Halifax has committed to helping fund music and fine arts in schools through the supplementary education funding agreement.
In a statement, the city says it is for five years, for HRCE and CSAP programs.
However, social work and library support will be transitioned out of the agreement, to be in effect by Aug. 31, 2031.
Mayor Andy Fillmore tell us in an interview, this makes clear what services the provincial government is responsible for and what the municipality covers.
“There has been some blurring of the lines,” says Fillmore.
He tells us, HRM residents have been collecting taxes for the provincial government through municipal tax, then hand it to the province.
“They then pay librarians and social workers and arts and other things with those dollars,” explains Fillmore. “The question is, why are we collecting that for them? Education is a provincial jurisdiction.”
To be clear, he says, “no one’s losing their job today.”
The new agreement takes effect immediately and will guide funding through March 31, 2031.
Halifax is the only municipality in Nova Scotia that supplies this funding.
