A number of user fees charged to Nova Scotia farmers for various provincial services are on a list of about 1,400 scheduled to increase, mostly on Wednesday (April 1).
On average, the province said in a release Tuesday, the increase will be three per cent and will affect “most fees for services, licensing and regulatory functions by departments” apart from government service organizations such as health boards and school boards.
For farmers, the largest increase will be in various agriculture lab fees, which are scheduled to double starting April 1.
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On the list of over two dozen ag- and food safety-related fees set to increase April 1 are those for the bulk milk graders course ($298.46, up from $289.76); a deer farm license application ($119.38, up from $115.90); the one-year public market permit, seasonal permit and/or mobile permit (each $35.87, up from $34.83); full registration for Camp Rankin, a provincial 4-H camp ($162.55, up from $157.81); deed preparation ($112.09, up from $108.83); and NSF cheques ($33.63, up from $32.65).
At the provincial Farm Loan Board, the re-amortization fee will remain one-eighth of one per cent of the loan amount, but the minimum and maximum will rise to $224.19 and $336.28, up from $217.66 and $326.49, respectively.
Application fees for new loans will remain one-quarter of one per cent of the loan amount, but the minimum and maximum will also rise to $336.28 and $1,120.94, up from $326.49 and $1,088.29 respectively. Maximums for farmers whose total Board loans exceed $2 million will increase to $1,344.50, up from $1,305.54.
“User fees and other charges offset the costs of running important programs and services for Nova Scotians,” Finance Minister Jamie Muir said in the province’s release.
