Nova Scotia is more than doubling its film fund cap in hopes of making it easier for larger productions to shoot movies in the province.

The province said Tuesday in a news release it has increased the cap to $10 million from $4 million, effective immediately.

The government also announced it will invest an extra $16.4 million in the Nova Scotia Film and Television Production Incentive Fund above the annual budget of $25 million, bringing the fund's total to $41.4 million for 2022-23.

'Halifornia' dreaming: How Nova Scotia's film sector returned to life after losing its tax credit

In 2015, when the Nova Scotia government terminated its long-standing film industry tax credit, local filmmakers, crew members and executives believed it would be a death sentence for the sector. But just six years later, "Halifornia" — named for Halifax's fledgling Hollywood reputation — is booming.

Members of Nova Scotia's film and television industry protest outside the legislature in Halifax on Wednesday, April 15, 2015. The Liberal government has proposed cutting a tax credit to the industry in the recent provincial budget to $6 million from $24 million.

NS Film Credit 201504015

Members of Nova Scotia's film and television industry protest outside the legislature in Halifax on Wednesday, April 15, 2015. Six years later, the sector is thriving.

So far,&nbsp;75 film fund applications have been approved for 2022 to 2023.

Applicants can apply for a grant of between 25 and&nbsp;32 per cent of their eligible Nova Scotia costs.

Homeless population in Halifax region more than doubles in four years, survey finds

Data from the Point-in-Time Count was released Tuesday, reporting that on April 7 this year, 586 individuals in the Halifax Regional Municipality were without a safe, permanent address. The previous count found that on the night of April 24, 2018, there were 220 homeless people recorded.

The team behind the count said the number of new people accessing services is on par with people who are "chronically homeless,"  with 41 per cent of respondents reporting they'd first experienced homelessness during the last two years of the pandemic.

Tents sprang up among the huts over the summer in some of the encampments. 

The team behind the count said the number of new people accessing services is similar to the number of "chronically homeless" people,  with 41 per cent of respondents reporting they'd first experienced homelessness during the pandemic.

N.S. government releases list of properties to be made available for housing development

The Nova Scotia government has identified the first 37 pieces of land it owns that it will make available for housing developments.

The Dartmouth Non-Profit Housing Society will develop 18 new affordable housing units on this site in Cole Harbour.

Cole Harbour development

Report details gaps, improvements in sexualized violence response at King's

Investigators probing allegations against former University of King's College professor Wayne Hankey have released the first of two reports.

The University of King's College in Halifax is shown on Oct. 31, 2018.

University of King's College

A report stemming from an investigation of sexual assault allegations by a former professor at the University of King's College says there are improvements to be made in the school's response to sexualized violence, but positive steps have been taken.

New policy will get N.S. paramedics back on the road quicker

Instead of waiting with low-risk patients until they're seen by a doctor, paramedics will take them to the emergency department waiting room to be assessed by health-care staff.

Nova Scotia EHS ambulance 

The new direct-to-triage policy comes into effect Wednesday. Paramedics in the province have long campaigned for shorter off-load times.

This Dalhousie grad thought she was over COVID but now she's too weak to walk

Amy Tenenbaum's life has changed dramatically since testing positive for COVID-19 in January. The 22-year-old is one of several hundred people in Nova Scotia currently experiencing symptoms of long COVID. She's now so weak, she uses a wheelchair when going outside.

Dalhousie University student with long COVID, Amy Tenenbaum is assisted by her friend Sophia in Halifax on May 27, 2022.

Long COVID

Amy Tenenbaum, a 22-year old student at Dalhousie University in Halifax, describes life with long COVID and the misconceptions about who gets it.

The frustrations of life with long COVID

The Nova Scotia government also announced it would invest an extra $16.4 million in its film fund above the annual budget of $25 million.

Nova Scotia raises film fund cap to $10M

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