Nova Scotia. Department of Finance and Treasury Board

Other forms of name: Nova Scotia. Provincial Treasurer (1750)
Nova Scotia. Department of the Provincial Treasurer
Nova Scotia. Department of Finance and Economics (1962)
Nova Scotia. Department of Finance (1971)

A Provincial Treasurer to superintend public finances was first appointed in 1750. The treasurer was an officer of state and member of the Council and afterwards, like the Attorney General and Provincial Secretary, a department of government. In 1849 the office of treasurer was abolished and replaced by Financial Secretary and Receiver General (cashier). In 1867 these offices were abolished and the treasurer restored. From 1878 to 1946 the Provincial Secretary was ex officio Provincial Treasurer. In 1942 the first modern Provincial Finance Act was passed. In 1962 the Department of the Provincial Treasurer assumed responsibility for developing economic policy and was renamed Finance and Economics. In 1971 the department shed its responsibility for economics and was renamed Department of Finance. In 2006 the pension and investment services branch of the department became a separate and independent agency, the Nova Scotia Pension Agency. The department has overall responsibility and accountability for the financial management of public money. Through its administration of the Provincial Finance Act, the department prepares the budget and manages the public accounts, maintains the public accounting system, manages the province's investment portfolio and public debt retirement, and audits the financial management practices of the public service. In 2013 Finance was renamed Finance and Treasury Board, and the department assumed responsibility for matters assigned to the former Treasury Board Office, and for assisting Treasury and Policy Board with its duties under the Executive Council Act.

Notes: Authority record based on Statutes of Nova Scotia: 1867 c. 1, 1878 c. 20, 1946 c. 2, 1962 c. 43, 1970-71 c. 56, 2010 c. 2, 2013 c. 37; Order in Council 2006-097 (10 Feb. 2006).

see also Nova Scotia Pension Agency