CUTS ARE STILL ON THE TABLE. Let’s wipe them off!

LETTER TO KHYBER COMMUNITY (February 28, 2026)

NEWSLETTER SIGN-UP!

NOVA SCOTIA 2026-27 BUDGET
LETTER TOOLS

In a hurry?! Nova Scotia Labour Federation has a quick email you can click to send right now: actionnetwork.org/letters/tell-your-mla-to-vote-no-to-the-2026-nova-scotia-budget

Join the campaign: www.nsarts.ca/toolkit.html

Below is a customizable tool for anyone writing to the government about the nightmare 2026-27 provincial budget that is being tabled. Governments are more likely to respond to personalized letters. Please adapt, edit, and make it yours!

NOVA SCOTIA CONTACTS

Find your MLA (find them here)

CC: legc.office@novascotia, FinanceMinister@novascotia.ca, MIN_CCTH@novascotia.ca, PREMIER@novascotia.ca

Subject line: Financial Measures Act Submission

NOVA SCOTIA CUSTOM LETTER TOOL

Dear MLA ____________ (find your MLA here), The Honourable John Lohr, Minister of Finance, The Honourable Dave Ritcey, Minister of Communities, Culture, Tourism & Heritage, and The Honourable Tim Houston, Premier of Nova Scotia,

My name is ____________(your name). I live in ____________(your constituency). I am writing to express my urgent and unequivocal opposition to the 2026-27 provincial budget, which proposes deep cuts to vital programs that directly sustain community safety, cultural survival, equity, education, and health across Nova Scotia.

I am…
(feel free to choose from the prompts below)

The proposed provincial budget still includes sweeping cuts to communities, arts, culture, and heritage, including Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotian cultural programs. There are also still massive cuts to youth supports, equity initiatives, education, environment, domestic violence support systems, mental health and addictions, and community infrastructure across Nova Scotia. Additionally, the budget being tabled includes expenses that will be devastating to our environment and the health of Nova Scotians.

Support for these programs, art, and culture funding, is crucial to me because…
(feel free to choose from the prompts below)

The cuts being presented, if implemented, will create a chain reaction that weakens community health, reduces tourism appeal, generates unemployment, closes arts venues, and slows economic activity. We are only beginning to see the detrimental impact of this. With this version of the budget, the government will be making cuts to lifelines in Nova Scotia.

You have heard concerns about the economic impact already from countless constituents, but I will emphasize this again. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s 2025 report, Artworks: The Economic and Social Dividends from Canada’s Arts and Culture Sector, highlights that every dollar invested in the arts generates $29 in economic activity, underlining the significant economic impact of arts and cultural investments. According to the same source, Arts, Culture & Heritage contributed $2.6 billion in GDP and supported 22,000 jobs in this province in 2023 alone.

I am enraged that (name an organization that you know was cut, Khyber if you love us) was cut by (the amount cut for the organization you are naming, for example, Khyber’s cut is facing a 30% cut in operations, plus a total elimination of programs we can apply to support programming).

I am asking you to oppose these cuts and to create a new budget. Show us that you value Nova Scotians by advocating for community, culture, art, accessibility, social services, and equity-focused funding. Please uphold your responsibility to protect Nova Scotian communities from disproportionate harm.

I consent to having my MLA read my letter, opinions, and experiences. I consent to submitting my letter in opposition to the Financial Measures (2026) Act – Bill 198.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

____________(your name and postal code)

CUSTOMIZATION!

WHO ARE YOU?

• An artist / photographer / craftsperson / musician / filmmaker / writer +
• A cultural worker / administrator / technician / instructor / facilitator +
• Someone who attends galleries, concerts, festivals, arts and cultural programming.
• Someone who benefits from, or supports, free or low-barrier arts and culture access.
• A member of a collective, community, or not-for-profit organization (include name).
• I’m a Halifax resident who values artistic and/or cultural expression.

SUPPORT FOR THE ARTS IS CRUCIAL TO ME BECAUSE:

• • I am deeply concerned about the impact of defunding social purpose programs and services.
  • I need to have spaces and funding to create and present my work.
  • It is essential to my livelihood and purpose.
  • Art spaces build connections with other artists and with the broader community.
  • My well-being, mental health, social life, community, and/or experiences of belonging are supported through the arts.
  • It gives me access to new ideas and perspectives that help in my work and/or quality of life.
  • It makes Halifax more welcoming and interesting.
  • It helps build belonging and reduce isolation.
  • It creates more public space, often free to attend, outside of commercial venues and businesses.
  • Affordable spaces and art venues are disappearing, and municipal support helps keep them alive.
  • Even the small existing annual investment made by the city has proven to have contributed greatly to our municipal economy.