An assortment of service fees the Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador governments charge to farmers are increasing.
The Nova Scotia government on Thursday announced hikes of 5.8 per cent to many of its 1,400 fees across all government departments effective Monday (April 1), while the Newfoundland and Labrador government’s increases for farmers, announced Tuesday, are to take effect at the end of June.
In Nova Scotia, the provincial Farm Loan Board’s application fee for a new loan will still be 1/4 of one per cent of the size of the loan — but the minimum fee rises to $362.90, the maximum to $1,209.70, and the fee in cases where an applicant’s total Board loans exceed $2 million rises to $1,450.95. The Board’s re-amortization fee will remain 1/8 of one per cent of the loan, but the minimum fee rises to $241.95 and the maximum to $362.90.
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The Farm Loan Board’s deed preparation fee rises to $119.65, its NSF fee to $35.90 and its fee for “other” services, such as providing or preparing legal or financial documents, rises to $59.83.
Nova Scotia’s fees for the bulk milk grader’s course and grader’s refresher course rise to $322.10 and $64,40 respectively, while a deer farm license application and annual renewal fee rise to $127.43 and $13.30 respectively. A deer meat processing license application will now cost $120.96.
The province’s various dairy license and lab fees also all increase by 5.8 per cent, as will the registration fee to operate a “controlled atmosphere” apple storage plant (now $12.10).
Costs for a number of annual, seasonal and temporary food safety-related permits in Nova Scotia now increase, as will fees such as the eating establishment fee (now $96.78), food shop fee (now $64.09), mobile food establishment fee ($38.70) and food handler course (now $25.78).
Fees for Camp Rankin, the 4-H summer camp in Cape Breton, now increase to $174.78.
In the agriculture department alone, the province has budgeted for an incremental increase of $73,000 in fee revenue, to $1.896 million. Across all departments, the fee hikes are expected to raise an extra $11.614 million. The increases, based on the cumulative rate of inflation (3.8 per cent in 2011, two per cent in 2012) are the first since April 2011, the province noted.
N.L. fees
Newfoundland and Labrador’s fee hikes, meanwhile, also affect a broad swath of departments and take effect on various dates.
In the agriculture file, effective June 31, the province’s assorted farm veterinary service fees all increase by $10, and its increases for farm laboratory service fees will range from $1.50 to as much as $50, depending on the service.
The province’s transportation and works department is also introducing a highway access permit fee for residents and businesses who want to establish a right of entry from a provincial road to their property. Including the application, the total access permit fee will be $100 for individuals and $500 for businesses.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s fee hikes will also include, among others, ferry rates (up 10 per cent), vehicle registration renewals, admission fees to historic sites, quarry material fees, forestry permits and aquaculture and fish processing license fees. The province’s 10 per cent discount for vehicle registration renewals done online will be eliminated effective April 1, except for seniors.
Across all departments, the Newfoundland and Labrador government’s new fees and fee hikes, plus an increase in the provincial tobacco tax, are expected to bring in added revenue of $19.3 million.
