by Finance Minister Karen Casey presented the 2019-20 budget this afternoon, projecting a small surplus of 33.6 million dollars.
The 11 billion-dollar budget contains a $200 million increase in health spending.
The healthcare spending in the budget includes 10 million to further develop collaborative care teams, 2.9 million for 15 new spaces for specialists at DAL medical school, and 2.2 million the government says will increase access to hip and knee replacement surgeries.
The budget also has over 691 million for capital projects including schools, roads and highways, as well as money announced yesterday for the Regional Hospital.
Other spending items for Cape Breton include 465,000 dollars supporting a new homeless shelter in Sydney, as well as design work for the new Glace Bay area elementary school, renovations at Ferrisview Elementary in North Sydney, and a number of projects on the Cabot Trail.
Also in the budget is the last forecast for 2018-19, updating the last fiscal year’ surplus to 28.4 million.