
- Audited results released
- September 24, 2026
- Days after year end
- 177
Source documents
We link to the official documents rather than republishing them. We kept a copy of each, as downloaded, so these figures can be re-checked even if a link changes.
Right of reply
No response from Nova Scotia has been published yet.
Nova Scotia can respond to this section. We confirm every response by phone before publishing it, then publish it here in full, unedited. If you find an error, tell us through the contact form on our About page. Corrections are noted on the page; figures are never changed silently.
Respond on behalf of Nova Scotia
Figures collected and checked November 6, 2026.
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