Unions of Nova Scotia Municipalities

Province Announces New Budget Website for Pre-Budget Consultation

How would you balance Nova Scotia's budget? That's the question Finance Minister Graham Steele is asking Nova Scotians through a new interactive website, the first of its kind in Canada.

The website, www.backtobalance.ca, will be the centrepiece of the third annual Back to Balance pre-budget consultation, which runs until the end of February.

Backtobalance.ca allows visitors to create their own provincial budget. They can adjust revenues and expenditures, and see the real-time impact of their choices on the bottom line.

The government is halfway through its four-year plan to get back to balance, and the minister wants Nova Scotians, on their own or as part of a group, to use the budget website to provide a "crowdsource" solution for the rest of the path back to balance.
The minister will also visit many communities across the province for pre-budget meetings.

Anyone hosting a group of 20 or more people in January or February may invite the Minister of Finance to discuss their online budget submission. Details can be found on the website under Visitor Information.

The minister will see all written budget submissions sent to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or to his Department of Finance office.

Nova Scotians are also encouraged to join the Nova Scotia Online Forum, announced November 8, to provide input on a wide range of government policies and priorities, as they are being developed. They can visit www.forumns.ca.

The government will consider all ideas and feedback for the 2012 and 2013 budgets, the final two budgets of its Back to Balance plan.

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