History of Nova Scotia in Timeline

Nova Scotia is a province in the Maritimes region of eastern Canada. It's the most populous province in Atlantic Canada, with over 1 million residents. Notably, it is Canada's second-most densely populated and second smallest province by area. The province includes the Nova Scotia peninsula, Cape Breton Island, and approximately 3,800 coastal islands. It shares its only land border with New Brunswick via the Isthmus of Chignecto.

1908: Erection of Dingle Tower

In 1908, the erection of Dingle Tower commemorated Nova Scotia's achievement of representative government in 1758.

December 1917: Halifax Explosion

In December 1917, the Halifax Explosion occurred, killing at least 1,782 people in what was the largest human-made explosion at the time.

May 1926: First Airing of CHNS-FM

On May 12, 1926, the province's first radio station, CHNS-FM, aired for the first time from the Carleton Hotel in Halifax.

1988: Nova Scotia Community College system established

In 1988, the Nova Scotia Community College system was established by amalgamating the province's former vocational schools.

1991: Offshore Oil and Gas

Since 1991, offshore oil and gas has become an important part of Nova Scotia's economy, although production and revenue are now declining.

1992: Trade Balance Equal

From 1992 until 2004, Nova Scotia's exports and imports were roughly equal.

1992: Collapse of Cod Stocks

In 1992, the collapse of the cod stocks and the closure of the fishery sector resulted in a loss of approximately 20,000 jobs in Nova Scotia.

April 1996: Amalgamation of Halifax

On 1 April 1996, Halifax and Region of Queens Municipality amalgamated into their present regional municipality form of government.

1998: Municipal Government Act

The Municipal Government Act (MGA) of 1998 gives municipal councils the power to make bylaws.

April 1999: Municipal Government Act

On 1 April 1999, the Municipal Government Act (MGA) came into force, continuing towns, county municipalities, and district municipalities as municipalities under the MGA.

2000: Mi'kmaq People Marginalization

Around 2000, Nova Scotia's Mi'kmaq People were pushed to the margins due to Loyalist land grants encroaching on their lands.

June 2002: Library and Archives Canada acquires Halifax Gazette

On June 2002, Library and Archives Canada acquired a single copy of the first issue of the Halifax Gazette, the first newspaper printed in Nova Scotia and Canada, from the Massachusetts Historical Society in Boston.

April 2004: Invitation to Turks and Caicos Islands

In April 2004, the Nova Scotia legislature adopted a resolution inviting the government of the Turks and Caicos Islands to explore joining Canada as part of Nova Scotia.

2004: Trade Balance Equal

From 1992 until 2004, Nova Scotia's exports and imports were roughly equal.

2006: Manufacturing Sector Output

In 2006, the manufacturing sector brought in over $2.6 billion in chained GDP, the largest output of any industrial sector in Nova Scotia.

2011: Religious Denominations in Nova Scotia

According to the 2011 census, the largest religious group in Nova Scotia was Christians with 78.2%, while 21.18% were non-religious and 1% were Muslims.

2012: Exports vs Imports

In 2012, exports from Nova Scotia were 12.1% of provincial GDP, while imports were 22.6%.

2013: Halifax Mooseheads win Memorial Cup

In 2013, the Halifax Mooseheads were the Canadian Hockey League Memorial Cup Champions.

2015: The Chronicle Herald circulation numbers in 2015

In 2015, The Chronicle Herald had a circulation of 91,152 weekday customers, increasing to 93,178 on Saturdays.

2015: Tax Credits Eliminated

In 2015, the government of Nova Scotia eliminated tax credits to film production in the province, jeopardizing the industry.

2016: Largest Ethnic Groups

According to the 2016 Canadian census, the largest ethnic group in Nova Scotia is Scottish (30.0%), followed by English (28.9%), Irish (21.6%), French (16.5%), German (10.7%), First Nations (5.4%), Dutch (3.5%), Métis (2.9%), and Acadian (2.6%).

2016: Nova Scotia Per Capita GDP

In 2016, Nova Scotia's per capita GDP was CA$44,924, significantly lower than the national average.

2016: Halifax Hurricanes win league championship

In 2016, the Halifax Hurricanes of the National Basketball League of Canada were league champions.

2017: Median Family Income

In 2017, the median family income in Nova Scotia was $85,970, below the national average of $92,990.

2018: Gaelic Vehicle Licence Plate

In 2018, the Nova Scotia government launched a new Gaelic vehicle licence plate to raise awareness of the language and help fund Gaelic language and culture initiatives.

2019: Professional soccer comes to Nova Scotia

In 2019, professional soccer came to Nova Scotia in the form of Canadian Premier League club HFX Wanderers FC.

April 2020: Deadliest Rampage in Canada's History

In April 2020, a man committed a killing spree across Nova Scotia that became the deadliest rampage in Canada's history.

August 2020: Grand Étang Overnight Low

On 12 August 2020, the community of Grand Étang recorded an overnight low of 23.3 °C (73.9 °F).

2021: 89.9 The Wave Listener Numbers in 2021

As of 2021, radio station 89.9 The Wave attracts a weekly average of 64,236 listeners between the ages of 25 and 54.

2021: Most Spoken Languages in Nova Scotia

As of the 2021 Canadian Census, the ten most spoken languages in the province included English, French, Arabic, Hindi, Spanish, Mandarin, Punjabi, German, Mi'kmaq, and Tagalog.

2021: Halifax Population

In 2021, Halifax is home to over 45% of Nova Scotia's population and is the twelfth-largest census metropolitan area in Canada.

2021: Lobster Landings in Canada

In 2021, Nova Scotia supplied nearly 46% of total Canadian lobster landings.

2021: Student enrolment numbers in Nova Scotia post-secondary institutions during the 2021/2022 academic year

In 2021, approximately 58,000 students were enrolled in a Nova Scotian post-secondary institution during the 2021/2022 academic year.

2021: Premier of Nova Scotia

Since 2021, Tim Houston has been the Premier of Nova Scotia, heading the government.

July 2022: Online Gambling Regulation

On 21 July 2022, Nova Scotia became the second province in Canada to regulate online gambling by launching its own online casino through the Atlantic Lottery Corporation (ALC).

September 2022: King Charles III Sovereign

Since 8 September 2022, King Charles III is King in Right of Nova Scotia who also serves as head of state of 14 other Commonwealth countries.

2022: Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition

From 2022–24, Zach Churchill became the Leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition, part of an adversarial parliamentary system.

2022: Student enrolment numbers in Nova Scotia post-secondary institutions during the 2021/2022 academic year

In 2022, approximately 58,000 students were enrolled in a Nova Scotian post-secondary institution during the 2021/2022 academic year.

2022: Mi'kmaq Recognized as First Language

In 2022, the Government of Nova Scotia introduced legislation recognizing Mi'kmaq as the province's first language, committing to its protection and promotion.

July 2024: Investment in Telecommunication Towers

In July 2024, the provincial government committed CAD$18.6 million to build 27 new telecommunication towers to upgrade cellular service province-wide.

2024: Tourism in Nova Scotia

In 2024, over 2 million non-residents visited Nova Scotia, with the majority from other parts of Canada and the largest foreign market being Americans.