r/NovaScotia

“Power bills are too high in Nova Scotia. I know it. You know it. And I’ve been determined to do everything we can to bring them down. There is no single solution, which is why our plan is tackling the problem from every possible angle.

We stepped in to protect Nova Scotians from a major fuel cost increase in 2024, reducing an immediate rate increase from an estimated 7% to approximately 1.1%.

We are bringing more competition to the electricity market. Renewall Energy’s planned Mersey River project is expected to give more than 50,000 Nova Scotia households the opportunity to buy electricity from a company other than Nova Scotia Power. More competition means more choice and the potential for better prices.

We are investing in wind energy, solar power, and battery storage to reduce costs over time.

We are expanding energy efficiency programs to help more families use less electricity and save money.

We are exploring whether we can produce our own natural gas instead of relying entirely on expensive imports.

We are working with our Maritime neighbours to find ways to share resources, avoid unnecessary costs and make our electricity systems more efficient.

And we are asking the independent Energy Board to examine whether we can change the rules governing Nova Scotia Power to hold the company more accountable for controlling costs, reducing outages, restoring power faster and delivering better service to Nova Scotians.

This is all part of a plan to make energy more affordable here in Nova Scotia.

Today, we are taking another step.

The independent Energy Board has identified another potential way to save Nova Scotians money. It is called “securitization.”

The name sounds complicated, but the idea is pretty simple. It could allow certain electricity costs to be financed at lower interest rates (remortgaged), potentially saving ratepayers money.

The Board believes it is worth exploring. I agree.

But before anything happens, we need to know whether it will actually benefit Nova Scotians and save them money.

So today, I agreed to give the independent Energy Board the authority and space to examine it fully and properly, look at all the facts and determine whether it is in the best interests of ratepayers.

No politics. No predetermined outcome. Just one question: Will it help the people paying the power bills?

If there is a responsible way to save Nova Scotians money, I want it examined.

We have made progress. But power bills are still too high, and I am not satisfied.

We are going to keep pushing on every front, challenging the old ways of doing things and looking for every opportunity to make electricity more affordable.

I’ve taken action over the past number of years to lower taxes, bringing us more in line with the rest of the country. It’s all been part of a plan to keep more money in your pocket. Taking action to stabilize and lower power rates is part of that plan. We’ll keep working to make it happen.”

Hello!

I am here for a week for vacation and got in yesterday, we did a trip late in the day down to peggys cove, and while its a pretty lighthouse was rather shocked to see the vandalism. The defacement with stickers, people writing all over the lighthouse. When did this start? Likewise why hasnt anything been done about it to clean it up?

Separately what happened to the information center that its permanently closed?

With all the praise in the earlier post, I was wondering what are the worst sections of our highways?

This is a photo I took on the Gabarus end of the Forchu Road in Cape Breton earlier this summer, Which has obviously seen better days. The section that is behind me here down though to St. Peters used to be much much worse. Easily a contender for the worst overall a few years ago, thankfully a lot of work has been done to improve it.

The 125 in some sections is still properly scary in the rain.