NSFL President Cavanagh: Budget 2025 – 2026 fails to address key worker concerns

Today, the Nova Scotia Federation of Labour (NSFL) expresses deep concerns over the provincial Budget 2025-26 released by the Houston government. NSFL President Danny Cavanagh says while we acknowledge the importance of economic growth, it cannot come at any cost to workers and vulnerable Nova Scotians.

“Lower taxes can be beneficial, but the timing of tax cuts for businesses is questionable when they are already calling for more services.

“This approach seems to favour corporate interests over regular taxpayers,” says Cavanagh.

Cavanagh criticized the government’s alignment with the Canadian Taxpayers’ Federation, an organization which promotes tax cuts.

He also rejected the government’s claim that special interest groups have controlled government policy in the past. A glaring example of this is fracking bans, which were put in place by government decisions, not special interest groups.

“We are concerned about the lack of a comprehensive poverty elimination plan in Nova Scotia. We need a budget that addresses more people’s issues and ensures value for money in government contracts, moving away from private delivery models,” says Cavanagh.

Key concerns highlighted by the NSFL include:

• Lack of investment in ending workplace violence
• Insufficient protection for jobs in new resource extraction initiatives
• An apparent attempt to silence dissenting voices rather than foster collaboration.

“While the budget is not entirely negative, we are troubled by the government’s approach to those with differing opinions.

“A government should govern for all Nova Scotians, not sideline those who disagree. That exclusion started today when the NSFL was excluded from the budget lockup, limiting its ability to provide immediate, comprehensive analysis and hampers our ability to represent workers’ interests effectively,” says Cavanagh.

The Federation will provide further detailed comments on the budget in the coming days, ensuring workers’ voices are heard in this crucial economic discussion.