NDP Leader Gary Burrill used a campaign stop at a Halifax nursing home to announce $60 million for long-term care for seniors that would fund about 500 new beds and help eliminate bottlenecks that delay care for older people.

Burrill said the bottleneck results in overcrowding in some hospitals where patients are staying because they're awaiting long-term care placement.

He criticized the McNeil Liberals for not opening any new long-term care beds during their time in government.

"The result is that in 14 out of the 18 counties of our province, wait times for long-term care placement now are exceeding 200 days," said Burrill.

He said the Liberals' "obsession" with balancing the province's budget meant it didn't spend enough money on long-term care.

"We're saying that the care for a population in long-term care is a higher priority than balancing the books of our province every year," Burrill said.

Burrill said his party would restore $8 million in cuts to nursing homes. He also said the NDP would freeze pharmacare premiums and would advocate for a national pharmacare program.