Tim Houston

Government continues to work in good faith to get the parties back to the table and focused on a resolution. On May 7, we moved our offer substantially. Yesterday, CUPE leadership accepted our invitation to return to talks this weekend. Then they changed course and advised they were no longer available until Monday. At a time when residents, families and workers are looking for urgency and leadership, these delays are difficult to understand and do not move negotiations closer to a resolution. At this stage, we believe that workers deserve the opportunity to vote on the current offer. Government believes that should now be the next step. Once workers have had the opportunity to vote, discussions can continue.

Nova Scotia is moving forward with offshore exploration that could help create jobs, grow our economy, and strengthen our energy security. A private sector bid worth $210 million has secured two offshore petroleum exploration licences in Nova Scotia waters, pending government approval. This is private investment focused on exploration and understanding what resources may exist offshore. As we continue defending Nova Scotia’s economy against President Trump’s trade war and global uncertainty, attracting this kind of private investment helps create opportunity here at home and supports good-paying jobs for Nova Scotians.

The Sugar Maple Wind Energy Project in Pictou County has received environmental assessment approval. This 16-turbine project will create about 150 construction jobs, generate clean electricity to power the equivalent of 35,000 homes, and help reduce emissions across our province. This is about growing our economy, creating good jobs, and building a cleaner, more self-sufficient Nova Scotia while protecting the environment through strict conditions and oversight.

Congratulations to New Glasgow’s Kori Cheverie and the Montreal Victoire on winning the Walter Cup. Kori continues to make history and make Nova Scotia proud. Becoming the first female head coach to win a PWHL championship is an incredible achievement and a testament to her leadership, talent, and dedication to the game. Nova Scotia continues to be so proud of you, Kori! 🏒🏆

The new medical school at CBU will train up to 30 new family doctors each year. Through return-of-service agreements, students from rural Nova Scotia communities have committed to practising family medicine in rural areas of the province after they graduate. We’re building up healthcare with more access to care in Cape Breton, and across our great province.

Wishing all those celebrating Shavuot a joyful and meaningful holiday filled with reflection, connection, and community. Chag Sameach!

This week is Paramedic Services Week, and I want to thank the paramedics across Nova Scotia who show up every day to help people in some of their hardest moments. Whether responding to emergencies, supporting patients on the road, or providing care in communities across our province, paramedics play a critical role in our healthcare system. Thank you for your professionalism, compassion, and dedication to keeping Nova Scotians safe. 🚑

Nova Scotia has always answered the call when Canada needs us. From shipbuilding and aerospace to cybersecurity and military innovation, our province is ready to support Canada’s defence, security, and resilience. We are proud to be Canada’s capital of defence, and we’re ready to keep building a stronger, safer future for our country.

It was fantastic to be out in the new constituency of Chéticamp-Margarees-Pleasant Bay with our PC candidate, Claude Bourgeois. Claude will make a fantastic MLA and a strong voice for all communities across the constituency. I look forward to knocking on doors and working to get Claude elected.

Happy World Family Doctor Day! Today, we thank the family doctors across Nova Scotia who care for patients and families every single day. Your compassion, professionalism, and commitment make a real difference in communities across our province. We’re also proud to welcome the many new physicians who have chosen to call Nova Scotia home as we continue working to build up healthcare for all Nova Scotians.

Wishing all Nova Scotians a Happy Victoria Day! 🇨🇦

Our government continues to recruit more doctors, with a net increase of 197 physicians in 2025 alone, including 134 specialists and 63 family doctors joining communities across Nova Scotia. We are driving this recruitment and training efforts with the new PACE clinic, adding more seats at Dalhousie Medical School, launching the new CBU medical school, and also enhancing retention efforts by supporting doctors with the Physician Retirement Fund Initiative. There is more work to do, and we will keep going to build up our healthcare workforce.

May is Cystic Fibrosis Awareness Month, a time to recognize the strength and resilience of those living with CF and the families who support them every day. We also thank the healthcare workers, researchers, and advocates working to improve care and find new treatments. Raising awareness matters, and together we continue supporting those affected across Nova Scotia.

