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November 27, 2024GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE BY FUNCTION, 2023 Statistics Canada has published details from Consolidated Government Finance Statistics for 2023 including consolidated results for provincial-territorial and local governments by nine functional areas of expenditure: health care, education, social protection, general public service (which includes debt payments), economic affairs (which includes transportation), public order/safety, environmental protection (which includes wastewater and solid waste), housing/community amenities (which includes water services) and recreation/culture.
Details on defence spending are provided only at the Federal level. Annual data correspond to the end of the fiscal year closest to December 31. For example, data for the fiscal year ending on March 31, 2023 (fiscal year 2022-23) are reported as the 2023 reference year. Per capita expenditures are calculated using the population as of July 1 during the fiscal year; for fiscal year 2022-23, per capita expenditures are calculated using the population as of July 1, 2023.
These data are based on the international government financial statistical standard and, as such, may differ in their presentation from similar concepts reported in Public Accounts and other financial statements. Statistics Canada's data allows for comparability across jurisdictions.
Total per capita expenditures by provincial-local government function added up to $16,987 in Nova Scotia, which was the third lowest among provinces - ahead of Ontario ($16,213 per capita) and New Brunswick ($16,142 per capita). Nova Scotia's consolidated provincial-local spending was $719 per capita below the national average in 2023 ($17,706). Saskatchewan ($20,465 per capita) and Québec ($20,030 per capita) reported the highest expenditures per capita.


In the last year, Nova Scotia's per capita consolidated expenditures on provincial-local government functions increased by $606 per capita or 3.7%. National expenditures increased by $572 per capita or 3.3%. The fastest growth was in Manitoba (+6.6% or +$1,126 per capita). Prince Edward Island (-0.7% or -$126 per capita) reported the only decline in per capita provincial-local government spending.

Health care makes up the largest per capita expenditure function in every provincial-local government. Nova Scotia's health expenditures of $6,879 per capita were second highest among provinces after Newfoundland and Labrador ($7,884 per capita). The national average for health expenditures was $6,053 per capita. Hospitals and outpatient services make up the bulk of health care spending. Nova Scotia's per capita expenditures were above average for hospitals ($4,688 per capita) and public health services ($484 per capita - second highest among provinces) but lower for outpatient services ($598 per capita - lowest among provinces) and medical equipment and appliances ($330 per capita). The lowest per capita health expenditures were reported in Ontario ($5,498 per capita), Alberta ($5,743 per capita) and Prince Edward Island ($5,751 per capita).

Note: n.e.c. refers to expenditures "not elsewhere classified".
Nova Scotia's per capita health expenditures contracted in 2022 and rebounded in 2023. In 2023, Nova Scotia's health expenditures per capita grew by 11.2% or $692 per capita. Only British Columbia reported faster growth in per capita health spending (+13.5% or +$782 per capita). Québec reported the only decline in per capita health expenditures (-1.5% or -$99 per capita). National per capita health expenditures were up 3.6% or $212 per capita from 2022 to 2023.

Education is the second largest functional expenditure made by provincial-local governments. Nova Scotia's education spending of $3,339 per capita was above the national average among provincial-local governments ($3,029 per capita). Nova Scotia's spending on universities ($1,090 per capita) was the highest among provinces while its expenditures for primary/secondary education ($1,735 per capita) were the second lowest among provinces. Per capita education spending was highest in Saskatchewan ($3,646 per capita) and lowest in British Columbia ($2,647 per capita).

Nova Scotia's per capita education spending increased by 2.9% or $95 per capita from 2022 to 2023. National education expenditures increased by 1.7% ($51 per capita). Ontario (-0.3% or -$10 per capita ) reported the only decline while New Brunswick (+6.3% or $188 per capita) reported the fastest per capita rise in education spending.

