After years of stop-go signals, federal and provincial officials in Nova Scotia are now making mining approvals easier on the ground, according to industry experts. Dawson Brisco and John Budreski, who have spent their careers working on resource projects in the province, note that the policy environment has shifted markedly.
Provincial Leadership and Policy Changes
Premier Tim Houston has repositioned Nova Scotia as a leading natural resource jurisdiction. Resource development is now the top priority, reflected in cabinet ministers' mandates and major files. For instance, a brownfields mining project in Cape Breton that began in 2012 is still not fully operational, but has received more support in the past two years than the previous twelve.
Permit approvals, which once took four to six years sequentially, can now proceed in parallel, shortening timelines without removing environmental checks. The province launched a critical and strategic minerals strategy supporting commodities like aggregate for infrastructure and offshore wind foundations. It also lifted the ban on uranium exploration and enabled onshore natural gas development for the first time in over a decade. A 10-member large industrial file team within the Department of Environment and Climate Change accelerates approvals for major projects.
Federal Alignment and Investor Outreach
Ottawa has committed to making Canada the fastest mining permitting jurisdiction in the G20, with a Major Projects Office targeting two-year timelines from referral to decision. This office coordinates over $116 billion in mining projects and a $1.5-billion fund for mine-to-market infrastructure. Although the authors have not yet seen these measures on the ground, they are optimistic given other positive developments.
Canada and Nova Scotia are adopting a one-project, one-review approach for environmental assessments, shortening the path for proponents. The tone from federal agencies is described as constructive, responsive, and focused on advancing good projects. Premier Houston has actively promoted Nova Scotia at mining conferences in Toronto and on trips to Texas, attracting investors.
The authors conclude that after years of stop-and-go signals, the alignment between Nova Scotia and Ottawa is real and making a measurable difference for companies trying to build resource projects.
