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Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act

Progress Report 2014–2015

© Crown copyright, Province of Nova Scotia, 2016

ISBN: 978-1-55457-653-1

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Table of ContentsExecutive Summary ......................................................................................................... 2

Message from the Minister ............................................................................................ 5

Introduction ....................................................................................................................... 7

Objectives of the Act .....................................................................................................10

Summary of the Goals ...................................................................................................11

Goals Update ....................................................................................................................12

Cleaner Energy ...........................................................................................................12

Climate Change .........................................................................................................18

Healthy Air and Water ..............................................................................................20

Leadership in Sustainable Practices ..................................................................27

Protection of Biodiversity .......................................................................................34

Sustainable Management of Natural Assets ...................................................35

Moving Toward Sustainable Prosperity ...................................................................38

Letter from the Round Table ......................................................................................51

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Executive Summary 2014–2015 Progress Report of the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act

The 2014–2015 annual progress report of the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act (EGSPA, also referred to in this report as the Act) provides a summary and reports on the status of the 25 goals contained in the Act. The Act can be viewed at novascotia.ca/nse/egspa/.

The goals and overarching objectives are aimed at achieving sustainable prosperity. The report includes a brief overview of some of the new directions that government has undertaken, along with examples of other key initiatives, which contribute to the Act’s long-term vision of integrating the environment and the economy.

Objectives of the ActThe Act emphasizes the importance of integrating environmental sustainability and economic prosperity through its goals and objectives. To track how we are doing in achieving these objectives, a set of high-level indicators of prosperity has been developed. These indicators track trends over time in Nova Scotia and across Canada. For more details regarding the indicators of prosperity, see the latest report at novascotia.ca/finance/statistics/topic.asp?fto=24x.

New Directions• The Department of Business was created at the beginning of the 2015-2016

fiscal year with the mandate to make Nova Scotia the most competitive and business-friendly environment for economic growth in Canada.

• Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and subsequently Prince Edward Island, have established a joint Regulatory and Service Effectiveness Office. The joint office will build a modern, consistent, and fair regulatory environment driven by high-quality, client-focused service.

http://novascotia.ca/nse/egspa/

http://novascotia.ca/finance/statistics/topic.asp?fto=24x

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• The Department of Internal Services was created April 1, 2014 when government services, previously housed in seven other departments, were realigned to create greater efficiency.

• Government consolidated the regulatory compliance, inspection, and enforcement functions for public health, food safety, natural resource management and related environmental functions within Nova Scotia Environment.

Summary of Goals The 25 goals are grouped under Cleaner Energy, Climate Change, Healthy Air and Water, Leadership in Sustainable Practices, Protection of Biodiversity, and Sustainable Management of Natural Assets. As of March 31, 2015, 12 goals had been achieved, and 13 are currently works-in-progress. The report includes what progress has been made and what outcomes are maintained with respect to the achieved goals.

Examples of Progress Made on the Goals• Cleaner Energy: Increased renewable energy to 24 per cent in 2014—just

one per cent away from the 2015 goal of 25 per cent and well on our way to meeting the 2020 target of 40 per cent.

• Climate Change: In 2013 (latest data available), achieved 9 per cent reduction toward the greenhouse gas emissions target of 10 per cent below the 1990 base-year levels by 2020.

• Healthy Air and Water: Lowered nitrogen oxide emissions by 40 per cent, thus surpassing the target of 28 per cent below the 2000 emissions by 2015.

• Leadership in Sustainable Practices: In 2014–2015, seven new buildings completed Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification; one achieved LEED Gold, and several buildings achieved LEED Silver.

• Protection of Biodiversity: The province continues to legally designate lands identified for protection in “Our Parks and Protected Areas: A Plan for Nova Scotia,” released in August 2013. At the end of March 31, 2015, 9.58 per cent of parks and protected areas was legally protected.

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• Sustainable Management of Natural Assets: Government continues to implement “The Path We Share, A Natural Resources Strategy.” The Department of Natural Resources is working to meet the strategy’s overarching goals of collaborative leadership, sustainable resource development, research and knowledge sharing and good governance.

Sustainable Prosperity InitiativesIn addition to the work on the goals, there are many initiatives underway in our province that make progress toward achieving our vision of sustainable prosperity. These include Regulatory Reform and Efficiencies by Nova Scotia Environment, the Equivalency Agreement with the federal government on the reduction of coal-fired greenhouse gas, Agriculture’s Awareness Program, ThinkFarm and FarmNext, the Cape Breton Private Land Partnership Pilot Project, the Wild Atlantic Salmon Enhancement Program, the Aquaculture Regulation Review, Municipal Climate Change Action Plans, the Productivity and Innovation Voucher Program, the Aboriginal Economic Development Fund, the Electricity Plan, the Marine Renewable Energy Act, and the Tidal Feed-in Tariff Program.

SummaryRead the 2014–2015 progress report for more detail on some of the new directions, the goals update and next steps, and the initiatives that showcase the value of this unique piece of legislation. The report shows how the province is working to fully integrate the environment and economy for ourselves and for future generations.


Message from the Minister I am pleased to present the annual progress report for the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act (EGSPA or the Act) for 2014–2015.

The report indicates the status and next steps for each of the Act’s 25 goals. It also outlines recent new initiatives from government that will, along with EGSPA, help our province achieve sustainable prosperity. Notably, these recent initiatives include a new Department of Business and Office of Regulatory Affairs and Service Effectiveness, as well as the consolidation of regulatory compliance, inspection, and enforcement for public health, food safety, natural resource management, and related functions within Nova Scotia Environment.

Among this year’s noteworthy achievements was the protection of over 12 per cent of our province’s land mass by the end of 2015 (9.58 per cent by March 31, 2015, the reporting period for this document), an increase in renewable energy to 24 per cent in 2014, and other great and substantive work carried out by the Department of Energy and the Department of Agriculture and the continued reduction in greenhouse gas emissions—all EGSPA goals.

The Act requires that the Round Table on the Environment and Sustainable Prosperity (Round Table) provide an annual assessment of the progress made in meeting the goals and realizing the vision of the Act. Their assessment is found on pages 51-56. We acknowledge and appreciate the Round Table’s comments and suggestions concerning analysis and evaluation, tracking, and reporting on holistic indicators of prosperity, and the progress and intent of specific goals. These are all important considerations in continuing to make progress on EGSPA.

The Round Table also commented on the next five-year review of the Act. As Minister of the Environment, I am pleased that part of my mandate is to lead the preparation of this review in 2016 for completion in 2017. I look forward to working with the Round Table and sincerely thank them for all of their past work and thoughtful insights and suggestions.

The integration of environmental sustainability and economic prosperity—the vision of the Act—is much bigger than the mandate of one department, one government, or one sector. It requires help from all departments and sectors of


our province, including committed citizens. By coming together in a coordinated way, we make progress towards a sustainable and prosperous Nova Scotia.

Looking back over this report period, we have seen a few changes in the way we conduct our business for the good of our citizens and our beautiful province. We have experienced many accomplishments, through EGSPA and other efforts. We know that many businesses, organizations, and individuals are committed to and contribute to the overarching vision of sustainable prosperity—and for that we congratulate and thank you.

Honourable Margaret Miller Minister of Environment


IntroductionThe Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act (EGSPA, also referred to as the Act in this report) became law in Nova Scotia in the spring of 2007. This historic piece of legislation was unanimously passed by all political parties in the Legislature. It is unique, the first in the country that recognizes the importance of integrating environmental sustainability and economic prosperity. Learn more at novascotia.ca/nse/egspa/.

Following the first five-year review of the Act in 2012, amendments, also unanimously passed in the Legislature, were made that focused on strengthening the integration of environmental sustainability and economic prosperity. The amendments included the addition of four new goals, and a whole systems approach whereby all departments would be involved in meeting the commitments and realizing the vision of the Act.

The 25 goals and the two overarching objectives aim at achieving sustainable prosperity. To demonstrate progress made, this report provides a summary of the goals, indicates the status of each goal as of March 31, 2015, and outlines the planned next steps. It also provides examples of government initiatives that move us toward sustainable prosperity.

Government initiatives included several new directions toward sustainable prosperity that will contribute to the Act’s long-term environmental and economic objectives. Provided below is a brief overview of some of these new directions that government is taking to increase economic growth, to increase the effectiveness of interactions with government, to create greater efficiency, and to be more effective in inspection and enforcement.

Department of BusinessThe Department of Business, created at the beginning of the 2015-2016 fiscal year, has the mandate to make Nova Scotia the most competitive and business-friendly environment for economic growth in Canada. This department is providing strategic direction and leadership to all provincial government departments, Crown corporations, and agencies to achieve alignment of strategy and operations for business and social-enterprise growth. The Department of Business is working

http://novascotia.ca/nse/egspa/


with the new Office of Regulatory Affairs and Service Effectiveness to reduce red tape and remove barriers for business.