I was deeply saddened to hear of the passing of proud Cape Bretoner and Nova Scotia hockey legend Paul Boutilier. From winning a Stanley Cup to representing Canada on the world stage, Paul made our province proud throughout his incredible career. Just as important was the impact he had off the ice as a mentor, coach, and leader in the hockey community. My thoughts are with his family, friends, former teammates, and everyone who knew him. He will be deeply missed.

This announcement is about delivering the best tools available to the best firefighters in the world to help keep Nova Scotians safe. These new water bombers are fast, precise, and equipped with the most modern technology in the world. They build on our government’s investments in helicopters, equipment, training, and resources to ensure Nova Scotia is ready to respond to increasingly intense wildfire seasons.

In March 2023, our Government announced we would be opening a new medical school at Cape Breton University to train more doctors, faster. This week, that new medical campus officially opened. This is a historic move for both Cape Breton and for healthcare across Nova Scotia. By training more doctors here at home, we are improving access to care for families today, and for generations to come. This new medical campus will train up to 30 new family doctors a year. Under return-of-service agreements, the students – who are from rural Nova Scotia communities – have committed to practise family medicine in rural areas of the province after they graduate. I'm grateful to everyone who had a part in this, big and small, for helping to make it happen. This is not an investment that produces a change overnight, but will have a major impact to improve healthcare over the medium to long-term.

The tariffs implemented by the United States are impacting jobs here in Nova Scotia. As we work to develop our own resources to reduce reliance on the US while finding new trading partners, we must also protect workers. Our province has worked with the federal government to secure a $13.8 million investment to help workers stay on the job, learn new skills, and move into new opportunities that our government is creating to become more self-reliant and resilient into the future without leaving workers behind. This support will help workers in industries like seafood, steel, forestry, agri-food and more. We’ll always stand up for Nova Scotia workers and protect jobs here at home. Learn more about the announcement: news.novascotia.ca/en/2026/05/12/… Learn more about Nova Scotia’s tariff response: novascotia.ca/tariffs/

Our government is approving projects across the province that will create jobs and grow the economy. Under previous governments, projects were stalled, industries shuttered, and opportunity left this province. We can’t afford to keep letting that happen. Roads need repair, hospitals need to be built, and Nova Scotians are taxed to the brink already. Something needs to give and developing our natural resources is the path forward. From mining, energy, agriculture, forestry, and fishing, and so much more, our province is blessed with a bounty of natural resources and opportunity. It’s time we follow the science and safely extract these resources for the betterment of all Nova Scotians and become more self-sufficient. This is one project, but we are just getting started. Let’s make it happen.

Nova Scotia will be ready this wildfire season with four Air Tractor AT-802 water bombers and one Cessna Caravan Bird Dog aircraft added to our wildfire response fleet. These aircraft can drop water, fire foam, and fire retardant to help protect communities and support crews on the ground. The Bird Dog aircraft helps co-ordinate the airspace around fires and guides the water bombers safely into action. The new fleet will be based in Debert and gives Nova Scotia stronger, faster, and more flexible wildfire response capacity as wildfire seasons become more intense and unpredictable. This builds on our investments to modernize wildfire response equipment and replace Nova Scotia’s helicopter fleet making sure crews have the best tools possible to keep Nova Scotians safe.

I’m excited to welcome Claude Bourgeois as our PC candidate in the upcoming by-election in Chéticamp-Margarees-Pleasant Bay. As our government works to defend Nova Scotia against President Trump’s trade war and continue building up our economy, I want a strong voice from this constituency at the government decision-making table, and Claude will be that voice.   Claude is deeply rooted in Cape Breton’s fishing, transport, and marine industries. He understands rural communities and will help us protect local jobs, defend our fisheries, strengthen healthcare, and create good-paying jobs across Nova Scotia.   I also want to thank Doug Chiasson for putting his name forward and running a strong campaign that brought more people into the PC Party.