Nova ScotiaThe Nova Scotia government has “a new context” that must be considered when it comes to protecting land and water, according to the cabinet minister tasked with protecting land and water in the province.Tim Halman says government has to consider potential economic use of land, resource developmentMichael Gorman · CBC News · Posted: Oct 17, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 4 hours agoEnvironment Minister Tim Halman cannot say if his government will spend all available federal funding it has to help protect habitat, species at risk and biodiversity. (Robert Short/CBC)The Nova Scotia government has “a new context” that must be considered when it comes to protecting land and water, according to the cabinet minister tasked with protecting land and water in the province.Environment Minister Tim Halman told reporters Thursday that while he remains committed to legislated protection targets of 15 per cent of Nova Scotia’s total land and water mass by the end of 2026 and 20 per cent by 2030, his government must take “a balanced approach.”“And what I mean by that is could there be economic use of this piece of land,” he said after a cabinet meeting.“That has always been part of the variables that are taken into consideration.”But Halman said it requires additional consideration “in a time of responsible resource development.”Mike Lancaster is executive director of the St. Margaret’s Bay Stewardship Association. (Michael Gorman/CBC)The Progressive Conservatives have placed a renewed emphasis on resource development this year, removing bans and moratoriums on fracking for onshore natural gas and uranium exploration and mining. There’s also been a big push on critical mineral, offshore wind and — recently — offshore natural gas development.Halman said his government has a “laser focus on economic development” and it must determine how land and water conservation factors into that.But Mike Lancaster, the executive director of the St. Margaret’s Bay Stewardship Association, said during a recent interview that that work was already done in a government-commissioned report for the Environment Department in 2017.The report by Gardner Pinfold concluded that the province’s protected areas “are a significant generator of commercial and socio-economic benefits” and that they create “a range of benefits” for small businesses that operate in close proximity. Lancaster said there seems to be a lack of recognition on the part of the current government of the value that protected areas can bring to the province — including to the economy — through things such as ecotourism and guiding for hunting and fishing.’It’s a law on the books’Although Lancaster said he’s “very concerned” that the province is not doing enough to be able to achieve its legislated goals, he said he remains hopeful that Halman and his government will stick to their word.“It’s not something that we’re asking for, it’s something that’s legally required,” said Lancaster.“It’s a law on the books that we are going to protect 20 per cent of Nova Scotia by 2030. It’s not a request; it’s something that must happen.”Halman’s comments Thursday come as his government has just months to spend millions of dollars in federal funding earmarked for conservation.Available federal cash unspentThe Canada-Nova Scotia Nature Agreement was signed three years ago and provides the province with up to $25 million from Ottawa to help protect habitat, species at risk and biodiversity. An additional $3.5 million went directly to the Mi’kmaq.According to Halman’s department, $8 million has been spent to date on private land for protection, $2 million went to the Natural Resources Department for work related to species at risk and ecological inventories, and about $2.5 million has been earmarked for the land protection efforts of other conservation groups.That leaves about $12.5 million available that must be spent by March, but Halman could not say Thursday whether his government would use that money.“I’m pushing to get everything completed as best we can.”’Their message is all over the place’NDP Leader Claudia Chender said Halman’s new context overlooks pressing issues facing the province that land protection can help address, including increasing drought conditions that this year have stretched into the fall, and worsening wildfire seasons.Chender accused the government of jeopardizing the environment “for some future economic development that exists only on paper and not in any market that I’ve been able to find.”Interim Liberal Leader Derek Mombourquette questioned whether Halman will be able to meet the legislated land protection goals.Given the willingness of the government to revisit a golf course development proposal that it rejected in 2023, Mombourquette said he’s concerned the PCs are poised to begin unprotecting land.“Their message is all over the place,” he told reporters.“It’s really unfortunate and it’s to the detriment of the province.”MORE TOP STORIESABOUT THE AUTHORMichael Gorman covers the Nova Scotia legislature for CBC, with additional focuses on health care and rural communities. Contact him with story ideas at michael.gorman@cbc.ca
N.S. must consider ‘new context’ when protecting land, water: environment minister
