Nova Scotia skilled trades rebate program falls short

Most of the money the Nova Scotia government was hoping to put in the pockets of young skilled trades workers has been sitting idle, according to recently revealed information on the MOST program. 

It’s been more than a year since the Houston government launched the More Opportunity for Skilled Trades (MOST) program, which offers a provincial tax rebate for trades workers under the age of 30 on the first $50,000 of income.

The program, announced in June 2022, was anticipated to yield applications from roughly 7,500 workers with an average refund of about $2,700. 

In order to make that happen, the Nova Scotia government budgeted $21 million. 

But according to data the NDP received through a freedom of information request, only $4.5 million has been paid out. 

NDP Leader Claudia Chender said the Houston government pitched the MOST program as a way to address the lack of skilled trades, but it has failed to do that.

“We still have a huge deficit in skilled trades and we need the government to take that seriously and acknowledge the program they introduced to fix it has been unsuccessful,” Chender said following question period at Province House in Halifax on Friday. 

Chender said skilled trades workers are a vital piece when it comes to addressing the housing crisis. 

She said while the provincial government doesn’t need to get rid of the MOST program, it needs to look at other ways to encourage people to work in skilled trades, such as:

• removing barriers to tuition like excessive fees at Nova Scotia Community Colleges;
• expanding skilled trades programs at NSCC, where many campuses have waitlists; and
• promoting direct-entry programs that the building trades have. 

Finance Minister Allan MacMaster said the provincial government has no plans to scrap the program despite its low turnout. 

“My hope is that more people will be aware of it and take advantage of it,” he said, adding nurses will also be eligible for the program in the coming year. 

MacMaster said he wasn’t aware of the specifics behind why the program wasn’t succeeding as initially hoped, but said the government still believes in the program.

“It’s the first time it’s been done right across the country, so a lot of people wouldn’t be expecting it. So I think it’s natural that the word has to get around,” he said.

Premier Tim Houston echoed MacMaster’s thoughts.

“My hope is that more people will be aware of it and take advantage of it.”

– Finance Minister Allan MacMaster

“Nothing’s overnight,” Houston said. “I’m an impatient person. I wish things were faster for sure, but the young people that are benefitting from MOST are happy.” 

Houston said the program will also encourage younger people, who aren’t eligible for the program yet, to get into trades. 

“We won’t see that for a long time,” Houston said. “These people are in Grade 9, Grade 10.” 

Liberal Leader Zach Churchill said he will be introducing legislation next week that, if passed, would expand the eligibility of the program.

“We don’t think you should limit eligibility based on age,” Churchill said. 

Churchill said the legislation his caucus will introduce will see eligibility be based on how many years have passed since a person has graduated. 

They will also seek to have the eligibility include paramedics as “an incentive to bring more people in.”