Nova Scotia's RDAs, Municipalities and Chambers of Commerce Join Forces to Tackle Population Challenge
 
February 11, 2025
 
Nova Scotia's Regional Development Authorities, Municipalities and Chambers of Commerce have joined forces to address what some experts describe as the province's number one economic challenge: population decline.
 
Demographers predict Nova Scotia's population will decline nearly 5% by 2026 to 895,000 people, with a 31.5% decline in primary and secondary school-aged children, and a 29.8% decline in Nova Scotia's university-aged population.
 
The Nova Scotia Association of Regional Development Authorities (NSARDA), the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities (UNSM) and the Nova Scotia Chambers of Commerce Tuesday hosted Population Forum in Wolfville, Nova Scotia.
 
The Forum, which conference organizers say will be the first of many, provided attendees from the business, municipal and economic development community an opportunity to learn more about the consequences of the province's significant forecasted population decline and looming worker shortage.
 
"Understanding the facts and getting informed are the first steps in addressing Nova Scotia's population challenges, says Holly Boston, executive director of NSARDA.
 
And while a number of solutions were put forward, such as finding new ways to retain immigrants and older workers, UNSM Vice President Billy Joe MacLean says the worker shortage promises to be so severe, that no quick fix is possible. "This is a problem that requires us to work creatively and cooperatively."
 
Over the next few weeks, Population Forum organizers will be collecting the ideas and insights from the conference into a report that will be distributed widely to attendees, political, business and community leaders and the media. "We all have a role to play and the most important of all is to spread awareness that this challenge is real and requires us all to roll our sleeves up and take action," says Tim Tucker, executive director of the Nova Scotia Chambers of Commerce.
 
Statistics and background information can be found by downloading the Population Forum Discussion Guide at www.nsarda.ca/populationforum
 
For more information, please contact:

Holly Boston
Executive Director, Nova Scotia Association of Regional Development Authorities
902.426.9016
[email protected]
 
Lyle Goldberg
Policy analyst, Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities
902.423.8673
[email protected]
 
Tim Tucker
Executive Director, Truro & District Chambers of Commerce
902.895.6328
[email protected]