Nova Scotia’s NDP leader is calling out cuts to the home heating program, saying 46,000 fewer households are eligible for the rebate this year.

Claudia Chender says with many people struggling with the cost of living and rising power rates the government’s decision must be reversed.

Chender says the government needs to make better choices despite facing a projected $1.2-billion deficit this fiscal year.

She says the change to the program — open for applications as of today — was announced in a news release on Friday when few people were paying attention.

The government release says 118,287 applicants received the home heating rebate in the last fiscal year at a cost of $71 million, while as many as 72,000 households are expected to be helped this year at a cost of $32 million.

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