Living in Nova Scotia

One of the most important decisions you must make about working in Canada is to decide where you want to live. There are many reasons to love life in Nova Scotia. Our vehicle license plates say it all: we live in “Canada’s ocean playground.”

Located on Canada’s East Coast, this small but mighty maritime province has great geography and friendly people who enjoy an “East Coast” lifestyle, which is generally a more relaxed way of life.

Here you will find 7500 km of beautiful coastline, lush fertile valleys, hundreds of lakes and rivers, and an abundance of delicious food from both the land and sea. Four distinct seasons of the year offer opportunities for outdoor sports and recreational activities. Summer watersports give way to winter skating, sledding and skiing. The Cabot Trail in Cape Breton is world-famous for its autumn leaf colours. Other major centres are not far away and are easily accessible by car, ferry or airline.

Over one million people call Nova Scotia home, and about one-third of them live in Halifax, the capital city.
The rest live in small towns and villages throughout the province.

Nova Scotia’s oldest inhabitants are the Mi’kmaq, one of Canada’s indigenous people. European settlers started to arrive more than four hundred years ago. Today, immigrants to Nova Scotia come from all over the world.

There is much more than natural beauty here. You will find a rich cultural environment that celebrates food, music, art and entertainment. The province offers many services, supports, and amenities.

Publicly- funded healthcare, Grades Primary-12 education and community services are available to all residents.

Nova Scotia has eight universities, with four offering undergraduate nursing programs.  The Nova Scotia Community College has multiple campuses that offer many programs, including the licensed practical nursing program.