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Highlights of the 2015-16 Nova Scotia budget

THE CANADIAN PRESS Published Thursday, April 9, 2015 1:54PM ADT Last Updated Thursday, April 9, 2015 3:43PM ADT

Finance Minister Diana Whalen heads from a briefing on the Nova Scotia budget at the legislature in Halifax on Thursday, April 9, 2015. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/Andrew Vaughan)

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HALIFAX -- Highlights of the 2015-16 Nova Scotia budget introduced Thursday:

Deficit of $97.6 million is projected in a $10-billion budget, with net debt reaching $15.1 billion in this fiscal year.

A $24 million film tax credit is maintained for this year, but the amount of money available is cut in 2016.

Tobacco taxes increase by two cents a cigarette, effective on Friday.

The civil service will see the elimination of the equivalent of 320 full-time jobs, mainly through attrition and vacancies.

Another $2 million will be spent to pay for 450 more orthopedic surgeries, while $700,000 will go to expand the sexual assault nurse examiner program to two more areas.

University operating grants go up by one per cent or $3.2 million and schools will be allowed a one time market adjustment to tuitions before the current three-per-cent cap on tuition increases is maintained again.