The province is attempting to promote economic growth with two new crown corporations.
Build Nova Scotia and Invest Nova Scotia will replace five existing economic development and infrastructure organizations.
Build Nova Scotia will focus on things like healthcare redevelopment, high-speed Internet and environmental remediation while Invest Nova Scotia will work with businesses during their development and work to attract new investments.
They replace Develop Nova Scotia, Nova Scotia Lands, Nova Scotia Business Inc., Innovacorp and the Invest Nova Scotia Fund, which the province says accounted for $100 million in government spending.
The changes come following a provincial review of 20 agencies.
Premier Tim Houston says the changes are about making both the organizations and government more accountable to taxpayers.
“We have a situation in this province right now where there’s really no accountability except to a board that’s not elected. We’re building accountability into the system. We’re at a time now with the opportunities before us where we need to focus on growing the province.”
A release from the province says these changes will also address issues of overlapping mandates, outdated legislation and boards making decisions involving millions of taxpayer dollars.
The province has named two executive chairs to the new crown organizations who will replace current boards of directors and chief executive officers and to oversee the transition.
Wayne Crawley will serve as the Executive Chair for Build Nova Scotia. The province says he has more than 25 years of experience in business development and operations, and in the audit and finance sectors. Meanwhile, Tom Hickey will hold the same position for Invest Nova Scotia. The province says he has 25 years of experience in business and has been an entrepreneur and business owner for more than 23 of those years.
The transition will begin immediately with legislative changes expected to be in effect by the end of 2022.
Houston responded to criticism of the changes leading to more government involvement.
“Government has to be accountable for the decisions it makes. I’m not interested in hiding behind crown corporations, pointing the finger at somebody else and saying ‘well that was somebody else that made that decision or that board made that decision.’ I’m accountable to Nova Scotians for the investments that are made on behalf of Nova Scotians with taxpayer money.”
Other changes include:
- Perennia Food and Agriculture Inc. will be formalized as a new Crown corporation
- the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia will improve governance and operations
- Nova Scotia Gaming Corporation and Nova Scotia Municipal Finance Corporation will integrate operations within the Department of Finance and Treasury Board
- legislation will be amended to make the Sherbrooke Restoration Commission board chair a member of the Nova Scotia Museum board of governors
- over time, the government will consider integration of the Halifax-Dartmouth Bridge Commission and the Joint Regional Transportation Agency.
The province says there will be no changes to other organizations included in the review.
Houston says the province looked at the status of all agencies, boards and commissions, finding 485 entities they say are either defunct, inactive or redundant.
They will also be reviewing 160 active organizations in the fall.
