Man sent to hospital after becoming pinned between two vehicles in Trenton
A 67-year-old man was sent to hospital after being involved in a vehicle-pedestrian collision in Trenton. On Tuesday around 3:30 p.m., New Glasgow Regional Police, EHS, and Trenton Fire Department responded to the collision involving a vehicle and pedestrian on Main Street in front of Needs. Authorities say the preliminary investigation has shown a man attempted to cross Main Street, but got pinned between a Hyundai Tucson, which was attempting to park on the road, and a parked Dodge Pickup truck. The man was transported to the Aberdeen Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver of the Hyundai Tucson had no reported injuries. Police say the investigation is ongoing.
Nova Scotia tables deficit budget with major health-care spending boost for 2022-23
Photo credit: Communications N.S.
The Nova Scotia Progressive Conservative government’s first budget projects a $506.2-million deficit due to major spending hikes for health care. The $13.2-billion budget for 2022-23 contains $5.7 billion for health care, an increase of $413.4 million compared to last year’s spending. In his budget address this week, Finance Minister Allan MacMaster says the province can no longer solve its health-care problems by “tinkering at the margins.” The increased health spending includes $22.9 million to continue delivery of COVID-19 vaccines and $17.5 million to perform an additional 2,500 surgeries. Long-term care is also getting millions to help increase staffing levels, including $66.3 million to boost the wages of continuing care assistants. Two tax measures aimed at out-of-province property owners are projected to raise $81 million to help make housing more available and attainable in the province.
Highlights of 2022-23 investments that will benefit Northern Nova Scotia include:
— continued work on the North Cumberland Health Centre in Pugwash
— design work at Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre in Amherst
— new funding to make virtual care available to everyone on the Need a Family Practice Registry and expand the kind of care available through virtual care
— new residence for Nova Scotia Community College’s Pictou campus
— construction work at the Nova Scotia Provincial Exhibition grounds in Bible Hill
— upgrades to the C.A Douglas Grandstand at Truro Raceway
— funding for continued work at Springhill Elementary School
— funding to continue the new Healthy Schools Grant for all public schools
— Highway 104 twinning from Sutherlands River to Antigonish
— expansion of the gravel road program and additional funding of $30 million for bridge repair and renewal
— introduction of the More Opportunities for Skilled Trades program, which, starting in the 2022 tax year, will return provincial personal income tax paid on the first $50,000 of earnings for eligible people under the age of 30.
To view the budget documents, visit: https://novascotia.ca/budget
Meanwhile, Nova Scotia’s opposition parties say they’re struck by what’s not in the Progressive Conservative government’s first budget tabled on Tuesday. Liberal Leader Iain Rankin says he’s “underwhelmed” by a budget that doesn’t contain cost of living measures to assist people with rising gas and grocery prices. Rankin says there is no raise in income assistance at a time when many people with lower incomes are struggling. N-D-P Leader Gary Burrill is also noting a lack of cost-of-living measures and says that’s in contrast to other provinces like Quebec, B.C. and New Brunswick, which did offer various forms of help. Burrill adds that the government is nowhere near its election promise of providing universal mental health care. (The Canadian Press)
Vaccine Outreach Clinic planned for Scotsburn Thursday
Nova Scotia Health is holding COVID-19 vaccine outreach clinics across the province this week. Clinics are focused on providing first and second doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Nova Scotians who are not yet fully vaccinated. Booster doses are available at some drop-in vaccine clinics. Locally, there will be a drop-in vaccine clinic for Pfizer at the Scotsburn Fire Hall (for anyone age 5 PLUS), this Thursday, March 31 from 3 – 6 p.m. Find full details on upcoming clinics at: https://www.nshealth.ca/drop-in-vaccine-clinics
2022 Wine Awards Call for Submissions
Photo: Winners of the 2021 Lieutenant-Governor’s Award for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wines (
The 2022 Lieutenant-Governor’s Award for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wines is open for submissions. The province says the award recognizes the outstanding quality of locally sourced and produced wines. It also honours the commitment and craft of those in Nova Scotia’s wine industry. The winning wines will be announced at an awards ceremony at Government House in Halifax in July and the wineries will be presented with a medal and certificate. The submission deadline for the 2022 Lieutenant-Governor’s Award for Excellence in Nova Scotia Wines is Friday, May 27.
