Making Choices - The 1998 Pre-Budget Public Consultation
Our Spending on
Programs and Services
Your Provincial
Government will spend about $3.35 billion in 1997-98. Of each
dollar:
67 cents is spent in the social sector, which includes health care, education, social assistance, policing, housing and supporting municipalities
15 cents goes to pay the interest on our debt
12 cents provides for the general government sector, which includes maintaining roads and ferries, collecting taxes and managing Crown lands, and
6 cents is spent in the resource sector, encouraging economic development, managing our natural resources, protecting the environment and promoting tourism and culture.
All governments in Canada have faced the need to restrain expenditures in recent years. In 1996 we embarked on a program review exercise to comprehensively evaluate all our programs and services to establish priorities and determine the most efficient delivery methods. The results were incorporated into the 1997 Budget, the exercise being a key component of our efforts to implement multi-year financial planning and to reduce costs.
While departments and agencies have been given three year expenditure budgets, there is some flexibility within the overall framework to make adjustments for changing circumstances and new developments. However, generally, if more money is to be spent for one purpose, then offsetting cuts would have to be made to another area so total spending does not increase overall. The 1998 Budget will fine tune the remaining two years of the original three year plan, as well as consider the fiscal outlook for a new year three, 2000-01.
Departmental Spending Summary
[Gross Expenditures From 1997 Budget Estimates]
Health
Education
Human Resources & Employment
Works, Services & Transportation
Municipal & Provincial Affairs
Justice
Forest Resources & Agrifoods
Industry, Trade & Technology
Tourism, Culture & Recreation
Development & Rural Renewal
Government, Services & Lands
Fisheries & Aquaculture
Mines & Energy$928 million
$681 million
$394 million
$220 million
$130 million
$109 million
$47 million
$37 million
$35 million
$34 million
$23 million
$17 million
$9 million
MHA Pension Plan
One specific issue Government would like to give you the opportunity to consider is the MHA pension plan. The federal government and all provinces (except Alberta) provide pensions for elected officials. Many MHAs leave careers where they would otherwise be earning pensions to serve in the House of Assembly. The existing MHA plan provides for pensions based on a percentage of salary and the length of service. As with most pension plans, both the MHAs and their employer, government, make contributions to the plan. As the MHA pension plan is currently under review, you can offer your views on if, or how, it should be changed, and the extent to which it should be supported financially by Government.