A number of the changes were informed by the following expert reports commissioned by government and delivered in 2014:

• Now or Never: An Urgent Call to Action for Nova Scotians, a report of the One Nova Scotia Commission (February 2014), led by Ray Ivany

• Review of Economic Development Assistance Tools: Assessment of Current Practices and Future Potential for Nova Scotia (February 2014), conducted by Dr. Tom Traves

• Fuelling Entrepreneurship & Innovation: A Review of the Nova Scotia’s Government Role in Venture Capital Provision (June 2014), conducted by Dr. Gilles Duruflé

• Charting a Path for Growth: Nova Scotia Tax and Regulatory Review (November 2014), conducted by Laurel C. Broten

Office of Regulatory Affairs and Service EffectivenessTo make dealing with government easier, faster, and less frequent, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick (and subsequently Prince Edward Island) have established a joint Regulatory and Service Effectiveness Office. The joint office is building a modern, consistent and fair regulatory environment driven by high-quality, client-focused service. The office has a three-year mandate to substantially reduce obstacles to business growth and build a more positive business environment in the Maritime Provinces.

Internal ServicesInternal Services supports the public sector to deliver the programs and services that Nova Scotians rely on. The department was created April 1, 2014 when government services, previously housed in seven other departments, were realigned to create greater efficiency. This allows government to streamline support for procurement, information technology, telecommunications, and some construction projects, and applies to all provincial government departments, school boards, the Nova Scotia Health Authority, the IWK, and some of the Crown corporations.


Compliance, Inspection, and EnforcementIn April 2015, government announced in its budget address the plan to consolidate regulatory compliance, inspection, and enforcement for public health, food safety, natural resource management, and related functions within Nova Scotia Environment (NSE), to be effective July 1, 2015. The aim is to make the protection of the public, the environment, and the province’s natural resources as effective as possible and contribute to improvements in Nova Scotia’s climate for doing business. This change will unify inspection and enforcement activities and allow resource departments to focus on sector growth.


Objectives of the ActThe Act emphasizes the importance of integrating environmental sustainability and economic prosperity through its goals and objectives. To track how we are doing in achieving these objectives, a set of high-level indicators of prosperity has been developed. These indicators track trends over time in Nova Scotia and across Canada. For more details regarding the indicators of prosperity, see the latest report at novascotia.ca/finance/statistics/topic.asp?fto=24x.

The objectives of the Act outlined in article 4(1):

4(1) The long-term environmental and economic objective of the Province is to achieve sustainable prosperity and to this end to:

(a) establish clear goals that foster an integrated approach to environmental sustainability and economic well-being; and

(b) work towards continuous improvement in measures of social, environmental and economic indicators of prosperity.

http://novascotia.ca/finance/statistics/topic.asp?fto=24x


Summary of the GoalsThe goals outlined in the Act are high-reaching and have measurable targets with timelines. As of March 31, 2015, 12 goals were achieved and 13 were works-in-progress. In 2010, amendments were made to the Air Quality Regulations that changed the status of two achieved goals (pertaining to nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide emissions) to works-in-progress, and four new goals were added through the 2012 amendments.

Significant progress has been made on the works-in-progress goals in 2014–2015, including

• a 24 per cent increase in renewable energy in 2014—just one per cent away from the 2015 goal of 25 per cent

• an achievement of 9 per cent toward the target of 10 per cent below the 1990 base-year greenhouse gas levels by 2020

• a 40 per cent reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions, thus surpassing the target of 28 per cent below the 2000 emissions by 2015

• the completion of Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for seven new buildings, one achieved LEED Gold and several Leed Silver.


Goals UpdateTo achieve the long-term objectives set forth in subsection 4(1), the province has a total of 25 environmental and economic goals in the areas of Cleaner Energy, Climate Change, Healthy Air and Water, Leadership in Sustainable Practices, Protection of Biodiversity, and Sustainable Management of Natural Assets. These goals are listed below with a description and the status of each as of March 31, 2015, followed by planned next steps.

Cleaner EnergyTapping into, and conserving, nature’s sources of energy

GOAL (A) IN PROGRESS

The province adopts and implements a framework to support a transition to cleaner sources and sustainable uses of energy to produce greater economic, social, and environmental benefits for Nova Scotians by supporting and enabling (i) energy efficiency and conservation to assist in energy affordability and competitiveness through increased productivity, (ii) sustainable transportation options, (iii) increased renewable energy, (iv) enhanced use of natural gas to displace oil and coal, and (v) enhanced innovation through globally competitive energy research and development.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Work has been ongoing to implement the province’s framework to support a transition to cleaner energy sources and sustainable uses of energy in the five key areas outlined above in goal (A).


(i) The Efficiency Nova Scotia Corporation (ENSC) continues to offer a variety of energy efficiency programs and services, including education, technical assistance, incentives on energy efficient products and upgrades, low-income assistance, development of new and innovative approaches, and financing options for homes or businesses to make better use of energy. To date, ENSC has helped over 190,000 program participants to reduce their energy consumption.

Since 2008, energy efficiency efforts in Nova Scotia have saved enough electricity to power about 78,000 homes and prevented close to 650,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere. This is the equivalent of taking around 130,000 cars off the road.

Efficiency spending also has a significant impact on the economy. Nova Scotia’s energy efficiency industry currently provides over 1,200 full-time jobs, with a total wage bill of over $62 million. These businesses annually contribute $192 million to Nova Scotia’s economy.

(ii) In April 2013, the province launched Choose how you move: Sustainable Transportation Strategy, the first of its kind in Nova Scotia. A key piece of the strategy has been the Nova Scotia Moves grant program. More than $3 million in grants to over 75 projects has been awarded through this program, and three rounds of applications have been completed.

A new grant program, Connect2, was launched to help create connections that allow for use of sustainable modes of transportation in communities across the province.

Activity included continued partnering with Dalhousie University on a transportation data centre, development of the Active Transportation Policy Framework, and moving forward with implementing the Blue Route, a provincial bicycle network. The strategy is available at novascotia.ca/sustainabletransportation/docs/Sustainable-Transportation-Strategy.pdf.

(iii) In 2014, renewable energy accounted for 24 per cent of the electricityused in Nova Scotia. The Maritime Link project will enable achievement of the goal of 40 per cent renewable energy by 2020, broaden renewable electricity options for Nova Scotia, and contribute to longer-term stable electricity prices.

http://novascotia.ca/sustainabletransportation/docs/Sustainable-Transportation-Strategy.pdf




(iv) The province, key stakeholders, and industry have been working together to facilitate the use of natural gas in Nova Scotia. Encana’s Deep Panuke project commenced natural gas production in 2013 and is approved to operate seasonally until the fourth quarter of 2015. Encana has reported that Deep Panuke produced 69 billion cubic feet of gas as of December 31, 2014.

In 2014, other natural gas developments included

• the exploration of regional gas market challenges and opportunities with our regional partners

• marketing the opportunities for development of Nova Scotia’s offshore natural gas to potential operators and investors

• continuing to improve our understanding of offshore geoscience and what offshore natural gas resources Nova Scotia might take to market to attract new investment

(v) The province has demonstrated a commitment to enhanced innovation through globally competitive energy research and development. This commitment included the

• introduction of the Marine Renewable-energy Act to establish the legal framework for marine renewable energy project development

• issuing of developmental in-stream tidal Feed-in Tariff (FIT) approvals

• signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with the Nova Scotia Offshore Energy Research Association and the United Kingdom’s Technology Strategy Board to fund innovative research projects that will increase our understanding of high-flow tidal environments, and the issuing of a call for joint research proposals

• signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with British Columbia to share research and technology related to tidal energy in our respective provinces


• support of research efforts through funding by the Offshore Energy Research Association (OERA), as well as continuing to work in partnership with OERA, who hosted biannual research and development forums (2012 and 2014)

• support of the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy, including the creation of the Fundy Advanced Sensor Technology Platform, a world-class innovation, and the Acadia University-led research project, Natural Resources Canada’s ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative—projects that increase our understanding of the power of the Fundy tides

• hosting of the International Conference on Ocean Energy (ICOE) in 2014—a North American first

u WHAT’S NEXT?

Next steps will include

• developing regulations under the Marine Renewable-energy Act to ensure effective oversight of industrial development

• continuing implementation of the Blue Route (a provincial bicycle network), running a new sustainable transportation grant program (Connect2), and continuing the ongoing implementation of the Provincial Sustainable Transportation Strategy

• continuing to collaborate with international partners, including the United Kingdom and France, on tidal energy research and development initiatives

• continuing to support energy efficiency and conservation, continuing to explore natural gas market challenges and opportunities, and taking advantage of the strategic opportunity for tidal industry investments in Nova Scotia


GOAL (B) IN PROGRESS

Of the total electricity needs of the province, (i) 18.5 per cent is obtained from renewable energy sources by 2013, (ii) 25 per cent is obtained from renewable energy sources by 2015, and (iii) 40 per cent is obtained from renewable energy sources by 2020.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Renewable electricity increased to 24 per cent in 2014, up from 20 per cent in 2013. This means that in 2014, we were one per cent away from the 2015 target. Regulatory approvals were given in 2013 for the Lower Churchill Project and its associated Maritime Link Project, which will enable achievement of the goal of 40 per cent renewable electricity by 2020.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

The province will continue to develop, research, and invest in renewable energy.