Provincial-local government consolidated expenditures on social protection amounted to $1,230 per capita in Nova Scotia - lowest among provinces. The national average provincial-local expenditure on social protection was $2,605 per capita, but expenditures on social protection exhibit a wide variation across provinces with over $1,900 per capita difference from the lowest spending provincial-local government (Nova Scotia) to the highest (Saskatchewan). Some of this variation is explained by markedly different service levels across provinces. For example, Saskatchewan's higher payments for sickness and disability are attributable to benefits provided under that province's public auto insurance program.
Sickness/disability payments make up the largest portion of social protection expenditures in most jurisdictions, followed in some by children/family services and in others by expenditures to address social exclusion (including funding for low-income earners, refugees and homeless persons).
Nova Scotia's expenditures on sickness/disability ($528 per capita), social exclusion ($62 per capita), old age ($9 per capita), housing ($160 per capita) and family/children ($158 per capita) were below the national averages for these functions. Nova Scotia's per capita expenditures on unemployment were $313 per capita - well above the national average.

Consolidated provincial-local expenditures on social protection contracted by 14.5% (-$209 per capita) in Nova Scotia from 2022 to 2023. National expenditures increased by 4.7% (+$118 per capita) with the largest gains in Manitoba (+21.3% or +$481 per capita) and Ontario (+19.6% or +$409 per capita). Prince Edward Island (-24.6% or -$557 per capita) reported the steepest decline in per capita expenditures on social protection in 2023.

General public service expenditures (consolidated provincial-local) were $1,772 per capita in Nova Scotia, which was below the national average of $2,154 per capita. Nova Scotia's general public service expenditures included $809 per capita in public debt transactions (third lowest among provinces), $639 per capita in general provincial-local government services (above the national average), $220 per capita in executive/legislative/financial/fiscal affairs (below national average) and $14 per capita in basic research (highest among provinces). The highest expenditures on general public services were in Newfoundland and Labrador ($3,585 per capita) as well as Québec ($3,853 per capita). The lowest general public service expenditures were in Alberta ($1,517 per capita), Ontario ($1,529 per capita) and British Columbia ($1,545 per capita).

Nova Scotia's consolidated provincial-local per capita expenditures on general public services were down 9.7% or -$190 per capita. This was the steepest decline among provinces. Nationally, per capita expenditures on general public services were up 4.7% or +$96 per capita with faster gains in Prince Edward Island (+13.5% or +$279 per capita) and Québec (+10.8% or +$375 per capita).

The economic affairs functional category includes expenditures in a wide range of activities. Transportation is the largest provincial-local exepnditure on economic affairs across Canada, but it is not the largest expenditure in Alberta and Saskatchewan where supports for agriculture, forestry, fishing, hunting were larger.
Overall per capita spending on economic affairs in Nova Scotia was $1,185 - the lowest among provinces. Nova Scotia's expenditures on transportation ($484 per capita) were the second lowest among provinces. The highest expenditures on economic affairs were in Saskatchewan ($3,218 per capita), with agriculture/forestry supports. The national average spending on economic affairs was $1,911 in 2023.

In 2023, Nova Scotia's consolidated provincial-local expenditures on economic affairs declined by 1.5% or -$19 per capita.
Across Canada, provincial-local consolidated expenditures on economic affairs were up 2.6% or +$48 per capita. All Atlantic Provinces and British Columbia reported declining per capita economic affairs in 2023, with the largest per capita reduction in Newfoundland and Labrador (-23.8% or -$653 per capita, falling after an unusual spike in 2022). The largest rise in per capita expenditures on economic affairs was reported in Saskatchewan (+11.6% or +$335 per capita).

Expenditures on public order and safety were $897 per capita in Canada and $826 per capita in Nova Scotia in 2023. Police services ($398 per capita - about the same as the national average) made up the largest part of these expenditures in Nova Scotia, followed by law courts ($144 per capita - just below the national average) and fire protection services ($106 per capita - below the national average). Nova Scotia's expenditures on prisons ($51 per capita) were the second lowest among provinces. The highest expenditures on public order and safety were reported in Manitoba ($1,192 per capita). The lowest expenditures on public safety were in Prince Edward Island ($725 per capita).

