After three years of fiscal surpluses, Nova Scotia is projecting a $1.29-billion deficit for the year ending March 31, 2026, more than double the combined surpluses in the previous three fiscal years.

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Resuming strong population growth must be part of the solution.

When Tim Houston was elected premier of Nova Scotia in August 2021, the population was passing one million. He had campaigned on a vision of doubling that amount by 2060. It seemed like a good idea at the time, but the resources needed to support that pace were conspicuously absent.

Such an increase required more of everything, especially health-care professionals and facilities, and new housing, which needed more tradespeople.

The population of Nova Scotia grew by 100,000 in the four years ending Dec. 31, 2024, consistent with Canada’s 10 per cent growth.

The Justin Trudeau Liberals made a mess of what had for decades been a successful immigration process. They lost control of the number of non-permanent immigrants: temporary foreign workers and international students.

They then implemented a clumsy correction, taking away much of the........

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