(Provincial Finance Minister Blaine Higgs)
(File Photo)
We have to do things differently in the province from now on......That message was delivered to the Saint John Board of Trade by the new Provincial Finance Minister Blaine Higgs.
He says the first step is to look for efficiencies within government but he wouldn't be specific beyond that. Higgs does concede reducing government waste, by itself, won't be enough to balance the books.
He told Saint John businesspeople the time has come to take a serious look at health care which consumes 40 per cent of the provincial budget and growing with too many seniors occupying acute care hospital beds when they don't need to be there. He warns if nothing is done, seniors will occupy 100 per cent of our acute care hospital beds by 2021.
Higgs also points out education costs have increased by 20 per cent over the last ten years while student enrollment has fallen by 7 per cent. He's now looking for ideas from people around the province as the government starts pre-budget public consultations.
To see video: go to our website--country94.ca and click news.