GOAL (C) ACHIEVED

An updated energy efficiency rating system for new and existing homes is available in the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations made under the Building Code Act.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

This goal has been achieved. In late 2015, the new National Building Code and National Energy Code for Buildings were released. It is expected that this version will update the energy efficiency measures currently being enforced, which were adopted into the Nova Scotia Building Code in 2009, with new provisions adopted in 2013.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

During the 2015–2020 National Code Cycle, the National Research Council is expected to review the energy efficiency of existing buildings that undergo


renovations. This work is expected to go out for public consultation as part of the 2020 National Building Code process.

Nova Scotia will continue to develop and update its Building Code Regulations as per the National Building Code and National Energy Code for Buildings.

GOAL (D) ACHIEVED

All new residential dwelling units constructed in the province after January 1, 2011 are required to meet energy conservation measures adopted in the Nova Scotia Building Code Regulations made under the Building Code Act.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

This goal has been achieved, and as previously reported, exceeded the EGSPA target by applying not only to new residences but also to home additions and major renovations, as well as commercial buildings under 600 square metres. Government adopted the National Energy Code for Buildings, which came into force on January 31, 2015; this applies similar standards for energy efficiency in all large buildings not previously addressed by EGSPA or the Building Code. The National Energy Code for Buildings also applies to buildings not addressed by the energy conservation measures within the Building Code and includes new multi-unit residential buildings.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

It is anticipated that updates to both the National Building Code 2015 and the National Energy Code for Buildings 2015 will include amendments improving the energy conservation measures. Amendments to the National Building Code and National Energy Code for Buildings are expected to undergo a public review in Nova Scotia in 2016 and be adopted into force during 2016.

There is a commitment to seek a 15 per cent improvement in energy conservation over the standards of both the 2015 National Building Code and the 2015 National Energy Code for Buildings in the 2020 edition.


GOAL (E) ACHIEVED

The province continues to work with other levels of government on national emission standards for greenhouse gases and air pollutants from new motor vehicles, such as the standards adopted by the State of California.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

The greenhouse gas (GHG) commitment for motor vehicles has been met through federal regulations. The Government of Canada introduced the Passenger Automobile and Light Truck Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations for model years 2011–2020, and the Heavy-duty Vehicle and Engine Greenhouse Gas Emission Regulations for model year 2014 and beyond. The Government of Canada also announced in 2014 that it intends to start developing more stringent standards for heavy-duty vehicles and engines of the post-2018 model year.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

The province will continue to work with federal, provincial, and territorial counterparts on national standards for vehicles and trucks that reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions and fuel consumption.

Climate ChangeMitigating and adapting to the impact of climate change

GOAL (F) IN PROGRESS

Greenhouse gas emissions are, by 2020, at least 10 per cent below the levels that were emitted in 1990, as outlined in the New England Governors/Eastern Canadian Premiers Climate Change Action Plan 2001.


u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

To meet this target, in 2009, NSE developed a Climate Change Action Plan, which is now 90 per cent implemented.

Nova Scotia’s greenhouse gas emissions for the year 2013 (which is the latest data available) is estimated to have been 18.3 M tonnes. This means that our GHG emissions have continued to decline annually since 2007, the year EGSPA was enacted. Prior to that year, our GHG emissions had been trending upward. In 2013, our GHG emissions were 9 per cent below our emissions in 1990, the base year for the EGSPA target. Our goal for 2020, as noted above, is to reduce our GHG to a level 10 per cent below 1990 level.

NSE policies on GHG reduction, along with other related government policies (renewable energy and energy efficiency) are expected to ensure we meet or exceed the EGSPA target for GHG reduction in 2020. We are close to that target now, but the pace of energy technology change affects reductions and is not easy to predict.

Progress in reducing our GHG output has been due to several factors. The greatest reductions so far have been in the electricity sector, our largest single source of GHG. This reduction has occurred in several ways, including a greater use of natural gas for power generation, natural gas having less GHG intensity than oil or coal. Equally important have been government policies that mandate a reduction in Nova Scotia’s dependency on fossil fuels by requiring greater use of renewable energy and efficiency in our electricity use.

The second largest source of our GHG emissions has been transportation, mainly in the fuel burned by cars and trucks. Transportation emissions had increased steadily since 1990, as larger vehicles and SUVs became popular. GHG growth from road vehicles has now leveled off, and we have seen a slight decline in the most recent data (2013).

GHG reduction policies can promote innovation and keep us on a more level economic playing field with trading partners, who are highly aware of what other jurisdictions are doing to reduce their own GHG and help fulfill international commitments.


u WHAT’S NEXT? NSE will continue to monitor the GHG output from our key sources, explore options for greater efficiencies, and continue to work with our partners and key stakeholders.

Healthy Air And WaterDoing our part to improve the air we breathe and to manage our precious water resources

GOAL (G) IN PROGRESS

Emissions of nitrogen oxides are reduced by (i) 20 per cent by 2009, (ii) 28 per cent by 2015, and (iii) 44 per cent by 2020, relative to emissions in 2000.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

The 2009 target has been achieved. Emission reduction requirements were added to the Air Quality Regulations for 2015 and 2020 and further emission reduction goals were subsequently added to EGSPA through amendments in 2012. Further amendments to the Air Quality Regulations were made in November 2014, which introduced new multi-year emission caps in addition to the previous annual cap on emissions of nitrogen oxides by Nova Scotia Power Incorporated (NSPI), a significant emitter. New emission reduction requirements out to 2030 were added, which will result in a 69 per cent reduction from the base year 2000 for NSPI.

In 2014, NSPI emitted 16,902 tonnes of nitrogen oxide (NOx) into the atmosphere, which was a 40 per cent decrease from their 2000 emission levels and below the emission cap of 21,365 tonnes. NSPI has emitted under the cap in recent history.


u WHAT’S NEXT?

The province will continue to work with NSPI to ensure the targets continue to be met. The province will also continue to participate in national efforts to establish emission requirements for the electricity sector.

GOAL (H) IN PROGRESS

Sulphur dioxide emissions are reduced by (i) 50 per cent by 2010, (ii) 58 per cent by 2015, and (iii) 75 per cent by 2020, relative to the 1995–2005 emission allocation.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

The 2010 target has been achieved. Emission reduction requirements were added to the Air Quality Regulations for 2015 and 2020 and further emission reduction goals were subsequently added to EGSPA through amendments in 2012. Further amendments to the Air Quality Regulations were made in November 2014, introducing new multi-year emission caps for Nova Scotia Power Incorporated (NSPI), the largest emitter in the province, comprising annual maximums with hard caps every five years. New emission reduction requirements out to 2030 will result in an 86 per cent reduction in SO2 emissions by NSPI since 2001.

In 2013, total emissions from NSPI and other large emitters (greater than 90 tonnes) was 70,988 tonnes of SO2 to the air, or 51 per cent below the 1995–2005 emission allocation. NSPI released 67,806 tonnes of SO2 and other large emitters released 3,182 tonnes.

In 2014, NSPI emitted 60,902 tonnes of SO2 into the air, which was less than their emissions cap of 72,500 tonnes. NSPI complied with the regulated cap and has emitted under the cap in recent history. Total emissions (including those by other large emitters) for 2014 will be available from the National Pollutant Release Inventory in 2016.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

The province will continue to work with large emitters (greater than 90 tonnes per year), including NSPI, to ensure they remain within their SO2 limit, and will continue to participate in national work to establish emission requirements for the electricity sector.


GOAL (I) IN PROGRESS

Mercury emissions are reduced to no more than (i) 110 kilograms by 2010, (ii) 100 kilograms by 2011, (iii) 85 kilograms by 2013, (iv) 65 kilograms by 2014, and (v) 35 kilograms by 2020.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Amendments to the Air Quality Regulations in November 2014 introduced a new cap of 30 kg in 2030, which is 89 per cent less than the pre-2001 level.

The 2014 amendments also introduced a new option open to NSPI —the largest emitter in the province—related to the requirement to make up for deferred mercury emissions arising out of the 2010 amendments to the Air Quality Regulations. This option, starting in 2015 and ending in 2020, will allow NSPI to introduce a new Mercury Diversion Program to the public, whereby mercury-containing products, such as lightbulbs, are diverted from the environment. Through this option NSPI would gain credit towards their deferred mercury requirement. This optional program would achieve the same environmental outcomes while saving ratepayers money.

In 2014, NSPI’s mercury emissions were 53.95 kg, which was below the emission cap of 65 kg for 2014.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

The province will continue to work with NSPI to reduce its mercury emissions.

GOAL ( J & K) ACHIEVED

( J ) - The Province meets and maintains the Canada Wide Standards for Particulate Matter (PM) and Ozone established by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment for airborne fine-particulate matter by 2010.


( K ) - The Province meets and maintains the Canada Wide Standards for Particulate Matter (PM) and Ozone established by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment for ground-level ozone by 2010.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

The Canada-wide Standards (CWS) have been replaced by the Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS) and the air zone management framework. This is in line with the Air Quality Management System (AQMS) being implemented across Canada through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). More information is available at ccme.ca/en/resources/air/aqms.html and novascotia.ca/nse/air/.

