February 27, 2026, KJIPUKTUK (so-called Halifax)

On Tuesday, following the NS budget tabling, we released a statement regarding the cuts to Post-Secondary Education. At the time, we understood that this sector was facing roughly $27 million in cuts; clarity around that number was hard to come by. We reached out to the Department of Advanced Education for more information, and we are now certain that Universities alone will see a cut of $20.5 million in grant funding.¹ 

Additionally, the Houston Government has released six bills affecting roughly 30 pieces of legislation, pushed large omnibus bills through with little or no consultation with stakeholders, and changed house rules to limit debate by opposition.² The Houston Government is responsible for the highest deficit in Nova Scotia history, and is trying to offload the debt to residents, through monstrous levels of resource extraction, violence against Mi’kmaw folks, and cuts that will gut integral services – all with the most underserved paying the highest price. 

It is specifically harmful to see cuts to equitable access programs that make the university more accessible to students who have faced generations of racial and cultural discrimination while trying to access PSE in Nova Scotia. 

Below is a list of the detailed cuts we have to date (information provided in a detailed document of cuts to The Halifax Examiner):³ 

● Discontinuation of graduate scholarships: 

    - $3,718,000 

● Cut to targeted funding for the following equitable access to PSE programs:

     ● Transition Year Program, Dalhousie University: 

          - $50,000 

     ● Aboriginal Programming Accessibility, Cape Breton University: 

          - $50,000 

     ● Francophone/Acadian Health, Dalhousie University: 

          - $25,000 

     ● Promoting Leadership in Health for African NS, Dalhousie University:

          - $25,000 

● 20% operating grant reduction for Research Nova Scotia: 

     - $1.2 million 

● “One time” Operating Grant cut to St Mary’s University, equal to 28% of their operating grant from the province: 

     - $11,000,000 

● Discontinuation of PhD programs in education at various universities:

    ● Acadia University: 

          - $103,000

     ● Mount Saint Vincent University: 

          - $215,000 

     ● St. Francis Xavier University: 

          - $103,000 

● Cut to PhD programs at St. Mary’s University: 

     - $100,000 

¹Info sent directly to CFS-NS by staffer of Minister of Advanced Ed

² Houston government’s rapid, packed session is an affront to democracy, say opposition

‍³ Grant Reductions, Details by Departmen

We are outraged by the cuts this government is implementing and by its lack of commitment to education in Nova Scotia. Please join us during the student strike happening March 15th-21st to demand that the government make education more affordable. Please join for day one of the strike at the ALL OUT MARCH 15 rally happening at 12 pm at the Old Library(5381 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax). Follow @cfsns and @novascotiastudentstrike for more information and ongoing updates. 

Media Contacts:

Alexina St. Pierre-Farrow 

CFS-NS Provincial Chairperson 

chairperson@cfs-ns.ca

Owen Skeen 

CFS National Treasurer 

treasurer@cfs-fcee.ca

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