by Auditor General Kim Adair says the province needs to improve accountability and transparency of budget overspending.
Adair says $1.7 billion in extra appropriations were made on a budget of $14 billion in 2022-23.
She says that’s the largest amount approved since the current Finance Act was introduced in 2010.
The Auditor General says it’s not unusual for governments to increase spending to address unanticipated needs from time to time.
However, she says Nova Scotia’s Finance Act is not typical because it doesn’t require the legislature to review, vote on, or approve additional appropriations.