BILL NO. 70
(as introduced)
1st Session, 65th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
3 Charles III, 2025
Private Member's Public Bill
Nova Scotian Business and Worker Support Act
The Honourable Derek Mombourquette
Sydney–Membertou
First Reading: March 5, 2025
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
An Act to Support
Nova Scotian Businesses and Workers
Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 This Act may be cited as the Nova Scotian Business and Worker Support Act.
"Fund" means the Nova Scotia Business and Worker Support Fund established under Section 3;
"Minister" means the Minister of Finance and Treasury Board;
"Plan" means the Business and Worker Support Plan created under Section 4.
3 (1) The Nova Scotia Business and Worker Support Fund is hereby established for the purpose of providing support for businesses and workers in the Province affected by tariffs imposed by the United States of America on Canadian goods and services.
(2) The Minister is responsible for the supervision and administration of the Fund.
(3) The Fund must be used to provide
(a) funding to businesses; and
(b) financial assistance to workers,
affected by tariffs imposed by the United States of America on Canadian goods and services.
(4) Subject to Section 6, the Minister shall contribute $200,000,000 to the Fund for the fiscal year 2025-26.
4 (1) The Minister shall, within 30 days of the coming into force of this Act and in consultation with businesses and workers in the Province, create a Business and Worker Support Plan for the Province.
(a) specific actions to be taken by the Government to support businesses and workers in the Province affected by tariffs imposed by the United States of America on Canadian goods and services;
(b) information respecting eligibility requirements for businesses and workers in the Province seeking support from the Fund; and
(c) a timeline for the implementation of the Plan in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
(3) The Minister shall make the Plan publicly available by posting it on the Department of Finance and Treasury Board's website.
5 (1) The Minister may make regulations
(a) respecting eligibility requirements for receiving support from the Fund;
(b) prescribing the amount of funding or financial assistance that may be paid out of the Fund to businesses or workers;
(c) respecting any other matter or thing the Minister considers necessary or advisable to effectively carry out the intent and purpose of this Act.
(2) The exercise by the Minister of the authority contained in subsection (1) is a regulation within the meaning of the Regulations Act.
6 The money required for the purpose of this Act must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.
This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2025 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created March 5, 2025. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.