The year 2014 was the last report for fine particulate matter and ozone under the CWS and the first year for Air Zone reporting based on the CAAQS (see novascotia.ca/nse/air/docs/15-43405%20AirZone%20V3.pdf ). The CAAQS are more stringent than the CWS. The new goal is to achieve the CAAQS in each of the province’s four designated air zones. Under the CWS, achievement reporting was only required for areas with a total population of 100,000 or more, of which Halifax Regional Municipality is the only one in Nova Scotia.

In 2012–2014, the CWS for fine particulate matter and ozone were achieved. The results are shown in the following table:

4th highest 8-hour averages of ground-level ozone, measured annually and averaged over three consecutive years

98th percentile of 24-hour averages of fine particulate matter, measured annually and averaged over three consecutive years

HRM

CBRM

Standard (Achieve 65 ppb or less)

HRM

CBRM

Standard (Achieve 30

µg/m3 or less)

2012-2014

52 50 65 2012-2014

13 16 30

http://ccme.ca/en/resources/air/aqms.html

http://ccme.ca/en/resources/air/aqms.html

http://novascotia.ca/nse/air/

http://novascotia.ca/nse/air/docs/15-43405%20AirZone%20V3.pdf


In 2012–2014, the CAAQS for fine particulate matter and ozone were achieved in all four Air Zones in Nova Scotia. The Central air zone was in the yellow air zone management level, which requires actions for preventing air quality deterioration, and the other three air zones were in the orange level, which requires actions for preventing CAAQS exceedance.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

The province will continue to monitor and report on ambient air quality in the four air zones and work with stakeholders to identify actions to reduce ambient air pollution to prevent air quality deterioration and CAAQS exceedance.

GOAL (L) IN PROGRESS

Municipal public drinking-water supplies meet the province’s 2012 treatment standards by 2020.

NOVA SC OT I A A IR ZONE RE P ORT: Nova S cot ia A i r Qual i t y Uni t , 2014

5

2014 Air Zone Results for Nova ScotiaIn 2014 the air zone measurement results were below CAAQS exceedance thresholds. In other words, the CAAQS were achieved in all air zones of Nova Scotia. In the Central air zone at least one result was in a range that requires actions for preventing air quality degradation (Yellow). The other three air zones had at least one result in a range that requires actions for preventing CAAQS exceedance (Orange) (Table 3).

Table 3. Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS) achievement and management level results for air zone monitoring in Nova Scotia for 2014

N O VA S C O T I A A I R Z O N E M A N A G E M E N T L E V E L S A N D C A A Q S A C H I E V E M E N T R E S U LT S – 2 0 14 B A S E Y E A R ( 2 0 12 -2 0 14 AV E R A G E )

Air ZoneManagement Level*

Management Actions Driver†

Results

Ozone 8-hour(ppb)

PM2.5 24-hour (µg/m3)

PM2.5 Annual (µg/m3)

Central Yellow Actions for Preventing AQ Deterioration Ozone 52 14 6.0

Eastern Orange Actions for Preventing CAAQS Exceedance PM2.5 annual 50 16 6.9

Northern Orange Actions for Preventing CAAQS Exceedance

PM2.5 24-hr and annual 45 21 7.5

Western Orange Actions for Preventing CAAQS Exceedance Ozone 59 12 4.8

* Management levels for each air zone are determined by the “Driver.” These levels have continuous improvement as a priority and require more stringent actions as the driver approaches CAAQS limit.

† “Driver” means the pollutant that has the highest measurement relative to the CAAQS (Measurement CAAQS) within each air zone. There can be more than one driver in an air zone if relative measurements are equal. For example, in the 2014 reporting year the Northern Air Zone has two drivers because each are equal to 75% of the CAAQS (21/28 = 0.75 and 7.5/10 = 0.75)


u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Municipalities were required, by April 2013, to submit a System Assessment Report to demonstrate whether or not their system met the 2012 standards. These reports were reviewed, and updated approvals were issued. At the end of March 2014 (the latest data available), 90 per cent of the municipal public drinking-water supplies met the 2012 treatment standards. In 2015, NSE reviewed the tracking of this data to ensure consistency in reporting.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

The province will continue to work with municipalities to obtain the necessary funding to make upgrades to develop drinking-water treatment compliance strategies and conduct regular audits of public drinking-water supplies to ensure that standards are met.

GOAL (M) ACHIEVED

A comprehensive water-resource management strategy is developed by 2010 and implemented accordingly.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

This strategy was completed. In the 2014–2015 report period, the external-to-government Nova Scotia Water Advisory Group held three meetings, and the inter-departmental Water Strategy Implementation Committee met twice, in order to share information on water-resource management from the breadth of their perspectives. Other actions toward achieving the goals of the strategy included the Nova Scotia Water Forum on Data Sharing and Management for provincial government staff; the renewal of the Canadian Heritage Rivers Charter, a federal-provincial-territorial collaborative program; and in-kind and financial support to the Community-University Research Alliance H2O (CURA H2O) at Saint Mary’s University, supporting community-based water monitoring and management.


u WHAT’S NEXT?

The province will continue to meet with the external-to-government Nova Scotia Water Advisory Group and work with all departments through the Water Strategy Implementation Committee and all levels of government on water-strategy implementation.

GOAL (N) IN PROGRESS

Wastewater treatment facility discharges undergo at least primary treatment by 2020.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

As of March 31, 2015, 93 per cent of municipal wastewater facilities met the target. In 2014–2015, no new systems were commissioned. However, one municipality is currently in the process of constructing a new treatment facility, and another is beginning the pre-design process. The achievement date of this goal was revised from 2017 to 2020 through the EGSPA 2012 amendments. This new date aligns with the new federal wastewater regulations published in June 2012.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

Government will continue to work with municipalities on implementing the Canada-wide Municipal Wastewater Effluent Strategy. This year government will continue to work toward a provincial wastewater standard that will include the objectives of the strategy.


Leadership in Sustainable PracticesLeading the way toward a sustainable future

GOAL (O) IN PROGRESS

The solid-waste disposal rate is no greater than 300 kilograms per person per year by 2015 through measures that include the development of new programs and product stewardship regulations.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

In 2014, Nova Scotia’s disposal rate was 380 kg/person. According to Statistics Canada, in 2012 (the latest results available) Nova Scotia’s disposal rate was 45 per cent lower than the Canadian average of 720 kg/person, and the province’s diversion rate was 70 per cent higher than the Canadian average. Currently, 17 materials are banned from disposal in Nova Scotia, and eight product stewardship agreements are in place.

Public consultations on proposed regulatory amendments to the solid-waste regulations were completed in June 2014, with written submissions received until October 2014. Following public discussions, a “What We Heard” document was released in Winter 2015.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

The “What We Heard” document and our ongoing engagement with municipal and business stakeholders continues to inform development of proposed regulatory amendments. Nova Scotia’s culture of waste diversion, along with potential regulatory enhancements, will divert more material from landfill, contain solid waste management costs, further stimulate the green economy, and positon the province to achieve a disposal rate of 300 kilograms per person.


GOAL (P) ACHIEVED

Septage treatment facilities are operated in accordance with the Guidelines for the Handling, Treatment and Disposal of Septage as of 2011.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Since December 2011, all septage treatment facilities operating in the province have been in compliance with the guidelines. In 2012, 19 of the 20 facilities obtained a ten-year approval, and one facility obtained a five-year approval. Seven facilities are closed or in the process of closing.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

The province will continue to monitor facilities to ensure that they meet the guidelines. All sites remaining in operation are on a set schedule to be audited. Any required enforcement action will be undertaken as per the compliance model.

GOAL (Q) ACHIEVED

A sustainable procurement policy for the province is developed and adopted by 2009 and implemented accordingly, including by integrating sustainable procurement criteria into provincial government purchasing and promoting adoption of this approach to the greater public sector in the province.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

The Sustainable Procurement Policy was released in August 2009. Implementation is ongoing. A Sustainable Procurement page for government purchasers has been established on the government’s Procurement Services website, and information for vendors has been added to the Tenders page. To date, sustainable procurement criteria have been added to the requests for standing offers for over 10 categories.


Procurement Services became part of the newly created Department of Internal Services on April 1, 2014 and became responsible for purchasing on behalf of the Nova Scotia Health Authority and the IWK, in addition to all government departments.

Also in 2014, Procurement Services was awarded the 19th Annual Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award (AEP) from the National Procurement Institute (NPI). The AEP Award is earned by public and non-profit organizations that obtain a high application score based on standardized criteria. The judging criteria include innovation, professionalism, e-procurement, productivity, and leadership. The AEP encourages the development of excellence and continued organizational improvement in the effort to earn the award annually.

In addition, Procurement Services is a Founding Member of the Sustainable Procurement Leadership Council and has a representative on the Council’s Board of Directors. The Council brings together visionary professionals from institutions, suppliers, government, standards bodies, and NGOs to simplify, optimize and standardize the practice of sustainable procurement.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

Resources will be added to the site as they become available. Sustainability criteria will be developed for additional standing offers and for strategic purchasing categories on an ongoing basis.

