ELMSDALE: There were many highlights for 2025, but the MLA for Hants East also said for the coming year 2026 there are some fiscal realities facing the province.
John A. MacDonald, who also serves as the Municipal Affairs Minister, spoke with The Laker News on Feb. 9 in a year-end/look ahead at 2026 interview at his constituency office in Elmsdale
He described 2025 as a year of significant provincial and local progress despite ongoing challenges.
Among the top accomplishments at the provincial level, MacDonald pointed to the indexing of income tax brackets—the first such adjustment in the province’s history—and the reduction of the provincial portion of the Harmonized Sales Tax (HST) by one cent, dropping the combined rate from 15 per cent to 14 per cent effective April 1, 2025.
These measures aim to provide tax relief and make life more affordable for Nova Scotians.
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Locally in East Hants, MacDonald highlighted expansions at Tots Academy, which added nearly 100 new childcare spaces in the corridor area, including locations in Enfield and Lantz.
He also celebrated the announcement of up to 16 units of affordable public housing on Mill Village Road in Shubenacadie, part of broader provincial efforts to increase safe and accessible housing options.
Infrastructure improvements were another bright spot, with paving work completed along Highway 102 through the riding, addressing long-standing concerns from residents.
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Looking to 2026, MacDonald acknowledged a much tougher landscape.
With the province facing a $1.4 billion deficit and an upcoming budget described by Premier Tim Houston as “massive,” the focus will shift to prioritizing spending and doing more with limited resources.
“This is probably going to be one of our toughest budgets,” MacDonald said.
“We’re elected to make these decisions, so we’ll look at what we can get done, and what we may have to hold off on for a year or two.”
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Constituents continue to raise familiar issues.
He said that roads, healthcare (including positive steps like consolidations and expansions), school busing, and other everyday concerns shared by MLAs across Nova Scotia are concerns he continues to hear about from residents in East Hants.
MacDonald described the past year and a half since the last election as “interesting” and expressed optimism about future announcements over the next couple of years.
The interview with The Laker News provided a brief look at balancing achievements with the fiscal pressures ahead for MacDonald and his fellow MLAs and communities like East Hants.
