Nova Scotia Environment is responsible for protecting the environment and human health and promoting sustainable development. The Environment Act is one of the primary laws that guide our efforts. We are mandated to review the Environment Act every five years to determine how well it is working and what changes could be made to make it work better.

As part of this review, Nova Scotia Environment evaluated the Environment Act and identified opportunities for improvement. While the Environment Act works well, there are some changes that will help Nova Scotia Environment improve how we deliver our programs and services.

Nova Scotians were recently invited (Summer 2011) to comment on the proposed changes to the Environment Act. We thank you for your submissions. Please click on "What We Heard" to read a summary of the feedback we received from stakeholders and the public.

Update

November 30, 2011 - Environment Minister Sterling Belliveau tabled changes to the Environment Act on Wednesday, November 30th. These changes will help make the Act even stronger. Read the release.