GOAL (R) ACHIEVED

A government facility is constructed as a demonstration facility in accordance with leading energy efficient design standards by 2015 and used to foster sustainable building practices.


u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Government partnered with the Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) to construct the Centre for the Built Environment, which opened in 2010 at the Waterfront Campus in Dartmouth. The project received Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold status in August 2012. NSCC has adopted the concept of sustainable building and constructing to LEED standards on other projects since this building was constructed.

In 2009, the province adopted the LEED policy, whereby all new buildings constructed by the province and those buildings that the province contributes financially towards are designed and constructed to certain environmental and energy efficient standards.

In 2014–2015, seven new buildings completed their LEED certification. The Dr. William D. Finn Centre for Forensic Medicine in Dartmouth achieved LEED Gold in September 2014. Also, there are several new LEED Silver buildings, including the Waverley Memorial Elementary School in Waverley and the Perennia Innovation Centre in Truro. In total, from 2004–2005 to 2014–2015, there are 14 newly constructed buildings that have completed LEED certification.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

New projects targeting LEED Gold were added to the list in 2014–2015 and include the Tatamagouche P-12 and Bridgetown P-12 schools. Other buildings targeting LEED Gold are Yarmouth Consolidated Memorial High School, Bible Hill P-4 School, Eastern Passage District High School, the South Dartmouth P-9 School, New Glasgow Academy, Charles P. Allen High School in Bedford, South Queens Middle School in Liverpool, and the West Highlands Elementary School in Amherst.

The demonstration facility will continue to be used to foster sustainable building practices.


GOAL (S) IN PROGRESS

The province develops a strategy by 2014 to advance the growth of the green economy and implements the strategy accordingly.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

In early 2013, NSE partnered with the former department of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism (ERDT) to establish green economy priorities and objectives. In the fall of 2014, the Minister’s Round Table on Environment and Sustainable Prosperity reached out to stakeholders and provided feedback on the green economy priorities and objectives.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

In the budget for 2015, government announced major changes to how it will conduct activities to support economic prosperity. This included the creation of a new Department of Business. Consequently, there is an opportunity for NSE and the Department of Business to collaborate on this work. The Minister of Environment’s December 2015 Mandate Letter directs the Minister to “ensure the integration of green economy objectives with shared economic goals.”

GOAL (T) IN PROGRESS

Local food consumption is supported and encouraged, with the goal of 20 per cent of the money spent on food by Nova Scotians being spent on locally produced food by 2020.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Government invests in a number of strategic initiatives each year that are designed to encourage local food consumption. These investments range from supporting market development activities of individual farmers through


Federal/Provincial Growing Forward 2 programming to developing and promoting the Buy Local campaigns of Select Nova Scotia.

An example from Select Nova Scotia is the Department of Agriculture’s partnership with Sobeys on “Buy Local Days.” In 2014, Sobeys reported an increase in local produce sales of 22.4 per cent over the same period in 2013. The success of this initiative resulted in an expansion in 2015, through winter and summer campaigns. There are plans to expand the Buy Local retail presence across the retail sector.

Two key statistics are used to measure this goal:

1. the value of food produced on Nova Scotia farms in terms of farm cash receipts

2. the value of food expenditures by Nova Scotia households (excluding seafood purchases)

The proxy measure for this goal is the per cent value of farm cash receipts to food expenditures in Nova Scotia. In 2011, the benchmark year, the percentage of money spent by Nova Scotians on locally produced food was 13. This measure rose to 14 per cent in 2012. We exceeded our expectations of 15 per cent in 2013 with 16 per cent of money spent on food by Nova Scotians being spent on locally produced food.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

Government will continue to focus resources to increase the public’s recognition of the value of local food consumption. The province will continue to support the efforts of Select Nova Scotia and Agriculture Awareness programs to promote the importance of local agriculture, and to make locally produced, safe, and high quality foods available and accessible to Nova Scotia consumers.


GOAL (U) IN PROGRESS

Local food production is supported and encouraged, with the goal of increasing the number of local farms by five per cent by 2020.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Government is committed to promoting, encouraging, and supporting local food production and enabling the growth of the agriculture industry. Through programs such as FarmNext and ThinkFarm, new entrants are provided with resources needed to start a career in farming and make their contribution to this sector of the economy. New entrants are supported through loan interest relief programs and a wide range of educational workshops and resources to enable them to navigate through agricultural services and the regulatory environment.

Two sources of data are being used to measure the progress toward this goal: (i) the number of local farms having Nova Scotia farm registration, relative to the number of local farms registered in 2012, and (2) the Census of Agriculture data, which is provided every five years relative to 2011.

The farm registration data will be used to measure the progress toward this goal on an annual basis. In 2012, the benchmark year for farm registration data, there were 2,606 farms registered in Nova Scotia. Using this measure, to meet the goal of increasing the number of local farms by five per cent by 2020, there would have to be 2,736 registered farms in the province. There was a decline in the number of farms registered in 2013 to 2,572, and in 2014 to 2,550.

Census of Agriculture data, derived from both registered and non-registered farms, will provide a source of data that can be used to measure progress toward this goal at the halfway point (2016) for all farms operating in the province, not just the registered farms. This measure provides a better representation of the number of farms in the province, but it is not an annual measure. In 2011, the benchmark year for Census of Agriculture data, there were 3,905 farms operating in the province.


u WHAT’S NEXT?

Government will continue to focus on providing support to new entrants through existing programs such as FarmNext and ThinkFarm. ThinkFarm, in partnership with the Federation of Agriculture, will use a new on-line tool, the Farm Succession Portal, to help increase the number of farms transferred to a new generation of farmers.

A new project, Barriers to Growth, will gather information on the challenges faced by new entrants and existing farms to grow their operations. This study will help identify the key barriers and inform the development of programming and policies to support the growth of the many small farms in the province. This initiative could have a positive impact on the capacity for food production in Nova Scotia.

Protection of BiodiversityProtecting our most valuable assets

GOAL (V) IN PROGRESS

At least 12 per cent of the total land mass of the province is legally protected by 2015.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

On August 1, 2013, the province released Our Parks and Protected Areas: A Plan for Nova Scotia, identifying lands intended for protection to reach the land protection goal under EGSPA.

In December, 2014, the Province legally protected 14,691 hectares of land from the parks and protected areas plan as 16 nature reserve and four wilderness area sites. With these new designations, the total land legally protected in the


province as of March 31, 2015 has increased from 9.32 per cent to 9.58 per cent (or 549,275 hectares). Since writing this report, more properties have been added to Nova Scotia's protected areas, amounting to 12.26 per cent of our land mass.

Protecting these areas provides such benefits as helping to conserve Nova Scotia’s biodiversity, including wildlife species at risk. It increases opportunities for rural economic development through nature-based recreation and the attraction of visitors. It protects access to clean air and water, including drinking-water supply watersheds, and fosters continued cooperation with Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq in the use and management of parks and protected areas.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

The province will continue to finalize site-specific planning, surveys, and legal work to advance lands from the Parks and Protected Areas Plan for legal designation under appropriate protection legislation.

Sustainable Management of Natural AssetsBuilding our economy by renewing and protecting our land

GOAL (W) ACHIEVED

Regulatory tools that use the framework within the Environment Act to stimulate redevelopment of contaminated land and contribute to economic development while protecting the environment are brought into effect by 2013 and implemented accordingly.


u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

Government continues to implement the 2013 Contaminated Sites Regulations. Plain language guidance documents were made available to the public in 2015. Government continues to respond to external inquiries from contaminated site professionals and the public.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

The government will continue to monitor program implementation and will conduct a program evaluation. Findings from the evaluation will be used in future to help identify potential amendments to the Contaminated Sites Regulations.

GOAL (X) ACHIEVED

A policy of preventing net loss of wetlands is established by 2009 and implemented accordingly.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

The Wetlands Conservation Policy was released on October 14, 2011.

Public education about the policy and the new approach to wetland approvals is being provided through public presentations and through content on NSE wetland web pages: novascotia.ca/nse/wetland/.

NSE is currently reviewing the wetland alteration approval process to ensure that approvals are managed in an efficient and consistent manner, and are in keeping with the wetland conservation policy.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

Continue implementation of the policy.

http://novascotia.ca/nse/wetland/


GOAL (Y) ACHIEVED

The province adopts a natural resources strategy by 2010, focusing on the areas of biodiversity, forestry, geological resources and parks, and implements the strategy accordingly.

u WHERE ARE WE NOW?

The Path We Share, A Natural Resources Strategy for Nova Scotia 2011–2020 was released on August 16, 2011. In August 2013, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) released a 24-month progress report. This report detailed the progress of the 32 actions outlined in the action plan document, From Strategy to Action.

Since August 2013, DNR has focused much of its effort on changing the status quo, and on finding ways to make changes that will enhance programs and services. Staff members are moving beyond check marks for individual actions toward the substantive change needed to meet the strategy’s overarching goals of collaborative leadership, sustainable resource development, research and knowledge sharing, and good governance.

u WHAT’S NEXT?

