The Ecology Action Centre (EAC) has compiled resources on opportunities that would create a strong Nova Scotia economy with jobs here at home and a lower impact on our environment. Resource extraction projects are often framed as the only path to economic development and prosperity — but Nova Scotians know better. We deserve an economic future where both our communities and ecosystems can thrive.
Our vision for this future includes:
- support for Nova Scotians struggling to pay their electricity and heating/cooling bills — a crisis that has significant consequences as summers get warmer. A four-part program created specifically for Nova Scotia would help keep energy affordable for all. Read A Way Forward: A Made-in-Nova Scotia Home Energy Affordability Program here, and learn more about the EAC's energy efficiency work here.
- a skilled workforce making buildings more energy efficient. A 2025 report looked at job growth in the building retrofit sector and barriers faced by workers in the skilled trades. It found that Nova Scotia could have thousands of job vacancies in energy efficient retrofits, which means that there will be huge opportunities for diverse and young skilled workers to enter the sector — but changes and investment are needed to make that happen. Read Building Nova Scotia's Green Workforce: Addressing Labour Gaps for a Net-Zero Future here.
- an economy powered by clean energy, a transition that would create 15,000 good, sustainable, new jobs every year. Learn more about green jobs here.
- small-scale, regenerative sea farming that has a low impact on our oceans. Nova Scotia could realize values of $38 million of farmed and processed kelp, a further $20 million in related local economic activity and up to $149 million in consumer and personal care products. Read the market assessment report here and learn more about how the EAC is supporting entrepreneurs and the market for kelp farmers here.
- electricity generated from clean sources that limit the impact to our ecosystems and increase community resilience. If built right, offshore wind can play a big role in this transition. Developing offshore wind power in Nova Scotia could create 34,000 direct jobs every year during construction and installation, and thousands more jobs in ongoing operations and maintenance. Learn more about offshore wind opportunities in Nova Scotia here.
- a network of parks and wilderness areas that protect plants and animals while contributing to a strong tourism industry. Learn more about the EAC's work on protected areas here.
- coordinated strategy across the food system to support producers and a strong local food system. The 2025 report Growing at Home paints a sobering picture of the vulnerabilities in Nova Scotia's food and agricultural systems, while highlighting opportunities for government investment and cross-sectoral collaboration.
Nova Scotia doesn't need outdated, polluting industries that send profits to big corporations. There is a better future, and we have the plans to get there.