Nova Scotia's minister of finance is hoping to avoid a last-minute flurry of government spending before the end of the fiscal year.

Graham Steele said Nova Scotians have told him that bureaucrats seem to have a use-it-or-lose-it mentality in the weeks leading up to March 31.

Steele, who has wrapped up public hearings in preparation for his spring budget, said he told all government ministers and deputy ministers to keep a lid on their year-end budgets.

"We expect them as leaders in their departments to make sure that this kind of year-end spending, which the public often refers to as March madness, simply doesn't happen," he told reporters Thursday.

"If it comes to our attention that wasteful year-end spending has occurred, we will deal with that."

Steele said he doesn't know how much money that will save. He also said he encourages departments to come in under budget wherever they can.

The NDP government is projecting a $525-million deficit for the 2009-10 budget year. It's considering tax hikes and spending cuts for the 2010-11 budget.