The province will continue to implement the strategy and will follow through with, and monitor, ongoing actions. It will, in addition, implement actions yet to begin.

A full update report on progress relating to The Path We Share, A Natural Resources Strategy for Nova Scotia 2011–2020 is being planned for August 2016.


Moving Toward Sustainable ProsperityEGSPA was established with the vision of fully integrating environmental sustainability and economic prosperity. To strengthen and improve the progress of this vision, the first five-year review of the Act in 2012 focused on better integration of the environment and the economy. One of the key amendments was the shift in reporting to better reflect the sustainable prosperity initiatives happening in our province. Below are listed examples of key initiatives underway, with some potential benefits, which create or support jobs and improve our economic performance while increasing our environmental sustainability.

Creating Regulatory Reform and EfficienciesNSE’s initiative of reforming regulations and creating efficiency is aligned with the overarching goal of EGSPA to better integrate the environment and the economy. The initiative includes moving lower-risk and routine activities from an approval process to a streamlined notification process that will simplify requirements for businesses. This was applied to the watercourse alterations program and the on-site septic systems program. The new System for Notification and Approval Processing (SNAP) will manage the approvals and notifications and provide on-line access for clients.

u POTENTIAL BENEFITS INCLUDE

• better interaction between the department and Nova Scotia businesses and citizens

• saving time and money for businesses through the use of the on-line access service

• supporting business growth through efficient and effective protection of the environment and of public health


Equivalency Agreement on Reduction of Coal-fired Greenhouse GasNova Scotia’s long-standing dependency on coal for electricity generation contributes to climate change, degrades our air quality, and makes us vulnerable to volatile world prices and supply. In 2009, Nova Scotia became the first North American jurisdiction to place a regulated cap on greenhouse gas (GHG) from the electricity sector.

When the federal government proposed their own regulations for coal-fired electricity, NSE led negotiations and successfully finalized an Equivalency Agreement with Environment Canada in 2014. The agreement states that the Nova Scotia regulations will provide an equivalent (or better) GHG reduction compared to the federal rule. This required us to amend our regulations to include caps out to 2030, aligning our time frame with the federal rule.

We negotiated this agreement because our regulations will provide greater flexibility than the federal regulations, while meeting equivalent targets, thus allowing cost savings for ratepayers that may not have occurred under the federal rule. This agreement was a first of its kind in Canada.


• greater electricity price stability over the long term

• increased regulatory certainty for the electricity sector and ratepayers, accelerating investment and innovation for long-term emissions reduction and more stable prices

• flexibility in our regulations, allowing major capital cost savings and lower costs to all ratepayers

• improved health for citizens and the environment


FarmNextThe FarmNext program supports new farms by reducing borrowing costs and easing the financial burden for farmers just starting out. Under the program, up to $30,000 in benefits is assigned to interest on the farmer’s loan through the Nova Scotia Farm Loan Board. FarmNext clients also receive coaching in business planning and ongoing farm financial management advice from planning and development officers at the Department of Agriculture.


• making it easier for new farmers to get the funds and practical business advice they need

• reducing the financial burden of loans for new farmers

• providing one-on-one business counselling and training to support effective business planning and awareness of the regulatory environment for agriculture activities

Select Nova ScotiaSelect Nova Scotia has been successful as a recognizable brand of quality Nova Scotia products. The intention of Select Nova Scotia is to add value for local producers, manufacturers, and retailers by helping to create the conditions that will fuel their success and boost economic growth and prosperity in our province. Strong industry partnerships have been made with retailers, restaurant associations, farmers markets, the marketing program Taste of Nova Scotia, commodity groups, and various government departments. This successful provincial marketing program, launched in 2007, promotes local food products by increasing consumer awareness and making local products easier to identify.


• improving identification and awareness of Nova Scotia food products

• increasing domestic consumption and industry opportunities for Nova Scotia food products

• promoting the benefits of eating and buying locally


Agriculture AwarenessThe goal of the Agriculture Awareness program is to promote a positive image of Nova Scotia agriculture and to encourage people, especially youth, to consider careers in agriculture. Attracting new people to agriculture will build sustainability, not only in terms of industry demographics, but also in the breadth of skills and business styles within the industry. Program staff work closely with the industry, the school system, and the public.


• helping all Nova Scotians to understand and appreciate agriculture in our province and beyond

• raising awareness of the career and educational opportunities available in agriculture

• strengthening the market for local products

• attracting young entrepreneurs to the agricultural industry

ThinkFarmThinkFarm helps new farms get started or transition in farming to make the agriculture industry stronger for the future. The ThinkFarm program includes a co-ordinator who works on providing access to information for new farmers, including a website, novascotia.ca/thinkfarm/, that provides a one-stop location for resources relating to new entrants. ThinkFarm also conducts and supports outreach and training activities to improve the knowledge and skills of beginning and transitioning farmers.


• supporting initiatives that attract new entrepreneurs to agriculture and food-related ventures, nurturing their entrepreneurial capacity, and accelerating their competitive position in the marketplace

http://novascotia.ca/thinkfarm/


• assisting existing farmers in the transition to a new farm or agri-business enterprise

• facilitating access to information, programs, services, and regulations that apply to farm businesses, and putting farmers in touch with experts within and outside the Department of Agriculture

Community Forest Pilot ProjectOn January 30, 2015, the Department of Natural Resources signed an agreement with Medway Forest Co-operative Ltd. to begin managing a community forest in Annapolis County, the first one in Eastern Canada. The co-operative is developing a long-term ecological plan to manage the working forest and nurture forest-based businesses that support the local economy.


• supporting sustainable development and stewardship of the province’s resources

• increasing revenue generation and economic development on the land

• using land in a way that reflects community and local needs and aspirations, as well as economic, environmental, and conservation objectives

• increasing collaboration between government, the private sector, citizens, Mi’kmaw people, stakeholder groups, and communities

Cape Breton Private Land Partnership Pilot ProjectThe partnership was established in 2014 to provide independent support and guidance to woodlot owners in Cape Breton. Its purpose is to make existing services more readily available to woodlot owners and contractors. The partnership also helps landowners and forest management contractors develop and share best forestry practices.


The partnership is a membership organization that provides access to on-line tools to connect contractors and woodlot owners for specific projects that result in innovative woodlot management activities. This partnership provides for the central administration of services within the pilot area, allowing the partnership to coordinate activities (including education and training) and administer funding (for resource management access and management plan delivery) while the actual forest management work continues to be done through the member contractors and woodlot operators.


• forging working relationships within the Cape Breton forest industry that may not have previously existed, as well as improving the relationship between industry and government

• providing an opportunity for creating and adopting innovative practices within the industry that may result in increased revenue generation for the industry

• creating a foundation for re-engaging forest industry operators, a goal of the province’s forestry transformation plan, solidifying good resources-based jobs in a rural area of the province

• building on the department’s goals of sustainable resource development

Wild Atlantic Salmon Enhancement ProgramThe Province of Nova Scotia offers a Wild Atlantic Salmon Enhancement Program, which supplements indigenous salmon populations and allows for a limited catch-and-release recreational fishery, in addition to a First Nations food, social, and ceremonial (FSC) fishery.


• supplementing wild populations to maintain the fishery and supporting the FSC fishery, particularly on small rivers where salmon stocks are limited


• providing angling opportunities in wild salmon and at the same time possibly reducing stress on more vulnerable wild stocks

• maintaining and promoting the genetic diversity of wild salmon stocks

Marine Stewardship Council CertificationThe Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification provides an internationally recognized third-party seal of seafood sustainability and traceability. Of the 259 fisheries worldwide holding the flagship MSC seal, Nova Scotia boasts access to thirteen, with others in the certification process. Nova Scotia continues to lead the development of access to lucrative markets supplied from a sustainable base.


• providing access to premium international markets that recognize and reward fishing practices committed to ensuring healthy marine ecosystems and sustainable harvests

• helping to ensure that the Nova Scotia inshore lobster fishery industry remains vigorous and profitable into the future, while opening and solidifying access to new and emerging international markets

• positioning Nova Scotia herring fishery, which recently acquired the MSC seal for the Nova Scotia Gulf waters, to capitalize on the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union

• enduring health of Scotian Shelf Atlantic halibut fishery, which, since MSC certification in 2013, has found skyrocketing market demand and continually rising prices at the wharf

Aquaculture Regulation ReviewNova Scotia is striving to be a leader in managing the development of the aquaculture industry in an environmentally sustainable and accountable way. Aquaculture has significant potential to grow the economy of rural Nova Scotia. New aquaculture regulations were released by government on October 26, 2015, creating a more responsible and transparent approach to aquaculture


development. The regulations represent changes to how companies can acquire a license and a lease to operate either fin fish or shellfish farms in Nova Scotia.

Regulations reflect the input from an independent review, a regulatory advisory committee, and independent research by Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture staff. The regulations follow the regulatory framework outlined in the Doelle Lahey report (novascotia.ca/fish/).


