Nova Scotia is a Canadian province located in the eastern portion of the country and bordered by the provinces of New Brunswick to the west, Newfoundland to the east, and Prince Edward Island to the north, as well as the Atlantic Ocean to the south.
Nova Scotia covers 55,283 square kilometres, about 3.5% of which is water in the form of lakes and rivers.
The province is one of the four Atlantic Provinces, along with Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island.
Nova Scotia’s population is over 920,000 people, making it the seventh most populated province in the country.
Its capital is Halifax, which is located in the southeastern portion, on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
Part of Nova Scotia is a separate island called Cape Breton Island, which is located east of Nova Scotia.
The combination of Nova Scotia’s small land area and its relatively large population compared to its size has resulted in it being the second most densely populated province in the country.
Fishing has been an important industry in Nova Scotia, but it experienced issues in the early 1990s, when the federal government temporarily halted cod fishing due to declining numbers of the fish. Other natural resources that contribute to the local economy include coal, oil, gas, gypsum, salt, silica, peat, and barite mining; forestry products such as wood pulp and paper; and agriculture, including grains, livestock, and fruit.
Other large industries in the area include steel mills, defence and aerospace, information and communication technology, and manufacturing. Tourism is also important, as the industry includes thousands of local businesses, and hundreds of thousands of cruise ship passengers come through the province each year. Nova Scotia’s film industry is the fourth largest in the country, with over 100 productions taking place in the province each year, many of which involve international film and television producers.
Entertainment and Tourism
Nova Scotia has a number of provincial parks, which provide recreational opportunities such as hiking, fishing, camping, biking, and wildlife watching. Some of these parks include Battery Provincial Park, on Cape Breton Island; Caribou-Munroes Island Provincial Park, located on the northeast coast of Nova Scotia; Cape Chignecto Provincial Park, on the Bay of Fundy coast; and The Islands Provincial Park, located on the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia. The province also has three national parks: Cape Breton Highlands National Park, Kejimkujik National Park, and Sable Island National Park Reserve.
Historical sites in the province include Grand-Pré, an original Acadian settlement in the area; Ladies’ Seminary, which is the country’s oldest facility dedicated to the higher education of women; numerous forts (Fort McNab, Fort St. Louis, Fort Edward, and Fort Anne), which were established by European settlers; a number of churches, such as St. Mary’s Basilica, Covenanters’ Church, and Little Dutch (Deutsch) Church; and small museums and preserved properties such as Black-Binney House, which depicts life in the area during the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
Arts and culture activities can be found throughout the province, but especially in the more populated southeastern area. The Nova Scotia Museum features exhibits about the natural and social history of the province, while the Miners Museum focuses on the history of coal mining in the area. Nova Scotia is home to Symphony Nova Scotia and Opera Nova Scotia. The Shubenacadie Wildlife Park and the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia are also popular spots. Festivals include the Halifax International Busker Festival, the Halifax Jazz Festival, the Atlantic Film Festival, and the Multicultural Festival.
Main cities in the Province
Halifax, with a population of over 390,000, is Nova Scotia’s largest city as well as the province’s capital. It is located in the southeastern area of the province, along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean. The city is home to many of the province’s largest companies, as well as numerous arts, cultural, and recreational activities/events. Cape Breton, a separate island, has over 97,000 people and is located northeast of the island of Nova Scotia. Truro, with over 12,000 people, is located north of Halifax. There are over 9,000 people in Amherst, which is located in the northern area of the province. New Glasgow, with over 9,000 people, is located north of Halifax.
On Cape Breton Island, single-family homes are affordable and tend to be older rather than new builds in many areas, most of which are on larger lots. Plenty of reasonably priced vacant land is available in this part of the province, as are affordable commercial spaces.
In the province’s northeastern section, single-family homes on large lots come at reasonable prices, and tend to be older homes rather than newer builds. Vacant land and commercial spaces are also available in this area. Investment properties offer opportunities to own and rent out residential buildings, and are fairly affordable in this part of the province. Condo options can be found in the larger cities, and include both newer and older buildings.
Reasonably priced single-family homes on large rural-style lots can be found in the province’s southwestern section. Plenty of affordable vacant land is available in this area, as well as a number of investment properties that can be rented out to multiple tenants.
Home Style
Average Price
Home
$213,313
Source: CREA's National Average Price Map for December 2016.
Education
There are eight school boards in the province, which operate both English and French public schools. These schools follow a curriculum developed by the province, and some schools have both English and French classes for students. There are numerous private schools (including boarding schools) in Nova Scotia, and these schools are also required to follow the provincial curriculum.
The 10 universities in Nova Scotia include Dalhousie University, University of King's College, Saint Mary's University, Mount Saint Vincent University, NSCAD University, Acadia University, Université Sainte-Anne, Saint Francis Xavier University, Cape Breton University, and the Atlantic School of Theology. Nova Scotia Community College has 13 campuses throughout the province, and there are another approximately 90 private colleges in the province. Other post-secondary options are available through adult education classes and private specialty training.