Nova Scotia's consolidated provincial-local expenditures on public order and safety rebounded by 14.6% or +$106 per capita from 2022 to 2023, recovering after two years of declines. Across Canada, public order and safety expenditures were up 3.4% or +$29 per capita. The largest increases in public order and safety spending were reported in Manitoba (+15.3% or +$158 per capita). Prince Edward Island reported the only per capita decline in public order and safety spending (-3.0% or -$22 per capita).

Spending on recreation and cultural services was $429 per capita across Canada and $361 per capita in Nova Scotia. Recreation and culture spending was higher in British Columbia ($575 per capita), which has a larger expenditure on broadcasting/publishing services. Prince Edward Island ($155 per capita) had the lowest spending on recreation and cultural services.

National consolidated provincial-local spending on recreation and culture was up 1.6% or +$7 per capita from 2022 to 2023. Nova Scotia's expenditures on recreation and culture increased by 2.4% or +$9 per capita. The largest gains were reported in Québec (+8.5% or +$41 per capita) and Manitoba (+8.9% or +$20 per capita) while Prince Edward Island reported the largest decline (-31.6% or -$72 per capita).

National consolidated provincial-local spending on environmental protection was $354 per capita in 2023. Nova Scotia's expenditures on environmental protection were $390 per capita. Waste management and waste water management typically make up the largest portions of national expenditures on environmental protection. Prince Edward Island reported the highest per capita expenditures on environmental protection ($656 per capita) with notably higher spending on pollution abatement. New Brunswick reported the lowest expenditures per capita on environmental protection ($211 per capita). Nova Scotia's expenditures on waste management ($128 per capita) and protection of biodiversity ($60 per capita) were above national averages while spending on waste water management ($46 per capita) and pollution abatement ($39 per capita) were below national averages.

From 2022 to 2023, Nova Scotia reported the steepest decline in consolidated provincial-local expenditures on environmental protection (-17.7% or -$84 per capita) while national expenditures rose by 2.5% or $9 per capita. Saskatchewan (+9.2% or +$30 per capita), Manitoba (+8.9% or +$20 per capita), British Columbia (+6.5% or +$32 per capita) and Québec (+8.5% or +$41 per capita) reported the faster growth in expenditures on environmental protection.

Consolidated provincial-local spending on housing and community amenities amounted to $275 per capita nationally and $1,004 per capita in Nova Scotia. For the third consecutive year, Nova Scotia's 2023 expenditures on housing and community amenities featured unusually large spending in unclassified activities ($807 per capita). Provision of water supply typically makes up the largest part of housing/community amenity spending in most provinces. Nova Scotia's expenditures on water supply ($93 per capita) and housing/community development ($68 per capita) were below national averages. Nova Scotia made the highest expenditures on street lighting among provinces ($36 per capita).

From 2022 to 2023, Nova Scotia reported a third sharp escalation in consolidated provincial-local expenditures per capita on housing and community amenities (+25.9% or +$206 per capita - the fastest rise in Canada). National expenditures on housing and community amenities were up 0.9% or +$3 per capita. New Brunswick reported the largest decline (-29.2% or -$70 per capita).

Nova Scotia's largest 2023 consolidated provincial-local expenditures were in: hospital services, primary/secondary education, universities, public debt and unclassified housing/community amenities.

From 2022 to 2023, the largest increases in consolidated provincial-local expenditures were reported in hospital services as well as in unclassified health and housing/community amenities. However, in percentage terms growth was faster for unclassified spending on education and public order/safety.
The largest per capita expenditure reductions were reported in housing (social protection), executive/fiscal/legislative/external affairs, general public services and unclassified environmental expenditures. Old age social protection expenditures reported the largest percentage decline.


Statistics Canada. Table 10-10-0005-01 Canadian Classification of Functions of Government (CCOFOG) by consolidated government component (x 1,000,000), Table 17-10-0005-01 Population estimates on July 1st, by age and sex
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