• optimum use of marine resources considered in licensing and leasing approvals, along with community and provincial economic development

• implementation of regulations regarding new rules and processes that emphasize stronger oversight and the development of the industry in an environmentally sustainable and accountable way

• further amendments to the Fisheries and Coastal Resources Act (April 2015), giving clarity to the purpose of aquaculture

Provincial Capital Assistance ProgramThe province recognizes that the cost of undertaking core municipal infrastructure projects (i.e., those pertaining to water supply, wastewater collection and treatment, and solid waste management) can place significant financial burdens on municipal governments. The Provincial Capital Assistance Program (PCAP) is designed to enable the province to contribute financially towards the cost of high-priority municipal infrastructure projects, so that the burden might be reduced to an affordable level.


• supporting upgrades to core infrastructure that creates safe, sustainable, and vibrant communities

• addressing immediate and high-risk concerns to protect public health and the environment

http://novascotia.ca/fish/


Municipal Climate Change Action PlansEach municipal climate change action plan (MCCAP) identifies climate-related matters that have the potential to damage communities and cause a wide range of economic hardships. The MCCAPs take a priority-based approach to address the identified issues.

Over the course of 2014–2015, municipalities have undertaken the process of implementing their plans.


• identifying within each plan critical elements of communities that are vulnerable and at risk

• enabling local governments to take proactive, adaptive actions designed to reduce both primary and associated damages

• allowing local governments to prioritize the implementation of adaptation actions based on risk, vulnerability, level of immediacy, public safety concerns, and financial resources

Productivity and Innovation Voucher ProgramThe Productivity and Innovation Voucher Program provides small and medium-sized enterprises with vouchers to acquire the direct assistance from Nova Scotia universities and colleges that is needed to help make their business more innovative and productive. More than 240 businesses have received vouchers since the program started in 2008, including 52 in 2014.


• an increase in research and innovation

• greater competitiveness and profitability of businesses, which would increase economic activity for Nova Scotians

• utilization of the expertise at Nova Scotia’s universities and colleges by increasing joint efforts and collaboration between industry and their post-secondary partners


Credit Union Loan Guarantee ProgramThe Credit Union Loan Guarantee program offers small businesses in Nova Scotia access to capital under three main streams (the Regular Business Stream, the Immigrant Financing Stream, and the Social Enterprise Financing Stream). There was a 55 per cent increase in 2014–2015 in the amount of capital made available to small businesses in Nova Scotia, compared to the previous year. A total of $42.97 million in loans was authorized through the Credit Union Small Business Loan Guarantee Program.


• growth in business, as the program provides increased access to capital for small businesses

• retention of small businesses in Nova Scotia

• support for new immigrants

• expansion of the role for social enterprise

Aboriginal Economic Development Fund The Aboriginal Community Development Fund leverages resources within and outside of government to support community initiatives with economic benefits for the Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq and other Aboriginal people. The overall objective is to support community-led and First Nation driven projects that can lead to better economic outcomes for Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq and other Aboriginals through cultural, business, social, ecological, and economic development activities.


• supporting entrepreneurial ideas that are band, industry, or Nation led

• supporting quality-of-life outcomes for Nova Scotia Mi’kmaq

• advancing community and economic development


Electricity Plan The Nova Scotia government is committed to making clean and sustainable changes to our energy economy. In 2014, a comprehensive review of the province’s electricity system, that included public and stakeholder consultations, revealed that Nova Scotians want cleaner energy and more choice. This direction will shape the future of our province’s electricity system. The Electricity Plan was released in 2015.

As we transform our electricity system from one of the most carbon-intense in the country to one that is among the least, the programs and initiatives that will help us work towards this goal include the Marine Renewable-energy Act, the Tidal Feed-in Tariff Program, and the Community Feed-in Tariff, described below.

Marine Renewable-energy Act Government introduced the Marine Renewable-energy Act on April 29, 2015. The Act serves as the legal framework for how the marine renewable energy industry—including in-stream tidal, tidal height, wave, and offshore wind technologies—will be developed in Nova Scotia. The Act represents another step towards the sustainable development of tidal energy in Nova Scotia. See the link below for key features of the Act. energy.novascotia.ca/renewables/marine-renewable-energy/marine-renewable-energy-legislation


• ensuring all marine renewable energy activities in Nova Scotia are governed by a clear, consistent, and legal framework

• promoting a safe, responsible, and sustainable industry, regulated to ensure Nova Scotians benefit from the development of our marine renewable energy resources

Tidal Feed-in Tariff Program The province has established the Developmental Tidal Feed-in Tariff Program to attract and encourage the early development of large-scale tidal energy devices. The program is designed to provide developers with a price per megawatt hour for

http://energy.novascotia.ca/renewables/marine-renewable-energy/marine-renewable-energy-legislation

http://energy.novascotia.ca/renewables/marine-renewable-energy/marine-renewable-energy-legislation


the electricity produced from the testing and demonstration of their devices. In December 2014, four developers received approval through the program, for a total of 17.5 megawatts of electricity.

Nova Scotia has a leadership position in the supply and service sector of this emerging global industry and is attracting significant international investment.


• a benefit to Nova Scotia’s Gross Domestic Product of $1.7 billion by 2040, if 500 MW of tidal energy were developed (according to an economic analysis released by Gardner Pinfold)1

• strategic leadership opportunities for Nova Scotia, such as represented by the Fundy Ocean Research Centre for Energy site, the first site in the world where tidal arrays (multiple turbines located at one site) will be tested and deployed

• continued development of the skills and expertise of Nova Scotian firms with experience in supporting the local tidal energy industry, eventually to serve international markets

Community Feed-in Tariff (COMFIT) The Nova Scotia Community Feed-in Tariff (COMFIT) program, launched in 2011, (energy.novascotia.ca/renewables/programs-and-projects/comfit) was designed to help small-scale energy producers (who ordinarily can’t compete against larger developers) to develop their projects, including wind projects. COMFIT encouraged community-based, local renewable energy projects by guaranteeing a rate per kilowatt-hour for 20 years for the energy that the project would feed into the province’s distribution electrical grid. Through COMFIT, these smaller producers would be able to supply renewable energy to their specific community.

Government ended new applications to this program following a review. The program has achieved its objectives. No new applications will be considered, but projects already underway are continuing. The COMFIT website (URL above) provides an overview of all received applications and their statuses.

1 Value Proposition for Tidal Energy Development in Nova Scotia, Atlantic Canada and Canada, (2015). Commissioned by the Offshore Energy Research Association of Nova Scotia.

http://energy.novascotia.ca/renewables/programs-and-projects/comfit



• an increase of community economic growth opportunities

• a reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs)

• the fostering of local technological innovation and development, promoting community development, improving air quality, and putting Nova Scotia in a position of global leadership

• the engagement of a geographically diverse range of local community participants in the development of renewable energy


Letter from the Round TableNovember 27, 2015 Hon. Randy Delorey Minister of the Environment Halifax, Nova Scotia

Dear Minister Delorey:

The Nova Scotia Round Table on the Environment and Economy is required to provide an annual assessment of the report on progress made by the Provincial Government in achieving the goals and targets set out in the Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity Act (EGSPA). In that context I submit this letter on behalf of my colleagues on the Nova Scotia Round Table on Environment and Sustainable Prosperity. The Act is an exemplary piece of legislation that continues to frame Nova Scotia’s intention and efforts to fulfill the promise of integrated environmental, economic, and social development. Even though we present some concerns and criticisms regarding the year’s report, at the outset, the round table wishes to make clear our appreciation for the hard and enduring work conducted by the Department of Environment and across government to advance EGSPA’s purposes and goals.

It is necessary to point out that the round table was not able to conduct to our satisfaction a complete and substantive review of the report. The draft report was presented to us just a few days prior to our last meeting, and the round table was not able to receive a full briefing, discuss the report comprehensively with staff or among ourselves, or fashion questions for clarification. Our review has therefore only included the members’ quick submission of reactions, coalesced in this letter in the endeavour to articulate commonly held perspectives. Therefore, while we appreciate the opportunity to provide a review of progress made regarding EGSPA, we do not believe that this process has been adequate to reasonably discharge our responsibility and therefore reiterate the comment made in last year’s letter, that “we strongly recommend that in future years a more adequate time period is [made] available“ for a proper evaluation of the report.


We are mindful that this year presented another transition in government and within the Department of Environment at the ministerial, organizational, and senior leadership levels. We recognize that these changes did affect the department’s continuity in implementation and reporting. Difficulties in continuity were further exacerbated by the transfer of responsibility relative to economic dimensions of the Act as a result of the closure of the former Department of Economic and Rural Development and the establishment of a new Department of Business. That progress relative to the Act persisted underlines the round table’s longstanding appreciation that successive Nova Scotia governments have continued to support EGSPA and particularly the core intentions of the Act—to establish clear goals that foster an integrated approach to environmental sustainability and economic well-being; and to work towards continuous improvement in measures of social, environmental, and economic indicators of prosperity.

