LAWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Workplace Harassment

Sep 1: That’s the deadline for Nova Scotia employers to implement a written workplace harassment prevention policy that includes expectations for a harassment-free workplace, reporting and investigation mechanisms and non-retaliation assurances. Employers must train workers on the policy and review it at least every 3 years.

Action Point: Find out how to implement an effective Workplace Violence and Harassment Compliance Game Plan at your site that provides for prompt, fair and thorough investigation of harassment complaints and other elements required by the new Nova Scotia law.

Fire Safety

Aug 6: Nova Scotia banned the use of all fireworks and pyrotechnic special effects.  through October 15. The ban applies to consumer and display fireworks and pyrotechnic special effects even if they have the appropriate approvals. The fine for violating the ban is $25,000.

Action Point: Find out how to implement an effective and legally sound Fire Prevention Compliance Game Plan to prevent fires and explosions at your workplace.

Ergonomics

Aug 26: The Nova Scotia WCB restored physician compensation to the Musculoskeletal Injuries schedule, but at 100% rather than 110%. Translation: Physicians treating workers with work-related MSIs will be paid for all the care, forms, and services they provide based on the MSI fee schedule set by the Province and Doctors Nova Scotia.

Action Point: Find out how to implement an Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Injury Prevention and Compliance Game Plan at your workplace.

New Laws

Jul 29: The federal and provincial governments designated the nation’s first 4 offshore wind energy areas on Nova Scotia’s offshore in the areas of French Bank, Middle Bank, Sable Island Bank and Sydney Bight. The next step in developing offshore wind energy will be to identify the parcels within the designated areas that will be included in the first call for bids later this year. The aim is to license 5 gigawatts of offshore wind by 2030.

Industry Challenges

Jul 22: Nova Scotia launched a new $4.71 million Strategic Investment Fund to support companies in the seafood and agriculture that want to undertake “big, bold projects” to take their business “to the next level” such as by adopting new technology, moving into new markets or changing their business models. Funded projects must be completed by January 2027.

Industry Challenges

Jul 17: Nova Scotia ordered all departments “to look for every opportunity” to use local wood products in new construction, renovations and conversions from oil heat. Specifically, the priority is to use mass timber, wood pellets, biomass, biofuels, and other products made with wood leftover from sustainable harvesting and sawmilling in government and publicly funded projects.

Industry Challenges

Jul 14: Northern Pulp Nova Scotia confirmed that it was unable to secure the necessary funding for its new mill project that would have created new forestry jobs. The government says it did all it could to make the project happen and that it will continue to support the development of a new sustainable pulp mill to leverage the quality fibre from its Acadian forest.

Workers’ Comp

Jul 31: The Nova Scotia WCB is keeping the average employer assessment rate at $2.65 per $100 in 2026. The system has reached 106.7% funding as of year-end 2024, thanks to solid investments and declining claims rates. As of June 2025, the reported injury rate dropped to 1.31 time-loss injuries per 100 covered workers. Over three quarters of workers are returning to work within 90 days, the best outcome in many years.

CASES

OHS Enforcement: Employer Right to Appeal OHS Inspector Orders Doesn’t Cover Warnings

An OHS officer responding to reports of flying rock debris from a worksite issued a warning advising the construction contractor to “take adequate precautions to ensure the safety of the pedestrian or other person near the workplace.” The contractor claimed that it wasn’t responsible for the rocks in question and appealed the warning to the Nova Scotia Labour Relations Board. But the Board refused to take the case. While the OHS Act gives employers the right to appeal an OHS “order,” a warning isn’t an order. A warning is just a suggestion and not a command to take an action the way an “order” is, the Board reasoned. And the Act doesn’t expressly say that warnings are appealable [ARCP – Atlantic Road Construction and Paving Limited (Re), 2025 NSLB 291 (CanLII), July 28, 2025].

Action Point: Find out how to implement an OHS inspections policy in case government inspectors show up at your door.