N.S. throne speech promises improved health care

The Nova Scotia government says it will begin to implement initiatives aimed at improving health care delivery and the economy during the spring session of the legislature.

In a throne speech read by Lt.-Gov. Mayann Francis on Thursday, the government says it will table legislation to ensure better drug prices for Nova Scotians who rely on pharmacare.

A new childhood obesity strategy will be announced along with the first collaborative emergency centre, a one-stop health clinic that is part of a strategy aimed at easing pressure on overcrowded emergency rooms.

On the economic front, the government says it will release a new strategy to double the number of immigrants to Nova Scotia within the next 10 years, and invest $500,000 to improve the province's apprenticeship system.

As part of the shift to cleaner energy the government says it will stipulate that at least 40 per cent of all electricity used in the province come from renewable sources of energy.

The government says university students will also learn soon about a new program that will cap the debt load they face when they graduate.