News release

Gaming, Municipal Finance Corporations Integrated With Government

Finance and Treasury Board
Municipal Affairs and Housing

The Province will improve efficiency and accountability and reduce duplication through legislation introduced today, October 20, to complete the transition of the Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation and the Municipal Finance Corporation into the Department of Finance and Treasury Board.

“The Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation and its staff do important work to ensure the Province has a well-managed, socially responsible gaming industry, and that important mandate will continue,” said Finance and Treasury Board Minister Allan MacMaster. “Our goal is to reduce duplication of roles, improve efficiency and bring Nova Scotia in line with other Atlantic provinces by having the staff who conduct and manage gaming part of government. My Department is pleased to welcome these staff along with those from the Municipal Finance Corporation.”

Proposed amendments to Part I of the Gaming Control Act include:

  • assigning management and control of the gaming corporation to the minister of Finance and Treasury Board, including eliminating the board of directors and CEO position
  • deeming employees of the gaming corporation to be civil servants, with the operations of the corporation supported by the Department.

The Municipal Finance Corporation Dissolution Act will repeal the Municipal Finance Corporation Act and dissolve the corporation, transitioning its assets, liabilities and employees to the Province. Amendments will be made to the Finance Act, providing the minister of Finance and Treasury Board with the authority to make loans to municipalities and municipal enterprises. Consequential amendments will be made to the Municipal Government Act and the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter.

In September 2021, departments were directed to review the role, efficiency and effectiveness of agencies, offices and Crown corporations; the results were announced in July.

Quotes:

“Nova Scotia’s municipalities will continue to be well served with low-cost financing for capital projects. And while this important work is moving to the Department of Finance and Treasury Board, my Department will continue working with municipalities to review and recommend borrowing requests.”

– John Lohr, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing

Quick Facts:

  • Nova Scotia is the only Atlantic province with a separate Crown corporation between the government and the Atlantic Lottery Corporation
  • the deputy minister of Finance and Treasury Board now serves on the board of the Atlantic Lottery Corporation as the non-independent director for Nova Scotia
  • the work of Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation, including responsible gaming initiatives, will continue
  • the Municipal Finance Corporation has loaned more than $3.6 billion to municipalities since it was created in 1980

Additional Resources:

Bills tabled in the legislature are available at: https://nslegislature.ca/legislative-business/bills-statutes/bills/assembly-64-session-1

News Release – Streamlined Crown Corporations to Drive Province’s Economic Agenda: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20220726001

A full summary of the changes from the review of 20 organizations is available at: https://novascotia.ca/news/docs/2022/07/26/agencies-offices-and-crown-corporations-review-backgrounder.pdf

Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation: https://gamingns.ca

Nova Scotia Municipal Finance Corporation: https://www.nsmfc.ca

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