The provincial government is tabling its budget today, but budget coverage will look very different.

Most groups, like the unions and business leaders, are gathering off-site to examine the budget documents, instead of gathering in a lock-in at Confederation Building.

The same is true of the media who are changing the way in which budget coverage and analysis will occur.

VOCM News will deliver its budget coverage starting at 2:00 p.m. in-studio Open Line-style, and online as the information becomes available.

The NDP and PCs say they will respect harvesters protesting outside Confederation Building and will not attend today’s budget.

NDP Leader Jim Dinn and PC Leader Tony Wakeham will watch the budget at the Alt Hotel and he will be available afterwards to respond.

NAPE President Jerry Earle says unionized employees were instructed by managers to report to work this morning. Since they’re under contract, they were obliged to do so.

He says ministers and deputy ministers demanded that workers report.

Anti-poverty advocate, a coordinator of the Transition House of Newfoundland and Labrador, Dan Meades will be watching what comes out of the budget today.

After watching how fisheries protests unfolded outside of Confederation Building yesterday, Meades points to an overarching sense of frustration that many are feeling.

He says harvesters took to the streets because they don’t feel like government is “living up to their values” and following up on their words with actions. He says a lot of people throughout the province are feeling the exact same way.

In terms of what Meades wants to see in the budget, they are looking for “almost anything….to impact the lives of people living in poverty.”