Five public libraries in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley will be permanently closed later this month because of a lack of funding.
The 11-branch Annapolis Valley Regional Library system says the decision was made after the provincial government confirmed there will be no increase in provincial library funding in the 2026-27 fiscal year.
The non-profit organization says all eight municipalities it serves had committed additional money, but these contributions won’t be enough to cover the lack of funding increases from the province.
The organization, based in Berwick, N.S., says it is facing a structural deficit that can’t be overcome by incremental budget cuts.
Meanwhile, the province’s Opposition New Democrats released a statement saying the upcoming closures are devastating news for the families who rely on this public service.
NDP culture critic Susan Leblanc says these small communities are paying the price for Premier Tim Houston’s recent budget cuts.
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In February, Houston’s Progressive Conservative government tabled a budget with a projected record deficit at $1.2 billion, which led to a series of unpopular budget cuts.
“Libraries across the province have been raising the alarm about the difficult funding situation the Houston government has put them in,” Leblanc said in a statement. “Now, they’ve been left with a massive funding shortfall and no choice but to close branches.”
As of June 20, branches in the following communities will be closed: Hantsport, Kentville, Lawrencetown, Middleton and Port Williams.
“Maintaining all 11 library branches is not financially sustainable under the current funding model, and significant changes will be required across the region,” the Annapolis Valley Library system said in a statement.
“While the decision is deeply difficult, the long-term goal is to protect the library’s ability to continue serving the region by focusing resources on a sustainable library system that can support literacy, learning, digital access and community connection into the future.”
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