January 7, 2026
Today, Interim Leader Iain Rankin will intervene on behalf of the Nova Scotia Liberal Caucus in Nova Scotia Power’s latest rate hike application, opposing yet another increase and calling for a shift to a stable multi-year rate plan to end the cycle of constant, reactive power bill hikes.
Nova Scotia Power is seeking an 8 per cent rate increase over the next two years – a proposal that would force families and businesses to pay hundreds of dollars more annually at a time when affordability pressures are already stretched. The request follows years of repeated increases that have created uncertainty for households and employers alike, prompting the Liberals to urge the Energy Board to use its authority under the Public Utilities Act to implement a multi-year rate plan.
“Nova Scotians cannot afford to keep paying more, year after year, for electricity that is too often unreliable,” said Rankin. “Other jurisdictions have adopted multi-year rate plans to give families and businesses the predictability they need, while requiring the utility to manage costs responsibly instead of coming back again and again for more. Nova Scotia should do the same.”
The Liberals’ submission also points to government failures that have contributed to rising power costs, including delays in modernizing the grid and accelerating the transition away from coal.
“We need long-term planning that puts affordability and reliability first,” said Rankin. “Nova Scotians deserve an electricity system that works for them – not one that keeps asking them to pay more for less.”