About the Department of Business

The Department of Business aligns and coordinates all of government behind a common agenda of economic growth. We’re working collaboratively with the private and social enterprise sectors to improve the competitiveness of Nova Scotia’s business environment and make dealing with government easier, faster and less frequent.

The department leads the strategic development of plans and policies to grow business and key sectors, and fosters entrepreneurship and innovation to support a better economic future for Nova Scotia.

The Department of Business was created in direct response to recommendations made in the Report of the Nova Scotia Commission on Building our New Economy (2014) and The Way Ahead for Nova Scotia Report (2010).

We represent a bold step toward the transformation of government structure to meet the challenges faced by our province head on.

Focus Areas

• Business Strategy & Planning: creating a shared strategy for business growth; aligning K-12 and post-secondary education, co-ops and internships with economic development plans; fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, exports, and emerging sectors; and developing and implementing a Private Sector Growth Plan in collaboration with other levels of government, universities and NSCC and the private sector‎.
• Strategic Projects and Investments: developing, delivering and overseeing strategic projects to grow and promote sectors; establish entrepreneur led centres for business incubation and innovation; advance research and development partnerships between business and post-secondary institutions; and make venture capital more available.
• Operational Leadership, Coordination & Alignment: aligning government departments and policies behind the shared business growth strategy through leadership, oversight, measurement, communication and collaboration with the private sector, post-secondary schools, the federal government and other partners.

Advancing Social Enterprise

Government and the Social Enterprise Network of Nova Scotia are working together to help more social enterprises start, grow and expand, and improve the business climate for this sector.

Government’s framework, Advancing Social Enterprise in Nova Scotia (PDF), identifies actions it is taking to help advance social enterprise in partnership with the sector.

For more information email: Department of Business