Nova Scotia. Department of Economic and Rural Development and Tourism

Other forms of name:
Nova Scotia. Economic Development (1999)
Nova Scotia. Economic Renewal Agency (1994)
Nova Scotia. Department of Economic Development (1992)
Nova Scotia. Department of Economic Development and Tourism (1997)
Nova Scotia. Office of Economic Development (2002)
Nova Scotia. Department of Economic and Rural Development (2009)

In 1992 the Departments of Industry, Trade and Technology and Small Business Development amalgamated to form the Department of Economic Development. In 1994 Economic Development assumed responsibility for tourism and was renamed Nova Scotia Economic Renewal Agency. In 1997 the department was renamed Economic Development and Tourism. In 1999 the department shed responsibility for tourism and was again renamed Economic Development. In 2001 the department shed responsibility for business development. In 2002 the department took over the technology and innovation responsibilities of the defunct Technology and Science Secretariat and became an agency, the Office of Economic Development. In April 2007 its departmental status was restored. The functions of the department were to develop, coordinate and implement policies, planning and programming relating to economic development and the economic growth strategy; to coordinate and implement special projects with communities in economic transition; to promote improvement in and report on the status of the business climate; to assess and set overall priorities regarding Provincial economic development strategic infrastructure projects; to cooperate with and support the work and efforts of other departments and the Government of Canada and its departments respecting matters relating to economic development; to promote maximization of industrial and related benefits in respect of major procurement projects; and to work in conjunction with Nova Scotia Business Incorporated to promote economic development. In 2009 the department's name was changed to Economic and Rural Development to better reflect the role and goals of the department. In January 2011, the department was renamed Economic and Rural Development and Tourism, when it assumed the tourism responsibilities of the Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage (formerly Tourism, Culture and Heritage). These included tourism planning, development, marketing and operations. The department also assumed responsibility for trade policy from Intergovernmental affairs, for business development field services from Nova Scotia Business Incorporated, and for the Gateway Initiative from Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal; as well as for trade-related activities previously carried out by other departments. The department was abolished, effective 9 April 2015, and many of its functions assigned to other departments, including Aboriginal Affairs; Communities, Culture and Heritage; Labour and Advanced Education; Municipal Affairs; Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal; and the newly-created Department of Business. Tourism became the responsibility of Tourism Nova Scotia, a crown corporation established in April 2015, for which the minister of business assumed responsibility.

Notes: Authority record based on Statutes of Nova Scotia, 1992 c. 14, 1994 c. 5 and 31, 2000 c. 30, 2009 c. 14; Orders in Council: 97-222 (1 Apr. 1997), 1999-399 (16 Aug. 1999), 02-102 (8 Mar. 2002); Office of Economic Development. Accountability Report for Fiscal Year 2006/2007: p. 3 note; Orders in Council 2011-15 (11 Jan. 2011), 2015-121 (9 Apr. 2015).

see also Department of Industry, Trade and Technology

see also Department of Small Business Development

see also Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage

see also Department of Business

see also Tourism Nova Scotia