Internal cost estimates indicate it cost Nova Scotia more than $230,000 to rebrand its health districts to the Nova Scotia Health Authority.
The figures were released in response to a freedom of information request filed with the Nova Scotia Health Authority (NSHA) by Global News.
The NSHA says that its total cost for the rebrand was $231,470.97.
“The costs related to branding and signage over the past three-plus years are minimal and necessary for the basic work of the organization,” said Kristen Lipscombe, a spokesperson for the NSHA, when asked about the figures on Tuesday.
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Approximately $29,133 covered costs associated with consultant and design work as well as purchasing NSHA branded materials such as flags and banners.
The lion’s share of the cost, $202,337.97, covered the purchasing of exterior signage.
“This is work that needs to be done on an ongoing basis, regardless of brand, to help Nova Scotians navigate our facilities,” Lipscombe wrote about the signage costs.
The health authority stressed that the figures do not include ongoing work which hasn’t been invoiced.
That means the costs are likely to be even larger, as signage for NSHA’s central zone has yet to be completed.
The central zone, which encompasses Halifax, is being budgeted as part of the ongoing redevelopment of the Queen Elizabeth II hospital.
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Nova Scotia launched the NSHA on April 1, 2015, after passing the Health Authorities Act.
As part of the act, the nine health authorities were merged into the current system.
The NSHA says that the logo design was carried out by the province’s department of health and wellness, meaning they are not able to reveal the costs associated with the logo’s creation.
They say there were no extra costs associated with the application and development style guide for the NSHA logo, as it was created in-house by a government graphic designer.
Similarly, the NSHA’s website was also created at cost, as it was also built internally.
With files from Sarah Ritchie