Premier Tim Houston is kicking off a month of touring Nova Scotia at his first stop at the Annapolis Valley Chamber of Commerce.
Houston begins the tour on July 15, and will end his trip on Aug 13 in Cape Breton.
The tour involves stops in Annapolis Valley, Yarmouth, Bridgewater, Pictou County, Truro, the Straight area Chamber of Commerce, and Cape Breton.
In a press conference after a cabinet meeting, Houston said that the issues the country and province are facing makes this an ideal time for him to reach out to constituents for their input.
“People are interested in what’s possible for this province. The opportunities are before us, and they’re realistic about the challenges,” said Houston. “Those discussions are what kind of keeps me going, what gives me energy and drive, so the more that we can do that the better.”
He said that there are challenges facing Nova Scotia right now, but also “massive opportunities”.
The tour is meant for Houston to speak with Nova Scotians across the province about those challenges and opportunities.
“I’m extremely optimistic about the future. Yes, Nova Scotia is in a difficult fiscal position with a $1.24-billion deficit, and we still need to make major investments in affordability, healthcare, long-term care and education. But the good news is we have tremendous opportunities ahead in defence, wind, energy and local businesses who are ready to take the world stage,” said Houston. “I’m looking forward to talking to Nova Scotians this summer about the opportunities they see ahead, and the challenges they want us to focus on.”
The provincial government is also planning a similar tour in the fall, with the goal of speaking to constituents about the 2027-28 budget.
