Budget Bulletin: Smart Communities

The province's investment in the education of its people, at all stages of their lives, is at the heart of the strategy for a vibrant, prosperous and sustainable Nova Scotia.

This year, an additional $34 million will be invested in the public education system. To enhance learning opportunities and outcomes for the province's African-Nova Scotian student population, $1.6 million will be invested to complete the work recommended by the Black Learners Advisory Committee (BLAC) Report.

The province is investing $35.6 million in healthy, sustainable school facilities with the ongoing construction of four schools and the start of construction on four others. As well, capital additions and alterations will increase $3.7 million to $19.9 million, ensuring our physical structures offer safe and healthy learning environments.

Another $3 million in capital will be invested in the Nova Scotia Community College system. Physically active students are better able to learn. The province will invest $300,000 to support the move toward a new compulsory physical education course for students graduating in 2011.

For vocational and composites programming, an additional $1.3 million will be invested for trade-specific learning opportunities. An additional 591 spaces will be added to the Nova Scotia Community College system at a cost of almost $5 million, increasing the total budget by $13.5 million.

In the area of university education, there is an increase in funding in this year's budget of $22.9 million, or 10 per cent, to ensure more Nova Scotians can enjoy the benefits of higher education.

Of the increase, $12.5 million will be used to offset the 3.9 per cent tuition increase scheduled for the 2007–08 school year. This will result in a tuition freeze at September 2006 levels for most Canadian students, and an equivalent reduction in tuition rate increases for medical, dental, law and international students.

An additional $11.6 million will be used to reduce tuition levels by about $500 for Nova Scotia residents attending Nova Scotia universities. This is the next step in government's commitment to bring Nova Scotia tuition rates in line with the national average by the 2010–11 school year.

Note: For further 2007-08 budget information, see the Department of Finance website at www.gov.ns.ca/finance.