Nova Scotia spent $8.3 million on provincial day of mourning for Queen Elizabeth

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia spent $8.3 million on a provincial day of mourning to mark Queen Elizabeth’s death.

Schools and courts were closed and public sector workers were given the day off for her funeral on Sept. 19.

Health-care services remained open on the provincial holiday and businesses were given the choice to open or close.

The province says it cost $7.1 million in additional wages to pay workers in the health-care and long-term care networks for the holiday.

It cost Nova Scotia’s Justice Department and Department of Community services a combined $1.2 million in extra expenses.

Finance Minister Allan MacMaster says the holiday came with a cost but “a lot” of Nova Scotians felt that honouring the queen with a day of mourning was the right thing to do.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 29. 2022.

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This story was produced with the financial assistance of the Meta and Canadian Press News Fellowship.

The Canadian Press