We were pleased that there was simple clarity in reporting on the status and progress (either “achieved“ or “in progress“) of each goal and, in particular, doing so by addressing the questions, “Where Are We Now?” and “What’s Next?” Within each of these, the levels of detail, analysis and background reference data varies substantially. In some cases, the information provided appeared adequate to gauge and support conclusions; in others, round table members pointed to a desire for more information (either within the report or at least in briefing) in order to validate conclusions, particularly related to performance, contextualized by costs, benefits, changing dynamics, and comparison with other jurisdictions. We also note and commend that government is including information that recognizes the contributions across all departments and initiatives beyond those called for explicitly within the Act. This encourages the Act’s broader purpose as stated in the report’s Introduction, “a whole systems approach whereby all departments would be involved in meeting the commitments and realizing the vision of the Act”—the importance of integrating environmental sustainability and economic prosperity. These reports from across government highlight that EGSPA is more than the sum of its 25 goals. This comprehensive stance on sustainable prosperity has distinguished the Act across North America as pioneering. This is particularly important at this moment, when so much attention and effort is properly directed at fulfilling the call to action outlined in the 2014 One Nova Scotia report, Now or Never, and recently reemphasized in the report of the One Nova Scotia Coalition. We believe that sustainable prosperity as defined in the Act can and should be a central objective towards addressing our severe challenges.

Referring to this broad view, the round table believes that the annual EGSPA report would be improved by presentation and analysis that would consider, either qualitatively or quantitatively, what progress has been made towards meeting


the overarching objective of integrated environmental and economic prosperity. This echoes another 2014 recommendation, which stated that we “believe that an important aspect of the implementation of EGSPA and the annual report should be evaluation of whether and how sustainable prosperity is actually being achieved through actions associated with the Act with an eye towards tuning and adjusting its goals towards that essential purpose.” In addition to reports on specific goals, we continue to call for such broader assessment, which we hope would stimulate forward-looking discussion within and beyond government towards collective strategies and actions aimed at this important purpose.

With regard to comments on specific goals, progress, and intended actions our recommendations are modest, for the reasons described.

The goal that attracted the most attention and consensus within the round table was Goal (s): “The province develops a strategy by 2014 to advance the growth of the green economy and implements the strategy accordingly.” As described, work on that strategy proceeded during 2013 and 2014, including a substantive consultation and review by the round table of the July 2014 draft, Greener Economy Strategy, culminating in a report and recommendations submitted in December 2014. The round table’s report presented a number of what we termed “Game Changer Recommendations.” We expected that government would consider those recommendations as it finalized its strategy for release early in 2015. In budget 2015, however, government announced significant changes in how it would conduct activities to support economic prosperity in general through the new Department of Business. We were subsequently informed that the Greener Economy Strategy would be subsumed within an all-inclusive economic prosperity strategy being developed through the new department. This has further delayed the release of the strategy and raised a number of concerns within the round table. In particular, we are apprehensive that sustainable prosperity initiatives would be marginalized or diluted within a broader economic strategy. On the other hand, we are of the view that there is opportunity for sustainable prosperity to be a principal lens within Nova Scotia’s economic development plan, as a defining characteristic of any progressive and ultimately successful approach to economic and social advancement. We look forward to learning more about and contributing to the integration of a Greener Economic Strategy within economic prosperity initiatives and its long-term relationship and integration with EGSPA.

In addition, we believe that a number of the “game changer” opportunities are immediately relevant and should be pursued assertively at this time. Among them, our first energy-related recommendation, that Nova Scotia advance a revenue neutral carbon tax system, is still particularly timely in light of a number of recent


developments—the policy positions of the new federal government, the Paris COP21 climate negotiations, and various pertinent actions in other provinces, most recently the Alberta carbon tax program. Frankly, Nova Scotia, despite our early progressive policies and actions towards renewable energy and energy efficiency, has devolved from a position of leadership to now seriously lagging in carbon policy, relative to many other provinces. We recognize and have previously pointed to Nova Scotia’s challenges, especially in our small regional context, but these do not in our estimation constitute sufficient rationale to hesitate to convene our regional provincial partners so as to identify options and advance policy in this important area.

In general, despite the delay and adjustments related to advancing the Greener Economy Strategy, we believe that the proposed “game changer” recommendations should not wait, and we expected that the EGSPA report would have reported on them.

A few other points stand out from the comments submitted by round table members that reflect the group’s overall perspectives.

The “Summary of the Goals” section significantly underestimates the province’s level of achievement with regard to the number and extent of LEED certified projects, also reiterated in the presentation on Goal (r): “A government facility is constructed as a demonstration facility in accordance with leading energy efficient design standards by 2015 and used to foster sustainable building practices.” The Atlantic Chapter of the Canadian Green Building Council documents that as of October 2015, Nova Scotia had 78 LEED certified projects, including 3 achieving LEED Platinum. This information, as well as awareness of provincial, national, and international advances in building design, construction and operations, energy performance and building standards (such as LEED v4, Passive House, and Net Zero Energy design), point to the rapidly evolving role this sector plays in mitigating climate change and contributing to a culture of sustainable development across many economic sectors. Overall, these factors point to our longstanding view that Goal (r) was never particularly ambitious and has long been surpassed in the marketplace. Therefore, the round table recommends that this goal be reformed, with more stringent and progressive targets and incentives (such as might pertain to solar installation and new technologies) that will further encourage and require our building-related sectors to be a leading-edge factor in the province’s sustainable prosperity advancement.

Goal (a) subsection (ii), “sustainable transportation options,” highlights the province’s “Choose How You Move: Sustainable Transportation Strategy” and within it the Nova Scotia Moves grant program. This program was deemed a


success, leading to a new grant program, Connect 2. While the “What’s Next?“ section mentions these programs, there is no indication whether the success prompted by the modest $3 million in grants to 75 projects is being rewarded by a renewed or expanded program. We seek further information on the go-forward plan and encourage increased investment to expand and leverage these early successes.

Goal (o): “The solid-waste disposal rate is no greater than 300 kilograms per person per year by 2015 through measures that include the development of new programs and product stewardship regulations.” Discussion of this goal generally describes progress to date, including the public consultation process that concluded in 2014 and ongoing development of plans for new regulations intended to further enhance the sustainability of the solid waste system and diversion rates. But it provides no specifics regarding timing or programs, particularly in light of the time-bound commitment (2015) to achieve the goal, which we know is complex in its implications, particularly with regard to municipal concerns. In particular, the round table is cognizant of the extensive strategic work that was undertaken during 2015 under the direction of the minister, especially around the topic of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which was recently referred to in public statements as a forthcoming initiative. The round table would like the report to provide more substantive information on progress and expectations regarding EPR and in general regarding waste diversion systems and programs.

The report’s introductory section, “Objectives of the Act,” refers to the ongoing value of tracking and reporting on holistic indicators of prosperity, using a consistent methodology reported on annually. The round table has long supported the usefulness of this process, which contributes to a more complete understanding of all the interconnected dimensions of societal progress. We encourage a fresh look at these indicators with an eye to their ongoing refinement and application to the province’s overall economic and sustainable prosperity strategies. We encourage explicit reference to the substance of the indicators in the context of annually evaluating EGSPA.

In general, the round table has encouraged the process of annual or periodic review of the goals themselves, with an eye to their recalibration, adjustment, or other changes prior to the required five-year review of the Act. We recognize and continue to recommend awareness that circumstances and dynamics of various kinds impact the relevance and appropriate definition of targets. In some cases, goals are achieved, setting the stage for consideration of their extension or reformulation towards further progress. In other cases, circumstances


render targets less useful or feasible. Exploring opportunities to bring the tools of cost-benefit analysis to bear would be helpful. Therefore, we resist a simple calculation of the percentage of goals achieved or in progress as a measure of the rate or extent of overall progress. Some of the comments submitted by round table members pursuant to their review of the report and of specific goals point to an interest in understanding more about the implications, details, or challenges related to these matters. Rather than listing the implications, details, and challenges in this letter, we are hoping that at upcoming meetings the round table can be provided with more substantial briefing on these aspects of the Act, with the opportunity to delve more substantively into the topics, both to provide input and be better prepared to comment on future EGSPA progress reports. We are also cognizant that the next five-year review of the Act would be expected in 2017, and therefore 2016 would be the appropriate period within which to lay the groundwork, develop the plan, and prepare the round table to discharge its responsibility with regard to the report.

Overall, your round table applauds the progress made in the context of EGSPA, even as we encourage even more vigorous and coordinated action. There is opportunity for this province to be bold and creative in renewing EGSPA in light of a much more proactive federal attitude towards the environment and climate change. We expect that Canada will enjoy a vigorous public discussion that policy makers, the general public, and politicians can act upon with confidence to make a case for healthy economic and environmental outcomes by means of mutually supportive activities of a sustainable society.

We are honoured to serve on this round table which allows us, representing a range of Nova Scotia’s interests, to share and collaborate towards the fulfillment of the common aspiration held widely across our beautiful province—that we exemplify the attributes of sustainability made real and effective as a unifying and integrative feature of an exceptional and good society. Sometimes members of the round table voice concern that we could be doing more, are not called upon, and are not meeting as often as we might. Although we are volunteers, we encourage the minister and department to invite us more frequently to contribute in service to this intention.

Yours sincerely,

Martin W. Janowitz Chair

Environmental Goals and Sustainable Prosperity ActProgress Report 2014-1015

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