Sustainable Economic Growth

Stop Houston’s Efforts to Double the Population

As we grow our population to support a growing economy and an aging population, we must also plan for community infrastructure including roads, schools, doctors, and hospitals. We need to develop an infrastructure plan to keep up with—and continually manage—that growth to ensure we’re maintaining sustainable levels.

We will ensure immigration targets are focused on growing the number of professionals we need in critical areas, including but not limited to:

• Physicians and healthcare professionals,
• Teachers and early-childhood educators,
• Construction workers and the skilled tradespeople, and
• Agriculture and aquaculture workers.

We will develop a comprehensive infrastructure development strategy based on population growth and immigration patterns for education, transportation, healthcare infrastructure, and social programs.

Reduce the Small Business Tax

A Nova Scotia Liberal government will reduce the small business tax to 1% and raise the income threshold for this preferential rate from $500k to $700k, making Nova Scotia the best province in the country for small business.

Cape Breton Deserves a Better Deal

A Nova Scotia Liberal government will invest $300M over four years to spur economic development and infrastructure growth in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. This funding will be used to address the following:

• Improving the CBRM’s infrastructure,
• Growing the CBRM’s economy,
• Improving opportunities for CBRM workers,
• Alleviating the CBRM’s housing crisis,
• Improving transit in CBRM, and
• Building capital projects that will have a long-term impact on Cape Breton.

We will also commit to one-on-one negotiations with the CBRM regarding a CBRM municipal charter, which takes into account their unique economic, social, and equalization circumstances.

Create More Childcare Spaces

Nova Scotians are suffering from a lack of access to childcare spaces. While Tim Houston’s government has claimed that they’ve created 5,000 new daycare spots in non-profit daycares, almost half—2,165 spaces—are actually before and after school program spaces. And 1,187 spaces have closed. This means that only ​1,680 new, full-time, non-profit daycare spaces have been opened by his government.

In order to create more spaces, we need to expand our agreement with the federal government to allow private daycare operators to access funding. Alberta, Ontario and New Brunswick all have agreements that allow for some level of private expansion. Nova Scotia deserves a fair deal.

A Nova Scotia Liberal government will aggressively negotiate with the federal government to allow private daycare operators to expand, spurring the creation of more affordable childcare spaces and allowing more Nova Scotians to enter the workforce if they want to.

Improve Regional Transportation

A Nova Scotia Liberal government will invest to improve and expand the Joint Regional Transportation Agency to continue planning a long-term vision for regional transportation in Nova Scotia, including determining where LRT would be most effective.

Reduce Congestion

Traffic in Halifax is at an all-time high and we need solutions now, including better access to public transit, investments in rapid transit, more efficient roads, and more work from home options. A Nova Scotia Liberal government will immediately create a joint task-force with the HRM to identify opportunities to reduce congestion and fund immediate solutions, like Halifax’s plan for bus rapid transit.

Replace the MacKay Bridge

The MacKay Bridge in Halifax is at the end of its life span. It opened in 1970 with a 50-year service life and it is experiencing increasing failures that lead to frequent closures and terrible traffic. A recent study showed that even with increased maintenance, the bridge needs to be replaced or significantly refurbished by 2040. However, this is a problem contributing to our congestion problems today, and is rapidly becoming an issue of public safety, so work needs to begin now.

A Nova Scotia Liberal government would work with the Halifax Dartmouth Bridge Commission to build a new, six lane bridge with active transportation infrastructure and bus lanes to support rapid transit in Halifax. This will reduce congestion and protect the people and goods that travel that bridge every day.

Invest in Highway Infrastructure

A Nova Scotia Liberal government will invest in critical highway infrastructure to increase safety on our highways, complete the 100-series highways, and improve the flow of goods and people around our province. Specifically, our priorities include making improvements to safety infrastructure across the province, completing controlled access highways on the 101 and 103, and ensuring proper exits on the 104.

Invest in Rural Roads

A Nova Scotia Liberal government will invest in maintaining rural road infrastructure by enhancing maintenance efforts for ditches and culverts to keep our roads safe and protect private property.

Support Nova Scotia’s Craft Breweries

A Nova Scotia Liberal government will support craft breweries by following recommendations from the Craft Breweries Association of Nova Scotia to improve the NSLC tiered mark-up and remove the benefit cap. We will work with craft brewers and the NSLC to ensure that local breweries receive the support they need to grow, and aren’t punished for their success. We’ll also ensure that the NSLC is highlighting local products and supporting local businesses.

Support Nova Scotia’s Wineries

Nova Scotia produces world class wines and investments in our wine industry pay dividends for our local economy. A Nova Scotia Liberal government will support our wineries with a direct agriculture subsidy to ensure these farm wineries can stay competitive with their international competitors. We will support the sustainability of farm wineries by developing a provincial replanting and management strategy. And we will reinstate the Wine Development Board to build and maintain a strong relationship between government and industry, and support the sector’s continued success.

Support Nova Scotia Agriculture

Nova Scotia farms are essential for our communities, and a Nova Scotia Liberal government will invest to ensure they remain sustainable. We will develop a Centre for Agriculture Ventures and Enterprises that will bring together different levels of government, post-secondary institutions, and farmers to find innovative ways to support our farms. One of the first priorities will be to help our farms adapt to climate change. We’ll also develop a mental health plan for farmers, who we know are twice as likely to experience suicidal ideation.

Expand Cell Service

If you are on a 100-series highway in Nova Scotia you should have reliable cell service. A Nova Scotia Liberal government will expand cell service across our province, starting along our highway corridors.

Get the Most from Resource Extraction Royalties

Our goal is to be an attractive jurisdiction for the critical mineral sector. But we must create a level playing field for businesses while ensuring we protect our natural environment, with a clear evidence- and science-based approach.

A Nova Scotia Liberal government will examine all resource extraction royalties to build wealth for Nova Scotians by maximizing the true value of our natural resources. We will examine the entire resource regulatory framework, with a focus on Nova Scotia’s critical minerals, which will help fight climate change.

Long-Term Strategic Economic Planning

Under Tim Houston’s watch, Nova Scotia currently has the worst-performing economy per capita in North America. A Nova Scotia Liberal government will work with experts to develop a long-term strategic and sustainable economic growth plan.

Pay Transparency

As of 2023, women are paid on average 16% less than men for the same work in Canada, according to the OECD. A Nova Scotia Liberal government will pass both vertical and horizontal pay transparency legislation to increase equity and fairness in the workplace.

Ban Non-Compete Clauses

A Nova Scotia Liberal government will ban the use of Non-Compete Clauses to attract workers in high-growth sectors, including the technology industry. This will encourage competitiveness and innovation by prohibiting unfair non-competes, which are used to restrict work opportunities and suppress salary increases. In 2021, the province of Ontario became the first Canadian province to prohibit employers from entering into employment contracts or other agreements with an employee that include a non-compete agreement.